Blocked Drains: How to Spot Them and What to Do

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Blocked Drains

Blocked drains are a messy business that will lead to foul smells and wastewater spilling into your home, which will cost a fortune to have cleaned up. Having a blocked drain is an inconvenience, but you can easily deal with them if you carry out regular cleaning and act quickly. To help you find blockages quickly, we’ve compiled a list of common signs, and we’ll even tell you how to deal with them. 

The Visuals

You will know when a drain is blocked because your sink, toilet, shower, and bath won’t drain properly. Depending on the extent of the blockage, there may be no movement at all. You can determine the location of the blockage by checking all drain locations; if it’s a property-wide blockage, all pipes will be backed up. However, if there’s only one problematic drain, you can isolate the blockage to pipes immediately connected. 

As well as inside your property, you will have drainage facilities outside your home. Therefore, if any appliance is spilling water into your home, you should check external manholes. If you notice rising water, you have a serious problem and you will need to call in the St Louis sewer & drain cleaning services.

The Odor

Aside from the sound and the smell, blocked-up drains smell horrendous. If you’re washing up, having a bath, or using any water-based appliances, and you notice any foul odors, it’s a good indication that you have a blockage. The foul smell is normally caused because food and waste start to rot, which has a vomit-inducing odor – be warned. 

The Sound

If by some miracle you haven’t seen or smelt a blocked drain, you can usually hear strange sounds coming from your pipes. For example, if your drains start to gurgle, this is a clear sign that something is wrong. Further, if the sound of your toilet flush is different, this is telling you to call in the professionals as well. 

What Can You Do?

Your first challenge is deciding who is responsible for a blockage. Typically, if the block is in your system, it’s your responsibility. However, if it’s just outside your boundary or shared with a neighbor, the water company will be responsible for sorting it out. 

After determining the responsible party, you need to start getting it fixed. If the block sits within your boundary, you need to start unblocking the drain. There are many DIY methods to try first including store-bought drain cleaners and plunging the system. However, if you want to have the blockage dealt with quickly and professionally, you should call in a quality plumbing service. 

Plumbing issues are high on the list of any homeowner’s nightmares, and blockages can be extremely expensive, especially if enough pressure builds and it bursts a pipe. You should easily spot a blockage through sight and smell, but the sound of gurgling pipes will be there to seal the deal. To clear the blockage, you can try home cleaning products or have a professional cleaning service take care of it.