Common causes of blocked drains

The biggest cause of blocked pipes and drains is because they are blocked with things that simply shouldn’t be there.

Blocked drains are becoming a common issue, with our modern lifestyles putting increasingly more pressure on our sewage and drainage network, flushing items and pouring away substances that should have been put in the bin.

Be careful what you flush or pour down the drain!

Fat, cooking oil, wet wipes and sanitary products are among the biggest cause of blocked drains along with paint or other chemicals. Not only can this cause blocked drains or corroded and damaged pipes, but it is also environmentally irresponsible, ultimately escaping into the environment and waterways and affecting plants, birds and wildlife habitats - not just our homes and businesses.

The easiest way to prevent problems with drainage is to be careful what you flush or pour down toilets and sinks.

• Don’t flush anything other than toilet paper and human waste down the toilet. Toilet paper is formulated to disolve after it is flushed unlike other paper and sanitary products.
• Don’t pour fats and oils from cooking down the sink, it's runny while it is hot but cools quickly and solidifies causing a build up. No amount of washing up liquid or hot water will shift solidified oils and fats, and if you add wet wipes, sanitary products and cotton pads, you will soon have a blocked drain.

Once you have a blocked drain it is very likely to back up, and depending on your drainage setup you could end up with foul water coming back into your home.

If you do find yourself with a blocked drain and you are in the Essex, Suffolk or North London area, contact us to resolve it quickly and efficiently.