Signs and causes of blocked drains: A Room-by-Room Guide

Wherever there are drains on your property, there is a chance of blockage. Remember, no matter how careful we are with what enters your drains, drain clogging can be an unavoidable truth of owning a home. In this guide, we will be focusing on key rooms of the house that most commonly experience drain blockages, and will be outlining telltale signs of drain blockage, offering advice on how to unblock drains in each specific room. 

Blocked Drain in a Wet Room

Wetroom

The first signs 

Cooling off in a wet room is the perfect way to wake up in the morning. These luxury features are meant to be enjoyed, which is why a blocked drain can cause a major headache. Blocked drains in wet rooms can result in overflow or backlog, and therefore, can cause damage to the expensive tiles and emit unwelcome odours. What are the causes of drain blockage in wet rooms, and how can you solve them? 

The causes

Like any shower or bathroom, hair, dirt and soap scum unavoidably gets washed into drains. Over time, this leads to blockages, with the combination of hair and soap creating an especially hard-to-shift blockage. 

The solutions 

  • Initially, fixing a clogged drain in a wet room can be attempted with the use of a plunger or drain snake. You could also try and use drain cleaner, vinegar or baking soda, or a combination of these. If the problem runs deeper than this, it may not be possible to resolve it on your own. Special care should be taken with wet rooms, due to their expense.  
  • In some cases, access to the drains in a wetroom is not always easy. A plumber should be called next to assess the issue. Sometimes, the issue could lie deeper or be linked to troubles in external drains. Express Drainage Surveys offer more specialist services than a plumber, and can feed a specialist hi-res drainage camera through the system. This way, our drainage experts can assess the footage and accurately pinpoint the issue. 

Blocked Drain in a Utility/Laundry Room 

Washing machine

The first signs 

Does your washing machine seem a little sluggish? Perhaps the water isn’t draining away as efficiently as it could, or maybe it’s flooding? Is your dryer not performing as well as it could? All these are warning signs that your laundry room may be suffering with a blocked drain. In some cases, you may be unable to open the door if there is water still remaining in the drum. 

The causes

Time can cause the gradual build-up of dirt, fat, grease, clothes fibres, fluff, and other bits of debris within the drains of both washing machines and dryers.

The solutions 

  • First, attempt to identify the cause of the drain blockage. Lay some towels or containers in front of your appliance to collect any water that may result from your investigation. You will then need to unplug the appliance from the mains. Next, consult the manual for your appliance to locate the drain hose at the back – only use drain unclogging techniques that are recommended for that particular make or model. If you own a plumber’s snake, you can use this appliance to root out the blockage, after which you should flush with water. Test the machine by running it to see if your efforts have paid off. 
  • If the above hasn’t worked, it may be a problem deeper in the system or in the main sewer line. A plumber should be called out first. However, if the issue is more complex or involves an external drain,  Express Drainage Surveys can pinpoint the exact cause of your drainage woes and offer swift resolution. Depending on your circumstances, this can involve the use of a state-of-the-art camera to collect footage of your drainage system for diagnostic purposes. 

Blocked Drain in a Kitchen

Kitchen sink

The first signs

A telltale signal that your kitchen drain needs unblocking is the obvious slow drainage of water, or a persistent pungent smell. These can be signs of blocked drains or that they are on the verge of clogging.

The causes

When cooking and washing up, food grease and particles are washed into the drains where they can build up and lead to blockages.  

The solutions 

  • Boiling water, salt, vinegar and baking soda are all suggested treatment methods for breaking up a drain blockage. You may need to use a few of these techniques, or repeat them, to shift particularly stubborn blockages. Baking soda and salt can be used in combination and should be allowed to sit in the drain for a few hours before being flushed through with boiling water. Vinegar and baking soda combined should only be allowed to sit for 15 minutes, tops. You may wish to employ the use of tools such as plumber’s snakes or plungers, though these should be used with a gentle hand. 
  • If you would rather ask a professional to resolve your issue, a plumber should be your first step. For issues linked to external drains, Express Drainage Surveys can help. Along with a solid understanding and extensive experience of a range of drainage problems, we also have the ability to use state-of-the-art cameras to gather video evidence of any drainage problems. 

Blocked Outdoor Drain

Rain surrounding drain

The first signs

If you notice your drain overflowing, or if it looks obviously disrupted or blocked by leaves, mud and other debris, these can be blocked soil pipe symptoms and sure signals that your outdoor drain requires attention. 

The causes

A variety of influences can cause a clogged outdoor drain. These can range from a build-up of soaps, grease, and other household waste from the sink and dishwasher hoses from inside the house, along with outdoor materials, such as leaves and debris. All of this combined can result in blocked drains. 

The solutions 

  • Unblocking an outdoor drain may require a different approach to indoor drains. First, inspect the drain by removing the cover – this may require a screwdriver. If you have a drainage rod, you can use this to dislodge the blockage by carefully easing into the drain, taking care not to push the blockage deeper into the drain. Please don’t rotate the rods anti-clockwise as this can cause damage. If you are successful with removing the blockage, run some water and check everything is flowing as it should – this also helps to flush away any remaining debris. 
  • With outdoor drains, it can often be tricky to resolve the issue yourself, especially since great care should be taken. If in doubt, always consult a drainage specialist who can offer swift diagnosis of your drainage issue, pinpointing the location and severity of any blockages using a state-of-the-art camera. From this, the drainage issues can be resolved whilst protecting the quality and safety of your drains. 

Pinpoint your drain problems with help from the experts. Express Drainage Surveys can find the source of any issues by identifying the exact cause and location of the problem – allowing for swift diagnosis and remedy. We help homes and businesses across London fix their drainage woes, thanks to our state-of-the-art technology. Contact us to discuss your situation.