A blocked sewer drain is a menace for any household as an average Aussie home flushes approximately 340 liters of wastewater a day. Once the system is clogged, it can cause substantial damages to your residential property and expose your loved ones to germs and bacteria. Since this is the most common issue plumbers deal with today, it’s fundamental to determine its causes and how to fix it.

What causes a blocked sewer?

A clogged sewer may be a result of various causes, including:

Tree roots

Tree roots are a common cause of blocked sewers, affecting sewer lines. When sourcing for water, trees can invade a sewer line via their roots to the point that they completely block the sewer line. The mineral composition of the wastewater particularly appeals to the surrounding trees, resulting in an aggressive invasion.

Hair and fur

Using a sink or tub to wash hair or your pet without a stopper or sieve in place can cause the strands to entwine with other sticky, insoluble objects in the drain pipes, leading to blockages.

Kitchen waste

Doing the dishes or preparing food in the sink without sink strainers causes drain blockages over time due to the accumulation of food scraps and other kitchen waste. While some may be easy to trap using strainers, others, such as fats and grease, may be more difficult without the right equipment in place.

Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG)

FOGs are notorious for blocking drainage pipes when they solidify. The best way to avoid this is installing a residential grease trap/interceptor, particularly in your kitchen. The equipment ensures that the FOGs do not flush down and solidify, otherwise causing problems deep inside the system that may be difficult to deal with.

Toys

Broken or tiny toys are a common cause of blocked sewer, usually caused by curious kids or playful pets. If a toy or object is small enough to drain, it is best to keep it away from the washroom.

Dirt and cement

Dirt and cement accumulation inside the pipes is another cause of clogged sewers. Cement, in particular, can solidify in the sewer line requiring the replacement of pipes.

Damaged or old pipes. 

Aging or damaged pipes are bound to cause blocked drainages. These repairs may require fixing by a professional plumber due to the nature of their complexity.

Sanitary waste

When sanitary waste such as sanitary napkins and kitty litter that is meant to be disposed of through the dustbin is flushed down the drain, they may cause blockages in your sewer system that may prove challenging to fix.

What are the signs of a blocked sewer?

The key to avoiding the inconveniences of a clogged sewer drain is early detection of the problem and observing the behavior of the drains when flushing down water. Blocked drains give specific indicators that point to an issue with the drainage system, mainly:

• Slow-moving or stagnant water
• Discolored water
• Unpleasant odor
• Gurgles

If you notice any of these signs, you can try to DIY. However, this isn’t recommended, particularly if you have never tried the task before. It’s better to get a seasoned plumber to avoid causing more water damage and exposing your loved ones to wastewater.

DIY tips to fix a blocked sewer

Fixing blocked sewers at their earliest prevents issues caused by the defective sewer lines and potentially costly repairs. Unfortunately, even for the most careful homeowners, an occasional clogged sewer is not uncommon. Having these DIY tips in hand will help. Most items used in DIY unclogging of residential drains are also quite affordable for any household. They include:

Plunger

For most drains in the house, a plunger is a practical, easy-to-use tool for unblocking a clogged drain. Very little skill is required to handle this tool, making it a go-to for many households.

Boiling water

Hot water is adequate for draining liquid objects that cool and solidify inside the drain, such as FOGs. However, you may require large amounts of boiling water to unclog the drain properly.

Baking soda and vinegar

Usually, the go-to solutions to most household cleaning jobs, baking soda, and vinegar, are equally potent in unclogging blocked drains, particularly in the kitchen. However, in unblocking drains, the solution works best when used together with hot water.

First, pour a jar of boiling water down the pipe. Follow it up with a solution containing a cup each of water, baking soda, and vinegar. Cover the drain with a stopper and after some time, pour another jar of boiling water.

Snaking

If boiling water, baking soda, and vinegar are ineffective against blocked drains, snaking is your next best bet at unclogging the drains. However, due to little skill in operating the tool, it is advised that the average person only use snaking equipment in unblocking small-sized drains.

When to Call a Professional Plumber

As with most DIY jobs, an unskilled and inexperienced person may not effectively deal with a challenging clogged drain. This requires the services of a licensed plumber with expertise in using sophisticated equipment such as power drain cleaners, augers, and high-pressure water jetters.

Wrap Up

At Geelong 24 Hour Plumbing we have a dedicated and qualified team that uses the latest plumbing equipment to diagnose and fix blocked drain correctly. We are Geelong’s leading provider of all plumbing solutions. Call us today via 1300 368 866 for round-the-clock satisfactory and affordable service.