Tru Flow Drainage

What are signs of a blocked drain? We look at the warning signs of a blocked drain and what you should do with a blocked drain. We offer drain unblocking throughout Fleetwood, Blackpool and Lancashire.

What Are the Warning Signs of a Blocked Drain?

No one wants to deal with all the stress of having a blocked drain in their home. It can lead to your property being filled with horrible odours and huge amounts of unwanted costs emptying your wallet. If the drain that is causing issues is the toilet drain, then this can be massively inconvenient for the entire family.

This is exactly why it is so important for you to identify any drain blockages as early as possible in order to prevent any further damage to the pipework from occurring. The sooner you can identify a problem with your drain, the better. If you have reason to suspect that a drain is becoming blocked or already has become blocked, then it is vital for you to have the problem diagnosed by a professional and have it fixed as quickly as possible.

What are the visual signs of a blocked drain?

One of the most obvious signs that you have a blocked drain is that you can clearly see that your sink, toilet, shower, or bath is draining extremely slowly. If you have a particularly bad blockage, then the water might not be draining at all. You might find stagnant water sitting in your bath or shower hours after the unit has been used.

If it is just a single fixture within your home that is experiencing drainage issues, then the blockage is likely to be localised to a single pipe that is connected to that appliance specifically. However, if it is multiple fixtures within your home that are having drainage issues, then it is probably the case that there is a blockage somewhere within the sewer drain.

Here is a useful tip! Using the toilet can give you a good idea of the severity of the problem at hand. Try flushing your toilet and see if it causes water to rise elsewhere in your home. If you flush the toilet and it causes the water to rise up in the shower, or if running the taps in your bathroom leads to the water in your toilet rising, then the issue is definitely located within a blocked drain. If using any water-based appliances leads to water appearing elsewhere on your property, then this might also indicate that you have a blocked drain.

Following this same logic, it is wise to take a look at your property's external drains and manhole covers to see if there are any signs of rising water. Though you should be certain to only ever do this from the outside as entering into a manhole can be very hazardous. This is due to the risk of various bacteria and dangerous gases.

Signs Of A Blocked Drain

Often times with problems, it is recommended that if you just give the issue some time, it might be able to solve itself. This is absolutely not the case with plumbing. Especially when discussing blocked drains. We can assure you that waiting will only make the problem become worse, and your drain can begin to suffer some very serious damage or even start to overflow as a result.

This is why it is so important to act quickly when you are dealing with a blocked drain and take all the necessary steps to have the problem fixed before it can start to get any worse.There are key warning signs that you need to be able to identify. Below we will describe the first signs that you are dealing with a blocked drain.

 Taking A Longer Time To Drain

If you believe that you have a drain blockage on your property, then the first thing you should do is take a look at your home's water appliances. If you notice that the water in these fixtures is taking an extended amount of time to drain, then you might have an issue. If the clog is particularly bad, then flooding might even occur in these areas of the home.

In situations where only one area of the home is being affected by the issue, it can be that the clog is just localised to the pipes for that specific fixture. For example, if your bathroom sink is draining water perfectly well, but the toilet is not, then it can be due to a specific pipe that is connected to the toilet. This pipe will have become blocked and will need to be fixed as soon as possible. If all the appliances in your home are draining slowly, then in most circumstances, this will mean that the sewer drain has become blocked.

It is not uncommon for some people to notice that water is appearing somewhere else in the home while another water appliance is being used. This can be because the external drains are not working as designed. In order to solve this, you may need to open up your home's manhole. Be warned though; you should never enter the manhole if you are not a trained professional. Doing so can put your life at great risk.

 Bad Smells in your Environment

Another sign that you are dealing with a blocked drain is the foul odour that can be created. This smell will be easily noticeable to anyone living in the space.

Blockages are caused by materials becoming stuck within piping, and eventually, these materials have to start rotting down. This is where the nasty smell comes from. It is often the smell that is noticed first before there is any kind of visual cue that there has been a drain blockage.

 Floors and walls becoming damp

If you notice that your home has damp walls, this should never be ignored. This will be due to water seeping from a pipe into your walls or flooring due to a leak. Overlooking this issue for a long period of time can result in massive amounts of property damage occurring, which will cost huge amounts in order to have fixed.Drain blockages usually do not happen immediately.

The materials and debris that cause the blockage take time to accumulate and build up. By the time that it is noticeable, the cost of repairs may already be astronomically high. This is why it is so important to keep your eyes peeled for all of the warning signs, so you can identify the blocked drain before it is too late.

 blocked drains make a lot of noise

Finally, if you have noticed that the fixtures and pipes in your home are making unusual noises, then this can also be an indication that there is a blockage. Try listening out for gurgling sounds from your plug holes, pipes, and drains, as these can be the early warning signs of a blockage. In addition to this, pay close attention when flushing your toilet.

If your toilet flush is making a different noise from what it normally makes, then this is another sign that you may be dealing with a blocked drain.The unusual sounds related to a blockage are caused when gases become trapped within your pipes due to the blockage material, and then this gas becomes either dislodged or pushed through the piping system.

---

Struggling with a drain blockage in your bathroom or kitchen? We offer drain unblocking throughout Fleetwood, Blackpool and Lancashire. Let us help. Tru Flow Drainage is a drainage contractor that has been resolving drainage issues for local homes, businesses, and property developers for more than 25 years.