What are the typical signs of a blocked drain?
Block drainage can cause you a massive headache. Overflowing drains can damage property, ruin floors, cause health hazards and even over time damage the foundations of property. Nobody wants raw sewage in their living room! This is why it is important to get a suspected blockage removed and the cause of the problem determined as soon as possible to prevent any further blockages occuring.
A lot of people ask how you know that your drain is blocked. If you block your drainage system here are some signs to look out for:
- The first big sign is slow draining sinks and baths, this may seem like a small sign but it is vitally important. If you have a slow draining sink and bath it is highly likely that there is a partial blockages in part of your external drainage system. Baths and sinks should drain easily, so if water is being retained, there is a problem somewhere. At this point, it may be worth trying a chemical drain cleaner to attempt to shift it.
- Another early sign that can occur is the presence of a bad drain smell. This may be a result of sewage or food being held up within the drain, water sitting stagnant in the pipes due to being unable to drain away quickly. There can be many reasons why there is that bad smell, a drain blockage is only one possible reason, but nevertheless is something to be aware of.
- A typical sign that you may see if your drain is blocked is water pooling outside. This may be the result of a blocked drain, or just an exceptionally heavy downpour of rain. However, if it has been average rainfall, and the water is still pooling, then it is probably the result of a drain blockage and is something you should have jetted and cleared away. If this problem then persists then it is recommended that you consider getting a professional to perform some drain surveying.
- A subtle sign of a blocked drain is bubbling and gurgling noises originating from the drain. These noises can be due to the fact that water is not draining at a constant rate, allowing for pockets of air to enter the drain making it appear that the drain is gurgling. If water is not entering the drain uniformly, then there is likely something obstructing its flow, which points towards there being some type of blockage that needs clearing.
- A major sign of a block drainage is sewage all over your garden and path. This is probably the most obvious one and also the most serious. At this point the only way to get rid of the sewage is through jetting and unblocking the drain. If the blocked drainage is then cleared a good drainage engineer (like us) can jet down your path and garden patio and wash it into the drain so you do not have to cope with the bad smell and raw sewage. We also use pine scented disinfectant to leave the area smelling fresh and hygienic, and most of all, safe.
I hope this list of signs will help you identify a block in your drainage and shed some light into some very dark pipes! If you ever need any advice or help Mersey Rod are here to help address any block in your drainage you may have. Dealing with block drainage is what we do!