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Blocked and damaged household drains are extremely common all year round; however winter is a time of year where garden drains are particularly susceptible to blockages. Leaves, fast growing tree roots and shrubs from the previous autumn can grow into or clog outdoor and garden drains. Fixing a blocked drain outside can also cause damage and disruption to your garden growth.
This winter, be proactive and check your drains before the problem arises. Here are three simple measures you and your family can implement to help prevent blocked drains in or outside your home this winter:
Utilise a sink stopper, and clean it regularly.
When rinsing or washing dishes in the sink, make sure that there is a sink stopper inserted before the plug. When the water drains out of the sink, any debris or solid food scraps in the mixture will be caught by the sink stopper rather than ending up down the drain. The reason this is so important is because excess food scraps can accumulate very quickly, and don’t always flush cleanly down a narrow kitchen drain. Implementing this simple technique will help to prevent a multitude of potential blocked drains in your kitchen.
Don’t flush sanitary napkins or baby wipes down the toilet.
Another extremely easy way to prevent blocked drains in your home is to make sure that no one flushes baby wipes or sanitary napkins down the toilet. Blocked drains caused by baby wipes being flushed down the toilet are probably the number one cause of emergency plumbing call outs in Australia. Even if the packaging says the baby wipe is “flushable” don’t flush it! Septic systems and toilet drains are only designed to handle human waste, water and toilet paper. Toilet paper dissolves much more quickly and is a lot less sturdy than a baby wipe, meaning it breaks down easily and does not lead to blockages. Protect your septic system and bathroom drains, and do not flush baby wipes down the toilet.
Clean your gutters of leaves and debris.
A simple way to prevent blockages in your garden drain is to clean your gutters and remove any built up leaves or debris. Winter is the best time of year to do this, as the rapidly falling leaves from deciduous trees the previous autumn can quickly build up in your roof gutters and drains. Prevent blockages before they occur by cleaning leaves and debris before they get swept into your drains.
For more expert advice and plumbing tips, contact the friendly team at Sydney Blocked Drains today.
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