No one wants to be dealing with blocked drains in their home. Your household drainage system works hard day in and day out – understanding how it functions is key to good maintenance. We believe knowledge is power, so Willow Pumps are here to answer these top 5 questions on how your drainage system works, how you can prevent blockages, and what to do if they occur.

1. Where do household drain pipes go?

The wastewater that leaves your home travels through your household pipe network, eventually joining a main underground sewer. Before it reaches the sewer, it may pass through a pumping station. Sewage systems most often rely on gravity to deliver wastewater from a residential home into the main sewer. Where a gravity connection is not possible and the waste needs to travel uphill or horizontally to reach the main sewer, a pump station is the solution. Once the wastewater has reached the sewer network, it is transported to a treatment plant.

To find out more about pumping stations work, read our article Sewage pumping stations – everything you need to know.

2. What causes blocked drains?

The most common causes of blocked household drains are:

  • Fats, oils and grease (FOG)

When used cooking grease and fat is washed down the drain, it attaches to the inside of your pipes, eventually building up into a blockage.

  • Toiletry items

Flushing items such as nappies, wipes, tampons and excessive amounts of toilet paper can lead to them becoming stuck on the rough surface of a drain pipe. As they will not disperse in water, they will block wastewater from travelling easily through the pipe.

  • Hair

A build up of hair in a bathroom drain is a very common cause of blockages. By allowing it to go through the plughole in excessive amounts, homeowners often end up with a pipe that becomes completely blocked.

  • Foreign objects

Solid objects that do not dissolve or breakdown in water may not immediately cause a complete blockage to your pipes, but over time material builds up and obstructs water from flowing freely through the drains.

  • Garden debris

Access to your household drains isn’t just from inside your home. Outdoor drains feed into the same network and a build up of leaves and other natural debris can cause a significant obstruction to the flow of water.

3. Can blocked drains cause flooding?

The simple answer to this question is yes. Any drain that becomes blocked creates a situation where wastewater has nowhere to go. Ultimately it will collect at the surface or pipe entry point and if the flow of water continues your home or garden and external environment can become flooded.

4. How can I avoid blocked drains?

Ensuring that your drains remain clear depends on prevention. Within your home and garden, focus on habits that protect your pipes.

  • Grease management is an important habit to get right. Any cooled kitchen fats and grease should be scraped off your kitchenware and disposed of into your general waste bin.
  • Avoid flushing toiletries or other solid items down your drains.
  • Use a plug guard in your shower to catch hair, check regularly for any hair collecting in your plug and dispose of it in your general waste.
  • Monitor outdoor drains for a build up of leaves and garden debris and clear them regularly.

5. How can I clear blocked drains?

Even with careful prevention, sometimes blocked household drains do occur. It’s important to deal with them quickly and effectively to avoid damage to your home, environment and the main sewage network.

Dealing with a blocked drain depends on what has caused the blockage and where it is positioned. The safest option is to call the professionals to ensure that your drain is cleared safely.

Willow Pumps are here 24/7 all year round with expert drainage services. For advice and support, or for more information about drainage systems and pumping stations, get in touch with us today.

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