Drain Blockages: What Causes Them & How To Prevent Them

To ensure that your home is clean and safe and to prevent water supply contamination, your sewer and drain pipes must move wastewater out of your house efficiently and effectively. When they don’t, these plumbing issues are a nuisance and can damage your home. That’s why the experts at Faszold provide comprehensive plumbing services for homeowners in St. Charles and St. Louis County. From leaking pipes to clogged toilets, our professional plumbers are committed to your absolute comfort and will quickly restore your plumbing to working order. 

For high-quality sewer and drain services in St. Charles and St. Louis County, call Faszold at (314) 656-7399 or contact us online!

What Causes a Drain Blockage?

Whether your kitchen sink, shower, or toilet is backed up, drain blockages often frustrate homeowners. You rely on your free-flowing pipes to keep your home clean and functional. If you’re experiencing drain problems, it may be from one of these common causes: 

• Foreign objects in the bathroom: One of the most common reasons for blocked sewer and drain pipes is foreign objects. Hair, feminine hygiene products, and wet wipes belong in your trash can, not your drains. When these items get stuck in your pipes, you can end up with backflow or burst sewer lines.
• Improper food disposal in sinks: Some food waste items should not go down the drain, even in sinks with garbage disposals. This includes fat and grease from cooking, starches, and coffee grounds, which should be discarded in your trash or compost, not in your sink.
• Hard water and mineral buildup: If your home’s water is hard, mineral deposits can collect along the sides of your pipes and create blocks. 
• Tree roots: If multiple drains in your home are clogged simultaneously, this may indicate a more extensive blockage in the sewer line. Tree roots are often the issue — these invasive roots can grow into your pipe and cause significant problems.

Preventing Drain Blockages

To prevent drain blockages and the severe damage that can come with them, homeowners should ensure that their pipes are utilized and maintained properly to keep wastewater moving out of the home. Ways to keep your drains clear include:

• Use drain screens: Since hair and soap in your shower and large food debris in your kitchen sink are often at the root of drain blockages, we recommend using drain screens to protect your pipes from these foreign objects. Screens can be purchased at most superstores and are an extremely affordable way to protect your pipes.
• Use your toilet only for natural waste: To prevent messy sewage backup, only flush natural waste and toilet paper down your toilet. Any other objects, even those marketed as flushable, can lead to severe blockages.
• Clean kitchen drains with hot water: By pouring a kettle of hot water down your kitchen drain, you can melt away any grease or fat that has made its way into your pipes and flush it out with the wastewater. We recommend doing this once a week. 
• Inspect your septic tank: If your home has a septic tank, have it inspected by a professional every few years. This can ensure the health of your home’s pipes and that waste is moved efficiently.

Choose Faszold for Drain Services

If your home’s pipes aren’t flowing freely, call the experts at Faszold. With an A+ BBB rating and more than 40 years of experience in the business, we can guarantee that our licensed, bonded, and insured professionals will provide you with the best products and services. We offer emergency service, upfront pricing, and easy scheduling to meet your plumbing needs quickly and efficiently!