Many people do not realise they are dealing with a clogged drain until it is too late. Blocked drains, if left unchecked, attract mould or lead to structural damage. You will end up paying a significant amount of money to fix a drain that has been blocked for too long. Here are some signs of a blocked drain.

Gurgling Sound

If you find that your fixtures and pipes sound different than usual, this is a sign of a blockage. Gurgling noises from toilet flushes, drains, pipes, and plug holes should warn you of a blockage. The sound means there is some trapped air that is escaping from the drain when the water starts running.

Usually, dirt and debris build up in your plumbing. As a result, the water drains out slowly. The air bubbles that produce the gurgling sound do not pass through the pipes but instead move out of the nearest output. This is the reason for the gurgling sound. You will not hear this noise in a clear and clean drain because water and air drain out the proper vents.

Slow Draining, Rising Water, and Foul Odour

Another sign of a blocked drain is when your shower, toilet, sink, or bath drains slowly. In severe cases, the water does not drain at all. The problem could be that either the fixture or the sewer drain is blocked. If there is slow draining in all of your drainage systems, the problem is the sewer drain, but if it is one of these systems, for example, the shower itself, then it's the fixture itself.

In many cases, a toilet is the leading cause of a blockage. If when you flush the toilet, water levels rise in the shower, or when taps are running, the water in the toilet starts to rise, this shows that you have a blocked drain. Typically, if any of your home's water appliances are making water to rise elsewhere, you are dealing with a blockage.

When you have a blockage in your plumbing, food debris, hair and water are continuously accumulating. Decomposing solids and stagnant water have a terrible odour that will linger in the air and be present around your showers, sinks, toilets and tubs. If you notice the smell when the pipe is cleaned, then this is a sign, there is a collapsed or damaged pipe in the plumbing system.

Summing It Up

If you find that you have a gurgling sound, slow draining, rising water and foul odour, you might be dealing with a blocked drain. Leaving blocked drains unchecked can cause costly problems down the road. The next time you notice any of the signs of blocked drains, consult with a plumber to have the blockage fixed.