Why Is My Drain Clogged? Top 5 Reasons for Drain Blockage

Drain clogged? There is perhaps no worse feeling than seeing water slowly start to fill up in your sink, tub, or shower when you don’t want it to. Since the clog hides down in your drain, it’s not always easy to figure out what’s causing it.

However, it is important to figure out the cause of your clog before you start throwing hot water or chemicals down the drain. Here, we’ll break down the top 5 reasons for drain blockage so you know how to fix it, and so you can prevent your drain from clogging in the first place.

1. Hair

Hair is a very common contributor to clogs, especially in bathroom drains. Hair is notoriously bad because it can combine itself with other materials, knot up, and get stuck on parts of the drain. Fortunately, a hair strainer guard is an easy way to prevent hair-related clogging.

2. Oil, Grease, and Fat

Oil, grease, and fat can be a real pain when they clog up your drain. Grease and fat can solidify in pipes and cause major blockages, even if you run hot water while pouring it down kitchen drains.

3. Soap

It may seem surprising at first, but soap can also create hard-to-fix blockages in your drain. Soap builds up a residue over time (also known as soap scum) when it combines with minerals in the water.

Soap can also combine with other materials like hair to create a drain blockage in your pipes. This is especially common in shower drains.

4. Mineral Buildup

While soap can cause residue to build up over time, you don’t even need soap for minerals to build up in your pipes. If you have hard water in your home, your drains can become blocked by mineral deposits over long periods of time.

You may not even notice this at first but it can reduce flow and backups, as well as an increased chance of other materials like hair getting stuck. Unfortunately, this is generally a job for a professional plumber, but you can prevent this by installing a water softener in your home.

5. Tree Roots

Surprisingly enough, drains can become clogged by things that happen outside your pipes too. If there’s even a tiny crack in your pipes, tree roots can work their way in and obstruct water flow. Again, this will probably require professionals to fix and detect, so it’s important to review the state of your drains regularly.

Drain Clogged? Act Smart

A drain clogged by hair may be relatively easy to solve with a drain snake, but there are some plumbing issues that are harder to solve than others.

If you take the appropriate steps to solve a simple clog and you are still having issues, it’s always best to call a professional. You don’t want to spend money on unnecessary chemicals or attempt to fix something yourself and unintentionally make the problem worse.

Why Is My Drain Clogged? Top 5 Reasons for Drain Blockage