5 Common Causes of Blocked Drains and How to Prevent Them

Posted by Sydney Plumber Blocked Drains on 26 Oct 2025

Blocked drains are a source of frustration that can disrupt your daily life. They can cause the destruction of your home’s plumbing, unpleasant smells, and even health hazards. If they are not addressed promptly blocked drains can lead to grave problems to your plumbing system, resulting in costly fixes or replacings.

Key Takeaways

  • Blockages to drains can cause disruption to your routine and lead to problems with water, bad odours and even health hazards.
  • Fat, oil and grease buildup can accumulate on the walls of pipes, leading to obstructions; try not to pour grease down the drain, or use soap and hot water to wash dishes.
  • Tree roots naturally extend in the ground to find nutrients, which could cause serious damages and blockages to pipes which can cause flooding. Ensure you keep trees in the vicinity of drainage systems by pruning them.
  • Flushing non-biodegradable items like wet towels, wipes and sanitary pads and so on. can cause unpleasant smells emanating from toilets or bins. only wash toilet papers down drain.
  • Hair

In this article, we will look at five common causes of blocked drains and what you can do to stop them from happening.

Cause 1. Grease, oil and Fat buildup

Fat, grease, and oil may seem like harmless substances to dump down the drain but over time they accumulate within the wall of the pipes, causing a blockage. If this happens the water can’t move freely through the drainpipes. The solution is to stop throwing grease into the drain. Alternatively, use hot water and soap during cleaning dishes since it can help break down greasy substances.

Cause 2: Tree Roots

Over time tree roots naturally extend their roots into the earth searching for nutrients which means that they grow towards underground pipes. Once inside the pipes, tree roots can cause massive damage and may completely stop them from flowing, causing flooding. It’s important therefore if you have trees around that you maintain their growth around drainage systems by pruning them on a regular basis.

Cause 3: Unwanted items

It’s easy to think that flushing non-biodegradable things like the wet wipes, sanitary towel etc. will not cause any major problems in the long run but when too many of these items are flushed in the toilets, they’ll pile up and push others away, that block pipes. This can cause unpleasant odors to emanate around toilets/bin areas too! Make sure to remember what should be flushed and what shouldn’t (i. that only toilet paper is to be flushed).

Cause 4: Hair

Additional Information

Our 5 Star Service Promise to You

Sydney Drain Plumbing Services

Are you experiencing a clogged toilet, blocked shower drain, overflowing drains or an issue with your kitchen sink? We can help you sort out your drain blockage problem quickly and provide the following services:

  • CCTV Drain Inspections
  • Drain Clearing & Drain Cleanin
  • Drain Repairs
  • Pipe Relining
  • Blocked Stormwater Drains
  • Blocked Sewer Drains & Blocked Pipes
  • Blocked Sinks & Blocked Toilets
  • Clogged or Blocked Shower Drain

Clearing blocked drains can be difficult and it’s best to get a professional plumbing service involved to tackle it for you, To get your blocked drain in Sydney cleared today, contact Sydney Plumber Blocked Drains now and speak to one of our friendly team members.

8 Reasons To Hire Sydney Plumber Blocked Drains

  • 24 Hours A Day, 7 Days A Week
  • Price Up-Front, No Hidden Fees
  • Prices You Can Trust
  • Quality Workmanship Guaranteed
  • Great Reviews & Reputation
  • We’re Personable & Friendly
  • Experienced & Licenced Team
  • Get a Quote With No Obligation

We Provide 24/7 Emergency Plumbing

No one ever expects to experience a plumbing emergency, but when it does happen, you need a reliable plumbing service that can help you resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

At Sydney Plumber Blocked Drains, we are always here for our customers, day or night, weekends or holidays. We understand that plumbing emergencies can happen at any time, and we are always prepared to help.

If you are experiencing a plumbing emergency, please do not hesitate to call us. We will dispatch one of our experienced plumbers to your home or business as soon as possible.

We will work diligently to resolve the issue and get your life back to normal as quickly as possible, contact us today.

Blocked Drains

Blocked Drains

Drain Inspection

Drain Inspection

Drain Cleaning

Drain Cleaning

Drain Repairs

Drain Repairs

About Us &

What We Do

When it comes to plumbing, you want to make sure you’re working with a qualified professional. At our company, we are licensed and insured professionals who are dedicated to providing quality plumbing services.

We’re here to help with all of your plumbing needs, such as blocked drains, CCTV drain inspections, drain repairs and pipe relining.

We understand that plumbing problems can be disruptive and expensive. That’s why we offer 24×7 emergency service, so you can get the help you need when you need it most.

We also have a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all of our work, so you can be confident that you’re making the best decision for your home.

Identify tree roots in your pipes with our cctv inspections and nabish them from your drains with our pip repairs and pipe relining.

Blocked Drain, CCTV Inspections & Pipe Relining
Make an Enquiry

Request a Quote

Fill out the form below to get in touch or call us today on
1300 890 269