5 Common Causes of Blocked Drains and How to Prevent Them

Posted by Melbourne Blocked Drains Plumbers on 14 Mar 2026

Blocked drains can be a nuisance that can disrupt your daily life. They can cause flooding, bad smells, or even health risks. If not dealt with promptly blocked drains may cause severe problems for the plumbing system, which can lead to costly repair or even replacement.

Key Takeaways

  • Blockages to drains can cause disruption to your routine and cause flooding, unpleasant odours and even health hazards.
  • The 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 into the soil to search for nutrients that could cause severe damage to pipes and even completely block them which can cause flooding. Ensure you maintain trees near drainage systems by trimming them.
  • Disposing of non-biodegradable materials like wet toiletries, wipes, and so on. can cause unpleasant smells emanating from toilets or bins. be sure to use toilet paper to flush down drain.
  • Hair

In this article, we will look at five common reasons for blocked drains and the best way to stop them from happening.

Cause 1. Grease, oil and fat buildup

Fat, grease, and oil may appear like harmless materials to pour down the drain however, over time, they begin to accumulate on the walls of pipes, causing a blockage. In this case it is impossible for water to flow freely through drainpipes. It is best to avoid pouring grease down the drain. Or make use of hot water and soap when cleaning dishes as it helps break down greasy substances.

Cause 2. Tree Roots

Over time tree roots naturally extend themselves into the ground looking for nutrients. This leads to them expanding toward underground pipes. Once they are inside the pipes, tree roots can cause substantial damage and even block them, causing flooding. It’s important therefore if you have trees in the vicinity to regularly monitor their growth around drainage systems, by trimming them in a regular manner.

Cause 3: Unwanted items

It’s easy to think that flushing non-biodegradable things like wet towels, sanitary wipes and so on. will not cause any major problems over the long haul, However, if a large amount of these items are flushed into toilets, they can build up, pushing other items aside and that block pipes. This can cause a bad smell to be released in the vicinity of toilets or bins! Always remember what should be flushed and what shouldn’t (i. it is only toilet paper is to have to be flushed).

Cause 4 Hair

Additional Information

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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:

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