There are many different causes of blocked drains in Sydney homes and further abroad. The most common articles plumbers remove from clogged drain pipes include hair, food scraps, tampons, sanitary items, tree roots and other items you would expect to find in a drain. However, plumbers occasionally encounter more unusual things deeply buried in the waste disposal systems. Here is a list of the weirdest things plumbers have found to be causing blocked drains.
Children’s toys
Young children don’t understand how a toilet and sewerage system works. To them, the toilet might seem like a fun game. They experiment by flushing different items or toys not realising that this can cause a serious blockage. It’s not unusual for a plumber to find toys lodged in the pipes when called out to clear a blocked drain.
Underwear
A pair of underpants pulled out of a blocked drain.
If you think disposing of underwear in the toilet is a good idea, it’s not. Underwear can get jammed in the pipes and cause major blockages in the line. In this Daily Mail article, a pair of underpants were blamed for blocking the sewer system in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. According to a spokesperson at Severn Trent's Hayden sewage works, people flushing underwear is a major cause of the 50,000 blocked drains they clear ever year.
Goldfish and other animals
Following the release of Finding Nemo, a large number of children began flushing their goldfish in a misguided attempt to set them free in the ocean. However the reality, as reported by The Smithsonian Magazine, is that most flushed fish die shortly of being flushed due to shock and the noxious chemicals found inside the sewer pipes. Small animals, such as mice, can also end up in the outside sewer or stormwater lines. One plumber reported removing a dead possum when unblocking a clogged drain in Sydney.
Jewellery and watches
Another item that unintentionally ends up in the drains is jewellery. People often place rings and jewellery on the bathroom vanity, which in many cases is directly next to the toilet. Jewellery may be accidentally knocked off into the toilet, ending up in the sewerage system. Watches have also been found in drains. A 2012 article by The Telegraph, London, reported that one man found not one, but four expensive watches in a drain in Essex with a combined value of around £60,000.
Dentures
People may place their dentures on the vanity and accidentally knock them into the toilet. One client told a plumber that he had been sick after a big night drinking and lost his dentures. After being called out to look at the clients blocked toilet, the plumber pulled both the upper and lower dentures out of the pipes.
These dentures were pulled from a clogged toilet by a Sydney plumber.
Mobile phones
Have you ever dropped your phone in the toilet after forgetting it was in the back pocket of your jeans? You’re not alone. According to a study by Plaxo, 19 per cent of people who took part in the study admitted to dropping their phone down the toilet at some point. Unsurprisingly, a phone down the toilet is likely to cause a blocked drain.
Got something blocking your Sydney Drains?
JAB Plumbing Solutions are Sydney’s leading blocked drain experts. We’ve seen it all when it comes to strange things blocking drain pipes. This is why our team carry the latest range of jet blasting machines that are capable of blasting all kinds of sediment from drain pipes. Whether it’s something unusual like a kids toy or the standard mass of wet-wipes and grease we guarantee to get your clogged drains flowing quickly again in no time.
