{"id":524,"date":"2026-04-22T10:42:44","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T22:42:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/geckogullydemos.com\/mjr\/?post_type=mjr-faq&p=524"},"modified":"2026-05-21T13:59:25","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T01:59:25","slug":"blocked-drains-causes","status":"publish","type":"mjr-faq","link":"https:\/\/geckogullydemos.com\/mjr\/mjr-faq\/blocked-drains-causes\/","title":{"rendered":"What causes blocked drains?"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What causes blocked drains in Christchurch homes? Here are the most common reasons and how to prevent recurring drainage problems.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":227,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":[],"categories":[8],"tags":[17,153,151,154,21,152],"class_list":["post-524","mjr-faq","type-mjr-faq","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blocked-drains","tag-blocked-drains-christchurch","tag-causes-of-blocked-drains-christchurch","tag-drain-problems-christchurch","tag-grease-blockage-christchurch","tag-plumbing-maintenance-christchurch","tag-tree-roots-drains-christchurch","has-post-title","has-post-date","has-post-category","has-post-tag","has-post-comment","has-post-author",""],"yoast_head":"\nWhat causes blocked drains? - MJ Robertson Plumbing and Gas<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What causes blocked drains in Christchurch homes? Here are the most common reasons and how to prevent recurring drainage problems.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What causes blocked drains? - MJ Robertson Plumbing and Gas\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What causes blocked drains in Christchurch homes? Here are the most common reasons and how to prevent recurring drainage problems.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/geckogullydemos.com\/mjr\/mjr-faq\/blocked-drains-causes\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"MJ Robertson Plumbing and Gas\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-21T01:59:25+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/geckogullydemos.com\\\/mjr\\\/mjr-faq\\\/blocked-drains-causes\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/geckogullydemos.com\\\/mjr\\\/mjr-faq\\\/blocked-drains-causes\\\/\",\"name\":\"What causes blocked drains? - MJ Robertson Plumbing and Gas\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/geckogullydemos.com\\\/mjr\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/geckogullydemos.com\\\/mjr\\\/mjr-faq\\\/blocked-drains-causes\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/geckogullydemos.com\\\/mjr\\\/mjr-faq\\\/blocked-drains-causes\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/geckogullydemos.com\\\/mjr\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/MJ.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-21T22:42:44+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-21T01:59:25+00:00\",\"description\":\"What causes blocked drains in Christchurch homes? 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Many blockages develop gradually over time.<\/p>\r\n<h2>Why are blocked drains common in Christchurch<\/h2>\r\n<p>Blocked drains are one of the most frequent maintenance issues in Christchurch homes.<\/p>\r\n<p>Most blockages do not happen suddenly. They develop as material builds up inside the pipes, gradually restricting water flow until the drain stops working properly.<\/p>\r\n<p>Understanding what causes these problems can help prevent them from happening again.<\/p>\r\n<h2>The most common causes of blocked drains<\/h2>\r\n<h3>Grease and fat build-up<\/h3>\r\n<p>Kitchen drains are a major source of blockages.<\/p>\r\n<p>Grease, oils, and fats often go down the sink as liquid, but they cool inside the pipes and stick to the walls. Over time, this creates a thick layer that traps food particles and reduces flow.<\/p>\r\n<h3>Hair and soap residue<\/h3>\r\n<p>Bathroom drains frequently get clogged by hair and soap.<\/p>\r\n<p>Hair can catch in the pipe and combine with soap residue to form dense clumps that are difficult to wash away.<\/p>\r\n<h3>Foreign objects<\/h3>\r\n<p>Items that should not go down the drain are a common cause of blockages.<\/p>\r\n<p>These may include:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Paper towels or wipes<\/li>\r\n<li>Sanitary products<\/li>\r\n<li>Food scraps<\/li>\r\n<li>Small objects accidentally dropped into the drain<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>Unlike toilet paper, many of these items do not break down easily and can quickly cause a blockage.<\/p>\r\n<h3>Tree roots in underground pipes<\/h3>\r\n<p>Tree roots are a well-known cause of blocked drains in Christchurch, especially in older suburbs.<\/p>\r\n<p>Roots can enter pipes through small cracks or joints. Once inside, they continue to grow and trap waste, leading to repeated blockages.<\/p>\r\n<h3>Damaged or ageing pipes<\/h3>\r\n<p>Older pipes may crack, collapse, or shift over time.<\/p>\r\n<p>This can create rough surfaces or dips where waste collects, increasing the likelihood of blockages.<\/p>\r\n<h3>Poor drainage design or a fall<\/h3>\r\n<p>If pipes are not installed with the correct slope, water may not flow properly. This allows debris to settle and build up inside the pipe.<\/p>\r\n<h2>Why blockages often build up slowly<\/h2>\r\n<p>Many blockages start as a small restriction inside the pipe.<\/p>\r\n<p>Once the flow is slightly reduced, more material begins to catch. This gradually increases the size of the blockage until water can no longer pass through.<\/p>\r\n<p>That is why a drain may seem fine one week and then suddenly stop working the next.<\/p>","ptb_mjr_ask_mj":"<p><strong>\u201cBlocked drains rarely come out of nowhere.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<p>Most have been building up for a while. By the time you notice it, the pipe is already restricted.<\/p>","ptb_mjr_service_text_2":"<h2>How MJ Robertson approaches blocked drains<\/h2>\r\n<p>MJ Robertson is a maintenance company specialising in plumbing across Christchurch.<\/p>\r\n<p>When dealing with blocked drains, the focus is not just on clearing the immediate problem, but on understanding what caused it.<\/p>\r\n<p>This may involve:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Clearing the full length of the affected pipe<\/li>\r\n<li>Identifying build-up or foreign material<\/li>\r\n<li>Considering whether there are structural issues, such as roots or damage<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>This approach helps reduce the chance of the blockage returning.<\/p>\r\n<h2>How to reduce the risk of blocked drains<\/h2>\r\n<p>While not all blockages can be prevented, a few simple habits can help reduce the risk:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Avoid pouring grease or fat down the sink<\/li>\r\n<li>Use drain covers to catch hair<\/li>\r\n<li>Dispose of wipes and sanitary items in the bin<\/li>\r\n<li>Keep outdoor drains clear of leaves and debris<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>Regular maintenance can also help identify issues before they become serious.<\/p>\r\n<h2>When to get help<\/h2>\r\n<p>It is a good idea to get a blocked drain checked if:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>The blockage does not clear easily<\/li>\r\n<li>The problem keeps coming back<\/li>\r\n<li>Multiple drains are affected<\/li>\r\n<li>There are signs of a deeper issue<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>Early attention can prevent more disruptive and costly problems.<\/p>\r\n<h2>Final thought<\/h2>\r\n<p>A combination of everyday use and underlying pipe conditions usually causes blocked drains in Christchurch homes.<\/p>\r\n<p>Understanding the cause is the first step toward preventing the problem from happening again.<\/p>"},"ptb_taxonomy":{"category":[{"term_id":8,"name":"Blocked Drains","slug":"blocked-drains","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":8,"taxonomy":"category","description":"Blocked drains are a common issue in Christchurch homes. 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