Blocked drains are one of those plumbing issues nobody wants to experience in their home. Unfortunately, it can happen anytime, no matter how well you maintain your residential drains. Knowing the warning signs of blocked drains and taking corrective action are the best way to deal with the problem.

The following red flags indicate you may have blockages in your residential drains.

Slow Drainage

Are your sinks filling up with water immediately after you run the tap? Is the water in your bathtub taking longer than usual to drain after removing the stopper? Is the water level rising in the bowl after flushing the toilet?

All these problems indicate that your drains may have blockages that cause them to move wastewater sluggishly. If you want to avoid full-blown drain blockages, you should reach for a plunger to try to plunge the problem away.

Not all plungers are the same, though. There are two varieties of plungers — sink plungers and toilet plungers. Before launching a full-scale attack on the problematic drains, ensure you have the right plunger for the job at hand and know how to use it correctly.

Gurgling Noise

Noticing slow drains isn't the only way to tell if you have blocked drains. Keeping an ear out for gurgling is another excellent way of determining if the problem exists. 

Gurgling drains indicate that air is trapped within the drainage system, making it difficult for water to move freely. Usually, this happens because of an obstruction in the drainage system or the vent pipe.

Sewer Odour

Does your house smell like sewage? If you notice a sewer smell in specific areas or rooms of the house, you may have clogged drains. Sewer odour indicates the presence of obstructions in your domestic plumbing vent system.

The plumbing vent system is the pipe that sticks out of your residential roof. It helps regulate the air pressure within your plumbing system, allowing wastewater to exit the home and releasing sewer gases into the outside environment.

An obstructed vent pipe can cause your drains to gurgle and also make your house stink like sewage.

Blocked drains undoubtedly create a nightmare scenario no homeowner wants to find themselves in. If you have observed the above-highlighted issues with your residential drains, don't wait until things get out of hand.

Get in touch with your local plumber to have the issue looked into and resolved immediately.