Does the drain blockage indeed cause subsidence? Let’s find out.

Subsidence occurs when the ground beneath your property shifts. Even a minor shift causes huge cracks in your walls and foundation. It seems as though a portion of the brickwork is tearing away from the intact wall.

Subsidence is a severe issue, which causes property damage. Sometimes homeowners are helpless to leave their houses for safety concerns. At least until the house is repaired, they are advised to stay at another place.

What Causes Subsidence

There are various reasons for subsidence, for example-

Most of the subsidence occurred during monsoons. Heavy rainfall weakens the foundation of the houses and slowly eradicates soil, causing a shift beneath the ground.

Tree roots can force your property to collapse because they continue to grow underneath it in search of moisture. This can seriously damage your foundations since it turns the earth unstable and unsafe.

Drain blockages and leaks are more common causes of sinking. If a drain bursts, the ensuing flood will harm your house by removing the soil and leaving a shaky, damp surface.

How Blocked Drains Cause Subsidence

Drains are an essential component of any structure, which is why a blockage can significantly contribute to the subsidence problem. They are used to divert fluids and wastewater away from the building to avoid floods and structural damage.

If your drain is clogged, it cannot effectively draw water from your property and dispose of it in the sewers. When this happens, the water must go somewhere, and it frequently does so by forming puddles. The puddles seep deeper into the earth beneath your home, eroding soil away and making it weaker. It’s only an issue of time before signs of subsidence appear in this situation.

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Signs of a blocked drain

There are four signs of a blocked drain which include:

1. Obnoxious odour coming from sewers

Blocked drains are extremely nasty. If you notice an awful smell emanating from your drainage or even your sink and faucet, you must examine it more.

2. Slow drainage

If the sewage is draining poorly, it could be due to a blockage.

3. Increased water levels

If the level of water in the lavatory is more than usual, this could be a signal of blocked drainage.

4. Noises coming from the sewers

Gurgling noises from drainage and plug holes indicate that air has been trapped in the drain because of a blockage within the line.

How To Avoid Blocked Drains

Surely, it’s preferable to prevent blockages than to try to fix them. You can avoid blocking by doing the following:

  • Flushing only toilet paper into the toilet.
  • catching hair and food particles using a sink strainer.
  • avoiding using the sink to drain oil.
  • clearing storm-damaged sewers of stuff like leaves.

Signs of Subsidence

Subsidence can generally be avoided with immediate assistance, but if you’re concerned that your home has been revealing indications of subsidence, here’s what to check for:

  • Fissures in the ceilings, walls, and exterior masonry.
  • Existing fissures are expanding or becoming deeper.
  • Cracks appear after an extended drought time.
  • wallpaper ripple in the absence of moisture
  • Squeaky window and door seals.

If you observe any of these subsidence early symptoms, you should seek urgent guidance since, as with clogged drains, the sooner you address the issue, the easier and less expensive it will be to repair. If you wait any longer, the obstruction will increase and your home’s subsidence will be more likely to happen.

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