There are many types of drains in a typical home. The first is the kitchen drain. Others include; storm water drain, bathroom drain and the toilet drain among others. When these drains get clogged, waste water will get backed up and cause a number of problems. You’ll know your storm drain is clogged if rain water pours off the gutters during heavy rainfall. Slow drainage of rain water is also a common sign of blocked storm water drains.
In the toilet, an overflowing toilet, or a slow flowing toilet, is a sure sign of blockage. If the bathtub in your bathroom takes long to drain water, you should get the hint that your bathtub drain is clogged. The same sign can be observed in the kitchen sink. If your drains are already clogged, however, you should call an accredited plumber to unclog and clean the drains.
Since blockage of drains can prevent you from using water fixtures in the house, you should learn how to prevent blocked drains.

Here are common causes of drain blockage you should watch out for:
1. Disposal of Solids in the Kitchen Sink
If you throw rice grains, fruit cuttings and seeds among other types of solids into the kitchen sink, you can expect your kitchen drain to get clogged after a couple of weeks as these solids will get trapped and accumulate in the drain pipes.
2. Using Too Much Toilet Paper
If you or your kids use a lot of toilet paper in the toilet, flushing the toilet will lead to blockage. This is because the drain pipes in your toilet are built to handle waste water and semisolid wastes, not a huge load of paper waste.
3. Pouring of Used Cooking Oil Into the Kitchen Sink
Used cooking oil and other types of greasy substances should be allowed to cool and solidify before being disposed of as regular trash. They should never be poured into the kitchen sink as they will solidify and clog the kitchen drain.
4. Penetration of Roots into the Sewer Lines
Plant roots are always searching for a rich source of nutrients, and your sewer pipes are perfect for that purpose. If you have old porous sewer lines, roots from nearby trees will find their way into the pipes and continue to grow there. Over time, the roots will clog the sewer line and lead to backing up of waste water in the house.
5. Accumulation of Leaves and Twigs in the Gutters
Trees normally shed a lot of leaves and twigs, which may land on the roof and get onto the gutter. This will eventually lead to blockage of the down pipe. If the debris finds its way into the storm water drain, blockage will occur.
How to Prevent Blocked Drains

a) Use Drains Properly
Solid waste and greases should never be disposed off through drains as they can cause blockage. There should also be a strainer in every sink, bathtub and bathroom to prevent solids from going down the drain.
b) Clean Your Drains Regularly
Drains should be cleaned by an accredited plumber at least once a year to prevent blockage. Gutters, down pipes and storm drains should be cleaned before and after the storm season. This will go a long way in preventing blockage.
c) Use Less Washing Powder
Washing powder can solidify in the drain pipes if an excessive amount is used. Therefore, you should only use a reasonable amount of washing powder when doing the dishes.