Why Haverhill Homes Get More Blocked Drains in Winter

Every year, the number of blocked drain calls we get around Haverhill rises sharply once the weather turns. It isn't a coincidence — a few things happen at once in autumn and winter that make blockages more likely, and more sudden.

Suffolk's clay soil moves more when it's cold

The ground around Haverhill sits on heavy clay, which shrinks and swells with moisture and temperature far more than sandy or chalky soil. In a wet, cold winter that movement can put pressure on older drain runs, opening up small gaps at pipe joints or shifting a section just enough to create a low point where waste collects. It's a slow process, so it often shows up as a "sudden" blockage in a drain that's been fine for years.

Fat sets harder in cold pipes

Cooking fat and oil poured down a warm summer drain flows a lot further before it solidifies than the same fat poured down a cold winter one. Once pipe temperatures drop, fat can start setting almost as soon as it hits the water, building up in layers on the inside of the pipe until the flow is restricted. This is the single most common cause of the kitchen drain callouts we see between November and February.

Autumn leaves and debris block outside gullies

Leaves, moss and general garden debris wash into outside gullies during autumn storms and don't always clear on their own. A gully that's slowly narrowing over a few weeks can go from "a bit slow" to fully blocked after one heavy downpour, which is why we see a spike in outdoor gully callouts every year once the leaves come down.

What to do if it happens to you

If a drain that's normally fine suddenly backs up in cold weather, it's worth checking the nearest outside gully for leaves or debris before assuming the worst — that alone clears a surprising number of "blockages". If it's a kitchen drain that's slow rather than fully blocked, avoid pouring more hot fat down it in the meantime, as that tends to make things worse rather than better.

If it doesn't clear on its own, get in touch and we'll talk you through what it's likely to be before anyone comes out.