Homeowners guide to addressing blocked drains
Homeowners guide to addressing blocked drains
Blocked drains can be one of the worst type of household emergencies. Similar to other household emergencies, they just occur unexpectedly. Foul smells, house getting filled with drainage water and power cuts are some of the frightening problems associated with drainage blocks. If you run a business, loss of productivity and sales revenue can lead to a loss in customer and staff goodwill especially if your business is impacted by this disruption.
The following include some of the simple defensive measures you can take for lowering the chances of a drain problem, owing to either structural defects or small objects creating a blockage.
Remove hair clumps that collect in the waste plug hole on a regular basis.
Keep small objects such as combs, medicine bottles and toilet rolls away from places where they could accidentally fall into the toilet.
You can use a disinfectant to flush your wash basin and shower pipework so that no soap residue gets stuck in them.
Large and disposable items such as towels, nappies or product wrappings can clog your drainage pipe and thus should not be flushed down the toilet.
It is better to compost food wastes and cuttings as fertilizer rather than flushing them down the sink.
In the event of such material falling into the sink, do not push the matter through the plughole as this may impact and worsen the blockage; instead, try to extract the matter.
You must remember that cooked fats, on exposure to cold water, can thicken and finally solidify, so never dispose them off in the sink. But if you really have to do that, then do so after breaking up the fats with a little detergent in hot water. To have a clear water flow through the drains after doing this you should keep the water running for about a minute.
Carrying out regular maintenance considerably reduces the possibilities of drainage blocks.
Make sure that the gutters and drainpipes of your roof are cleared twice a year.
Exercise due caution when working at height and use a trowel to clear the debris and leaves that have been accumulated over the year.
Ensure easy access to the drain inspection covers and carry out timely checks by lifting them regularly to keep a smooth flow of water through the drains.
Make sure that the external drain grids are protected from garden materials, fallen leaves or accumulation of moss in autumn.
Rinsing off the external drains using hot water and disinfectant should be a regular maintenance activity.
Getting your drainage system checked regularly by a CCTV drain inspection system is a worry free option especially when you a running a business. Such an inspection will indicate sludge buildup in the pipework if any, and also inform you of the structural condition of the drainage system.