Blocked drains can be a a problem no more with these no-frills tips
Blocked drains can be a a problem no more with these no-frills tips
Amongst the worst kinds of household emergencies are the ones related to blocked drains. The worst thing is that they come without any notice. However, the most unpleasant aspects of blocked drains are that they can cause nasty odours, flooding and loss of power in the home. Blocked drains can also effect your business prospects by cutting down on the sales and productivity and reducing the number of customers.
Listed below are some easy steps you can take to minimize the chance of a drain becoming blocked, whether due to the introduction of foreign object or a structural fault.
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.
Flush out the wash basin and bath areas with disinfectant and hot water regularly to prevent soap sludge from lining your pipes.
Do not put away baby’s nappies, commercial wrappings, sanitary towels or similar large items down the drainpipe; they may clog it.
Instead of disposing the waste food scraps and cuttings down the drain they can rather be used as a compost.
Suppose any food wastes fall into the basin unintentionally, pull them out of the hole instead of trying to flush them away, or this may clog along with many other materials and finally pose you a greater issue in removing the blockage later.
Cooking fats congeal and solidify when they mix with cold water, so never pour them down the kitchen sink unless you want to encourage blocked drains!. But if you really have to do that, then do so after breaking up the fats with a little detergent in hot water. It is a good practice to keep water running into sinks for a minute or so after flushing fats as it helps to maintain a smooth flow of water and prevent the fats solidifying.
There are also a set of regular maintenance activities which can reduce the likelihood of a blocked drains problem.
Check the house roof gutters and rain downpipes twice a year.
While trying to remove the gathered leaves and debris using a trowel, you should be careful that you do not fall off the ladder.
Make sure you can access the inspection covers of your drains easily and open them regularly to ensure free flow.
Make sure that the external drain grids are protected from garden materials, fallen leaves or accumulation of moss in autumn.
External drains can also be washed by using disinfectant and hot water in a manner similar to the internal drains.
For complete peace of mind and to reduce the chance of blocked drains, particularly if you are running a business, you can request a regular drain surveys and get your drainage system checked regularly by a CCTV drain inspection service. The CCTV will inform you of any impending blockage and the likelihood of blocked drains, you can also check the condition of the drainage system regularly by using this type of service.