Householders guidebook to looking at blocked drains
Householders guidebook to looking at blocked drains
Blocked drains can be one of the worst type of household emergencies. They can occur in the most unexpected way. A stinky home, flooded floors and power knocked out – these are the worst scenarios that can be caused by stubborn drains. In case of a business, a drain problem will have a greater effect since customers and staff may lose confidence, the result of which will be decreased sales and profitability.
Below are mentioned a few simple preventive measures that you can take to decrease the chances of a blocked drain caused due to a foreign object or a structural defect.
Remove hair clumps that collect in the waste plug hole on a regular basis.
Small sized objects like combs, medicine bottles and toilet rolls should be carefully placed to prevent their accidental slipping 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.
Do not dispose of bulky waste like sanitary napkins, baby nappies or shopping wraps in the toilet as they are prone to clog the pipework.
It is better to compost food wastes and cuttings as fertilizer rather than flushing them down the sink.
In case any vegetable material does fall into the sink try removing it out of the plug hole and do not poke it down the drain as this could hamper the blockage making it tougher to remove.
Fats used in cooking should never be put down the drainpipe, as they become hard when they make contact with cold water. In case there is no other way out you should dilute the fats by mixing them with hot water and detergent. Having done this, a proper water flow should be maintained by running the water for a short period of time.
Many regular maintenance activities are available to lower the chances of blocked drains.
Check the house roof gutters and rain downpipes twice a year.
Remove any debris and fallen leaves from the drains with a trowel, but be careful while working on the roof.
Regularly check that your drains are free-flowing by periodically lifting the inspection covers and make sure that these can easily be accessed.
Make sure that the external drain grids are protected from garden materials, fallen leaves or accumulation of moss in autumn.
Washing the extremal drains with hot water and detergent as regularly as the internal drains is a good practice.
For business purposes, you can use a CCTV monitored drain inspection service which performs checks on a regular basis. This enables you to take regular measures of the drainage pipework’s structural condition and it may provide an early warning of potential blockages.