Blocked drain hints and faq
Blocked drain hints and faq
One of the most difficult kinds of household emergencies is a blocked drain. The worst thing is that they come without any notice. A stinky home, flooded floors and power knocked out – these are the worst scenarios that can be caused by stubborn drains. Drainage problems can loose customers for a business and demotivate employees thereby severely affecting business output, sales and income.
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.
Keep a habit of removing any trapped hairs from the drain plug immediately.
Certain objects like combs, toilet rolls and medicine bottles can also block the drains so you need to keep them away from the toilet.
Regularly flush the wash basin and bath or shower pipework with hot water and a disinfectant to clear soap residue and prevent build up over time.
Avoid flushing big items like nappies or sanitary towels as they can block the drains.
Food leftovers and chopping waste should be composted, not pushed down the kitchen sink drain.
You should not try too hard to pull out any vegetable material that might have fallen into the plug hole for it can worsen the blockage.
Never flush down cooking fats into the drain because they solidify on coming in contact with cold water and thus it becomes very difficult to remove them. If there is absolutely no alternative you should dilute and emulsify the fats by mixing them with hot water and of detergent. Keep the water running for a minute after you have done this to keep a clear water flow.
There are also a set of regular maintenance activities which can reduce the likelihood of a drains problem.
Rain downpipes and roof gutters are prone to getting blocked so they should be checked at least two times in a year.
Whilst taking care when working in places at elevation, use a gardening implement to clear any debris or leaves that collect.
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 to brush off the external drains which often get filled up with autumn moss, fallen leaves and garden materials.
External drains can also be washed by using disinfectant and hot water in a manner similar to the internal drains.
For business purposes, you can use a CCTV monitored drain inspection service which performs checks on a regular basis. By doing all the above, you can easily keep a watch on the proper functioning of your drainage system, maintaining its structure, and you can identify the risks of unexpected blockages well before you face them.