Tips to unblock a drain and enthrall the householder
Tips to unblock a drain and enthrall the householder
Amongst the worst kinds of household emergencies are the ones related to blocked drains. 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. A business suffering this disruption may lose customers and thus sales, and this reduction in productivity lowers staff satisfaction.
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.
Keep a habit of removing any trapped hairs from the drain plug immediately.
Hair-combs, toilet rolls, medicinal bottles and other small items should not be kept near the toilet, or they may fall into it.
It is a good practice to use disinfectants and hot water to flush the wash basin, bath and shower pipes on a regular basis as this can be very effective in removing soap residue and avoids its accumulation with time.
Do not put away baby’s nappies, commercial wrappings, sanitary towels or similar large items down the drainpipe; they may clog it.
Do not throw the kitchen waste into the sink as composting is a better option for them.
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.
You must remember that cooked fats, on exposure to cold water, can thicken and finally solidify, so never dispose them off in the sink. When there are no other options other than flushing fats into the sink, dilute and soften the fats or other foods using hot water and detergent, so that they go through easily without blocking. Having done this, a proper water flow should be maintained by running the water for a short period of time.
The chance of a drainage problem can also be reduced by carrying out some regular maintenance measures.
Rain downpipes and roof gutters are prone to getting blocked so they should be checked at least two times in a year.
Remove any debris and fallen leaves from the drains with a trowel, but be careful while working on the roof.
The inspection covers should be easily accessible because you can then use them to check the flow of the drains regularly.
Keep external drain grids free of fallen leaves, autumn moss and other garden materials.
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, 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. Such an inspection will indicate sludge buildup in the pipework if any, and also inform you of the structural condition of the drainage system.