Blocked sewer tips and tips
Blocked sewer tips and tips
A drainage block is considered to be one large problem for the house owner. Similar to other household emergencies, they just occur unexpectedly. Nevertheless, the awful feature of blocked drains is that they can give out foul smells and lead to overflow of waste water into your home. 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.
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.
One of the commonest thing to get stuck in the plug hole are the hair, so make it a point to remove them regularly.
Small objects such as combs, medicine bottles and toilet rolls should be kept away from places where there is a high probability of them falling into 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.
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 a good idea to compost food waste rather than discarding it in the kitchen sink.
If food matter does fall into the sink, try to carefully pull it from the drain hole as pushing it will only jam the pipe further.
Cooking fats congeal and solidify when they mix with cold water, so never pour them down the kitchen sink. If there is absolutely no alternative you should dilute and emulsify the fats by mixing them with hot water and of detergent. 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.
Following a set of regular maintenance activities one can reduce the chances of having a drain blockage.
The gutters and rain downpipes of house roofs should be inspected at least every six months.
Take care when working at height but remove any accumulated debris and leaves with a trowel.
Make sure you can access the inspection covers of your drains easily and open them regularly to ensure free flow.
Keep external drain grids free of fallen leaves, autumn moss and other garden materials.
Washing the extremal drains with hot water and detergent as regularly as the internal drains is a good practice.
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. This will give early warning of any potential blockages and also enables you to keep an eye on the structural condition of the drainage pipework.