The essential tasks to unblocking a blocked drain
The essential tasks to unblocking a blocked drain
Drains when clogged, serve to be the most difficult problem of all the household emergencies. They can occur in the most unexpected way. The worst aspect of a drains problem however is that it can cause unpleasant odours, result in flooding of your home and loss of power. 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.
Prevention is always better than cure and here are some steps you can take to prevent blocked drainage caused by structural kinks or foreign matter:.
The hair trapped in the waste plug hole should be regularly removed.
Certain objects like combs, toilet rolls and medicine bottles can also block the drains so you need to keep them away from the toilet.
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 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 any items do fall into the sink pull the vegetable material out of the plug hole, do not try to poke through as you could impact the blockage making it harder to remove.
Never dispose of cooking fats down the drain system, as they hit cold water they will solidify. In case you have no other choice make sure to dilute fats using emulsifiers ,hot water and detergents, before disposing down the drain. After flushing the drain, run the tap for sometime, at least a minute, to ensure that there are no more blocked materials.
The chance of a drainage problem can also be reduced by carrying out some regular maintenance measures.
You should have a check at the house roof gutters and downpipes at least twice 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.
To prevent the external drain from getting blocked, remove autumn moss, fallen leaves and other such materials regularly.
External drains must be flushed with hot water and disinfectant, just as you clean the internal drains.
For business purposes, you can use a CCTV monitored drain inspection service which performs checks on a regular basis. Such an inspection will indicate sludge buildup in the pipework if any, and also inform you of the structural condition of the drainage system.
