Blocked drain tips and guides.

One of the most difficult kinds of household emergencies is a blocked drain. As with most emergencies they happen without any warning. Foul smells, house getting filled with drainage water and power cuts are some of the frightening problems associated with drainage blocks. Blocked drains can also effect your business prospects by cutting down on the sales and productivity and reducing the number of customers.

Prevention is always better than cure and here are some steps you can take to prevent a blocked drain caused by structural kinks or foreign matter:.

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 sized objects like combs, medicine bottles and toilet rolls should be carefully placed to prevent their accidental slipping into 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.

One should never flush disposable items that are large in size such as sanitary towels, nappies and product wrappings in the toilet as they can get trapped in the drainage lines.

It is better to compost food wastes and cuttings as fertilizer rather than flushing them down the 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.

Fats used in cooking should never be put down the drainpipe, as they become hard when they make contact with cold water creating a fat blockage and a blocked drain. However in case cooking fats are stuck into the drain, you can try to emulsify and dilute them by using detergent with warm water. Run the water for a while after this, so that the the oil is completely flushed out and the pipes remain clear.

Carrying out regular maintenance considerably reduces the possibilities of an unexpected blocked drain.

You should have a check at the house roof gutters and downpipes at least twice a year.

Use a trowel to remove unwanted debris and leaves when working at a height.

Making sure that the drains are free flowing on a regular basis is important and this can be done by lifting the inspection covers and making sure that they are easily accessible.

Make sure that garden matter, such as leaves or moss, are kept out of the outside drainage grids.

External drains can also be washed by using disinfectant and hot water in a manner similar to the internal drains.

A business can request that drains are regularly surveyed and the drainage system checked by a CCTV inspection service, to alleviate any anxieties about a blocked drain. The CCTV will inform you of any impending blockage and you can also check the condition of the drainage system regularly by using this service.

Householders guidebook to managing a blocked drain quickly.

A blocked drain is considered to be one large problem for the house owner. Like many emergencies, there is often no warning before they occur. A stinky home, flooded floors and power knocked out – these are the worst scenarios that can be caused by stubborn drains. If you run a business, loss of productivity and sales revenue can lead to a loss in customer and staff goodwill especially if your business is impacted by a blocked drain.

Listed below are some easy methods to avoid drainage blocks that are caused due to structural defects in the drainage system or foreign objects.

One of the commonest thing to get stuck in the plug hole are hairs, so make it a point to remove them regularly if you want to avoid a drain blockage.

Small sized objects like combs, medicine bottles and toilet rolls should be carefully placed to prevent their accidental slipping into the toilet.

Flush out the wash basin and bath areas with disinfectant and hot water regularly to prevent soap sludge from lining your pipes causing the blocked drain.

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.

Do not use the kitchen sink for disposing of plant cuttings or food waste material; it is more appropriate to compost them.

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 dispose of cooking fats down the drain system, as they hit cold water they will solidify, within 5 minutes you will have a blocked drain. In case there is no other way out you should dilute the fats by mixing them with hot water and 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 recreating the blocked drain.

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.

Keep a regular check on the drains so that they allow free-flow of materials by a periodic check of the inspection covers, also ensure that these have easy accessibility.

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.

In case of a business, it is better to employ a CCTV drain inspection service for drain surveys and ensure that they conduct a regular check on your drainage system. 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. Maintenance programs like this can prevent a blocked drain helping you avoid the problems of finding a good drains contractors in an emergency when you suffer a drains blockage.

Banish your blocked drain with this initiative if you are unlucky enough to experience a drain blockage.

What are some of the best remedies to open a blocked drain in your bathroom? The typical plunger is easiest and speediest solution. The whole process of unclogging a blocked drain is pretty simple and straightforward. Obviously you shouldn’t move the plunger up and down forcefully as this will be ineffective and could make the blockage worse. To achieve the desired effect, the blocked drain pipe should be totally covered with the head of the plunger and then the bell-shaped rubber must be pressed down slowly; next the handle should be pulled up fast and with good enough force to produce an effective suction. Hopefully the suction of the upwards movement of the waste pipes plunger will pull what ever is stuck in your drain back up into the bathroom toilet, tub or sink. Some tubs and sinks have an overflow outlet; remember to plug this outlet with the help of a wet towel or sponge before using the plunger.

You can also use chemical cleaners you can buy in the shops to unclog your blocked drain, these uses certain chemicals to open up the blockage in the drain. However this option should be used only after you have used the plunger to unclog your drain. You should allow the chemicals time to take effect and then, once the material that is clogging the drainage has been disintegrated you can flush it out with hot water, that should be the end of the blocked drain. As a precaution you should wear clothing that you don’t mind getting dirty or corrosive chemicals on. If you plan to use the plunger after the application of chemical to remove the remaining debris, then eye protection is essential because the chemical laden water may back-splash on you and burn. The chemical product comes with specific manufacturer’s directions; it is important to read and follow them carefully.

If the plunger does not work and despite your best efforts to remove the drain blockage you still have a blocked drain, try detaching the drain pipe trap by removing the bolts with suitable tools. Now this is going to get messy so be prepared with a towel and bucket to clean up the mess. Chrome plated fittings can be protected from scratches by taping up the teeth of the pliers or wrench; that should also give you a firmer grip on the nuts of the trap. You will be able to check the drains pipes P-trap for any obstructions in the pipe opening after you remove it. If, however you cannot find any solid materials in the blocked drain the problem is probably harder to get to, between the trap and the soil stack deep in the waste pipes pipework.

A deep clog in the toilet can be loosened by a toilet auger. If the problem lies in your tub or sink, a plumbers drain pipe snake will come in handy. Plumbers drainage snakes have been specifically designed to enter deep into the narrow pipe work. A plumbers drain snake has an adjustable handle which is used to make a drill into the blockage, it then becomes easy to remove the obstruction from the blocked drain by pulling it upwards. After removing the clog, reassemble the P-trap and let hot water flow into the drainpipe to double check it works properly. Make sure that all the connections are properly fitted and sealed, and also check the P-trap for leakages.

If all these methods fail and you are still experiencing the drain blockage  then you need to call in a professional plumber to deal with the blocked drain. You will need to call a professional plumber or drainage contractor when the obstruction is in the sewer or soil track or when it is due to tree roots, or when the pipe has collapsed due to some reason.

Overview of drains pipes installation

Before starting any plumbing and drainage work yourself you should find out about any Local Authority rules that relate to your area.

If you are considering altering your existing sewage, or installing a new sewage system you will almost certainly need to present some detailed plans of the work that you intend to undertake and it will need to be inspected as the work progresses making sure that it complies with the local building rules. However you don’t need to inform them if you are just replacing some damaged parts.

Surface water is basically rainwater. In older properties this surface water can find its way into the foul water drainage system, but more generally it can also end up in a watercourse, surface water sewer or soakaway. In a combined system, the rainwater pipes are discharged into the foul water drains via gully traps which stop foul air escaping from the drains. Nowadays hygiene and recycling considerations have led to a mandatory separation of surface water and sewage water. To comply with modern planning regulations you should always make sure that the foul water and surface water sewage system do not connect. The Building Regulation Department will be able to guide you on any details or procedures you may require for repairs or replacement of your sewage.

The first thing to do in a DIY sewage replacement job is to decide the position and level of the waste pipework. The route should be as short and straight as possible, this will help to reduce future maintenance problems and costs. If the pipe slope is excessive, your joint alignment may fail. Using surveyor’s site level you can calculate the fall of a drain over a distance to check the values. In case you don’t have a surveyors site level, choose a datum point and then a water filled hose can be used to calculate the fall from there.

The stability of the existing home is of prime importance it should be not compromised while the drain ditch is being installed so check you are not impacting on the existing structure. Keep the drain pipe excavation at a uniformly safe distance from the house face to avoid damage to the foundation.

Try to leave as short a time as possible between digging the ditch and installing the sewage system as an empty ditch represents a danger with the potential for a sidewall collapse. The pipes should be laid quickly and the ditch back filled after the system has been examined thoroughly and tested as required.

Depending on the depth and soil conditions, the trench may require support. Take he utmost care when doing this work. If you have any worries, you should support to the trench to reduce any risk of collapsing side walls during the building phase. Keep the ditch as narrow as you can but of course make sure that there is enough room to work in the ditch including any plan, machinery or tools you require. The bottom of the ditch must be smooth and clean, free of any objects that make it uneven such as stones or bricks. The base should be good so you may need to import material if the existing soil structuire is not up to the mark.

You should definitely not use hard materials such as bricks to support the pipe in the trench. Such hard objects will cause the poorly supported pipe to bend or break and the joints will eventually fail. The material used for bedding should be firmly compacted down with a depression created to allow the joints in the pipes to fit easily. A good guideline is that support should be provided for the entire length of the pipe.

Make sure that your plans are made in such a way that drain rods are within reach of every part of the network of pipes. The drains should therefore run straight between two points to ease the passage of the drain rods. As a general rule, any change in direction of the pipework should be provided with an inspection chamber to allow rodding access.

Following this guide you can see that DIY plumbing and sewage can be delivered by conscientious DIY enthusiasts.