Householders guidebook to managing a blocked drain
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.