Tackle your blocked drains with these fundamental tips
Tackle your blocked drains with these fundamental tips
Blocked drains can be one of the worst type of household emergencies. The worst thing is that they come without any notice. A stinky home, flooded floors and power knocked out – these are the worst scenarios that can be caused by stubborn drains. Blocked drains can also effect your business prospects by cutting down on the sales and productivity and reducing the number of customers.
Listed below are some easy methods to avoid drainage blocks that are caused due to structural defects in the drainage system or foreign objects.
Remove hair clumps that collect in the waste plug hole on a regular basis.
Store toiletries like combs, rolls and bottles in secure shelves as they can accidentally fall into a toilet if carelessly placed.
Flush out the wash basin and bath areas with disinfectant and hot water regularly to prevent soap sludge from lining your pipes.
Do not put away baby’s nappies, commercial wrappings, sanitary towels or similar large items down the drainpipe; they may clog it.
It is a good idea to compost food waste rather than discarding it in the kitchen sink.
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.
Cooking fats have a tendency to solidify when contacting cold water and should not be disposed of in the drainage system. However in case cooking fats are stuck into the drain, you can try to emulsify and dilute them by using detergent with warm water. After you have diluted the fat, turn on the tap and let the water flow freely for some time.
Carrying out regular maintenance considerably reduces the possibilities of drainage blocks.
Make sure that the gutters and drainpipes of your roof are cleared twice a year.
Whilst taking care when working in places at elevation, use a gardening implement to clear any debris or leaves that collect.
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.
Make sure that garden matter, such as leaves or moss, are kept out of the outside drainage grids.
Washing the extremal drains with hot water and detergent as regularly as the internal drains is a good practice.
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. This enables you to take regular measures of the drainage pipework’s structural condition and it may provide an early warning of potential blockages.