Drains are great until they go wrong. They sit, seemingly undisturbed for years until something goes wrong and then look out. If the flow of fluid through a pipe is obstructed by grease, food, silt, muck, dirt, etc. then look out. The obvious result is a slow moving or, worse still, blocked drain. Periodic maintenance is the answer, better still, not putting anything down them that shouldn't be there is the answer to the problem
When a drain, or worse still, a sewer is physically damaged, problems naturally follow. Blockages are the usual result and this can be a major problem. The root cause (pardon the pun) can be something as simple as tree, shrub or other plant roots. Make sure when planting trees in particular that you plant them well away from the run of the drainage system. Don't know where that is? Call in an expert
Corrosion can also be a reason for your drainage problems. Old drains were made from all manner of metals, some of which are prone to corrosion. It stands to reason that if a metal can corrode, eventually it will wear out and the obvious result is a blocked drain
Prevention is usually better that cure. Preventing blockages in the first place is clearly better than having to deal with a problem. Make sure that long hair is not allowed to go down the plug- I know it's not nice, but it's better than having a blocked, smelly drain to deal with. Grease or fat from cooking, stray vegetables, particularly peas, and other foods are all better off being composted, rather than put down the drain
Of course you probably wouldn't be reading this if you had taken the precautions. If your drains are blocked, you need to sort it out. You can do this yourself by buying a set of drainage rods and poking away until the blockage is removed. The problem is that in the wrong hands, you can actually do a lot more damage than you thought possible by adopting this approach. Blocked pipes can often be made worse by just using force- call in a professional- it's easier in the long run
Jetting (using water under high pressure) can be used to unblock some drains. This is a job best left to the professionals. Please avoid the temptation to have a go at this with the pressure washer- you could seriously harm yourself as well as damaging the drains. Please call in someone professional- it will save money in the long run - 30517
When a drain, or worse still, a sewer is physically damaged, problems naturally follow. Blockages are the usual result and this can be a major problem. The root cause (pardon the pun) can be something as simple as tree, shrub or other plant roots. Make sure when planting trees in particular that you plant them well away from the run of the drainage system. Don't know where that is? Call in an expert
Corrosion can also be a reason for your drainage problems. Old drains were made from all manner of metals, some of which are prone to corrosion. It stands to reason that if a metal can corrode, eventually it will wear out and the obvious result is a blocked drain
Prevention is usually better that cure. Preventing blockages in the first place is clearly better than having to deal with a problem. Make sure that long hair is not allowed to go down the plug- I know it's not nice, but it's better than having a blocked, smelly drain to deal with. Grease or fat from cooking, stray vegetables, particularly peas, and other foods are all better off being composted, rather than put down the drain
Of course you probably wouldn't be reading this if you had taken the precautions. If your drains are blocked, you need to sort it out. You can do this yourself by buying a set of drainage rods and poking away until the blockage is removed. The problem is that in the wrong hands, you can actually do a lot more damage than you thought possible by adopting this approach. Blocked pipes can often be made worse by just using force- call in a professional- it's easier in the long run
Jetting (using water under high pressure) can be used to unblock some drains. This is a job best left to the professionals. Please avoid the temptation to have a go at this with the pressure washer- you could seriously harm yourself as well as damaging the drains. Please call in someone professional- it will save money in the long run - 30517
About the Author:
Considering construction on your land or changing your property? Commission a drainage survey to remove any doubts you may have. Lee Davidson runs a drainage services business in South Wales
