How Can I Keep My Drain Clear of Blockage
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- Admin
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- How Can I Keep My Drain Clear
- Posted date:
- 13-04-2020
'Always keep in mind that prevention is better than cure'
Drain pipe blockages usually need the support of a professional. They can get rid of the blockage efficiently and quickly. Blocked drains are one of the most common plumbing problems that people encounter every day. Untreated, blockages can cause water to leak from your drainage system, potentially damaging your home or business facility. Severe blockages can also result in burst pipes, which can require even more costly repairs.
Here's a look at the first options you have available to you to get rid of blocked drains. But there are steps homeowners can take to eliminate a clog and to prevent one from taking place.
Causes of Blockages
Food Waste
Food waste from your kitchen sink can cause blockages in your waste pipes. The excess food and grease from your crockery can soon build up in your pipework. It might appear to have rinsed away. However, it will overtime adhere to the sides of your waste pipe and cause a blockage. You will start to notice the effects of this by a foul smell from your sink and the water will not drain away properly.
You must always scrape your crockery properly before washing them. Any food waste must be gotten rid of by putting it in the food waste bins, and recycling in the correct way.
Grease
If you put grease, oil or fat down your sink by mistake it could cause a grease build up.
Keep cooking grease in an old coffee jar or milk container then deposit it in the rubbish bin. If done by mistake use clean boiling water through your drain to eliminate any grease buildup.
Coffee Grounds
Ground coffee will settle in the pipework and attach to any grease that might be there.
Throw coffee grounds in the bin or add them to your compost heap. Run the hot water tap for a few minutes to push any coffee grounds further down the drainage pipe, this should dislodge them, and they will flow away.
Hair
Hair is also a problem for a drainage system, and it will build up and stick to excess soap and grease.
You can remove small amounts of hair by pulling it out with gloved hands to avoid it getting worse. It's essential to remove the hair before it gets clogged into the entry of the drain pipes. It is good practice to use a hair catcher over your plughole to prevent this from happening.
Sanitary Products
Sanitary products and nappies will cause a blockage if you try to flush them down the toilet.
You must correctly dispose of these products, by putting them in the correct rubbish bin.
Cotton Buds
Cotton buds are plastic sticks that can do even more damage as they get stuck in nooks and crannies or the corners of pipework. They will not easily dislodge, and with other debris' that are already in your pipework, they can cause a severe blockage.
Always dispose of these items in the correct way to avoid obstructions.
Clothing
Excess dirt on our clothes will also clog and block your drains. We presume that a washing machine will remove and rinse away excess dirt, overtime all excess mud, dirt and dust will cause a clog in your pipework.
Shake any excess dirt and grime from clothing outside before putting in the washing machine.
Outdoor debris
Debris such as leaves lodge in your drainage system.
For outside drains, it is a good idea to purchase drain covers as it can prevent this from happening. Wear protective gloves and remove all dirt, soil and leaves from your drain system.
Cement or Grout
Never try and dispose of cement or grout down your drain, it will set and harden further down your pipework and cause untold problems.
To correctly get rid of leftover cement, grout and other setting compounds, you should always check the packaging for details of correctly disposing of any unused products.
Cat Litter
Most cat litter is clay-based material that can harden like concrete when it's been wet and dry enough times. The litter pieces are sharp and can easily catch on other things, which only increases the chances of a clog.
Cat litter belongs in the rubbish bin and not down the toilet or any drain, and the same is true for dog waste in a bag.
Different Drainage Processes
Drains usually get clogged at the worst possible time, like when you have a houseful of overnight visitors or a large event. You may not have the ability to avoid every drain blockage. But there are actions you can take to protect against most clogs and backups. Here are some pointers to help you keep your drains pipes running freely.
A good thing to remember is, what flows down can usually come back up.
Bathroom Sink and Shower
Bathroom sink and shower clogs are usually the results of hair buildup. Running warm water via your drains pipes each week could help maintain them clear.
Toilets
Toilets can receive products flushed away that need to be thrown away instead. It can be paper towels and child wipes. Those could come swiftly back up to your toilet, specifically, in homes where pipes reach into the significant drain lines.
Home Solutions
Equipment
If a plunger does not work, a drain snake may help. It is a flexible cable that can be pushed in the drain to separate the obstruction. You can use a drain snake for severe clogs that a plunger will not remove.
Snakes will not damage your pipelines, yet they might scratch porcelain or ceramics, so use them with care.
Products
We suggest pouring a small amount of bleach down drains pipes weekly, complied with by running water.
Baking Soda is a natural, readily available and safe chemical for unblocking kitchen drains. Add a few cups of baking soda to vinegar and then pour down the drain. Leave the mixture for about thirty minutes, then pour boiling water.
If after you have tried any of these remedies and you still have a blockage, it is time to call a professional plumber.
Continuous Clogged Sewage System
If you have a clogged sewage system line every year or two, do not just get it cleaned. Many sewage blockage services will check the line to see just what is causing the trouble.
That entails sending a remote camera down the line for an examination. Sewer inspection cameras are much less intrusive while eliminating the higher cost and excessive digging in your garden while guessing the wrong spots. The video camera will provide irrefutable evidence of the exact condition of your pipes and sewer lines, instead of estimated guesswork to determine the precise problem with your underground plumbing system. It will show you what is causing the problem.
Your plumber will then come up with a suitable solution to your sewer backup. A desirable solution should be affordable and safe.
Tree Roots
The repeating issue could be tree roots entering through clay ceramic tile joints. If tree roots wrap around your underground pipes, they will cause your pipework to crush.
A partially cracked pipeline and even rotted cast iron can permit the soil to fall under the line and produce a clog. If you have a small crack or hole in your pipework, a tree root will force its way in and will cause extensive damage, and a tree root will continue to grow even in the pipework.
Also, if you don't have trees growing on your property, trees from surrounding areas can have extensive roots. These roots will find there way underneath your property and wrap around your underground pipework. The destruction and damage these roots will cause are considerable. Trees surrounding your area may be the leading cause of sewer problems.
CCTV Drainage Survey
It is worth paying a professional plumber to conduct a CCTV drainage survey on the underground drainage system of your property before you move in. A CCTV drainage survey will show any issues that will cause you expensive problems later on. A CCTV drainage survey is an in-depth inspection of your underground drainage system.
The cameras used are high-tech and go into your drains. The cameras will then send a live feed, back to your engineer. Your engineer will have a good view of your underground pipework, and they will detect any issues and what they are, including fractured, cracked, leaky or defective pipes and evidence of blockages and backed-up sewage.
Getting Help
It's worth paying to learn the reason and get the problem solved, and it is better than frequent sewage system backups and sewer-cleaning costs. With so many causes of clogged drains, the best way to fix them is to prevent them from being clogged in the first place.
Never put anything you shouldn't down the drain and avoid trying to clean blocked drains by adding more chemicals or objects; it will cause an even bigger problem. If a blocked drain or pipe does not clear straight away. It is time to call a professional plumber.