Welcome to user-submitted questions! These will address the most common, and important, questions that we get asked on a daily basis. These should help you understand not only how your drainage system works, but also how you can maintain it. So, let’s not waste any time, let’s get started straight away!
How Can I Keep my Drains Clean? #
Keeping your drains clean is key to reducing your chance of blockages. Here we will outline some of the most significant problems for your pipes and how to prevent them becoming an issue. Firstly, let’s talk about what you should avoid going down:
Fats and Grease: Fatty substances are perhaps the biggest offender when it comes to pipes, both in your home and in the national network. Firstly, never pour grease and fats down your plughole. Secondly, before washing your pots and pans, wipe the grease off with paper kitchen towels and throw them in the bin
Shower Hair: We have all seen how unpleasant it is to step into a shower and see a clump of monstrous hair lying at the bottom. Imagine one of them being down your drain? Well, they are! Purchase a ‘hair trap’, readily available on Amazon, and stick it over the plug hole. Then you can just throw hair in the bin and no longer worry about it!
Leaves and Plant Matter: This is one of the more problematic substances that can cause havoc in your drainage system. One of the biggest problems, unlike the other things we have discussed, is that it is difficult to keep them out of your drain. All we can suggest is keeping all drain access in your garden covered and raking up leaves as much as possible!
However, this is all about prevention. You may be wondering how to clean your drains if they are already causing trouble.
How to Clean Your Drains
It is a good idea to pour boiling water down your plugholes every fortnight or so. This will loosen up the sludge and grease to move it further down the pipe. This can also help to tackle foul smells as they will destroy and wash away deposits of bacteria.
You should also consider pouring down thick bleach from time to time. However, this is not ideal for your pipes and should be used somewhat sparingly.
As a last resort, you can use drain cleaners. However, these are corrosive and can massively reduce the lifespan of your pipes. They can prove useful every now and again, but do not come to rely on them – it will cost you much more in the long-run when you have to get substantial sections of your piping network replaced!
High-Pressure Water Jetting
There is only so much you can do without the right equipment. Good drainage technicians will offer a water jetting cleaning service. This only takes a couple of hours, will not harm your pipes, and will help to wash away all detritus and potential blockages and while keeping your system running at full capacity!
