What uses the drains?
Just about all the liquids that leave your house go down the drain. This can be bath water, the outflow from the sink, the washing machine, the dishwasher and of course the toilet.
Your drains then take the waste to the public sewers (maintained by the drainage utility) or perhaps to a cesspit or septic tank.
Rainwater from your roof will normally go to a soakaway or, in town, to the street drains, not normally the sewer.
What do I do if my drain is blocked?
Initially, check to make sure your drain really is blocked. If the majority of your waste flows as normal, it is likely that your problem could be isolated to a sink trap being blocked. Please see below for tips on how to clear your drain.
What kind of blockages are there?
Most blockages are a simple accumulation of detritus that eventually blocks the drain. This largely depends on what is being flushed down the drain.
Scale
This is a term to describe a build-up of material on the side of the drain pipe that will eventually restrict the flow of liquid and cause the drain to block.
Scale is often associated with kitchen waste such as fats that stick to the side of the drain. This is usually best dealt with through the use of a high pressure jet cleaning.
High pressure jetting must be carried out by skilled operatives to ensure that the very powerful water jets used do not damage the drains that are being cleaned.
Collapsed Drains
This describes a problem where:
The ground might have shifted or settled pulling part of the drain with it, away from the other parts of the drain.
The drain has been physically broken, perhaps due to a large and heavy vehicle driving over it, compressing the soil and then the drain.
Roots from surrounding trees have grown alongside and then into the drains - perhaps as a source of water and nutrients. The roots have got bigger over the years, eventually filling or breaking the drains.
The drain is very old and over the years has crumbled.
Though you might not notice, these problems usually occur over a long period. Finally, the drains are not able to adequately flow and clog up very rapidly.
In all of these cases, it is necessary to replace all or part of the drains. The drains must be replaced to preserve the correct flow and the surrounding ground reinstated in such a way that the problem will not recur.
DIY Drain Cleaning Tips
Check where the blockage is.
If just one of your outlets has stopped flowing - perhaps just the sink, then it is likely that your drains aren't blocked and it is just a U bend or other pipe that has a blockage.
Blocked sinks and baths
These are possibly the easiest to clear. Under your sink there should be a 'U' shaped length of pipe. This is used to collect a small amount of water that acts as a trap and stops smells from coming into your home through the pipework.
Sometimes this can get blocked by a build-up of vegetable matter or other solids.
Simply unscrew the joints to the u-bend and clear the blockage - be sure to have a bucket or some other container underneath when you disconnect.
A plunger might do the job just as well!
The same kind of blockage can occur with baths. If your washing machine is plumbed in, a blocked u-bend might also stop it draining.
I know it's the drains...
(What follows is not advanced drain cleaning advice)
If this is a persistent problem, perhaps it's time to call Waterlink on 0333 000 0058(opens in a new tab) (option 1).
Clearing my blocked drains.
In just about all cases of DIY drain cleaning you will need a set of drain cleaning rods.
These can be purchased from any Hardware or DIY store for less than £20.
Also, you should buy a pair of sturdy rubber gloves and ideally, eye protection.
Next, you need to identify the manhole cover that provides access to the drains.
When the manhole cover is removed, take care that nobody else approaches the opening, it is a hazard, and you are responsible for keeping the area safe!
With this removed, assemble two or three rods along with the 4" rubber disk. Insert slowly into the drain so that the rubber disk penetrates two or three feet - this may require the addition of extra lengths of drain rod.
This should be inserted in the direction of the property, if you are on mains drainage, most likely away from the street.
If the access point is backed up, then you should clear towards the street.
You might have to feel - or probe - for the drain hole when inserting the rods if it is obscured with effluent.
Take care when adding or removing drain rods.
When the rod is within the drain NEVER rotate counterclockwise, as this will result in the unscrewing of the rods or the rubber disk. If this were to occur, it will totally block the drain, certainly resulting in very expensive remedial action!
With the rubber disk and rods in the drain, very quickly pull the rods out - this is often sufficient to start the drains flowing.
If the drains do not flow, try again but with more lengths of rod inserted.
If you cannot get the drains flowing, call Waterlink on 0333 000 0058(opens in a new tab) (option 1) or email us on waterlink@southeastwater.co.uk(opens in a new tab)
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