Drain maintenance companies don’t just offer drain cleaning solutions. They can also offer services such as CCTV surveys and a full maintenance schedule for your drainage system. Some also offer solutions to problems such as drain chamber cover removal and replacement.

What is a chamber cover and why does it seize?

A drain chamber cover can be basically defined as the cover over the access point to the drainage system. We drive over these covers every day and occasionally see them lifted when someone needs access to a drainage system. These covers can be left in position for decades before they need to be lifted. And, in some cases the cover can actually fuse with the cover frame making it impossible to lift.

Some of these drain covers are so heavy to lift that any person who tries to lift them may sustain personal injury. That is why drain maintenance companies use hydraulic lifting equipment to remove heavy drain covers. Using the right type of machinery to lift the cover means the cover will not be damaged and also means that it can be replaced safely.

If it is impossible to lift the cover because of years of neglect, some drain maintenance companies will even replace the frame and cover completely so access can again be gained to the drain.

In the past, it used to be really difficult to locate a drain blockage. The whole sewage system or network of pipes had to be excavated to find the source of a blockage and then reinstated before the system could be reused. This is no longer the case however as CCTV drain surveys can now be used to locate the exact point where the drain is blocked.

CCTV surveys: What are they?

If you have a blocked drain your drain maintenance company will insert a camera into the drainage system. This camera is passed down the network of drain pipes and relays the video images directly back to a computer monitor. Using this, the drainage expert can then use a drain mapping system to pinpoint where the blockage is and also determine the cause of the blockage. They will hence be able to decide the course of action needed to remedy the blockage.

The blockage might be caused by an accumulation of waste matter or it could be caused by root intrusion or perhaps a collapsed pipe. If a section of drainage pipe needs replacing however only the small area where the problem lies needs to be excavated, so external disruption can be kept to a minimum.

If you live in a large city like London, you will be aware that life takes place at a fast pace and people rarely get time for relaxation or holidays. Because people are constantly on the go, they can forget that living in a big city comes with inherent problems and issues.

Drain maintenance is commonly overlooked in big cities like London. The hustle and bustle of daily life means drain cleaning is forgotten until problems arise.

If you have a drain problem, you might not notice until your sink starts to drain more slowly or you might notice a bad smell when you flush the toilet. However, if left untreated, a small problem can turn into a big problem really quickly and a backflow of liquid waste can enter your home if the drain becomes completely blocked.

If you are worried about a drainage problem in a city like London, then you just need to phone a drain maintenance company who will assess your problem and come up with a solution. Your drainage pipes might just need jetting or perhaps descaling. But, if you tackle the problem now, you can stop the problem before it starts.

If you have had a blocked drain, the drain cleaning company might have used high pressure water jetting to remove the blockage. But what caused the blockage in the first place? And, is there anything you can do to stop future blockages?

After a drain blockage is removed, it is quite common for the drainage company to do a CCTV survey of the drain. This entails inserting a small video camera into the drain to find the source of the problem. It might be that the drain has just silted up after years of use and the cleaning has removed the blockage so no further problems can be seen. However, if the problem is caused by root ingress into the pipe or if the structure of the pipe is compromised further action may be needed.

Another common cause of drain blockages is due to the inside of the pipe becoming ‘scaled’. If there are sharp edges in the pipe or if the pipe has a narrow bend, this may exacerbate the problem. The pipe can be descaled effectively by using an electro-mechanical descaling machine and the pipe can thus be restored to its full waste carrying capacity.

We rely on miles of hidden pipe work to provide a route for the waste water we produce to be removed from our homes. We use these pipes everyday of our lives, but because they are hidden underground they are often forgotten. If you own a large commercial establishment in a large city such as London, you might need some sort of maintenance programme in place so the pipes that are used on your site, are kept free from blockages and hence work effectively whenever they are used.

If a pipe becomes blocked at a large business premises, the potential on cost of services lost and business stoppages can cost a company thousands of pounds. If you have a drain maintenance programme in place situations like this can be avoided totally.

The drain maintenance company will design a maintenance programme specifically for your business and tailor it to fit around your business needs. They may need to descale the pipes or just suggest remedial action if you have a problem. But, because they are just a phone call away you can rely on their prompt action at remedying a problem or offering a maintenance solution