With all the warm weather the UK has been seeing over the last couple of weeks, drain maintenance companies have seen a rise in the number of calls due to smelly drains. Smelly drains can be a problem during hot weather and are unfortunately indicative of a potential drainage problem.

Smelly drains are usually caused by a damaged sewer pipe and need inspection before the problem worsens. A drain maintenance company can inspect a smelly drain and find the cause of the problem. They can use specialist CCTV survey equipment to look into the drain to locate the issue. Using a camera fitted on the end of a long flexible rod, real-time video footage of the drainage pipe can be seen on an engineer’s computer screen. This will give the drainage company enough information to do a detailed report on the problem and suggest a remedy.

If a smelly drain is caused by a damaged sewer pipe the drainage company may suggest a liner repair. This entails inserting a liner into the pipe which is coated with epoxy resin. When the liner is in place, the epoxy sets and the pipe repair will be complete. What you lose in reduced diameter will be gained in waste flow if you choose to have a liner repair.

One of the newest techniques that drain maintenance experts can use to diagnose blocked drainage is a CCTV survey. Using a small camera on the end of a long flexible rod, the drain maintenance professionals can look into your drainage system to determine if there are any blockages or obstructions. Because they can see into the drain, CCTV surveys dramatically reduce the need to excavate the drain to find the cause of the problem.

CCTV surveys are an extremely economical solution to find the cause of blocked drainage. They can be used on all types of sewer and drainage systems and because they relay the findings in real time to a computer, a decision can be made extremely quickly by the drainage professional on what course of action to take.

Drain maintenance to stop blockages

Drainage pipes do not last forever, but if they are maintained they can extend their lifespan. If the drain is functioning properly, there will be less likelihood that the pipes will be damaged because of a blockage. A drain maintenance company will perform a CCTV survey on your drain and then offer a suitable maintenance programme. This might involve descaling of the pipe or informing you that a section of the pipe may need to be changed after a certain period of time due to degradation of the system. However, when you know what to expect, you can plan for any future problems.

Living in large cities can pose various problems to homeowners. One of these problems that can cause untold damage if the problem is severe, is blocked drainage. Blocked drainage in London is unfortunately a common problem. The large urban expanse means that the drains often have to work to their maximum waste carrying capacity just to cope with the amount of effluent that the city produces.

Therefore if you live in London you should always have to hand the phone number of a professional drain cleaning company who you can rely on if you have a blocked drain. Some drain cleaning companies have a 24/7 call out facility so you can be sure they will respond, even if you have a problem in the middle of the night.

Drain cleaning companies will usually try to remove any blockage using high pressure water jetting. This directs a high pressure jet of water down the drain which will disperse any blockage so water can flow freely again. If the problem is persistent they may use CCTV equipment to look into the drain to find the root cause of the problem.

One of the main causes of blocked drainage is root intrusion. Roots can work their way into our drainage pipes in their search for water and can cause untold damage to our drainage system.
Although the drains leaving our homes are many feet underground, they are still susceptible to damage caused by roots. Large trees and established plants can cause problems for homeowners because the root network from these can be quite vigorous. If roots work their way into the drainage pipes, they can multiply quickly and can actually separate the pipes such is the pressure they can exert on the drainage system.

Drain cleaning professionals will be able to determine if your drainage blockage is caused by root intrusion. They will perform a CCTV survey to look into the drainage system and can then offer a suitable solution. This will usually involve using a spinner root cutter which will trim the roots back to the bore of the pipe. If the pipe is found to be damaged, a pipe liner can be fitted which will restore the structural integrity of the drainage system.

Businesses in Penrith town centre closed earlier this month after flash floods flowed through the town centre streets. More than 20 businesses are thought to have been affected after about 1pm in the afternoon on Monday the 7th June. The half hour torrential rain storm meant that fire crews had to be called to pump water out of houses on four streets.

One shop owner is quoted to have said that it looked like the drains were blocked because water flowed straight down a road and created a pond. The Environment Agency are currently working on a scheme to protect Penrith from events like this, but due to the magnitude of the water in such a short space of time, the drains just could not cope.

Problems like the ones seen above in Penrith can be exacerbated by blocked or faulty drainage. And while events like the above might only take place infrequently, it’s important that all our drains are performing to the peak of their ability, so if a problem were to occur, the drains would be able to handle it. Blocked drainage can be caused by many things, but if you have a drain maintenance contract in place, you can be sure that your drains will be in good working order.