Over the Christmas period, few will be thinking of the impact our Christmas turkeys are having on the sewers. Unfortunately, there are still a large proportion of people who dispose of the fat from their turkey by pouring it down the sink. The effect that this solidifying fat can have on the sewers can be problematic for those responsible for drain maintenance.

In order to help combat this festive challenge in the North West, United Utilities are using the services of their latest high tech recruit, Big Dave. Big Dave is an all terrain robot, who will be patrolling the sewer system in the Manchester area. Dave will be searching out the festive fat, using his six all terrain wheels, lighting rig and mechanised camera. Dave can access areas which are inaccessible to United Utilities other employees, which means the problem can be dealt with more effectively than waiting for Dave’s colleagues to excavate the drain.

Of course this problem could be stopped and Big Dave’s services used in other ways, if people disposed of their cooking fat in a more responsible manner. Fat should be allowed to harden and disposed of in the bin, along with other cooking waste.

If like so many modern householders you have found yourself in the unfortunate position of having to deal with a blocked drain, it goes without saying that once you have dealt with the problem you won’t want to find yourself in a similar scenario any time in the near future, and this can be achieved through opting for a CCTV drain survey.

Many people have heard of CCTV drain surveys before although are a little unsure of what the procedure involves and how useful it is.

In short, a CCTV survey involves a small camera being inserted into drains. This camera has the ability to transmit images back to a screen- where drain professionals can take a close look in order to determine if there are any existing or potential problems present.

Once the survey is complete, a good drain maintenance company should be able to provide you with a detailed report- which could be in paper or video format- which will provide you with advice and advise you of any areas which need immediate or future attention.

CCTV surveys are extremely useful in the sense that they provide the professionals with the bigger picture, and the quicker any problems are identified the better, as attempting to repair drains which have suffered extensive, long term damage can be very time-consuming and therefore very expensive.

There are many great professionals who can provide you with a CCTV survey, London and beyond.

Living in a large city can have its fair share of problems. But it’s perhaps a system that we rely on everyday that can cause some of the most distressing problems for residents – the sewage system.

Parts of London’s sewer system are over 100 years old and because of this, it struggles to cope with the increasing demands that are put on it on a daily basis. There are major upgrade works that are currently being planned to stop the discharge of sewage into the River Thames so hopefully the system will be more reliable in the future, until then however the system will still break down occasionally.

When there is a drain blockage, we rely on blocked drain London experts to solve the problem. Using the latest CCTV camera equipment, drainage experts can look into the drainage system to find out what has caused the blockage without the need for excavation.

When the pipes have been surveyed, the professionals can work out a plan of action to remove the blockage whereby solving the issue. Drain jetting is the most common method used by drainage experts in London to remove blockages in pipes. A jet of water at high pressure is directed down the pipe which can break up the blockage so the waste water can flow freely again.

D?r Cymru, the Welsh Water company has been fined £3,800 after a deteriorating drainage system allowed raw sewage to enter a lake in Llanberis.

Llyn Padarn Lake was polluted in April when a cast iron pipe broke and sewage made its way into the lake via Afon Goch. The Environment Agency were quickly made aware of the pollution and posted signs so people did not use the lake. Upon further investigation there was no evidence that any wildlife that used the lake died as a consequence.

The north Wales area manager for the Environment Agency stated:

“It’s disappointing that this happened, and in such an environmentally sensitive area and one that relies on the recreational use of the lake.”

He also stated that he was pleased that D?r Cymru was making steps in the right direction and the Environment agency was:

“encouraged that since this incident the company’s attitude towards its environmental obligations in the area has been positive,”

Further elaborating on the case he commented:

“Prevention is better than cure, and we will be working closely with the company to try and prevent incidents of this type recurring,

There are many areas of your home which you wouldn’t need to think twice about maintaining on a regular basis, and in addition to this, if you have a garden or yard, keeping it looking neat and tidy, especially during the summer months is likely to be high on the agenda.

However, one part of the home which many fail to pay adequate or any attention to on a regular basis is drains. This could be through lack of knowledge or simple forgetfulness, although ensuring that drains are maintained on a timely basis is absolutely essential.

There are many benefits to be had through hiring professionals to conduct drain maintenance, some of which include:

Reduce the probability of problems

More often than not, a blockage or damage to your drains doesn’t become apparent until the problem is severe, although by opting for regular drain maintenance, issues can be identified before they have the opportunity to escalate.

Thorough cleaning

Thorough drain cleaning is essential in keeping things running smoothly, and can greatly help to reduce the chance of a blockage occurring.

Save money

Dealing with severely blocked or damaged drains can take a lot of time and could therefore see you facing a hefty bill, although regular maintenance can significantly reduce this risk.

These are just a handful of the many great benefits of drain maintenance, so don’t put it on the back burner.