Drainage companies in London find that many of the drain blockages they attend are caused by the infiltration of roots into the drainage network.

The drain that leaves your home will likely be decades old and the structure of the pipe may not be in pristine condition. Adjoining sections of pipe may have shifted or deviated and the seal between these sections may also show signs of damage. Small sections of the drainage pipe may also be cracked or at least show signs of deterioration, which if not treated will only get worse.

All the above drainage problems will likely not be evident to the homeowner unless roots find their way into the drainage system through any cracks or holes in the drainage pipe. When the roots do enter the system they increase in size and also multiply, further damaging the section of pipe. Roots can even block a drainage pipe completely which can cause significant damage to a homeowner’s property.

Drain maintenance engineers in London can remove roots from a drain using spinning root cutters. When the roots are cut back, the drainage company can then insert a liner into the drain which covers the damaged section so the roots cannot grow back.

There are many reasons why a drain may become blocked, but it’s often the case that a homeowner has put an incorrect item into the drainage system.

Drainage companies attend countless drain blockages every year where an unsuspecting homeowner has put something untoward into the drainage system. The most common way people do this is by flushing random items down the toilet.

Things which can’t be flushed down the toilet include:

• Hand and face wipes
• Cotton wool buds
• Sanitary towels
• Nappies
• Packaging from toiletry items

When people flush these items down the toilet they can block the lateral drain before it reaches the public sewer network. If this happens, the only way the offending item can be removed is by a drainage company, either using a high pressure water jet or by using drain rods.

A drainage company will be able to help when a drain becomes blocked, but it is up to the homeowner to make sure they do everything possible to reduce the chances of drain blockage by making sure they only flush appropriate waste items down the toilet.

If you have a blocked drain you may have to call a London drainage company to come and solve the problem. It doesn’t normally take too long to solve drain blockages, as the drainage company have many tools at their disposal to tackle the problem.

Power jetting

The first method normally employed by drainage companies to unblock a drain is high pressure water jetting. Drainage engineers direct the high pressure water down the drain at the blockage site, which is usually enough to break through the clog.

Power augers

Drain rodding is a technique that some drainage professionals use to remove a drain blockage. The power auger is an extension of this technology, but instead of using a simple rod it uses a rotating snake like attachment which is inserted into the drain to remove the clog.

Root cutters

Spinning root cutters are another device which drainage engineers can use to remove stubborn blockages. The spinning root cutter is a mechanical device which cuts infiltrating roots away from the insides of a drainage pipe and so clears the way for the flow of waste water.

One of the most common reasons for a drain blockage in an urban area is the accumulation of fat and grease in the drainage pipe. Many homeowners don’t realise the problems that come with disposing liquid fat down a drain until they have a problem.

People still continue to pour liquid fat down their drains despite waste water companies spending thousands of pounds every year trying to educate the general public that this method of fat disposal is not a good idea. When fat enters the drainage system it quickly cools and then sets hard. The fat then lines the inner surface of the drainage pipes, thus reducing the pipe’s waste carrying capacity and creating a sticky mass where other debris can get stuck.

Drainage companies in London can remove the build up of fat inside a drainage system by using a technique known as high pressure water jetting. In this method of drain cleaning, a jet of water at high pressure is directed down a drainage pipe. The water removes the fat from the inside of the drainage pipe and it is then flushed through the drainage system. Any large lumps of fat can be removed via the nearest manhole cover.

Many people think that drainage professionals are only there to help when you have a drain blockage, but this is far from the truth.

As well as unblocking drains in an emergency, drainage professionals can also offer services such as:

Scale removal

In hard water areas it’s quite common for scale to build up on the insides of your drainage pipes. When this happens, the inner pipe surface can become quite rough and cause debris to be caught on the uneven edges. Drainage professionals in London can cut back the scale in your drains so that the chances of a blockage are reduced and the pipe will restored to its full waste carrying capacity.

Manhole cover removal

Manhole covers can be extremely difficult to remove if they have been in situ for a number of years. Drainage professionals in London have to deal with this problem on a daily basis and can even remove manhole covers which are rusted shut.

CCTV surveys

People rarely look at the condition of the drainage pipes that leave their potential new home. Drainage pipes may also need to be surveyed if you are about to make modifications to the home.  A drainage company can perform a complete CCTV survey of a drainage system so it can be mapped and the extent of repairs analysed.