Signs And Solutions For Drain Problems

Blocked Drains?

Are your drains broken, blocked, or cracked, causing serious structural problems? Does it require professional assistance or is it a quick fix that you can tackle yourself?

Blocked drains can be a vexing problem. They can detract from the comfort and convenience of your home or office and even result in damage to surrounding structures. Blocked drains in showers, bathtubs, or sinks can frequently be remedied by unscrewing the trap, plunging, or using drain cleaners that can be purchased at a local hardware store or home centre. However, blockages that are caused by a broken pipe or issues that are related to a faulty sewer system are not so easy to fix. At times there can be major issues that are outside of your home or office and that relate to the sewer system. If you suspect that there are more serious problems affecting your drains you will likely need to consult with a professional as soon as possible.

Signs of Drain Problems

Most often, the signs that a drain is not functioning properly are fairly obvious. Frequently, problems will manifest themselves initially by a drain in which water drains slowly. Quite often, it will eventually become completely clogged. Here are some of the signs of drain blockage:

1. Water drains away slowly from the sink
2. Difficulty in flushing a toilet
3. Water comes back from the drain, toilet, or sink
4. Foul smell
5. Water collects in garden area due to overflowing gulleys, drains, and manholes
6. For serious leakage problems, evidence of blockage includes cracks in driveways, window sills, brickwork or sunken steps

Reasons For Blocked Drains

The reasons for blocked drains can be multifarious. Falling leaves may clog gutters, storm drains and nearby manholes, and tree roots can also be drawn to the nearby source of water and cause cracks in pipes, resulting in blockages. Aging is another common problem, which causes deterioration of joints and pipes, leading to drain blockages. Cast iron pipes can corrode over time and cause blockage, while salt-glazed clay ware drains in older buildings can have cracks or porous joints.

Inappropriately built drains, with poorly designed gutters and manholes, are also one of the major reasons behind drain blockages. On the other hand, grease, hair, litter, and foreign particles in the pipeline or sewage system are the most common causes of blocked drains.

How to Investigate A Blocked Drain?

If it is difficult to identify where the problem is, drainage experts use drain camera inspection techniques to identify the problem area. The lower end of the drain will be plugged and water runs through the pipe to detect leakage problems. Next, a CCTV camera will be passed through the drain in order to identify the exact location of blockage or damage. This type of drain pipe inspection will require professional assistance.

The Solution

One of the simplest methods to unplug a blocked drain is to use high pressure jetting to remove any debris that is causing the problem. Drainage rods, rotating steel rods or cutters are also used to clear debris from pipelines and drains. If the blockage is caused by tree roots, a remote-controlled cutting tool can be used to cut through them. Cracked or broken drains can be relined or repaired to prevent further blockage.