Five Ways to Prevent Blocked Drains

Make no mistake, blocked drains can create havoc in the household, so it’s vital you have your pipes inspected and checked at least every couple of years by a professional. In the meantime, however, you should do your utmost to prevent drainage build-up in the short term. Here, we look at five simple ways of preventing blocked drains that can be performed either by you or a professional:

Use A Strainer

Using a drain strainer is an especially effective tool in the fight against blocked or clogged drains, with small debris, food waste and even hair capable of entering your drain without one. A stainless steel object you can place over your drain hole, they can be fitted to kitchen sinks to prevent the build-up of food waste and debris, and are installed in baths and showers to reduce the build-up of hair that has fallen out during the washing process.

Avoid Grease

Funnelling grease and cooking fat into your drainpipe seems like the most obvious solution, but can have a damaging effect on your drainage, as it solidifies inside, sticking to the interior piping. Over time, this will cause a significant build-up of solid fat, leading to blockages, so it’s vitally important you dispose of cooking oils, greases and fats inside a can or jar that can then be thrown directly into a bin.

Boiling Water

As an extra layer of both caution and protection, pouring a kettle of boiling water into your drain will further reduce the risk of debris build-up and solidifying grease. You should carry out this simple procedure at least once a week, to wash away the debris and melt any grease down.

Stick To Paper

You should categorically avoid flushing products that are not made from paper, to avoid clogging your drain. This includes chemical wipes, sanitary towels or essentially anything that is not toilet paper. Sanitary products are often made from cotton and swell up when hydrated causing blocked pipes, which, in turn, can actually damage your entire sewer system.

Inspect Your Pipes

Perhaps the best way to prevent blocked drains is by simply calling a professional to inspect them. This is because many drain issues are not instantly recognisable, or evident and requires expert insight and knowledge. A licenced drain plumber will perform a visual inspection on your drain pipes, providing upfront costing with no hidden charges. You may not wish to pay for an inspection, which is understandable, but for many, the cost of fixing or replacing drainpipes will cost you an awful lot more in the long term.

When it comes to blocked drains, no job is too big or too small for Walsh Bros Industrial Services Ltd. Our drain cleaning engineers can unblock drains with varying diameters, from 50mm household sink drains right up to 2 metre drains. Using our specialist equipment, we’re able to remove debris so that your drains are running smoothly again. Contact us today for more information.