Preventing Pipe Issues this Winter

Today’s post is all about the prevention of pipe issues, a common problem during the winter months when temperatures begin to drop. What can you do to stop your pipes from freezing and causing a blockage? With pipes, small issues can often lead to bigger concerns when left untreated. From what seems to start as a fairly simple problem can develop into something really serious. Something that can call a halt on your water supply and prevent a workable sewage system from operating effectively. 

So, what can you do about it?

If you live in a property of your own or whether you’re a landlord that rents out their own property, you need to . move quickly when resolving issues to do with drains and pipes before these issues worsen. If these issues escalate, not only are they harder to solve, they can also become more expensive. There are a lot of preventative measures you can take though to prevent more serious pipe issues from developing. 

Why do pipes freeze?

Pipes freeze because when something is warm enough it then contracts when it gets cold, but water will disobey this rule completely and continue to expand as the temperature gets lower and lower. Once it’s completely frozen, as in below zero, it will apply pressure on the structure of the pipes themselves.

They can also get blocked with leaves, twigs, frost and snow and other debris that can leave your pipes with little room to let water flow through them. If you don’t unclear blockages pronto it can get to be a bigger problem than it need be. 

Therefore:

• Always check the pipes on a regular basis, clear anything you find from them

• Be vigilant and check your pipes to see if they’re frozen, and check to see whether water is flowing through freely. Is the water coming back up instead of going down? That’s a sure sign of trouble

• Call out some professional drain experts to ascertain what the problem is if you’re at a loss about what to do next, so they can carry out a thorough drain inspection.

You can also insulate your pipes, and this will help to minimise the likelihood of your pipes becoming blocked and then bursting, which really is a disastrous scenario to contemplate. 

Other things you can do too:

• Inspect your pipes for gaps or cracks (insulation as we’ve discussed will help with this)

• Keep your home warm in winter and this will help prevent pipes from freezing

• Open your cupboard doors in the kitchen, this may sound strange, but it will help circulate the heat from the rest of the house into your pipes to help prevent freezing

• Repair any dripping taps or valves as the water can freeze before it even comes through the tap, so it is therefore important to check your valves and taps regularly and repair any issues you discover so you can prevent this from happening.

East of Scotland Drainage – for blocked drains and drain damage.

We’re always fighting for to clear your drains. So, if you’re having issues with your pipes, or if your preventative measures so far haven’t worked in preventing a blockage you’ve found, then give us a call and we can come around and carry out a tentative investigation before carrying out something more intense. That way we can establish what the problems are and provide a workable, relevant solution. Get in touch today and keep your pipes in tip top condition this winter.

How to keep your drains clear

Welcome to another E.S. Drainage blog where today we’re discussing how you can keep your drains clear by following just a few simple tips! By following these tips you may be able to prevent stubborn blockages that are hard to clear, eventually leading to a call out from the professionals.

Prevention is better than cure.

It should go without saying that one of the best ways of preventing your drains from becoming clogged is by watching what you pour down it. Anything that has a tendency to cause a blockage, and there’s an ever-growing list, can include such things as coffee grounds, soap and hair to name but a few. By doing all you can not to put them down the sink, you’ll save yourself time in trying to unblock drains later. 

Oil and grease and how to dispose safely.

Oil and grease are two notorious culprits famous for causing blockages, and these can be removed carefully by either reusing them after pouring through a filter, or if it contains fat, such as lard or suet, you can roll into a ball with nuts and put it out for the birds. Some councils actually collect oils and reuse them for fuel, but you’ll need to contact yours to see whether your council does the same. You can use a drain filter to collect soap scum and then you can chuck this in the bin. 

Baking soda - the drain miracle.

Always run hot water down the sink after use and then use some baking soda, it’s a great cleaning agent, so it’ll not only leave your drain pipes squeaky clean, it’ll also absorb any bad smells. 

Vinegar.

You can also pour some vinegar, about one cupful, and let it sit there for around half an hour before chasing it down the sink with hot water. Vinegar, like baking soda, is a great cleaning agent and also contains acetic acid. This is great for removing build-up of debris in the pipes. 

Ice cube surprise.

You can also create ice cubes with vinegar in them which can then be laid in the drain to melt. This will keep your drains squeaky clean, although it will smell of vinegar in the kitchen, if you don’t mind that it’s definitely worth it!

East of Scotland Drainage – for blocked drains that won’t shift.

If you need help with unblocking drains and you’ve tried everything then please get in touch and one of our team members will be more than happy to come along and inspect the problem. We can use a variety of different methods to unblock your drains, and depending on how severe the problem is, get your drains unblocked in no time. Then once that’s done, you can start using the preventative measures we’ve mentioned in today’s blogs and avoid your drains becoming blocked again. Give us a call today!

What should I do if there is a communal drain issue at my property?

If there is a communal drain issue at your home, you can try solving the issues yourself if you feel confident enough to try it. What you need to do first however, is to find out who is responsible for the particular drain issues you’re having problems with. 

Detached homes

If you have a detached home, then you are only responsible for the drains which reach the front garden or drive of your property. It has been this way since 2011 when the law changed. If you are in a semi-detached home, then you are responsible for the part of the drain on your side of the house up until it reaches your neighbours boundary.

Terraced houses

Are you in a terraced house? If you are then you are only responsible for the parts that belong to your property before they connect to the other terraced houses in the row you live in. 

Properties in rural areas

If you live in a rural area, it’s unlikely your home will be connected to a public sewer and you’ll probably have your own arrangements for cesspits and sewers.

2011 Property Factors.

If you do have a problem, and you don’t have this information immediately at your fingertips it can leave you feeling concerned about how you’re going to deal with it. However, you needn’t worry as we are well aware here at East of Scotland Drainage of the property factors since 2011.

East of Scotland Drainage - Premier Gutter Cleaning

If you have any questions about what we’ve spoken about today, don’t hesitate to give us a call, or you can get in touch with us via our contact page, whichever method you use, we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.  If you have drains or gutters that need repair, or you don’t know what the problem is, but you know it may be serious, get in touch, we have various methods for making a diagnosis and have all the latest technology to help us do our work.

Four Key Reasons to Have Your Gutters Cleaned

We’ve got four key reasons why gutter cleaning is so important, and why it could save you money in the long-term if you stick to regular cleaning. By staying on top of your gutter cleaning you’ll be looking after the structure of your property as damaged gutters can cause tremendous damage, damage that may only be rectified by hiring drainage experts like ourselves. 

Even then, if the gutters have been damaged for some time, then this may have caused problems in other parts of the house which will also need to be repaired – at considerable cost. 

1. Water damage

When water overflows it can go into the structure into your house, it can accumulate around the foundations and without repair could seep in causing all sorts of damage. It can also make your home susceptible to damp from leakage, and damp lofts and basements are often caused by gutters which have become clogged and then overflowed. 

2. Damp and pest infestation

Damp will rot wood and brickwork of your property and as well as rotting the wood, it will provide excellent living conditions for mice, rats and other unpleasant insects that will just love the rot. That’s a whole lot of expense to consider. 

3. Escaping water

The water from your gutters can overflow not only into your house but into the ground, and this can obviously cause water logging as well as absorption into the very structure of your property. It could even flood the area around your home which can then enter through the wall’s structure. As it gradually weakens the structure of your house, it can cause untold damage. The water can seep into the foundations and this leads to damage that could cost thousands to rectify. 

4. Potential health hazard

If you allow gutters to overflow and become clogged it can be a potential health hazard. Think about what we said earlier about damage to the house and damp from leakages. Well damp leads to mould, and mould can cause all kinds of health problems, and if you have any pre-existing health issues, then mould is only going to make things worse, especially in winter.

East of Scotland Drainage - Premier Gutter Cleaning

If you have any questions about what we’ve spoken about today, don’t hesitate to give us a call, or you can get in touch with us via our contact page, whichever method you use, we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.  If you have drains or gutters that need repair, or you don’t know what the problem is, but you know it may be serious, get in touch, we have various methods for making a diagnosis and have all the latest technology to help us do our work.

Drains - How Do They Work?

Ever wondered how your drains work? You may not think it matters how they work really, as long as they do what they’re supposed to, but you’ll find it’s quite useful to know how they work because when you have problems, by understanding your drains better, you’ll be able to resolve issues and understand them more. 

We all know that drains are an important part of the water system of your home, they prevent blocks and clogging so that the water leaves your system quickly and efficiently. And that’s not all, if your water doesn’t drain away as it should waterborne bacteria can infiltrate your home and cause illness. 

Pressure, Gravity and Wastewater

Drains are not dependent on pressure so they will depend on gravity to help push the wastewater out and through the pipes, so they reach septic tanks swiftly. All drains will comprise of a combination of vents, clean-outs and traps, and all work together to rid your home of its wastewater. 

Air Vents

This works to get rid of the vacuum that’s created within the pipes and can interfere with water flow. Once the vacuum is removed the water flows better and without blockages. 

Traps/Clean-Outs

The trap is usually beneath the toilet and sink and is a U shaped pipe, its job is to stop the flow of air travelling in reverse, this is because sewer gases  not only smell bad but they’re really hazardous to health, and the best air trap will make sure these gases don’t find their way back into your home. Grease traps are usually in the kitchen and help to prevent blockages. You’re probably thinking to yourself, then why do I still get blockages occasionally? The reason for this is that sometimes traps don’t work, and this is due to an air seal not working or missing, it may also develop a leak. Traps, as you can imagine, are important to the working life of a drain as they help prevent gas coming out of it. 

If any of your components don’t work, then your drains will not work as they should

All of these components are important to your drains working properly, and all of them must work in unison so that all of the waste is rid of effectively. If you find that any one of your components are not working as they should then it’s advisable to seek the help and advice of a professional drain specialist. 

East of Scotland Drainage – Drain Maintenance Expertise

Come to us if you find that any of your drain’s components aren’t working very well. We are a team of drain specialists, and we can come to you and make a few observations and give you a diagnosis on what we believe are the solutions. If you like the sound of what we offer, we can help resolve your issues for you without fuss. Why contact us today?

What Does a CCTV Drain Survey Involve?

If you have a blocked drain and you can’t resolve it yourself, then it’s only natural you’re going to need a professional. We’d like to think you’d call us, and if you do we’d be more than happy to help. Whoever you call to resolve your drain issues, the use of a CCTV drain survey may be required. But what exactly does that involve? Stick around and we’ll explain in more detail.

What is a CCTV drain survey?

This type of survey is basically an inspection of your entire drainage system. Using high-tech cameras, we can insert them deep into your drains and see what the problem is. These cameras send us a live-feed that comes directly back to us and the engineer can take a good look at what’s causing the obstruction. Once we’ve identified what it is that’s causing the problems we can do something about it. 

So what kind of drainage issues warrant a CCTV drain survey?

These are useful for a whole range of problems. You can use it as part of an overall inspection of your new property, so you can get everything sorted out before you move in, and that includes an inspection of the drains. Its current condition is important in addressing any problems now before they have an impact on other parts of the property. It also helps you to make a fully informed decision on whether you want to go ahead and make the purchase. 

Sometimes ongoing drainage issues can be a real pain and as we’ve already mentioned can cause problems throughout the property that will have more expensive repercussions later on. These problems could include flooding, damp and mould which can all lead to ill health, and if you have young children, then this is naturally something you’d wish to avoid. 

Regardless of whether you are a tenant or a homeowner, a CCTV survey is of great value, helping to reach the root of the problem and helping you to deal with drainage issues. 

How is a CCTV drain survey carried out?

Well, we use a wide range of equipment and tools which a technician, specially trained, will be able to use to carry out a successful survey. Equipment can range from waterproof cameras, access rods which help to push cameras further into the drains and help them to navigate the depth of the drains, peering below and pushing around corners. Crawlers work on remote operation and provide visuals right into sewers, and can provide mobility within pipes, even when they’re obstructed. Sonar units are great for pipes which they are full of blockage, they provide what’s known as acoustic profiling, allowing the technician to assess the condition of a pipe and what’s stopping it from allowing water through.

East of Scotland Drainage – CCTV Drain Survey Experts

If you’re looking for help with your blocked drains and you’ve tried everything, then get in touch with us here at East of Scotland Drainage. We’re here to help, and we have a team of experts, trained in using CCTV drain surveys and how to use the equipment, so give us a call and we’ll do all we can to help.

Top Tips For Unblocking Your Shower

There’s nothing worse than a blocked shower, and once you have one it can be very hard to rectify. We’d love to be able to clear it up quickly and easily but if it’s been that way for a while, it’s not going to be quite so easy to resolve it. When you have a blocked shower, it can be unhygienic and increasingly difficult to use, so today, we’ve come up with some top tips to unblock your shower. We’re an experienced team who’ve worked with drainage issues for many years so you’re in safe hands!

Can you see what the blockage is?

The first thing to do is identify the blockage, and it’s likely that you’ll find it’s hair and soap scum. Try pulling out as much as you can with your hands first, you can also use a coat hanger or a pair of pliers, after that try running the water to see if the drain has recovered.

Plunger

The friendly plunger is your next stop. At this point use the plunger without resorting to chemicals and try to see if you can dislodge whatever’s blocking it. Try doing it a couple of times to see what happens.

Plumber’s Snake

You can buy one of these for a reasonable price. All it consists of is a long cable that’s attached to a handle. What you do is feed it down the drain until you reach the clog, turn the handle and bring it gently back up. Run the water then and test the drain to see if you’ve successfully removed the clog.

It may be that the blockage is big, and if this is the case keep turning the handle until what’s clogging the drain is broken up into bits so it’s easier to pull back up. You can repeat this process more than once until you see all of what’s clogging the drain right up.

Baking soda and vinegar

This is a great home solution to blocked drains and one you can make up quickly yourself. Make sure you create an equal amount of vinegar to baking soda and with the chemical reaction from both, once it’s poured in it should remove the blockage.

East of Scotland Drainage - Speak to the Experts

If that doesn’t work, then you may find it’s time to call in the drainage professionals. That’s what we’re here for. We’re experts in drain management and if you have a blockage that really is proving hard to displace, then perhaps it’s time to get in touch. We’re here to help, contact us and we’ll be more than happy to talk it through before we pay you a visit.

Common Signs Your Gutters Are Blocked

It can only take a few small things to create havoc in your home and one of those is a blocked gutter. When your gutters become blocked they can eventually spill over, this can cause damage to the foundation and structure of your house caused by a combination of mould, mildew and condensation. This, as you can imagine, can be costly to repair.

We’ve Seen It All As Experienced Drainage Specialists

As experienced drainage experts we see these types of problems all the time, and often it’s something that could have been avoided if homeowners had recognised the signs. We’re talk about them here, so you can avoid a disaster of your own.

Always Keep An Eye On Your Gutters and Check Them Regularly

You can avoid disaster if you keep a vigilant eye on your gutters and check them on a regular basis. What kind of things should you be looking out for when it comes to your gutters?

Don’t Let Your Gutters Become a Nice Home For Local Birds and Mice

It’s a sure sign your gutters are clogged when you have mice or rats creating a nest in them! If you have debris that’s become compressed over time, this is going to be a really attractive option for birds or small animals to create a nest. In fact, the concave shape and structure of a gutter is perfect for birds. It’s time to clear your gutters once you see birds or animals popping their heads out of your guttering.

Waterfalls From Your Gutters Is Not Pretty, It’s a Sign There’s Something Wrong

If you can hear trickling water or a roaring and cascading sound, be alarmed, be very alarmed. This isn’t something you can lie back and relax to you, this is a potential problem that needs dealing with before it becomes an emergency. Your gutters are blocked and there’s nowhere for the water to go. The sound of falling water may be very relaxing - when it’s on a meditation app, not coming from your roof. The water is coming off your gutters because it’s spilling over the sides and eventually it could be the cause of damage to the house’s foundation and that will be costly to repair. Eventually your gutters will sag under the debris they’re carrying.

East of Scotland Drainage West Lothian – For The Best in Drainage Issues

If you think your gutters are blocked and you think it’s gone too far for you to do anything yourself then get in touch with us here at East of Scotland Drainage serving all of West Lothian. We’re the experts in drainage issues and we can make take a look, make a diagnosis of what we think the problem is, and give you a solution that works. We’re here to take your call so get in touch if you’re experiencing problems.

How to Prevent Drain Corrosion

Today we’re talking about drain corrosion and how to prevent it. Corrosion is bad news as it can weaken the metal in your pipes, stripping important coatings and allowing rust to take hold. It’s caused by galvanized steel and copper piping reacting together where the water is charged, and this strips the galvanized coating. Left too late it takes over and can result in costly replacement.

What Can You Do To Prevent This?

One of the most successful ways of dealing with corrosion is to check your drains thoroughly and regularly. If you have any rust around the plugholes, such as in your bath or sink, this could be a sign of more trouble below. If the iron in your water is exposed to a certain degree of humidity it’ll clog your drains. What you’ll need to do is make sure unclog your drains with a good quality drain cleaner

Chlorine Can Help, But Only Use With Expert Help

One other solution which can be effective is chlorinating the water. Chlorine can help prevent the risk of bacteria developing, however it can also be the cause of corrosion, so it’s better to have this job done by a professional drain specialist, someone who knows what they’re doing.

Routine Checks Help

Prevention is always better than cure, so by carrying out routine checks on a regular basis you can prevent any problems like rust developing. By doing this you’re probably saving yourself a lot of expense in the long-term, even simple things like flushing the drains can help. This is done by filling the sinks and then pulling out the plug, this flushes the drains completely and helps to remove any debris clinging to the sides. You can also use bleach overnight which is also pretty effective.

East of Scotland Drainage – For The Best Drainage in West Lothian.

If you think your drains have been corroded and you’re worried about this, then why not get in touch with us here at East of Scotland Drainage, we’re here to help, and our team of experts will usually have an answer to your problems. So, if you are worried, pick up the phone and give us a call.

What Are CCTV Drain Surveys and When Are They Required

Let’s talk about CCTV drain surveys and how important they are to your drains. If you’ve suffered with blocked drains in the past, then you’ll know only to well what a nuisance they can be. And as well as this they can cause all kinds of disruptions as well as being a health hazard. Whatever solutions you fell back on at the time to resolve your blocked drains, you may be faced with the same problem again. Last time you may have resolved the issue yourself or called out a plumber.

Using CCTV Drain Surveys

This is relatively new but is becoming an increasingly popular solution to blocked drains. CCTV drain surveys are really good for making a diagnosis of problems and issues, by using a remote-control camera, a specialist can discover what’s wrong and sort out the problem quickly.

CCTV Drain Surveys Get to the Heart of the Problem

Drains can cause serious problems if left untreated. What a CCTV survey does is give your drains a quick diagnosis, finding out what the issues are quickly and resolving them efficiently, so you can get on with life. The last thing you need are blocked drains causing all kinds of problems that could have a detrimental impact on your family’s healthy.

CCTV Drain Surveys are Accurate

CCTV drain surveys are far better than guesswork and providing a solution that doesn’t match the problem. Making assumptions doesn’t get to the root of what’s causing your blocked drains, but with CCTV drain surveys you have a far better way of dealing with the issue and resolving it before it causes untold damage.

Minimise Downtime

The other good news is that it doesn’t cause much in the way of disruption. Drain surveys can keep disruption down to a manageable level where the team can work quietly on the exact area where the problem lies, and that’s without having to dig up the area. That way you can get on as normal while the drains are being repaired.

CCTV Drain Surveys For Your New Home

CCTV drain surveys are also good for new property owners. If you’re moving into a new property then having your drains checked is a perfect way to establish how healthy your drains are, so you can sort out any problems quickly. It could save you problems further down the line and by having them looked at now, you’re saving yourself time in the future.

East of Scotland Drainage - CCTV Drain Survey Experts

If you think your drains would benefit from CCTV drain surveys, then get in touch with one of our team here at East of Scotland Drainage, and they’ll be more than happy to discuss your options. We’re the best in Scotland when it comes to drains and we use CCTV drain surveys as part of our service. We think they’re the best way of getting to the root of the problem, so give us a call.

How to Unblock a Drain

We’re going to be talking about blocked drains and how you can unblock one simply, quickly and with no fuss. Blocked drains aren’t just a nuisance, they can cause all sorts of health hazards, flooding, and cause other damage that’s expensive to repair. Rather than allowing the problem to get out of hand you can spend a little time sorting out by unblocking it, that way you won’t have bigger problems to deal with later.

Protective Clothing

You’ll need to prepare yourself first by making sure you have the right clothes for the job. Firstly, some gloves, a pair of goggles to avoid getting anything in your eyes, and preferably a face mask.

Can you deal with it yourself?

Following this you’ll need to quickly ascertain what the problem is. Is it easy to fix, or do you need to bring in the professionals? Never feel overwhelmed by the problem and try to sort out something where you feel you’re out of your depth, you’ll have to pay for professionals but if you make a mistake it could be far costlier.

Indoor drains are usually a little simpler to work out the problem, it could be hair and products in your bathroom, food and oil in your kitchen sink. Outside is another thing altogether, they could be blocked with leaves or debris, dirt or grease.

The Right Equipment

Having the necessary tools helps. If you’ve decided that you’re going to try and deal with it yourself then you’ll need more than just your protective clothing, you’ll also need a set of drain rods. These will help you to clear out the drain effectively.

Firstly, wash away the debris and inspect your drains carefully, use your drain rod to break up the blockage. Once you’ve done this, run water through it to wash away the stuff that was blocking your drain. Try using a camera, or a torch to inspect inside the drain to see if the blockage has now been removed.

Drain cleaning, washing out those pesky pipes and further inspections

If this hasn’t done the job, you may need to think about drain cleaning solutions to break it up and then go through the states of washing out the pipes and inspecting it through the camera. You want to wash it out completely because whatever was blocking it may have just moved further down the drains to create another blockage that’ll come back to haunt you later.

Once you’ve check the drains for any further blockage, flow water down it to make sure it’s going down smoothly. If it’s coming back up, then there’s obviously something more serious and it’s time to call in the professionals. Some testing may need to be carried out and specialised appliances used to remove a more stubborn blockage.

East of Scotland Drainage - Premier Drainage Contractors

If you don’t want to try tackling a blockage by yourself then why not get in touch with us here at East of Scotland Drainage. We’re always happy to help you, and one of our dedicated team members can come and see what the problem is with your drains and make a diagnosis. Once we know the steps we need to take to resolve the problem, we can start work.

How Do You know if You Have Blocked Drains?

We’re going to be discussing the practical ways you can tell that you have blocked drains. This is probably not something you would normally think about in the course of a busy day, but it pays to be vigilant. If you’re drains are clogged, you’ll need to do something and pretty quickly, before it becomes a major problem.

Try to keep your drains clear

Keeping your drains clear is one way of making sure more serious blockages do not occur. This can be done by brushing and clearing away any debris as you see it in your drains on a weekly or fortnightly basis. We also think that a few warning signs to look out for are also helpful.

Unpleasant Odours

So is your drain giving a nasty smell? This could be the result of trapped food that’s developed a rather nasty form of bacteria, not healthy at all. If this is stuck in the pipes, it’s probably started to break down and decompose, hence the smell. In order to prevent this, you should place all food waste in the recycling bin in future, instead of trying to force it down the kitchen sink.

Loud and Unusual Noises

As well as smells, how about loud noises, are your drains making a sound you can’t quite understand? It’s the sign of a blockage. This is caused by trapped air with bubbles trying to push their way to the surface of the drain, deal with it as soon as possible, or face the consequences.

Slow Water Drainage

Another sign to look out for is the slow trickle of water down the drain from either the kitchen sink, the shower or bath tub. All signs of a blocked drain somewhere down the line. It could down be down to a number of factors, perhaps you’ve been trying to put things down the drains that shouldn’t be there, it could be clogged soap, food, oil or hair.

High Water Levels

Are the water levels higher than usual when you flush the toilet? If your drains are blocked, then the water is going to rise higher than usual, to the point of overflowing and running through the floors and carpets. Address this issue while you still can, don’t leave it till it’s caused irreparable damage to your flooring.

Leaks

Leaking is the most obvious sign, and this is usually seen from drain covers outside your property. Blocked drains can be investigated with a drain survey, and we carry these out ourselves at East of Scotland Drainage, and we can say from experience that they’re very effective.

East of Scotland Drainage - Experts in Drainage

You may have one or more of the problems we’ve discussed today and if you do, and you can’t seem to resolve it, it’s time to call in the professionals. Our well-trained team of experts here at East of Scotland have all the best equipment to solve even the most stubborn blockages. We can assess, survey, diagnose and solve even the most difficult blockages and our clients know they can always rely on the speed, reliance and reliability of our service. Get in touch with the best people to deal with any drain blockages – East of Scotland Drainage.

Tell Tale Signs You Have Blocked Drains

Today, we’re talking about how to recognise the tell tale signs you have blocked drains. You might think it’s abundantly obvious, but by the time you can’t use your kitchen sink or bath, the drains aren’t just a problem, it’s turned into a full-on crisis. We’d like you to avoid this, so here are some tips to help you recognise a problem before it becomes a crisis.

Indications and Where to Look

Most of the time, you’re probably not even bothered by the drains and will barely give them a second thought. It’s only when you recognise a problem that you do something about it. You’ll need to act fast once you identify an issue.

Keep Those Drains Clear and Clean

It’s important to keep your drains clear at all times, whether you’re at work or at home. At work, a blocked drain could be caused by things such as grease, oil or fat, don’t allow your drains to become dirty and clogged as this can mean downtime while you call in a drain specialist to do something about it. Once you do sense that something is wrong, you need to check which part of the building it’s coming from, which parts are affected? Are the toilets working normally, what colour is the water, is there any debris?

Don’t Let the Problem Become Unmanageable

If you don’t deal with the blockage at an earlier stage, then a simple problem becomes a much bigger one. It can really create a disaster that will be expensive for you to rectify, and as well as this imagine the impact on customers when there’s an unpleasant smell, it could damage your reputation irrevocably. As well as that it’s a health hazard.

Domestic Properties

If you own a domestic property, blocked drains can still cause some serious issues. If you have small children then the last thing they need is to be around blocked drains, so always look out for signs so you can act quickly.

The most important signs to look out for are:

• Unpleasant smells

• Gurgling noises

• Raised water levels

• Slow drainage

• Drain cover leaks.

Try Some Simple Solutions at Home First

There are some simple solutions you can try at home before calling out a drain specialist, these might be things such as baking soda and vinegar, a plunger, which you can buy at any reputable DIY store, or a drain snake. If you find that none of these work, then it’s time to call in a professional.

East of Scotland Drainage – Drainage Specialists

It’s at this point when you need to contact us. We can investigate, make a diagnosis and help to remedy the situation so your drains are back to working order in next to no time. Get in touch with us here at East of Scotland Drainage if you think you have a problem with your drains and we can sort it out.