For 15 years, we’ve been servicing the drains of Dorset’s residential and commercial properties. It’s safe to say, from rats to fatbergs, we’ve seen a lot! But there’s one thing many of our customers have in common…
They’re never quite sure when to give us a call. A blocked drain could be anything from food build-up in the sink to a collapsed pipe further down the system. You don’t want to call out the professionals to deal with a minor problem, understandably.
In this article, you’ll find out exactly when you should call a drainage expert. We’d love to help you manage minor issues yourself using natural solutions like caustic soda, however, sometimes it’s better to get in touch with your local drainage expert.
Without further ado, here are seven signs that it’s time to call a drain professional.
1. Your Drains Smell like Rotten Eggs
One of the first signs of a badly blocked drainage system is a foul odour. If your kitchen or bathroom sink, shower or bathtub drains are starting to smell, it’s a sign that the blockage runs deep. Caustic soda, or at home remedies are unlikely to solve the problem.
Remember, your drainage system connects your home or company to the public sewer network. If any unpleasant smells are making their way into your property you’re probably going to want to get a plumber or drainage expert to come out sooner rather than later. Maintain Drains offer 24/7 call-out to residential and commercial properties in Poole and surrounding areas.
2. Your Shower is Taking Longer to Drain
Showers have shallow trays designed to protect your bathroom floor from the water and suds while you are showering. This is ideal in a space saving environment, such as an en suite, but it does mean that it’s vital you keep those drains running smoothly.
If you notice your shower has started taking longer to drain, there may be a simple solution. A drainage expert will start with a drain rod, making sure there isn’t a blockage caused by hair or excess products that have been rinsed down.
If the drainage issues continue, it’s likely that there is a deeper cause in the pipes below your house. A drainage expert will feed a CCTV camera down into your pipes and use the live feed to find cracked, damaged or collapsed pipes. In some cases, you may find rats living in your drains or overgrown tree roots blocking all or part of the pipe.
3. There’s a Sink Hole in Your Garden
If a patch of grass in your garden suddenly feels wetter than usual or you notice a patch of the ground is starting to dip, you need to call a drainage company immediately. Garden sink holes, dips or wet patches are commonly caused by collapsed drain pipes.
There are many reasons your pipe might collapse. Sometimes it is just due to the age of the structure, but it may have been caused by rogue building work or a poor quality repair. Finding the problem quickly gives us the best chance to fix the damage with having to excavate.
4. Your Outside Drains are Overflowing
One of the most common reasons people call out a drainage expert is because they need someone to take a look at their outside drains. Your outside drainage system connects your property to the public sewer. If you notice the drains in your garden are overflowing, there could be a problem with your external pipework.
Most of the time, this will be caused by a simple blockage. Maintain Drains will get the drain rod out to investigate further, if that doesn’t work we’ll use our high-pressure jetter to burst through whatever is blocking your drains.
One of the main reasons to call out a drainage expert, especially when it’s an external problem, is because we’ll tell you whether or not the cost of that repair is your responsibility. As your drains connect to the public sewer, there’s a chance that the blockage will occur outside of line of responsibility. This means that you won’t have to pay!
5. Your Natural Caustic Soda Drain Unblocker Didn’t Work
If your bath is taking longer to drain or you’re noticing a bad smell coming from your kitchen sink you’ve probably considered tackling the problem yourself. That’s absolutely fine. We encourage people to use safe, natural methods to attempt to dislodge the blockage. It can be far more cost-effective than calling out a drainage expert.
However, if you’re using off-the-shelf chemical drain unblockers then you are probably doing more harm than good. Lots of these products claim to work miracles, dissolving hair and melting away fat. While these claims may be true, what do you think a chemical that powerful does to your pipes?
Using a natural drain unblocker such as caustic soda is a perfectly safe and effective way to unclog your drains. It’s so powerful against big blockages that if it doesn’t work, you know you need to call a drainage specialist.
6. You’ve Found Holes, Droppings or Chew Marks
Small holes in your walls of flooring, chew marks or dropping are all signs of rats. Rats find it extremely easy to navigate complex drainage systems to get to their next destination. They love the privacy of the space, feeling safe and secure underground. However, they need to gain access to your home or business to find food or a warm space to nest.
Believe it or not, due to their flexible vertebrae, rats can squeeze through a toilet U-bend to gain access to your property. They’ll probably chew small holes that they’ll squeeze themselves through though, so no need to check your toilets!
A drainage expert will conduct a CCTV drain survey to find evidence of vermin, as well as find their entry and exit points. They can then use smoke, rat gates and blockers to stop them coming back.
7. You’re Buying a New House
A house is a huge investment, you wouldn’t want anything to go wrong after completion. That’s why it is a legal requirement to pay for a home buyers survey. This survey will tell you a lot about the property you are about to buy. The surveyor looks at things like the roof, the structure of the building and the electrics. However, they don’t look at your drains.
A drainage expert can conduct a CCTV inspection of your drains quickly and efficiently without digging up your garden. This is a brilliant idea for people buying a house as it can be a really useful bargaining tool. If your drain survey identifies any issues, the expert will recommend solutions and give cost estimates so you can explain the situation to the people you are buying from.
Failing to identify these issues early, or before you move in, could put you very out of pocket in years to come. Collapsed pipes, tree root ingress, major blockages and more can be very expensive if a last minute call-out service is required. Get Maintain Drains on the case and we’ll find any cracks in your system before they become a problem!
Call the Experts
For over 15 years, Maintain Drains have been offering fast, efficient service to residential and commercial properties across Poole, Bournemouth and Dorset. If you’re unsure about a situation with your drains, or you just want to get an expert’s opinion on something, our friendly team are always available to chat.
If you have any of the issues listed above, such as a slow draining shower or a sink hole in your garden, we’d always tell you to call your local drainage expert. If you live locally to us, we’d be more than happy to help. If not, take a look at the TrustPilot reviews for the drain companies in your area. You’ll always find honest reviews from real people.
