What are the Signs of a Blocked Drain?

Out of all plumbing problems, sewer and drains are possibly the least pleasant to think about, let alone tackle. Your drains aren’t typically something that you think about on a daily basis, but they can become something that you will find yourself unable to stop thinking about when faced with drain problems.

Here are a few tell-tale signs that may help you identify you’re having problems with your drains:

Are your drains starting to smell?

If you are starting to notice an unpleasant smell coming from your drain, it could be a sign of a blocked drain. It could be that something such as rotten food is in the kitchen sink, or something else. It is situations like this where CCTV drain surveys are beneficial to identify the cause of the problem, to move forward with a solution. Often, bad smells are usually what occurs before you find that the water is taking longer than usual to drain.

Does your shower or kitchen sink take longer to drain than usual?

Slow drainage is one of the most common signs of a blocked drain. A common cause of slow drainage is an obstruction in the pipes, causing the pipe’s diameter to become constricted by a thickening layer – or deterioration in cases where the pipes are old and breaking down, causing a blockage. While this issue can be easy to fix, it could also be an early warning sign of a bigger problem.

Are your outside drains overflowing?

Do you have signs of a blocked drain? If you see that your outside drain is overflowing, this usually means that there is a blockage somewhere between the interior plumbing and the outside drain, or, an external blockage from garden debris such as branches, leaves and grass being blown into it, or tree roots have ingressed themselves.

This issue can often be easily remedied by maintaining your outside drains effectively and keeping them clear of garden debris, removing them regularly to allow water to flow freely. You can also add an appropriately sized grate to the entrance to catch the garden debris.

Tree roots in drains are a common cause of blockages. We recommend drain jetting as an effective, long-term solution. Drain jetting is a high-pressure cleaning method to clear blocked drains and pipes. Call us today to find out more about our drain jetting services, to help your outside drains.

More Serious than you think!

Drains starting to smell, sinks taking longer to drain, or drains overflowing – all of these are signs of a blocked drain and the problem might be more serious than you think.

Signs of a Blocked Drain – What can I do?

CCTV drain surveys will allow us to deliver an extensive internal review of your drains, in order to identify both minor and major issues. No matter the issue, a camera drain survey will accurately identify and locate it.

Our high-tech cameras can identify:

Tree root ingress
Rat infestation
Collapsed pipes
Fatbergs or build-ups
Other major blockages
Cracked pipes

CCTV drain surveys will not only help to identify suspected issues but can also be beneficial for general maintenance to prolong the condition of your drains and prevent issues from happening. Prevention is better than cure, as they say.

Maintain Drains will solve your drain problem

Failing to identify these issues early, can lead to expensive repair work including excavation. Maintain Drains will solve the problem quickly and efficiently without digging up your property.

If you find you are having issues with your drains, simply get in touch with us for a no-obligation quote. Don’t delay, contact Maintain Drains today.

Visit our Facebook Page for more information and to watch the animation of signs of a blocked drain

Save money on water bills 2022

With the news that the average household electricity and water bill is set to rise in the UK this year, we look at ways to save money on your water bills. Unlike gas and electricity companies, you can only be supplied by your regional water company. So you can’t switch suppliers, but there are ways to reduce your bills. This article is set out to give you some simple tips on how you could reduce your water consumption and reduce costs. You may be shocked at how much money you can save on your water bill by making these simple changes.

1. Don’t Waste Water

There are lots of ways not to waste water but simple changes in your own habits can result in helping to save money on your water bill. Take a quick shower instead of a bath, turn the tap off when you are brushing your teeth, always use full loads in your washing machine and dishwasher, only boil the kettle with the water that you need. These are simple changes and ones that we hear about a lot. But do you do them? For more helpful advice on simple tips, visit the Energy Saving Trust website.

2. Have you got a water leak?

Leaks can happen and sometimes you don’t even notice them. A burst pipe could result in extensive damage but also an increase in your water bill. If you do notice a leak or a bust pipe, then it is a good idea to turn off the water supply and get the leak fixed. Leaks could also come from your household appliances or radiators so make sure if you spot a puddle of water, you investigate it and get it fixed as quickly as possible.

3. Checkups and Maintenance

A lot of people don’t realise that your normal household appliances such as sinks and toilets, which you use on a daily basis, might be using more water than they should be. Leaking pipes or faults could be the cause of a rising water bill. At Maintain Drains, we recommend that you always do checkups and maintenance to ensure that your water consumption is low. This could be occasional checks – but could save you in the long run!

4. Replace old Appliances

You should keep in mind that a lot of wasted water could be saved by changing to modern appliances. Replacing your old appliances with water-efficient products could save you money on your water bills. Modern toilets, for example, reduce water consumption and can also offer more sustainable solutions such as rainwater or sink water. If you are looking into investing in a product that uses less water, look at the energy efficiency label to help guide your purchase.

For more information about the labels, visit the Energy Saving Trust.

5. Invest in Water Saving Devices for your Home

As a final point to consider for your home and to help save money on your water bills, you could consider investing in water-saving devices for your home. There is a range of different products to look at such as water-efficient showerheads, leaky loo detection strips, cistern bags, and tap aerators.

We hope you have found these tips useful.

About Maintain Drains

Maintain Drains offer a range of drain clearance services with the reassurance of a fair-priced service. Our team operates in Bournemouth, Poole, and the whole of Dorset. We are proud to offer solutions to solve all your drainage emergencies quickly, cleanly, and safely. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For more information, contact us 01202 300 040 or email ask@maintaindrains.co.uk

The need to know about Commercial Drain Cleaning

If you have a blocked commercial drain, your top priority is not always the cause, but how to get it fixed as quickly as possible before it affects your business.

When it comes to commercial drain cleaning, maintenance, and emergency services for your business, Maintain Drains offers the full range. Blocked commercial drains are a nuisance but at worst they could cause the shutdown of your business premises, production line or pose a very serious health hazard.

Maintain Drains are renowned for our reliable, efficient, safe, and professional drainage services that we perform to the highest standard and we are equipped with the latest equipment and technologies to solve your commercial drain cleaning problems.

If you find you’ve tried everything in your power to resolve the drain blockage and nothing has done the trick, here are some of the services Maintain Drains can provide to help you get your commercial property up and running smoothly again.

Drain Unblocking

Maintain Drains offer a range of fast and efficient drain unblocking services. A blocked drain is a common problem, and at Maintain Drains, it’s something we can easily help with. Our drainage experts are on hand 24 hours, 7 days a week to help unblock your drains. We can unblock drains in domestic and commercial drainage systems to help keep things flowing normally.

Maintain Drains offer a range of drain clearance services with the reassurance of a fair-priced service. Our team operates in Bournemouth, Poole, and the rest of Dorset providing commercial drain cleaning and unblocking services day and night.

Drain Maintenance for Car Parks and Commercial Premises

Like any drains, car park drains, yard drains, commercial premises drains, may become blocked over time. It is often debris like mud, dirt, leaves that will start to build up that causes the blockages. You need to allow the water into the drain but the dirt and debris need to get out.

Commercial premises and car parks often have specific drainage solutions for them but even these can become a problem and this is where a professional drainage specialist is required.

Maintain drains has in-depth experience and expertise in commercial drain systems. We offer drain repairs and maintenance services for all types of commercial facilities and premises. If you are experiencing problems with the drainage of your car park, commercial premises, or facility, please contact Maintain Drains today for commercial drain cleaning.

Pump Station Maintenance

A sewage pump station breakdown can be a huge problem for domestic, commercial, or industrial premises. There are various types of issues that can cause a sewage pump breakdown such as broken pipes, broken valves, dirt, and debris. It is important to always check the system, replace any faulty parts as quickly as possible and never dispose of non-biodegradable products down the toilet or sink. Our team is highly experienced in the repair of sewage pumps and we have developed a comprehensive maintenance service for our clients. If you have a problem please contact Maintain Drains today.

CCTV Drain Surveys

A cost-effective method of identifying issues with your drainage system. Sometimes the cause of a drainage problem isn’t always obvious and CCTV drainage surveys are a cost-effective method of identifying the issue before it becomes more serious, such as collapsed pipes and root ingress. There may be other issues such as blockages or pitch fibre pipes. A CCTV Drain Inspection could be the perfect solution for you! If you’re looking for a drain inspection in Poole or Bournemouth, request a booking to see how we can help you.

Following CCTV drainage surveys of your drains, we provide a full written report of what we’ve found, listing problems and their location or simply giving you a clean bill of health. All our CCTV drainage surveys reports include photos of the damage, video footage, and a plan showing the location of the drains. CCTV drain surveys are one of the most cost-effective methods to identify drainage problems.

Rats in Drains

Rats in drains are commonly caused by damaged and cracked pipes or pipes that have been left open. Once the rats find entry into your drains, they have an entry into the property. This could be why you’re finding rats in the loft and walls. It is important to repair your drains as soon as you notice any signs of rats in drains.

Drain Relining

Relining allows us to repair damaged drains and pipes without having to dig. When the inside of your drains has been compromised – usually identified through a CCTV survey – you will need professional drainage services. Two common ways of fixing more challenging damage inside your pipes underground are to have either drain relining or have replacement drains put in place.

One major benefit of drain relining is that it can work out cheaper than pipe excavation. Additionally, this is the quickest way to get them fixed. You only need to wait for the new lining to be sealed to the pipes and the holes and damage will be gone. There is also no destructive work to be carried out with relining; once the new material is in place you’ll never know the work was carried out.

Root Removal

We have a variety of techniques to sort out root ingress. Tree roots in drains are one of the biggest causes of blockages in the UK. At Maintain Drains, we have a variety of techniques that we can try out for roots in pipe removal and depending on the location and severity of the root ingress. In many cases, roots can simply be cut away if there has been major displacement to the joints or severe fracturing then excavation may be the only answer. Once the removal of the roots is complete the following process would be to use a structural liner to reduce the likelihood of the roots getting into the drain in the future.

How often should I clean my Commercial Drains?

There’s no denying that prevention is better than cure when it comes to commercial plumbing. There is also no denying that it can be easy for drain cleaning upkeep to fall into peripheral vision. After all, it’s not something you tend to think about on a daily basis, or ever – until it becomes a matter of urgency and something you can no longer neglect.

You can’t wait too long between drain cleaning, and it’s unrealistic to perform commercial plumbing tasks too often. Sometimes, it can be impossible to avoid plumbing disasters. Particularly in situations such as incorrect installation of pipes, or natural deterioration over time. However, a regular cleaning schedule can certainly aid the problem.

There are steps you can take to clean and care for your drain pipes, such as having a monthly cleaning schedule, but sometimes having a professional inspection annually on your drains can be an asset and save much stress later down the road.

An experienced professional will be able to provide an in-depth review of your drain performance and identify any potential issues far more accurately. This will help make sure you (we) can tend to any plumbing issues before they develop into more serious problems.

How to take care of your Commercial Drains

Particularly in cases of commercial properties, heavy use of the drains is a given, and with that comes an increase in the risk of having drainage problems if they are not regularly maintained.

There are a handful of things you can do to ensure your drains are cleared of material buildup:Flush out any loose debris and material using hot water, regular water flushes can benefit drain pipes better than you may think!
Following on from the point above, chemical based cleaners shouldn’t be used too regularly as this in itself can cause problems. Instead, try a home-made mixture of baking soda and vinegar to help break down any materials that have gathered within your drain.
Moving forward, drain cover or grates are a good way of preventing any large debris from entering sink drains and fixtures.

Always ready, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Whatever your drainage problems, Maintain Drains has the solution. We are proud to offer solutions to solve all your drainage emergencies quickly, cleanly, and safely. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

We aim to get your business up and running with minimal disruption. Whether it’s a planned project or emergency repair work that needs immediate attention, our expert engineers can be on hand to offer competitive, high-quality drainage services for your commercial space. Get in touch and see how we can help you today.

Having a blocked shower drain can prove to be a real nuisance when you find yourself standing in an ankle-high puddle of luke-warm water around your feet that just won’t disperse from the shower basin.

Luckily, unblocking your shower drain will usually have a simple solution. Keep reading to find out the top 5 tricks to unblock your blocked shower drain.

1. Hot Water

Let’s start simple. Depending on the severity of the blockage, this one should get any scum build-up moving by simply pouring some hot water from the kettle down the drain. Make sure to leave the kettle water to cool for a few minutes before pouring, to avoid any pipe damage such as warping.

2. Baking Soda and White Vinegar

When faced with a blocked shower drain, these guys are your usual go-to’s. This homemade and natural remedy is a great first solution to try when it comes to unblocking your shower drain and avoiding harsh chemical products.

It is also a relatively simple one – all you need to do is fill a cup with baking soda and pour it down your drain. Once you have done this, wait a few minutes and follow it with a cup of white vinegar. All you have to do now is let it work its bubbling magic. After around an hour, pour hot (not boiling, but very hot) water down the drain.

This simple solution in most cases should do the trick and clear out any clogs of hair or gunk. If it doesn’t, try it once more. If you find this still hasn’t done the job, you may need to try a more caustic method of clearing your shower drains.

3. Caustic chemicals

You’ve tried the natural homemade remedies, and you’ve tried physical efforts of removing whatever is blocking your drains – and if neither of these has worked then it may be time for a stronger solution.

There is a range of general drain unblocking products available from your local supermarkets. Simply follow the instructions advised on the bottle and it should remove the cause of your blocked shower drain.

Don’t forget – you should avoid using these chemicals frequently, to avoid corrosion and warping of your pipes.

4. DIY

Sometimes with a blocked shower drain, the best thing you can try is doing it yourself. This one should be relatively self-explanatory – simply take the cover off of your shower drain hole (this could have a screw holding it in or need prying off with a flat object).

Using a torch, take a look down the drain hole and see if the blockage is visible and within reach. Try using a straightened-out wired coat hanger to use as a hook to get down there and pull out what you’re able to.

If this doesn’t work, you may need to try using a ‘plumbers snake’. Insert the plumber’s snake into the drain and push it down until it reaches the clog, turn the handle and pull it back out.

5. Call in the Professionals

By this point – you’ve probably tried everything for your blocked shower drain.

Hopefully, our tips have been useful in fixing your blocked shower drain problems. If however they haven’t quite done the trick, or you don’t want to attempt the unblocking process yourself – it may be time for you to call in the professionals.

Maintain Drains specialise in drain unblocking. If you’ve got a blocked drain and need an expert’s opinion, don’t hesitate to contact us and we’ll find the solution for you.

More about our services can be found here or give us a call today on 01202 300 040 where our team of is more than happy to help!

A blocked toilet is never a pleasant thing to deal with. The toilet doesn’t flush properly, leaving waste and water in the bowl for a long time. Sometimes the water levels rise which could cause your toilet to overflow.

In extreme cases, your blockage could cause the outside sewers to overflow or water to gurgle through your sink or shower plughole when the toilet is flushed. These are all signs of a blocked toilet, the question is whether or not it will unblock itself.

You’ll be pleased to know that a standard blockage, caused by flushing inappropriate materials or too much toilet roll, will unblock itself eventually. Although, bear in mind that the problem will continue until you’ve had your drains jetted or rodded to remove any leftover obstructions.

Why is my Toilet Blocked?

Blocked drains or toilets are often caused by the same things – cracked or damaged pipes, improper care or overgrown tree roots. Maintain Drains have been servicing domestic and commercial drainage systems in Dorset for over 15 years. We’ve unblocked drains, maintained septic systems and unblocked toilets hundreds of times, but we’re always faced with a new challenge when it comes to finding out why your toilet is blocked.

Usually, we can get to your blocked toilet and tackle the problem quickly. It depends on whether you’re dealing with a drainage issue such as collapsed pipes or a simple waste blockage.

Drainage Issue

When your toilet gets blocked, you don’t immediately assume there is a problem with your drainage system or pipework. Cracked, collapsed or damaged pipes could be the cause of your blocked toilet as these issues all slow the drainage system down.

Another common problem in Poole and Dorset is tree root ingress. When tree roots start growing into drains it can seriously damage the existing pipework and reduce the flow of water and sewage. Your local drainage company should be able to remove the roots with their drain jetting equipment and repair any cracks with pitch fibre pipe relining.

We’ve also been to call-outs about rats living in drains and entering homes via the toilet’s U-bend. Not a pleasant thought, but something worth considering if you’re regularly dealing with a blocked toilet. To find out if rats are living in your drainage system, look for early warning signs such as dropping or chewing marks.

While these are some of the severe problems that could be causing your blocked toilet, it’s much more likely that you’re facing a smaller domestic blockage.

Flushing the Wrong Things

Most of the time, toilets get blocked because people flush the wrong things down the toilet. The pipes that connect your system to the public sewer are only so big. Flushing things that don’t degrade can block the pipes causing the toilet to overflow.

If you’re not sure what can and can’t be flushed down the toilet, it should make it clear on the packaging. As a general rule of thumb, if it’s not toilet paper then don’t flush it. Here are some of the most common things that get flushed when they shouldn’t:

Baby wipes
Tampons
Cotton pads
Condoms
Nappies
Cat litter
Hair
Paper towels

None of these items are degradable. If you flush them and they block the pipes then you’ll be facing a blocked toilet.

It’s not just the fact that these items don’t break down in water that causes the problem. Flushing one baby wipe is unlikely to block your toilet, however, if you and everyone on your street flush a baby wipe then when they reach the main sewer we’ll be dealing with a much bigger problem…

And the same can be said for toilet paper.

What Happens if You Flush Too Much Toilet Paper?

Despite being on our ‘safe to flush’ list, toilet paper could be the cause of your blocked toilet. While it does break down in water, the process doesn’t happen instantly. Your toilet might be blocked because there is too much toilet paper in the system to break down effectively.

If you suspect that you’ve flushed too much toilet paper and that is what is causing the blockage, drain rodding or jetting should solve the problem. As toilet paper is specifically designed to break down in water, you may notice the blockage fixes itself.

We’d still recommend getting your local drainage expert out to ensure the blockage is completely gone, otherwise, this will be a persisting problem. Simply jetting your pipes could remove any toilet paper residue so you’ll never have to worry about your blocked toilet again.

If you want Maintain Drains to come and take a look at your blocked toilet, identify what is causing the blockage and stop the problem from coming back, give us a call on 01202 300 040.

Imagine if your outside drain was blocked, overflowing onto your driveway and causing an unpleasant smell in and outside your home. Who would you call? Does a plumber deal with overflowing drains? If it was your sink or shower that was overflowing then maybe it would be a more obvious choice.

If your drain is blocked, you should absolutely call an emergency plumber or your local drainage expert. Although you may think this is a job you can tackle on your own, we would never recommend it. You never know what is lurking beneath the surface.

How to Unblock a Drain

You can attempt to unblock your drains yourself. We’ve been called out to loads of jobs that had a simple solution or would have been sorted with our miracle caustic soda recipe. As long as you’re not using chemical drain unblockers, you shouldn’t do any harm.

Promising to be the miracle product you need, often chemical drain unblockers are strong enough to cut through grease, hair and other blockages. However, if you’re working with a chemical as strong as that… imagine what it’s doing to your pipes.

The drainage system in your house was put in place back when your property was built. The pipework is older and often hasn’t been well looked after over the years.

If you’re using chemical drain unblockers that are strong enough to burn through hair and grease, they’re definitely strong enough to cause damage to your pipes. Continuous use of these kinds of products may lead to long-term damage. Once the pipes have corroded, or cracks have started to appear, there really is only one thing you can do – call a drainage expert near you!

What Should I Use to Unblock my Drains?

So you definitely should avoid chemical drain unblockers. We’ve explained the effect that the strong chemicals can have on your pipes, especially if your house was built a long time ago. Not only that, chemical drain cleaners are bad for the environment. You can pollute large areas at a time as they enter the public water system.

But what should you do if your drains are blocked?

If you’re convinced it’s a small blockage and you don’t need a drainage expert to take a look, then we’ve got a simple solution. Have you tried to unblock your drains with baking soda before?

Really. It’s that easy.

All you have to do is put half a cup of baking soda down your drain and leave it to sit for a couple of minutes. Mix boiling water with vinegar to make a reactive solution. Pour your warm vinegar mix down the drain and watch as it bubbles and foams.

If you’re dealing with a small domestic blockage, this baking soda tip should do the trick. If baking soda can’t tackle whatever it is that is blocking your drains, the best thing to do is contact your local drainage company. The problem might be more serious than you think!

What’s the Difference Between a Plumber and a Drainage Specialist?

If your drain is blocked and water isn’t flowing away from your property, you need to contact a drainage specialist. The difference between a plumber and a drainage expert is that a plumbers manages water flowing in and out of your property, whereas drainage specialists deal with water and waste leaving your property.

Basically, if you need a bathroom installed or a new appliance plumbed in, call your local plumber. If there is a problem with any of your appliances, or you notice standing water or smelly drains, call your local drainage expert.

While there are many plumbers that know how to manage drains and drainage experts that know how to manage plumbing, your safest bet is always choosing an individual or company that are guaranteed to solve your problem.

When to Call a Drainage Expert

When should you call a drain expert? You don’t want to wait until it’s too late. The longer you leave your drains blocked, the worse the problem will get. Waiting could result in more costly repairs, as well as bigger disruptions to your home or business.

As your drainage system runs deep underground, repair work can be tricky. If it’s a big problem, you might be left without water in your home or business while your garden is excavated. Obviously, the aim is to unblock and repair your drains with as minimal disruption to your day-to-day life as possible. The longer you wait, the harder it is to fix the problem from above ground.

Maintain Drains will always try to attend to any drainage emergencies as quickly as possible. We offer 24/7 callouts and free, no obligation quotes. Our drain unblocking services start from as little as £75.

If we identify any problems with the pipes running beneath your property, we’ll always try to repair the damage from above ground. Our team are experts at pitch fibre pipe repair which means we won’t need to dig up your home.

If you’re looking for a drainage expert to unblock your drains or check your system for rats, tree root ingress, cracks or damaged pipes then give us a call today.

You’ll probably find it useful to keep your local drain unblockers number in your contact list as at some point you may need it. You never know when you’ll have to deal with overflowing outside drains, blocked toilets, rat infestations or slow draining kitchen sinks!

Finding out who the best drain unblockers near you are couldn’t be easier! We recommend taking a look at review sites such as Checkatrade, Trustpilot or Google My Business. The best way to find out more about a drainage company is by reading reviews left by other local people that required drain unblocking services.

Drainage experts offer several services to help deal with blocked drains or get to the bottom of issues that may be affecting your home or business. At Maintain Drains we provide drain services such as:

And More!

If you require any of the above drain unblocking services or need someone to find out why your drains are blocked, your local drain unblockers should be able to assist. If you’re based in Poole or the surrounding Dorset and Hampshire area, Maintain Drains will get your problem solved quickly and efficiently.

Why Maintain Drains?

Maintain Drains have been offering our drain unblocking services locally to our HQ in Poole as well as further afield in Bournemouth, Christchurch, Ringwood and throughout Dorset and Hampshire. We often work in the Canford Cliffs, Branksome Park and Sandbanks areas and can be available for 24/7 low cost emergency call-outs.

We’re proud to have been servicing drains for over 15 years. Jon Taylor, the founder of Maintain Drains, has worked hard to build a company that offers persistently high levels of customer service to our new and existing customers.

Our team takes on commercial drainage projects such as grease trap installations in pubs, restaurants and hotels in Dorset and Hampshire. We also offer emergency drain unblocking services for residential properties in Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch and would be happy to assist with any drain troubles you’re having in Dorset or Hampshire.

Our customers praise our fast call-out times, professional and courteous service and our ability to solve the problem. We offer no call out charges and provide fast, no obligation quotes. Whether you’re dealing with a blocked toilet on Christmas Day or it’s a busy Monday morning and you need a drainage expert asap, Maintain Drains offer 24/7 call-outs.

Local Drain Unblocking Services

Whether you’re in Poole or not, you should always contact your local drain unblockers if you notice early signs of severe drainage problems. Early signs of a blocked drain include:

– Slow draining sink, bath or shower
– Bad smell coming from drains
– High water level in the toilet

You may be able to unblock drains at home yourself using natural, safe remedies such as caustic soda but avoid chemical drain unblockers at all costs.

Chemical drain unblockers may live up to their claims of dissolving hair and grease, but they can also damage your pipework This leads to a much bigger (and more expensive) problem later down the road.

If natural drain remedies aren’t working, a local drain cleaner will come to your rescue. As the company you use should already have all of the necessary equipment, often it works out being far more cost effective than trying to deal with the drain blockage on your own.

Your local drain unblocking company will provide services such as jetting and rodding to deal with everyday blockages. If your issue is more severe, a CCTV drain survey will allow the expert to identify and locate the problem. Following the inspection, your local drain company will recommend the best solution.

In most cases, excavation won’t be required. Pitch fibre pipe repairs can be done from above ground, without having to dig up your garden or car park to reach your pipes. This kind of service is usually offered to repair cracked pipes which could be causing your blocked drain.

How Much Does it Cost to Unlock a Drain?

Depending on who your local drain unblockers are, the problem causing the issue and the service required the cost will inevitably vary. If you’re working with a small budget and need an emergency repair, Maintain Drains will recommend a drain unblocking service and provide a quote with no initial upfront costs.

Shall I Call my Local Drain Unblockers for Outside Drains?

If your outside drain is overflowing, you should get in touch with your local drainage expert immediately. There are two reasons we wouldn’t recommend trying to fix the issue yourself.

Firstly, your drainage system connects to the public sewers which are your local council’s responsibility. If the cause of the blockage is outside of your line of responsibility, then you won’t have to pay the bill. Therefore, getting your local drain unblockers out to fix the problem could end up saving you money.

Secondly, your drainage system was installed when your house was built. While the interior pipework is easy to access, the outside systems will be deep underground. Your local drain unblockers will have access to equipment designed to deal with deep, underground systems and get the issue solved quickly.

When to Call a Drain Company

Finally, when should you pick up the phone and call your local drain unblockers? If you have already noticed some of the early signs of a blocked drain, such as slow draining or bad smells, then now would be a good time to call.

Remember, your local drainage company could save you time and money. They’ll also prevent the problem from happening again and again.

If your drains are blocked and you’re in Poole or the surrounding Dorset area, Maintain Drains will come to you to investigate the issue and recommend the best solution. Don’t let the problem persist. Get your local drainage company on the job today!

One of the services we provide at Maintain Drains is surveying and identifying signs of rats in your drain pipes. Unfortunately, it is not only possible but often incredibly likely that rats are entering your property via the drainage system. So what can you do if you suspect that there are rats in your drains or plumbing? And who is responsible for rats in drains?

People are often surprised to learn that rats can live in drain pipes. In fact, they’re quite comfortable there. This is not ideal if you’re a home or business owner. The last thing you want is rats to start entering your house or restaurant via the drain pipes. But how can you tell if there are rats living in your drains?

Are There Rats in my Drains?

Rats can enter a home via the underground network of connected pipes and tunnels that make up your drainage system. While they may be nesting away from your property, only using your pipes as a means of transport, they might be using your drains to enter your home.

As rats are extremely flexible, they have no problem squeezing through tight gaps. They’re also confident swimmers, which means in some cases you might find rats entering your house through your toilet’s U-bend.

While it’s not the most common way for rats to enter your home, it is possible that they make their way in through the toilet. A much more likely scenario is that the vermin enter through a hole in the wall or a ground-level drain.
Often living unnoticed, you may start to notice signs that the pests are entering your home or using your drainage system to travel from one nest to another. The question is, are rats living in your drains?

Signs of Rats in Drains

If you think there might be rats in your drainage system, there are some signs to start looking out for:

Rat droppings
Holes or chew marks in walls, bins, rubbish or doors
Scratches on floor boards
Rat nests

If you notice any of these signs in your property, you probably have rats. The next thing you need to do is identify how the rats are entering your house and whether or not they are coming through your drains.

Because of their size, rats can easily squeeze through tight pipes and small holes. This makes drains the perfect hiding place for them to make a nest. The obvious complication is that you can’t see beneath the surface. You have no idea what’s happening beneath your home, and whether or not you’ve got rats living deep in the sewer pipes. So who is responsible for rats in drains?

Removing Rats from Drains

If you do notice any of these signs in your drains, and you don’t know who is responsible for rats in drains, we’d recommend calling a local plumber or drainage specialist to get rid of the rats safely. And don’t panic, no one should have to dig up your garden! Drain excavation should not be required when dealing with rats in sewer pipes.

If you’re based in Dorset or Hampshire, the experienced team at Maintain Drains can assist with any drainage problems – especially rats in drains and sewer pipes! We offer 24/7 call out to most homes and commercial properties in Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch and can ensure we get to the root of the problem quickly and efficiently.

We know the type of disruption that drain excavation has on your day-to-day life and how damaging it can be for businesses in the area. Our aim is to be in and out with our CCTV drain cameras, finding any evidence of rats living in your sewer pipes.

CCTV Drain Surveys to Find Rats in Underground Pipes

A CCTV drain survey is how we identify drainage problems without digging up your garden. Our experienced plumbing professionals feed a small, high-tec camera down into your pipework. The camera displays a live feed on the screen above ground, giving your plumber a good view of your pipes and any issues.

If we suspect rats in drains, we’ll be on the lookout for some of the signs listed above. Often, the first thing we’ll notice in your sewers will be rat droppings, usually the easiest sign to spot.

Smoke Pellets to Find Rat Entry and Exit Points

Once we’re sure that rats have infested your drainage system, we’ll look for access points that could be allowing them to gain entry to your property. To do this, we use smoke pellets.

The smoke pellets release a cloudy smoke that travels through your pipework, looking for any narrow hole that it can escape from – just like rats! Maintain Drains use the smoke to find holes, cracks or collapsed pipes that pests could be using as a private entrance.

Pitch Fibre Pipe Repair and Installing Rat Blockers

Following the survey, we’d repair any damaged pipework without excavation using pitch fibre pipe repair. There are drainage rat traps or rat blockers that our team often use to prevent rats getting back into your drains. Our intercepting traps or rat gates for drains are completely ethical and won’t harm the animal. Our only intention is to keep them out of your house!

Using a CCTV drain survey and smoke pellets, Maintain Drains will get to the root of the issue and identify whether or not you’ve got a rat infestation in your drains. Following the CCTV drain inspection, our team can recommend the best service to solve your problem and stop the pests coming back. We’ll repair any cracked or damaged pipes and install a rat gate or an ethical trap.

We know rats in your home or business could cause a huge problem and we’ll work as quickly as we can to get things back to normal as soon as possible. We aim to cause as minimal disruption to your life, business or home as possible and will always recommend a quick, efficient solution that suits your budget.

If you have noticed any of the signs of rats in your drains and you live in the Poole or Dorset area, Maintain Drains offer 24/7 call-outs to help you get to the bottom of it. Don’t procrastinate. We’ll get your home back and the rats gone in no time.

01202 300 040

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.

A CCTV drain survey should be on your radar if you’re looking to buy a new house. Given the recent government 95% mortgage announcement, a lot more of us are considering getting on the property ladder. The in-depth inspection can identify a problem before it causes damage to your new property, preventing the cost of calling out emergency repair engineers.

This drain service is particularly useful for those of you who are about to buy a house. While some issues are quick and easy to repair, others may require several days worth of work. With your drainage report, you can consult with an engineer before you move in. You can arrange any work that needs to be completed before you move in and will have a clear idea of the conditions of your drains.

Maintain Drains offer CCTV drain surveys across Poole, Bournemouth and the surrounding areas. We have over 15 years experience servicing Dorset’s drains and we understand the importance of drain inspections when it comes to buying a house. Having worked in residential and commercial properties, we know that preventing the issue is the best way to protect yourself from expensive repair work, business closure and drain system shut-downs.

To help you understand more about this service, we’ve written an article giving you the benefits of conducting a CCTV drain survey before you buy a house. If you have any questions or you’d like to speak to a drainage engineer, get in touch with our team today.

What is a CCTV Drain Survey?

A CCTV drain survey is a thorough inspection of your full drainage system. An in-depth drainage inspection like this will allow your engineer to quickly identify any problems in your system and find the best solution.

This can save you time and money as your drainage engineer will use the CCTV drain survey to identify problems before they cause serious damage to your drains or property. If you’re buying a new home, a drain inspection can be particularly beneficial. You can move in reassured that nothing will go wrong with your pipework and you won’t find yourself dealing with blocked drains, pipe repairs or excavation.

How Does a CCTV Drain Survey Work?

A CCTV drain survey is the fastest and most cost-effective way to get to the root of your problems. Your engineer will guide high-tech drain inspection cameras through your system, monitoring a live-feed to identify any issues or damage to your pipework.

Once the problem has been located, your engineer will be able to recommend the best solution. This could be something simple such as drain rodding or jetting to remove a basic blockage. However, a CCTV drain survey will also find issues such as tree roots in drains, rat infestations or collapsed pipe work deep in your drainage system.

Without excavation, the live-feed from a CCTV drain inspection is the best way to identify some of these major problems.

Are You Required to Have a CCTV Drain Survey When You Buy a House?

While it isn’t a requirement to have a CCTV drain survey when you buy a house, we would always recommend it. Your house survey may identify some drainage issues, however, your surveyor won’t conduct a thorough inspection of your drains or pipework. That means you won’t know how major any issues are until after you move in.

If you’re still unsure about whether or not you need a CCTV drain survey before you buy a house, we’ve highlighted some of the key benefits below:

Prevent Expensive Bills

When you buy a house, you take full ownership of the property and inherit any problems that may be lingering beneath the surface. If anything does go wrong, it is your responsibility to cover the costs of the repair work.

A CCTV drain survey will identify any underlying issues before you sign off on the property. Your drainage engineer will identify anything that may become a serious problem later down the line. In doing so, they will be able to recommend an immediate solution that is far more cost-effective than emergency repair work.

Negotiation Tool

If you’re thinking about conducting a CCTV drain survey on a house you’re about to buy, you have probably already fallen in love with the property. A drain inspection can help you negotiate costs as it will outline all of the work that may need to be done on the drainage system.

If your drain survey report identifies any issues, the current owner will be faced with two options. They can either pay for the repair work before signing over the house, or they can lower the price to accommodate the cost of the work that is needed.

Drain Ownership

In 2011, the drain laws in the UK changed leaving many homeowners unsure about ownership. This is important because if your drainage issue is caused by a problem outside of your ownership lines, you can have it repaired free of charge.

A CCTV drain survey will tell you exactly where your responsibility ends, so you don’t end up paying for repair work that the council should take care of.

Find Out More About CCTV Drain Surveys in Dorset

A CCTV drain survey gives new homeowners peace of mind while preventing huge repair bills, helping negotiate the costs of the house and identifying drain ownership boundaries.

If you’re thinking about conducting a CCTV drain survey on your own property, or a property you are about to buy, our team will be more than happy to provide you with a no-obligation quote. The drain report will outline any repair work needed and our engineers can help you identify the best solution moving forward.

Get in touch with our team to find out when we can book you in for your CCTV drain inspection today.