There is no getting around the fact that drains and gross. They are generally full of things or carry things we do not want to look at, think about or smell. They are hidden away under our homes, streets and driveways and generally we can avoid thinking about them. However, if you own your own home or are about to buy one you may find this useful because ignoring these hardworking pipes can be costly!
Try Before You Buy?
The housing market is going pretty crazy at the moment and people are jumping into buy a new home quickly to beat the stamp duty deadline. Most people get a survey when they buy a house, but it is far rarer to get a drain survey. It is, however, just as important. This isn’t a random way of promoting some kind of drain survey, it is a genuine fact that a proper can look fine to a surveyor but have serious problems with the drains. You won’t know until weeks, months or even years after moving in and you could be hit with a bill for £1000s if not more to get things fixed. Knowing about them first can help negotiate money off to get he work done right away!
Don’t Put That Down There!
A lot of people have a very casual relationship with what goes down plug holes and toilets and it is a dangerous game. It may not cause issues right away, but drains can slowly clog up and…you guessed it, cost loads to clear. Gavin Dimmock of Sussex Company – The Drain Guys Says
“fat, food, baby wipes and more all go down the drains and all cause problems. But not right away so people think it’s OK”
It is really common to rinse a pan with fat in it down the sink. It seems fine with hot water and soap but when it cools outside the house it starts to build up. It can be the same with food like rice and pasta. After cooking a family meal, we can all be guilty of rinsing away pasta water that is full of starch. This can congeal and block drains. What about wet wipes? Be honest…if you have kids you will have flushed the odd wet wipe. We have all done it and it is really bad. Not only can it block your drains but also the main drains in the road too.
Remember – it might not just be the grown ups in the house putting things down the toilet! Make sure the kids know the rules too!
Roots, Rats and More
There are other things that cause problems with our unsung heroes too. Tree roots if left unchecked can grow into the drains and damage the pipes and cause blockages. A tree may seem totally unrelated to drains but its another one of those things that its worth keeping an eye on. It can be very expensive to fix. Rats can also get down drains and start nesting causing all sorts of issues. If you think you have a problem its best to call for some professional advice.
Be Nice to Your Drains and Be Aware of Them
This isn’t a nice subject but your drains are working really hard to make sure you don’t have to deal with all the nasty stuff that goes down them. By being extra nice to your drains is worth it. Clearing the hair out of shower plugs, thinking before flushing something you shouldn’t and being careful about what goes down you sink will all go towards saving you money and stress in the future. But just because you are thoughtful when it comes to drains don’t expect others to be so remember, if you are buying a new home, get the drains checked. All being well you will never have to know what’s really going on under your home because of taking some time to be nice to your drains.
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