Winter brings with it its share of problems to house, home and business, and it’s not just the weather you have to worry about, although that can cause problems of its own. Thing is, how does your home cope throughout all this? Well, vigilance is good, the more you keep a keen eye on your house and understand its temperament, the better your house will be when winter comes knocking.
Keep an eye on your drains.
Drains are a big problem and we mention this purely because we are the drain experts and we know. We know that if you don’t do something to keep a close eye on them, especially during the winter months, you’ll pay in spring, or before then, and the cost will be far more expensive than carrying out a few tasks to keep on top of things.
So, what can you do to avoid drainage issues this winter? Let’s take a look.
Be careful what you pour down your sink
Things such as fat, liquids, food waste, fibrous materials and chemicals can cause lasting damage, blocking your drains till the point they no longer work. Grease build-up from fat and oils will be liquid on entering the drains. They can collect, congeal and mess up the inside of your drains pretty quickly, however. It can attract more waste to the lining of the pipes until eventually the build up stops your drains from working at all. One solution, and a fairly inexpensive one is to try using a fat trap. This can be placed in your recycle box once it’s full, a bit like a disposable caddy and then you can dispose of it sustainably via the recycling.
Hair is a big culprit
When it comes to drain clogging, both pets and human hair cause a lot of problems. Use mesh screens, again relatively in expensive that you can place over your drains, for both bath and shower, and they’ll collect any hair that enters the flow of water.
Food waste belongs in the food recycling bin
Sometimes people will try to dispose their food waste down the sink. Coffee grounds don’t go down the sink drain as you’d expect, they can cause some serious drainage blockages. Dispose of them as you would with food waste – in the recycling box marked food waste.
No nappies, wet wipes or dental floss.
Don’t ever try flushing down nappies, wet-wipes, or any materials used for your teeth, such as dental floss or toothpicks. They can catch and stick in your drains. Chemicals should never be flushed down the drain as they are a danger to wildlife and plants. Always comply with regulations about how to rid yourself of them if they are no longer going to be used. Always ask if you’re unsure.
So, now you know what not to put down your drains and how to prevent hair and grease from building up, but what else can you do?
When cleaning your drains always use the least harmful materials you can find, thing such as baking soda and vinegar, or hot water will help loosen up stubborn grease and fats if they’ve started building up.
Also, trying boiling a pot of water and pour this down the sink, making sure there are no children or pets near you, and of course exercise caution for yourself too. You can do this a couple of times to rid yourself of any potential blockages and things sticking to the sides.
This might also help avoid frozen pipes in winter too, another potential hazard to avoid. Also, make sure your drains are clear outside of leaves and other debris and do the same with your guttering, so when you do have heavy rains, it has somewhere to go.
East of Scotland Drainage – for quality drainage services.
If you think you have a blockage and it’s not shifting, despite using some of the tips we’ve suggested, why not get in touch? We’re here to help and we can inspect your drains and let you know what we think you should be doing next, or what we can do to eliminate the problem. Don’t let it get worse or it could become one of the most expensive problems you have this winter.