When blocked drains strike, you need a number you can call any time day or night. This is where Northants Waste Control comes in, providing round-the-clock emergency coverage for domestic and commercial clients in Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and Leicestershire – including our hometown of Northampton, and bustling Milton Keynes. After all, blocked drains can lead to serious issues, including unbearable odours, back-up of sewage, and the inability to flush toilets or use showers and washing machines, to name just a few. In short, they can quickly shut down activity in both homes and places of business.
We utilise traditional drain rodding techniques in the case of minor blockages that are located close to drain entrances, and high pressure jetting equipment to deal with major blockages and those located deep within a system. Our dedicated page on high pressure jetting provides further information on this essential service, which is also an effective maintenance procedure that restores drains to their previous speed and efficiency.
If the cause of a blockage is not immediately identifiable, we can utilise our CCTV drain survey equipment to provide thorough diagnostics for our Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and Leicestershire clients. This sees a high definition camera fed through your system, with a trained drain engineer monitoring the feed and explaining any findings to the client. The appropriate action to unclog blocked drains can then be taken.
It pays to know common causes of blocked drains so you can be proactive and prevent them occurring in the first place. Some of the most typical causes we encounter when visiting properties in locales like Northampton and Milton Keynes, include:
Tree Roots – They grow into drain systems seeking water and nutrients, and for this reason, we recommend residents of Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and Leicestershire avoid planning new trees directly above or close-by drain openings. These roots can be cut away should they be a recurring cause of blocked drains.
Flushable Wipes & Hygiene Products – Many products claiming to be safe to flush simply aren’t; not all drains have the requisite size to deal with them. We’d recommend avoiding flushing anything that isn’t toilet paper, using a bathroom bin instead.
Oil, Grease & Fat – Straight after frying food, it can be tempting to blitz the washing up. But it’s a better idea to leave the fat to cool, then wipe it with a kitchen towel and place it in the bin. Grease and oils that make it down the drain can quickly accumulate and cause the narrowing of drain pipes. Regular high pressure jetting is the ideal maintenance procedure to keep pipes functional.
Hair – We recommend investing in shower traps which pick up all the hair that makes it down your bath/shower drain over the course of a year. It can be a frightening amount, and is a sure fire route to routine blocked drains.
Objects – It’s incredible what can often be found in drains around Milton Keynes, Northampton, and other locations in our principal service areas of Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and Leicestershire. Young children are often prime culprits! So be sure to have a strict rule in place: nothing down the drain or toilet that isn’t toilet paper.
But this list is far from exhaustive. So if you have blocked drains and need them unblocked ASAP, contact the experts at Northants Waste Control at your earliest convenience.