A blocked drain can look like a small nuisance to begin with, but ignoring blocked drains often leads to much bigger trouble. Whether it is a sink that empties slowly or a sewer pipe that is completely choked, leaving the problem alone can cost you time and money and cause plenty of stress. Below we look at the main risks of an untreated blockage and how a professional service can help.
Need a blockage cleared properly? Jet Plumb can help, so get in touch today.
1. Damage To Your Property
Damage to your home is one of the first risks a blockage brings. Water can back up through sinks, toilets and showers, spill over and soak into floors and walls. Left long enough, that leads to rot and mould, and in bad cases it can even affect the structure of the building.
Keeping on top of maintenance and acting quickly when something goes wrong can spare you a large repair bill. Where a blockage is serious, a professional blocked drain service is the best way to avoid lasting damage.
2. Blocked Drains Can Put Your Health At Risk
Water sitting in a blocked drain is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria and mould. The result is often a nasty smell and a genuine health hazard, especially for young children, older people and anyone with breathing problems. Clean, free-flowing drains are an important part of a safe home.
Sometimes the cause is hidden out of sight. A CCTV drain survey can reveal problems before they get worse and gives you a clear picture of the state of your pipes.
3. Harm To The Environment
A blockage can affect more than your own property. When a drain overflows, the water can carry waste and pollutants into gardens, soil and local rivers. Looking after your drains protects your home and the wider community as well.
Drain jetting is an effective way to remove debris, grease and roots, which cuts the chance of a damaging overflow.
4. Costs That Keep Rising
A blockage rarely clears itself, and waiting usually makes matters worse. A small obstruction can soon become a major one that needs far more work to fix. Once you add emergency call-outs, drying out water damage and repairs to the building, the bills mount up fast. Dealing with a problem early through a professional drainage service nearly always costs less than letting it run.
5. Hidden Damage To The Pipes Themselves
A blockage does not only threaten the rooms above it. Water held back in an underground pipe puts strain on every joint, and older clay drains are especially vulnerable where one length meets the next. Water escaping through those gaps can wash away the soil and gravel that support the pipe, leaving it more likely to crack, sink or collapse.
Once that happens, a job that could have been a straightforward clearance may turn into excavation or lining. Clearing the blockage promptly, and having the pipe checked if it keeps happening, gives you the best chance of avoiding drain repairs altogether.
6. Rats, Flies And Other Pests
Standing wastewater and broken pipes attract pests. Rats travel through the sewer network and can enter private drains through cracks and displaced joints, sometimes finding a way into a building from there. Drain flies breed in the slime that collects in slow or blocked pipes, and a smelly gully soon draws flies of every kind. Clearing the blockage and repairing any damage removes what is drawing them in.
7. Disruption To Daily Life
Last but not least, a blocked drain can throw your routine into disarray. You may lose the use of toilets, sinks or showers, which affects everyone in the house. Businesses face the same upheaval, which can hit trading and customers alike. Acting early limits the damage and keeps disruption to a minimum.
Landlords And Businesses Have More At Stake
For landlords, ignoring blocked drains is rarely an option. Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, landlords of most residential lettings must keep the drains, sanitary fittings and structure of the property in repair, so a blockage reported by a tenant needs prompt attention. Leaving it can lead to damage, complaints and a bigger repair.
Businesses face their own pressures. Restaurants, cafés, pubs and hotels send far more fat and grease into their drains than a typical home, which is why grease traps need regular maintenance. Jet Plumb works with residential, commercial and industrial customers, and we maintain grease traps for restaurants and hotels.
Call Jet Plumb To Clear Your Blocked Drains
A blocked drain is a threat to your property, your health and your finances, not just a nuisance. Routine maintenance, quick action and professional help can stop a minor issue turning into an expensive disaster, so if you spot the signs of a blockage, deal with it straight away.
If you are in Stroud or anywhere in Gloucestershire, call Jet Plumb on 01453 827124. There is no call-out charge.
