We can help you solve common drain issues as well as more complex edge-cases. For efficiency, there is an order to how we approach drainage issues. We start with the simplest, most likely issue and work our way down into more complex issues once we have ruled out the basics. That might mean we start by unblocking your drains. If you’ve already done that, or there’s a clearer picture of what the issue might be, we’ll get to work on the next logical step.
Common Drain Issues: Blocked Waste Pipes
Small diameter pipework from sinks, baths and showers can be troublesome and block easily with soap traces, grease, hair or other debris. We use a variety of specialist machines to clear out blockages in small diameter pipes such as these. New generations of high speed milling equipment allow us to clean greater lengths of pipework than before giving us an even greater success rate along with enhanced safety for our teams.
Sometimes a blockage can have unexpected causes such as a bad fall/gradient in the pipe or a foreign object being stuck in the pipe. If the issue isn’t immediately clear or occurs repeatedly, we may perform a CCTV survey of the pipe using our small bore cameras. These surveys are very quick and easy to perform and help us to assess what is really going on and move forward to getting it fixed.
Common Drain Issues: Blocked Outside Drains
A large proportion of the blockages we attend at peoples homes or businesses are in the drains outside of the building. Typically people would either notice water leaking out from a manhole cover or tell us that they have noticed the toilets flushing slowly.
Many of these blockages are caused by blocked sewer traps located in the last chamber before leaving the property. Most of the time this is because the trap has gathered debris or stone and just needs to be cleaned out. Unfortunately many of these traps are now cracked or damaged due to their age and might need to be replaced in which case Dyno-Rod’s repair teams will give you a proposal to fix the problem.
Badly constructed or damage manholes or chambers are another significant cause of blockages. For example connections within the manhole may not be directed into the channel properly leading to splashing and the build up of material in the manhole. Once we get the blockage cleared, our engineers will ask our repair team to provide a proposal to remedy the situation.
The pipework between the manholes may also cause issues. There are many reasons why a problem in the pipe itself could cause problems including:
- backfalls/poor gradient
- misaligned/displaced/open joints
- cracks
- holes
- objects stuck in the pipe
- scale
- poor connections
- silt/stone build up
As the pipes are hidden beneath the ground, our team will need to use CCTV equipment to get a look at the problem. If the problem is caused by an issue like one of the above (rather than just a once off blockage), our team will provide a solution. We can solve many of these issues without the need to dig. If possible, our team will recommend no-dig solutions for you.
Common Drain Issues: Blocked Rainwater Drains
Often we are called out to look after rainwater drains that are backing up. Most rainwater drains (gullies) have a trap in them which is designed to catch solids/silt before it goes further downstream. These traps also provide a barrier to drain smells in domestic gullies. We will start by cleaning out the silt and debris from the traps and then clean the pipework connected downstream to make sure everything is flowing ok. This may also require high pressure water jetting to get a soakaway going again. If the problem is greater than a standard job (such as the replacement of a soakaway or the need for a jetvac), our team will work towards a solution for you.
Pipe Replacement Doesn’t Have to Hurt
Nobody wants to think of the stress, interruption, time and cost of repairing drains. Thanks to modern technology, you may not have to fear having your newly laid kitchen tiles ripped out, or having the interior walls destroyed in order to access the pipework. No-dig drain repair means that it’s possible to essentially put a pipe within your pipe, replacing the old with the new. So it’s best not to assume the worst. If you have an issue with your pipework, feel free to give us a call today for advice. If we can help you resolve an issue over the phone, we’re always happy to help.
