Blocked drains smell foul and, if left untreated, can soon damage health. From flooding and mould to contaminating your water sources, it’s important to know how to clear a blocked drain before things take a turn for the worst. Indeed, if there’s a problem within your property boundaries, you are responsible for clearing your blocked drains.
There are several reasons why your outdoor drains may be blocked, ranging from leaves and debris to poor installation. To find out more about the potential causes, you might like to read our blog on the ten common causes of blocked drains.
If you’re reading this blog, however, it’s likely that you already have a blocked drain and are looking for a solution to prevent further structural damage to your property. Below, we share six simple steps you can take to clear blocked drains outside.
As always, we recommend calling the professionals as soon as you suspect there’s an issue. At Cotswold Drainage, we have 25 years’ of experience diagnosing and fixing drainage issues – and with a six-month warranty, we’re guaranteed to get rid of the problem for good.
Step one: Assess the problem
The first thing to do if you suspect a blocked drain is to assess the problem. Go outside and inspect the area. You’re looking for any physical obstructions, such as leaves, mud and debris on top of your drain cover.
Step two: Remove blockages by hand
If the blockage is visible, it can easily be cleared by hand using rubber gloves and a bucket. You may also wish to wear goggles and a face mask for protection.
Step three: Lift the drain cover
If you’ve removed all the debris from the top of your drain cover but the problem persists, you’ll need to remove the grid. We recommend using a screwdriver to do this, for easy access to your pipes. If the blockage is visible, you can then attempt to tackle it yourself. If not, we highly recommend contacting our professional team.
Step four: Get the right tools
If you’ve decided to tackle the blockage yourself, you’ll need to get some drain rods, goggles and a face mask. Drain rods serve to loosen any debris, which can then be removed by hand if superficial – or using a jet if not. Insert the rods into your drain until you notice resistance, then twist. This helps to break up the debris, which can then be removed and disposed of.
If you can’t feel anything, connect more rods together and continue. However, you should never go further than arm’s length without the help of a professional.
Step five: call the professionals
Attempting to tackle more complex issues by yourself could lead to injury or to exacerbated problems down the line. As such, if the above steps didn’t work, it’s time to call in the specialists.
At Cotswold Drainage, we’re experts in clearing blocked drains. We have all the equipment you could possibly need to get rid of the problem quickly and effectively. For example, our high-power jet washes are guaranteed to blast persistent debris away. You may wish to take advantage of our services even if you think you might be able to solve the issue yourself, as it will avoid you from getting your hands dirty, not to mention giving you additional peace of mind that there aren’t any more serious blockages beyond the surface.
We can be at your site within 24 hours of your call and offer a six-month warranty on all of our services, so you can rest assured that we’ll do a good job. We can even conduct a free site survey as part of our visit to assess whether you might benefit from CCTV for your drains. Available from just £98 plus VAT, this would help us to follow-up on the job and ensure that everything is as it should be for the foreseeable future – even beyond the warranty period.
As you can see, clearing a blocked drain outside can be a tricky issue. If simple solutions like removing leaves by hand don’t work, it’s always best to call in the experts to prevent the need for costly repairs later on.
Need your blocked drains fixing? Speak to our expert team today.
