Blocked Drains
What You Need to Know
The Frustrating Problem of Blocked Drains
You’ve got a real problem if the toilet refuses to flush and the kitchen drains are clogged. It becomes a more serious problem if the reason is blocked drains that are underneath your property. If the blockage is far down the drainage system, you wouldn’t be able to employ your typical DIY drain cleaning techniques of pouring hot water or chemical drain removers down the drains. You will be required to call professional drain cleaners to inspect the blocked drains or you can call the local water company whether the drains are under their jurisdiction.
Importance of knowing where your drains and sewer lines are
If you are buying a property, make sure that you ask the previous owner on the locations of drains and sewer lines and whether it is private or shared by neighbors. Eventually, you may find yourself encountering blocked drains and it makes sense to know the extent of your responsibility. In addition to the previous homeowner, it won’t hurt to ask the neighbors where the sewer lines are that connect to the public sewer systems. The drain lines usually follow a straight path unless there are obstructions like trees. It would be important to determine whether the trees are too close to the drains and sewers since roots can cause frustrating blockages. Cleaning blockages on drains can cost you a lot of money so make sure that it is not a blocked public drain that you are paying for. A blocked public drain is not your responsibility but the water company.
Responsibility for the repair of sewers
There are sewers and lateral drains that are connected to a public network which is the responsibility of the local water or sewerage company. If you are not familiar with lateral drains, it is a length of pipe that carries wastewater and toilet waste away from your property to the public sewers. The lateral drains are usually under the roads or cemented pavements. Public sewers collect all the waste including unwanted waste like cooking oils, grease and sanitary products that have been flushed through the toilet. If you notice blockages on these public sewers make sure to notify the water or sewerage company immediately.