A blocked drain can be a real pain, and with winter coming up, blockages are set to become far more commonplace, and our emergency plumbers will be heading all over the UK to get people’s drains back up to standard.
But although the biggest jobs for drainage experts typically involve oils, grease and fats poured down the kitchen sink or nappies, wet wipes and tissues flushed down toilets, a lot of other strange items find their way into our domestic drainage systems.
According to the Consumer Council for Water (CCWater), some of the items retrieved from blocked drains over 2013 to 2014 include:
- Mini motorbikes
- Tennis balls
- Prosthetic limbs
- False teeth
- Slippers
Water companies in Wales and England spent an estimated £70 million unblocking drains over this time, and cleared up over 300,000 blockages,
CCWater Policy Manager Steve Grebby said it can be “devastating” when a house is flooded as a result of blocked drains and sewers. However, “the good news” is that people can reduce the likelihood of these plumbing emergencies from afflicting them by thinking carefully about what ends up in their sink or toilet and taking steps to prevent blocked drains.
More than two-thirds of all sewer blockages are caused by inappropriate substances and items finding their way down the plug. Sometimes, this can lead to massive fatbergs, which can take a lot of time and money to break down and remove. Customers end up paying for these tasks through increased water rates.
Image courtesy of CountyClean
CCWater’s Draincare Tips
- Only flush toilet paper and human waste down the toilet
- Don’t flush anything else, including nappy wipes, wet wipes, nappies, cotton puds, pads, plastic bags, plastic wrappers, plasters, chewing gum and sanitary towels. Put these in the bin instead.
- Use a fat trap. Put this in your kitchen and pour your grease into it.
- Small amounts of oil, grease and fat can be cooled down and scraped into a newspaper or another container, before being put in the bin.
- Do not pour grease, oil and cooking fat down the drain.
If your drains are blocked, you’ll thank yourself if you have plumbing and drainage cover with us! We offer unlimited call-outs, prompt repairs and a 24/7 emergency response, so you’re never far away from assistance when you’re with 247 Home Rescue!
