What is Drain Jetting and When Do You Need It?
Understanding drainage solutions ensures you have the knowledge you need to maintain your property. Whether you own a residential home or a commercial building, drain jetting will inevitably become an important way of protecting the functionality of the structure. Drainage problems don’t go away on their own, so being able to identify the right solutions is key to keeping inhabitants safe and preserving the value of the property.
What is Drain Jetting?
Drain jetting involves the use of high-pressured water jets to clean pipes and remove debris, dirt and potential blockages from drains. While the concept of drain jetting might sound deceptively simple, it’s a task which must be carefully undertaken. If water is sprayed into a drainage system at a pressure that’s too high, it could cause damage to the pipes. Alternatively, attempting drain jetting with low pressure will simply mean the procedure is ineffective. Furthermore, using pressure that’s too low on a fully blocked drain will result in standing water filling the drain.
Before using drain jetting, specialist engineers will assess the drainage system itself, as well as any potential blockages or debris that may be present. By identifying the type of material used to construct the pipework and the cause of a blockage, for example, a drainage technician can determine what pressure will be required to resolve the issue.
Similarly, the process of drain jetting should only be carried out by an experienced engineer. Using water at such high pressure could potentially cause someone to sustain an injury or cause property damage, if the task isn’t carried out correctly.
High pressure water jets are effective at clearing blockages
Fortunately, it’s easy to access professional drain jetting services whenever you need them. At FS Drainage, we operate a 24/7 service, so you can access help from qualified technicians whenever you need it. If you’re facing a drainage emergency, call us now on 0800 689 3497 and find out if drain jetting could be the right solution.
When Do You Need Drain Jetting?
Drain jetting can be the ideal solution if debris is blocking or partially blocking a drain. As the jets of water travel through robust hoses, drain jetting is a completely ‘no-dig’ solution. This means technicians won’t need to excavate any pipework or remove drains in order to restore functionality. Instead, drain jetting can be applied from the mouth of the drain and used to completely resolve the issue quickly and efficiently.
However, the damage doesn’t stop there. Tree roots are extremely strong and are more than capable of causing drains to crack or shatter. Depending on how bad the damage is, tree root ingress can be cause for a complete drain replacement.
Professional drain jetting is the easy way to maintain pipes
However, drain jetting isn’t only useful when you’re experiencing drainage problems. Over time, it’s normal for dirt and grime to accumulate inside drains and pipes. When this happens, the useable diameter of the drain becomes narrower. Although this may not present as a blockage, it does limit the flow of water through a drain. As this worsens, you may notice reduced pressure in your pipes or slow flowing sinks and showers. Eventually, the pipe will become so narrow due to the dirt and grime that its functionality will be severely affected. As a result, connected drains may become unusable.
By using drain jetting to clean pipework regularly, you can prevent this problem from occurring. If you arrange drain jetting before a problem becomes apparent, your drainage system will always be in good condition. By doing so, you’ll reduce the risk of other problems and keep your drainage system fully operational.
What About At-Home Solutions?
There are many products on the market that claim to keep your drains clean or resolve blockages. However, this doesn’t always live up to the hype and, in many cases, they can do more harm than good.
Chemical unblockers are routinely used by homeowners but they aren’t generally powerful enough to shift stubborn blockages or a long-term build up of dirt and grime. In fact, some chemical drain unblockers actually make the problem worse. When the chemicals are unable to fully clear a blockage, they may solidify in the pipework instead. This simply adds to the blockage and makes it worse.
In addition to this, many of the chemical-based products on the market are designed to expand once they’re mixed with water. However, if they expand without clearing the blockage effectively, this puts extra pressure on the drain. When this happens, the structure of the pipework is affected, and cracks may appear in the drain. Worse still, a drain could easily shatter under these circumstances. If this happens, you could be be dealing with flooding and require a replacement drain.
Another downside to using chemical unblockers or at-home cleaners is the danger they pose. These chemicals can cause serious burns and respiratory problems, so they should only be used in very controlled circumstances. A significant number of people have suffered illnesses or injuries when a DIY home maintenance project has gone awry.
By using professional drain jetting services, you can ensure that your drainage problems are fully resolved by trained engineers. There’s no need to put yourself or anyone else at risk by attempting to unblock a drain without expert guidance. Similarly, you won’t want to increase the risk of flooding, cracked drains or drain collapses by attempting to resolve an issue yourself.
Contact FS Drainage Today
With a fast 2-hour turnaround time, we can be on site super-fast and our commitment to ‘first-time fixes’ means we’ll be on hand until the problem is fully resolved. To find out more or to book a drain jetting service now, contact FS Drainage on 0800 689 3497.