We’ve all experienced drain problems at some point. But if you want to avoid them or minimise the damage they create, you have to know which common problems to look out for. Here are 6 of the most common.
Slow Draining Sinks
When a sink starts to take longer than usual to drain water away, it’s a sign that you have a problem. It needs to be taken care of as soon as you notice this so that it doesn’t get even worse. The most common cause of this problem is minor blockages. The problem should go away when you clean the drains. It happens because soap scum, grime, grease and hair often builds up and stops the water from draining away as it should.
Frozen Pipes
Frozen pipes are very common during the winter months, but most people are completely unprepared nonetheless. If you notice that your pipes are frozen, you should call out an expert to prevent the pipe from bursting. To prevent the pipes from freezing in the first place, you should either keep the heating on during the winter or insulate the pipes. It’s easy to buy insulation that you can wrap around external pipes to stop them freezing.
Damaged Pipes
Cracked and damaged pipes can cause big problems in your home if they don’t get treated quickly. When cracks appear, this allows debris and dirt enter the drainage system from the outside, and that’s never a good thing. This problem is most common in older pipes. If you notice cracks starting to form, get them replaced as quickly as possible. The most modern pipes are very durable and should last for decades without getting damaged.
Blocked Drains
The single most common drainage problem that people experience is blocked or obstructed drains. There are lots of ways in which drains can become blocked. Often grease and dirt can build up over a long period of time until it completely solidifies and causes an obstruction. When this happens, it becomes impossible for anything else to pass through the drains. Other causes are leaves and twigs that get blown in the drain and all kinds of other foreign objects. Wicklen Ltd can help you unblock drains because it can be difficult to sort out this problem by yourself.
Basement Water
After a storm, it’s not uncommon for drains to overflow. And this often leads to the basement of your home becoming flooded. You might not take this problem very seriously if you don’t use your basement very much. But this problem can be more serious and more dangerous than you initially realise. When water is left to stand, it can damage the brickwork of your home and start to penetrate the walls. So, if you notice standing water in your basement, have it drained by a professional as soon as possible
Pipe Corrosion
If there’s corrosive water passing through pipes, it can start to corrode and dissolve the copper in your pipes. One way of picking up on this problem is if you start to notice a metallic taste in your water. Drinking water that has been tainted by metal in this way can damage your health if you consume it over a long period of time. So, when you notice this, get it sorted quickly.