Have you started to notice a fairly unpleasant smell recently, even after getting your kids to give their bedroom its annual deep clean? To add to that you have also started to see a slow sink or bath taking ages to drain. All not good signs and ones that point to a blocked drain. Crikey!
During these unprecedented modern times, you are at home more than you have ever been before. This is a perfect time to get that endless list of jobs done that you have been putting off for too long now. Sorting out that blocked drain is one of them and we are going to talk you through, step by step on how you can unblock an outside drain in four simple steps.
First off, let’s look into what causes blocked drains in the first place. Well, believe it or not. Everyday household items are some of the biggest culprits we have come across when we get called out to a blocked drain issue. Items such as toilet tissue, disposed food items, oil and not to mention hair, wipes and un-flushable items. That’s just some of the items within the property. Externally, we’ve seen leaves, branches and debris can build up. All, over time, can cause severe blockages that can develop long-lasting issues.
Before you get started, first off, we highly recommend that you check your blockage isn’t simply just lodged within your drainpipes. Best way to check is to get the plunger and use some of our recommended DIY methods to unblock your drains. If you have tried this method and without any success, then it’s time to get down and dirty and fix the external issue yourself.
Let’s do this, it’s time to unblock your drain.
First off, locate your drain cover and remove it. To do this have a look in your toolbox and reach for the flat-headed screwdriver to pop it open.
Once the drain cover is removed this should give you a clear indication to what the blockage may be. Make sure you’re wearing gloves for this part. If the blockage is visible, reach down, squint your eyes and pull out the unwanted debris. Remove as much as you can with your hands. If you have a drain rod at hand, bonus. Grab that and fish out the hard to reach blockage to ensure it is fully clear.
If you are confident you have successfully removed the blockage it’s time to give it a good clean down, ensuring no stragglers are lurking around to cause further issues. If you have a high-pressure washer at hand, again great, use that for instant results, if not use boiling hot water and a good drain cleaner. That should do the job just right.
Hopefully, with every finger crossed, this should have done the trick and you can pop your feet up and enjoy a good cuppa knowing you have successfully unblocked a long-standing blockage in your drains.
If this isn’t fixed do not worry. We’re here for you and our expert engineers are on hand to save the day. You can contact us on 07824 757572 / 0800 849 8099 or email us at service@happydrains.co.uk
