A Fatberg is as grim as it sounds. It’s the term that is used to diagnose a blockage in a sewage or drain system blocked by a combination of household waste, which could consist of fat that has congealed, wet wipes, nappies, oils and anything else that should never be flushed down the drain. Over a long period of time, these items and substances will build up as they take a long time to break down, if at all, and then collect more and more items flowing through the drains, building up more and more until it becomes and very compacted ‘fatberg’. This will cause major blockages, and in some cases, can damage pipework.
What are the signs you might have a Fatberg?
You might think you have a simple blocked drain but there are few extra signs to look out for that indicate you need a proper inspection:
- Water flows away slowly across multiple drains & appliances
- Foul smells coming from your drains
- Toilets rising too high when flushing & draining too slowly
- Rising water levels, or flooding, from gullies or manholes
- Plugholes overly gargling when draining
How to remove a Fatberg
Give Happy Drains a call on 0800 849 8099, and one of our expert engineers will provide a CCTV inspection to both confirm a fatberg and pinpoint its location. Once it’s found, high-pressure drain jetting is used to break down the fatberg into smaller chunks allowing it to flow through the system. You want to make sure it’s professionally removed to ensure the problem doesn’t continue to grow – literally.
How to prevent a Fatberg
Be vigilant on everything that is goes down your drain. No fats, oils, wipes, and no other sanctuary products that you know do not breakdown. It’s important to always be conscious of what goes down you drains and toilets because even if doesn’t block your home drains, it could contribute to build up in the outer sewer systems where fatbergs are also born, becoming huge monsters, causing huge issues and impacting more homes.
