Prior to commencing with the procedure of unblocking a drain, it is important to bear in mind that pipes are laid in straight lines under the ground. Where a change in direction is needed, the curve of the angle must be less than 90 degrees. An assessment chamber is also there, and over it, a manhole cover is placed.
The first sign of drain getting blocked is the failure of baths and WCs to drain resourcefully and speedily. The next sign can be an overflowing inspection chamber or gully. In case, you hire specialists from drain cleaning agencies, you must ensure whether they are licensed so that they can clear the blocked drains easily and efficiently. They have sophisticated camera tracking system that can spot even the tiniest threads of hair or coal blocks which stop the flow of water.
Required Tools
Following tools are required to perform the drain cleaning:
- Drain rods with a rubber plunger of hundred millimetre diameter,
- Hose,
- A pair of rubber gloves,
- Garden spade,
- Watering can, and
- Disinfectant
Finding the Blockage
A garden spade can be used for lifting the boundaries of the manhole cover, for elevating it completely. Then after, check up on the chamber or the infected tank that is nearest to the main drain. If the chamber is vacant, the blockage is there in the drain between the higher one and the chamber. And if the chamber is full, scrutinise the chamber that is the next nearest to the infected tank or the main drain.
Clearing the Blockage
A rod having a plunger fixed on it must be tucked into a chamber at one of the two ends of the blocked section for clearing the blocked drain on the main system. One can see the mouth of the pipe if the chamber is clear.
Adding Extra Rods
Adding extra rods are essential for operating the plunger through the blockage along the pipe. While working, the rods must be turned clockwise; in case, they’re turned anticlockwise, a more grievous problem could occur since they may get detached and get left in the drain. Suppose these plungers don’t work, then you can at first use some bleaching powder or baking soda dissolved in boiling water to unblock the drain pipes. Afterwards, inform the professionals to continue the work with their rods. If the blockage does not go away still, rods should be removed, and in its place, a corkscrew attachment should be used that can disintegrate the obstacle which is strongly crammed.
Wet Jet
Subsequently, the clearance should be done through directing a jet of water from a hosepipe down the drain or by filling the sink and the bath and then letting go the water accumulated in one stream of flow.
Handling Interceptor Chamber
The rod must be tucked in with the assistance of the rodding eye if one needs to clean a blockage that lies between the main drain and an interceptor chamber in one’s property. In this chamber, identical to a gully, the drain drops via a U-shaped trap. The role of the trap present there is to prevent the waste present in the main drain from entering the drains of a house. Besides this, it avoids pushing of the rods. Over the trap mouth, a short pipe projection is present. The short pipe projection is accompanied by a plug.
Nonetheless, an obstruction may still be there in the trap. If this condition poses itself then an old garden trowel, which is bent at a right angle should be used for lifting out the blockage.
A jet of water should be injected when both the trap and chamber gets cleared; however, this has to be carried out by professionals only who are experienced in blocked drain clearing.
The above-mentioned steps will be helpful for clearing blocked drain in Sydney.