It’s easy to forget about all the drains in your household, especially with every little other thing that life demands of you! Here at VIP Drains we are all about preventative plumbing maintenance to help you get on top of your home’s plumbing system before any blocked drain becomes an emergency. In that case you will really need to call a professional team (like us) to help with your blocked drain emergency. 

Back to those household drains you may have forgotten about… as your home ages so does your plumbing system. Older homes come with a wide range of potential plumbing issues. Forgotten or unused drains can become a nuisance when they have an issue or worse yet, can cause bigger problems with main drain and sewer lines. 

If you wish to maintain the drainage system of your property, you should look into some of the common drainage issues and how to deal with them.

WHY ARE DRAINS IMPORTANT IN THE HOME’S PLUMBING SYSTEM?

The drainage system in your house is accountable for removing excess water and taking it away from your property. Surplus water can easily accumulate due to rainwater or the use of excessive irrigation water or via a broken, cracked or blocked drain. It is crucial to drain excess water for clearing the overall system and pipes. Otherwise, it would lead to filthy odors, leaking, flooding, slow drainage, and eventually significant water damage.

Some of the benefits of installing a reliable drainage system in the plumbing system of your home are:

• Preventing the accumulation of water
• Minimising soil erosion from occurring
• Ensuring a peaceful living when managed effectively
• Increasing the value of the property

HOW DOES YOUR HOME’S PLUMBING SYSTEM WORK?

Plumbing systems follow the basic laws of nature; water, pressure, and gravity seeking individual levels. The plumbing system in any residential complex is composed of two distinct subsystems. The first subsystem is responsible for bringing in fresh water to your home for everyday uss. The other is responsible for taking wastewater out and away from the home.

Whether your home is on the septic or sewer system, the drainage systems within residential properties essentially remain the same throughout. Like supply systems, drainage systems do not depend on pressure. Rather than this, wastewater is directed outside your home because all the drainage systems are angled downward. Gravity is responsible for pulling water down the pipes. 

All drains and pipes lead to the main line or the sewer line. The sewer line is responsible for continuing the given flow downward to a particular sewage treatment facility or some septic tank. 

MAINTAINING FORGOTTEN HOUSEHOLD DRAINS

There can be a chance that some drains are forgotten or uncared for around your home. Most of us will be good at cleaning and maintaining the kitchen sink drain and bathroom sink drain because they are the drains that get the most every day use and if one of them is suddenly blocked or starts to smell, you will notice it very quickly because you rely on them so much during the day.

Some of the common drains that are forgotten about include: 

STORMWATER DRAINS

Managing stormwater is a crucial aspect of making sure that your house does not experience external and internal flooding due to sudden downpours. Think about how much water Sydney can receive in one Summer storm – a lot! It all has to go somewhere. Your stormwater drain makes sure that the outdoors of your home do not become flooding zones. 

If you wish to reduce external water damage to the house, roof and gutter areas should be routinely and properly cleared. That way, the downpipes can remain clear of debris and transfer the collected water to the respective stormwater drains through the right downpipes.

Some properties require the presence of grated drainage systems within ground levels for dealing with massive water flows through the ground.

If you wish the stormwater systems to function effectively, you should ensure they are effectively maintained. If you do not maintain the stormwater, gutters, and roof drains, it could lead to major damage.

If your property has blocked drains, the water will not drain away. This will result in water overflow. 

OUTSIDE HOUSEHOLD DRAINS, GUTTERS OR DOWNPIPES

Did you know that one of the major reasons for household water damage in Australia is clogged household gutters and downpipes? Downpipe and household gutter maintenance is a crucial aspect if you wish to preserve the overall foundation of your home’s water flow system. With the absence of regular gutter or downpipe maintenance, gutters can become heavy and clogged with debris, leaves, sticks and organic matter. 

If you wish to ensure top-notch maintenance of the household gutters and downpipes in your home, here are some tips:

• At the start of every season, clear all slits, leaves, and plants from the gutter systems, flat roofs, drainage channels, and hopper heads.
• Observed blocked or clogged downpipes. You can best do it by observing water coming out from any leaky points. During dry weather, you can look for stained brickwork.
• Remove vegetation and plants from downpipes by getting rid of them altogether. 
• Ensure that the gutter junctions remain watertight by observing the same during rainy weather
• Refix the gutters of your home in case they are sloping in the wrong direction or discharging excess water onto the walls.

LAUNDRY DRAINS

Of all the rooms in your home, the household drains of the laundry are the ones that do some serious heavy lifting. The washing machine in every household utilises a significant amount of water in a shorter duration of time. The entire movement of water combined with continuous exposure to chemicals, detergents, lint and residue can end up putting stress on the plumbing hookups of the machine. The given stress can even end up affecting the main plumbing system of the house.

If you regularly use the laundry sink to soak stained clothes or wash your home’s cleaning buckets and mops you may be surprised to see what can get stuck down your laundry drain. 

Here are some tips in which you can maintain the laundry drains and plumbing systems:

• Keep inspecting the hoses to ensure that they are watertight
• Install a proper water shutoff system for preventing excess water leaks
• Clean out the entire drain line 

SHOWER DRAINS

Dealing with a blocked or clogged shower drain can be a mess. It could lead to a host of other problems in your household drains and especially your main drain. If you are dealing with blocked shower drain, here are some pro tips to clean and maintain them: 

• Include mesh drainage screens over your shower drain to prevent shower clogs from hair, soap or other materials. 
• Flush the drains regularly to prevent shower blockages and drain fly infestations
• Ensure that you make use of natural materials or solutions for keeping the shower drains clear

HOUSEHOLD DRAINS NOT OFTEN USED 

Maybe you have a guest room and ensuite that barely gets used or a downstairs bathroom or butlers pantry with a sink that is not used, all of these drains need to be maintained and cleaned regularly. Drain flies love to reside in infrequently used drains so giving a good run of water through the pipes and using cleaning solutions will serve you well. 

In case all your efforts do not work towards maintaining the household drains, you can always hire professional help from experienced plumbers to asses and give you solutions. A professional blocked drain expert will give you advice on how to clear a blocked drain, how to avoid a blocked drain and how to maintain your home’s plumbing system.