While Autumn marks one of the prettiest times of the year, fallen leaves can soon become a nuisance if they block your exterior drain pipes. This can affect both domestic systems and commercial drains, leading to a backup of water, overflowing pipes and flooding where leaf blockages are causing issues.
Luckily, there are some steps you can take to prevent leaves from becoming a drain issue. Here’s everything you need to know.
Can leaves cause drain blockages?
Leaves are one of the most common sights when we’re called out to inspect a blocked drain. During the colder months of the year, it’s one of the riskiest times for leaves accumulating in areas like gulleys, gutters and around drains, clumping together to form a barrier that prevents rainwater from flowing freely. These clumps can harden over time to cause serious blockages, leading to more severe implications like standing water around your property, weakened foundations, damaged landscaping and pest control problems.
How can you check drains for leaf blockages?
Regular drain inspections are key if you want to identify signs of leaf blockages early on. Many of our customers call us to do this after stormy weather or during leaf-heavy seasons. You should also be aware of the signs of drain blockages, such as water pooling around the area. CCTV drain surveys are one of the easiest ways to know exactly what’s blocking your drains.
What’s the best way to stop leaves from getting into your drains?
Preventing leaves from entering your drain system is the best way to avoid issues in the first place. Many households install gutter guards or mesh covers on top of guttering and drains to catch debris and leaves, reducing the risk of blockages. It’s also important to clear visible leaves around your property, especially in the Autumn when windy weather may blow them into your drains. Trimming back branches overhanging spots like gutters can also help.
How are leaves cleared from drains?
There are several solutions on the market for removing leaves from drains, but we would highly recommend drain jetting. This high-pressure water jetting method is one of the most effective for clearing blockages like impacted leaves and other debris from your drainage system. The jetting machines spray the high-pressure water into your drain which breaks apart the offending material, so it can be washed away naturally, flushing leaves out of the system without damaging the pipes.
Are CCTV drain surveys worth it?
CCTV drain surveys are one of the most cost-effective and quickest ways to stay on top of the health of your drains. This expert technology uses small cameras to provide feed from within the entire system without the need to dig or dismantle your drains. They’re especially useful if there are hard-to-see blockages deep within the system. They’re also used to identify precisely where blockages are for targeted solutions while checking whether treatments like jetting have worked.
Got blocked drains? Contact us
The Drain Survey Company offers CCTV drain inspections in London and Essex locations like Cheshunt and Fulham. For a free quote, call now on 020 4538 4399.
