The importance of maintaining a good drainage system

While you may not ever think about your drainage system when it’s working properly, you’ll certainly notice it when something’s wrong. An improperly maintained drainage system can cause a plethora of problems, including: water accumulation, flooding, damp, mould, pipe blockages, pest outbreaks, and diseases. 

All drainage systems can degrade over time if they’re not regularly cleaned, maintained and repaired when necessary, leading to all of the problems listed above. Still not convinced? Keep reading to discover the importance of maintaining a good drainage system and some simple drainage maintenance tips for commercial and domestic properties. 

1. Preventing water accumulation

A working drainage system will allow water to flow freely through it, reducing the risk of water accumulation and flooding. However, if your drainage system is not regularly cleaned and repaired, substances such as grease, hair, concrete, and natural debris like leaves and stones can build up in the pipes and slow down the progress of the water. This is even more likely if there are cracks in the pipework, as this will allow the ingress of debris. If this issue gets worse, water won’t be able to drain away and will accumulate around drain openings instead.

For commercial and industrial properties, there’s an even greater risk of water accumulation because there’s more stress on the pipes due to large numbers of staff and customers. In businesses such as restaurants, a lot of grease, fat and food waste can go down drains each day, which can clog up the pipes or even create enormous ‘fatbergs’ in the sewer system. On building sites, concrete can easily get into the pipes and stick to the insides, which will decrease the diameter of the pipe and therefore slow down water drainage and increase the risk of water accumulation.

If this water accumulation occurs within a building, it can cause damage to fixtures, furniture and flooring whilst also creating an unsightly mess, which could be catastrophic for customer-facing businesses. If accumulation and flooding occur outside the building, then puddles will form all around the property and the stagnant water will attract insects. This will negatively impact the appearance of the property, whether domestic or commercial, whilst also creating a health hazard due to the greater risk of slips and falls.

CCTV drainage surveys

The best way to maintain your drainage system and prevent water accumulation is to arrange regular CCTV drainage surveys with a facilities management company. During this survey, experts will insert a high-tech CCTV camera into your pipes to assess their condition. Your drainage engineer may spot issues such as cracks in the pipes, which could explain why debris has accumulated there, or they may spot issues such as corrosion and build-up, which would also explain why your property is experiencing water accumulation. Make sure to schedule these inspections regularly to spot the signs of drain damage before they escalate.

2. Preventing soil erosion

Water accumulation won’t just impact the interior of your domestic or commercial property. If stagnant pools of water are left alone, soil erosion will occur outdoors due to the soil becoming permanently saturated. Not only will this damage the external appearance of the property and repel customers, but it will also make it much harder for you to perform outdoor and garden maintenance. If you have grass outside your property, cutting this wet grass can ruin garden equipment and also compromise the health of the lawn.

If you don’t want to erode your soil and damage plants, it’s important that you tackle drainage issues as soon as you notice stagnant pools near your drains. Better yet, you should schedule regular drainage maintenance, such as CCTV inspections and cleanings, to prevent water accumulation before it starts.

3. Preventing clogs

In more serious cases, regular build-up in your drainage system can form large clumps that clog up your pipes, leading to potential floods. Due to the presence of dirty water and sewage in the drains, a flood or backflow could be a serious health hazard.

As mentioned earlier, these risks are magnified in commercial and industrial properties. For example, if concrete gathers in the bend of a pipe on a building site, this will lead to a concrete blockage that causes wastewater to back up the drainage system. In other businesses, the sheer amount of debris that enters the drainage system each day could easily cause blockages, especially if you’re dealing with substances like fat from cooking. 

The age of your drainage system will also have a huge impact on clogs and water accumulation. As steel and cast iron pipework ages, a thick layer of rust ‘tubercules’ will form on the inside – this process is known as ‘tuberculation’. Over time, tuberculation will reduce the diameter of the pipes and therefore slow down water flow, increasing the risk of water accumulation. Eventually, these tubercules can cause clogs and backflows, or the corrosion could worsen and cause cracks or a collapse. Regular drainage inspections by professionals are essential if you want to spot the early signs of corrosion, tuberculation and blockages.

Commercial drain cleaning

Ideally, blockages won’t be an issue because you’ll arrange regular CCTV drainage surveys to identify and tackle drain build-up in the early stages. However, in the event of an emergency, such as flooding or a fully blocked pipe, you’ll need immediate drain unblocking services. Facilities management companies use high-pressure water jetting systems (HPWJs) to cut through blockages and clean out your drainage system. These highly pressurised jets of water can cut through metal, making them ideal for removing even the most stubborn blockages. However, due to the danger involved, it’s essential that this type of commercial drain cleaning is only carried out by professionals.

HPWJs can also be used to clean out industrial tanks. These tanks often carry harmful substances such as waste and acids, which is why they must be cleaned regularly to avoid wear and tear and potential flooding. Again, only professionals should carry out this cleaning due to the risk involved, especially if someone has to get inside the tank to fully remove all traces of blockages and harmful substances.

4. Preventing slow drains

Although slow drains may not seem like a pressing issue compared to floods and water accumulation, they can still be very annoying and a sign of further issues to come. Slow drains are caused by a build-up of debris, grease and soap scum in your drainage system, so regular drain cleaning can keep everything functioning as normal.

For domestic properties or less complex commercial drainage systems, all you need to do is use drain cleaner whenever you notice slow-draining water. Simply pour the cleaner down the drain, wait half an hour and then wash everything down with hot water to get rid of any residue. For larger commercial properties and industrial properties, you should hire a facilities management company to perform regular inspections, maintenance, cleaning and specialised drain blockage removals.

5. Reducing foul smells and pests

One of the biggest health risks of water accumulation and flooding is the influx of pests, including rodents and insects. These pests can carry diseases and pose a serious risk to all people on the premises.

Stagnant water will also develop a foul smell over time, which is caused by debris in the water and drain system starting to decay and form mould. These conditions are ideal for the growth of harmful bacteria like Legionella, which thrive in stagnant water and can easily grow in poorly maintained or irregularly used drainage systems on commercial properties. When water droplets containing Legionella bacteria are inhaled, this can cause a serious lung infection called Legionnaires’ disease. 

Legionnaires’ disease can be fatal for people over 50, current and former smokers, people with chronic lung conditions and those with weakened immune systems. Therefore, businesses have a duty of care to minimise the risk of Legionella outbreaks by maintaining their drain systems and arranging regular water hygiene risk assessments with professionals. These assessments determine the risk of bacterial growth in commercial drainage systems and also other water-based risks like scalding.

In addition to these health risks, foul-smelling stagnant water will create a very negative first impression for anyone who visits the property or business, and if you were hoping to sell it, you would either struggle to complete the sale or make a lot less money than you hoped. Regular inspection, cleaning and maintenance of your drainage system is the best way to tackle this issue and keep everyone on the property safe. And, if you’re hoping to sell your property or business, it’s important to handle maintenance issues first to maximise the sale price.

6. Drain maintenance tips

To maintain a building’s drainage system properly, you need to hire professionals to perform a thorough inspection of all of the pipes. They’ll be able to clean the system with high-pressure water jets, perform routine drain maintenance and identify any issues that need greater attention, such as corrosion or cracks. If you rely on the services of a facilities management company, they should arrange regular drain maintenance for you. 

In the meantime, here are some simple ways you can keep your drainage system working properly and reduce the risk of blockages:

• Only put toilet paper in toilets – paper towels, sanitary products and wet wipes will not break down in the water and can cause blockages in the system. People are often less careful about flushing items down the toilet when visiting commercial properties, so make sure you put up signs in your customer toilets to remind people what should and shouldn’t be flushed.
• Don’t pour oil, fat or grease down drains, as they will solidify and create clogs. This is a particular issue in restaurants, which is why UK law stipulates that all businesses producing hot food commercially must have fit-for-purpose grease traps or separators installed to manage food waste. Restaurant owners should also schedule regular CCTV drain surveys to ensure that fatbergs aren’t forming in the drainage system. If a fatberg grows in the sewers, this can have a disastrous impact on all other businesses and homes in the area.
• Use drain covers to prevent debris such as hair and grease from entering the drainage system. Restaurant owners should install suitable grease traps to maintain their drainage systems. These grease traps should be cleaned professionally every few months to prevent build-up and dispose of food waste properly. 

Most importantly, you need to arrange regular drain maintenance with Thermatic Technical FM. Our team can deliver planned maintenance and reactive response across the country, 24/7. Contact us today to discuss our services and arrange a visit.