Drains are no different from most things in life- they need periodic maintenance to keep working properly. We all take them for granted and as long as everything is working well there is nothing to worry about. The enemies of good drainage are grease, silt, hair, slime and just about anything else that you can imagine that shouldn't go down a pipe

Drains are no different from most things in life- they need periodic maintenance to keep working properly. We all take them for granted and as long as everything is working well there is nothing to worry about. The enemies of good drainage are grease, silt, hair, slime and just about anything else that you can imagine that shouldn't go down a pipe

When a drain, or worse still, a sewer is physically damaged, problems naturally follow. Blockages are the usual result and this can be a major problem. The root cause (pardon the pun) can be something as simple as tree, shrub or other plant roots. Make sure when planting trees in particular that you plant them well away from the run of the drainage system. Don't know where that is? Call in an expert

Drains and sewers in the past were made from iron and other metals that corrode. Obviously, over time they will corrode and the result is often that the drain collapses in on itself. A sign to watch out for is the slowing down and reduced efficiency of the drain. If this happens, you have a problem on the way and need to act quickly

Prevention is usually better that cure. Preventing blockages in the first place is clearly better than having to deal with a problem. Make sure that long hair is not allowed to go down the plug- I know it's not nice, but it's better than having a blocked, smelly drain to deal with. Grease or fat from cooking, stray vegetables, particularly peas, and other foods are all better off being composted, rather than put down the drain

Buying a set of drainage rods from a DIY store and then blasting away at the problem may be an answer. Hold on tiger! More damage can be caused to the drains if you aren't very careful. Clearly prevention in the first place is a good thing but not all drainage problems are preventable. Tricky things, drains, hiding underneath the ground as they do

Jetting (using water under high pressure) can be used to unblock some drains. This is a job best left to the professionals. Please avoid the temptation to have a go at this with the pressure washer- you could seriously harm yourself as well as damaging the drains. Please call in someone professional- it will save money in the long run