Concrete – a blockage concern for your drains

How concrete blockages can affect your drains

Concrete being poured or spilled down your drains unsurprisingly causes pipe blockages or slow draining plumbing. If the concrete causes an immediate blockage, you’ll benefit from knowing about the problem early on so you can rectify the problem.

However, what is all the more likely to happen is the concrete will stick to the sides of your blocked pipes as it drips down your drains, reducing the diameter of the pipes and therefore affects the flow rate.

On top of this, if the concrete reaches a bend in your pipes, it will settle at the bottom, making it more difficult for water to move past the concrete.

This will cause waste to back up your pipes, potentially leading to pipe blockage and a backflow of wastewater back into your property, emerging either in your sinks, toilets, drains or bath.

Treatment methods

There are a few methods you can use to clear concrete from your drains. Drain jetting, using a powerful jet of water aimed at the concrete, can help reduce small-scale and larger build ups.

Failing that, an acid such as hydrochloric acid can be allowed to sit in the blocked pipes to soften the concrete without damaging the pipes (this will be dependent on the material of your pipes – always check with a professional plumber or drainage team before putting any variety of acid down your drains).

How Express Drainage Solutions tackles cement drainage pipe blockages

Concrete cutting using drain jets can be used in conjunction with CCTV drain inspections to ensure a successful, complete concrete eradication in next to no time, ensuring that your drains are running optimally and capable of handling increased rainfall and day-to-day functioning.

CCTV drain inspections hydrochloric acid