Exterior drains can be quite useful when it comes to property maintenance. They are needed for whenever you need to channel rainwater and prevent water damage to your home. What you need to remember is that these drains will need to be maintained properly.
Like everything else, failure to clean and maintain these exterior drains can lead to problems in the future. This guide will discuss drain cleaning solutions – including for your exterior drain that handles rainwater.
You will learn effective ways to avoid clogged exterior drains. Let’s dive right in and talk more about them.
What causes clogged exterior drains?
Clogged drains can result from several factors. They can range from debris buildup to accumulations of organic matter including leaves and dirt. Blockage can impede water flow leading to pooling around your property – ultimately leading to water damage.
Clogged drain solutions start with understanding the primary causes of these blockages. On top of that, you’ll want to maintain them regularly and take proactive measures. This is to ensure that you reduce the risk of clogs so your exterior drains operate efficiently.
Preventative measures to avoid clogged exterior drains
Let’s take a look now at some of the preventative measures you can take to avoid clogged exterior drains:
Regular inspections
You’ll want to conduct periodic inspections of your exterior drains. Be on the lookout for any signs of debris, leaves, or other obstructions intended to impede water flow. It’s important that you identify and address any potential issues before they get any worse.
Install drain guards
You’ll want to install drain guards or covers in order to keep out larger debris. These can act as filters that will allow water to pass through in the process.
Consider landscaping
Landscaping is one of the best things you can do on your property. Especially on a regular basis. That’s because it can minimize the amount of debris around your drains.
Be sure to trim any trees or bushes that are on your property including those that are near the drainage area.
Clean them regularly
A regular cleaning schedule should be implemented. Simply use a hose of a plumbing snake to clean out any debris that is visible. This is all part of a maintenance plan to help keep materials from accumulating while preventing clogs in the process.
Drain cleaning solutions
Even though preventative measures can be taken, clogs can still happen. That’s why it is important to utilize these effective drain cleaning solutions. Here’s what they are so you know what to do going forward:
Chemical drain cleaners
These are readily available on the market and are designed to break down organic matter that causes clogs. However, chemical drain cleaners need to be used with caution. The reason for this is that some can be harsh on pipes and even the environment.
Be sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions before each use.
DIY drain snaking
A plumbing snake is one of the best tools to use for cleaning clogged drains due to its versatility. You can easily insert the snake into the drain. Once it’s in, rotate it so you are able to break up the clogs and pull out the debris.
It’s one of the most popular, cost-effective, and safest solutions. If you are dealing with minor clogs, this is the best solution that doesn’t require chemicals.
Professional drain snaking services
For severe clogs, it’s best to leave it up to the professionals. Drain snaking services are professional plumbers that have special equipment for such situations. One of them is a motorized drain snake that can clear blockages that your exterior drains may have.
If you want drain cleaning solutions that handle difficult clogs that DIY just won’t do, hiring a professional service like this will be your best option. Not only that, a professional will get the job done without ever having to cause damage to your draining system.
Hydro-jetting
This solution involves a drain cleaning technique with high-pressure water to help break down and flush out clogs that are stubborn. Clogs created by mineral deposits, tree roots, and grease can create quite a mess (not to mention a lot of problems).
Plus, they might not be easy to break up with the snaking method. Which is why a high-pressure solution like hydro-jetting makes a ton of sense. This can be done professionally by those who have this kind of equipment available.
You can also do hydro-jetting yourself, but it will require an air compressor that can produce enough high water pressure to get the job done. However, if you’re hesitant because of potential damage to your drainage system, the professional option is always a good idea.
Any of these four solutions listed above are great for clearing blocked drains. However, it is important to follow the preventative measures we have listed above. As much as we find drain cleaning solutions useful, prevention is always the best cure to clogged drains.
It’s important that you do your part to make sure your property is maintained. You’ll also want to check your external drains on a regular basis. Once a month, you’ll want to clean and maintain your external drains.
If your area has a heavy rainstorm or extremely windy weather conditions, please check your external drain after such weather has moved out of the area. This will ensure that no clogging has occurred or to ensure any proper drainage has been done. The sooner you take care of these external drains, the better.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking to keep your exterior drains in working order, it is important to prevent clogs from happening. However, life tends to get in the way and we forget. So set a schedule to check on them once a month.
If you are experiencing clogs, it’s important to implement one of the few drain cleaning solutions we’ve mentioned above. This will depend on the severity of the clog. We hope this guide has been helpful.