How to prevent blocked drains
It's really important to keep the drains in and around your home clear, so that water can flow freely. A blocked drain can be an unpleasant thing to deal with, so prevention is better than cure.
We also want to remind customers that you may be liable for costs where blockages are caused. As an NCHA customer, blocked sinks, baths and hand basins are your responsibility.
Tips to help prevent blocked drains:
- Don't pour grease or fat down your sink – it can stick to the inside of pipes, building up over time and causing a blockage
- Clear hair from bathroom sinks and plugholes
- Don't flush anything but paper down your toilet – sanitary products and nappies should go in the bin
- Sweep up falling leaves as soon as possible, so that they don't end up blocking a drain
- Keep an eye on trees – are their roots growing too close to a drain? You might need to take action if so, as tree roots could crack a pipe.
Saving water
If you're on a water meter, it pays to reduce how much water you use. Even if you're not, saving water helps the environment as less water needs to go through the treatment process (which involves lots of chemicals).
There are some easy changes you can make to how much water you use. Having a five-minute shower instead of a bath, for example, will mean you use 35 litres of water instead of 80.
Top tips:
- When cleaning your teeth, don’t leave the tap running
- Dripping taps are water running down the drain – please get them fixed
- Only wash full loads in the washing machine
- Put a water displacement device (sometimes called a 'hippo') in the cistern of a higher flush toilet – you will reduce the amount of water used for each flush, typically by one or two litres. Most water companies provide free devices for their customers.
To see how much water you could save visit the Energy Saving Trust website.
If you need extra support, please contact us using our online form or call 0800 013 8555.
