Bristol Drain Doctor pulls out all the stops for auction day

It was a race against time for Frank Cole, Bob Munro and the team from Drain Doctor Bristol to unblock a drain in an empty shop. The team was called in by Nailsea based estate agents and letting company Hunter Leahy to unblock flooded drains at a shop that was shortly due to be auctioned.

The drains, which were shared by the shop, the flat above it and an adjoining property, had become blocked and the shop had flooded. Drain Doctortechnician Bob Munro called in a tanker to empty the drains and

A CCTV camera survey is essential to detect the source of blocked drain problems

clear the flood but the drains filled up again immediately.

After checking the drains using Wincan CCTV equipment Bob found that the drain had collapsed. It was obvious that they had a serious problem. Bob had to trace the pipe through a wall and then dig up the floor to repair the drains and clear the blockage. It required some serious jetting and a late night to complete.

Bob and the team had to repair the pipe, make good the floor and the wall and re-plaster and paint it. But they were up against the clock as the shop was due to be auctioned in an upcoming sale.

From the moment the spade hit the floor Bob pulled out all the stops to get the job done. He managed to finish everything in just 24 hours so that the owner of the property was able to auction it.

Hunter Leahy’s property manager said: “Drain Doctor does an excellent job and we are very pleased with the work that they do for us on a number of properties that we manage.

“They are reliable and their response times are quick – sometimes arriving on a call within the hour. We have used them several times. They are easy to deal with and they always do what they say they will do. If they say they will arrive 8 o’clock then they are there at 8 o’clock.

“In this particular case they were quick, neat and very clean and tidy.”

Keep scratching for top prize in Drain Doctor card competition

Since its launch earlier this year, there have been plenty of winners in Drain Doctor’s scratch card contest who claimed their prizes.

However, we want our customers to keep on playing because there are still big prizes up for grabs.

Each Drain Doctor franchise has been busy giving away scratch cards to their customers. The prizes on offer include free home checks, CCTV drain surveys and bottles of enzyme cleaner.

There are also two 40-inch flat screen TVs still to be won.

Lots of lucky Drain Doctor customers have already had the benefit of a free home check or CCTV inspection. But two lucky customers somewhere in theUKstill stand the chance of winning a TV.

Keep handing out those cards because who knows, the winner could be in your area. That will give you a great chance for a bit of free PR.

Avoid blocked drain nightmares this Halloween

Avoid blocked drain nightmares at Halloween. Don't throw pumpkin innards down the drain.

As the nights draw in and we get ready to set the clocks back, Drain Doctor Plumbing team would like to warn householders about a scary problem that can affect the UK’s sinks and drains at this time of year. 

Halloween, ‘trick or treat‘ and pumpkin lanterns are becoming increasingly popular in the UK at the end of October. 

Along with the pumpkin carving comes the problem of what to do with the sticky waste from inside the vegetables. When pumpkin pulp goes down the kitchen sink drain, the orange flesh hardens and sticks to the pipes, leading to clogged drains. 

The trick to keeping pumpkin pulp and seeds from turning Halloween into a plumbing nightmare is as easy as pie. Instead of carving your jack-o’-lantern over the kitchen sink, try doing it on a pile of newspaper on the counter or kitchen table. You need to be careful when removing and disposing of the pumpkin’s sticky insides. 

Keep the paper well away from the sink. Carefully wrap the pulp and then either bin it or – better still – put it in the compost heap. And instead of throwing away the seeds, Halloween revellers can plant some for next year’s crop of Halloween pumpkins. The seeds can also be roasted for a tasty and nutritious seasonal snack. 

Drain Doctor is available on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Its services include all plumbing and drainage repairs, CCTV drain surveys, drain lining and replacement. Customers get fixed-price, no obligation quotes, a complete guarantee on all work, and a full 24 hour per day seven day per week service with no call out charges – so people pay the same price for work at any time of day or night, with no scary Halloween bills! 

If you experience a blockage call Drain Doctor on 0800 3357 999

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The transfer of private sewers and lateral drains

As of 1 October 2011 the ten water and sewerage companies in England and Wales automatically became responsible for privately owned sewers and lateral drains located outside property owners’ boundaries. These pipes were previously the responsibility of the owners of the properties they are connected to. 

The idea behind this government initiative is to relieve property owners of responsibility for repair and maintenance from property owners, who can face unexpected and potentially expensive bills or complex ownership issues when problems occur with these pipes. 

However, it’s important to remember that property owners still retain the ownership and therefore the responsibility of the drain serving their property that is located within their boundary. 

What is a private sewer?

A sewer is a pipe that carries waste water from more than one property. Sewers often run along several properties or towards the road. Most are owned and cared for by the local water company. 

Some groups of properties are connected to private sewers. Before 1 October 2011 these sewers were the responsibility of the owners or occupiers of the properties connected to them. The water and sewerage companies are now responsible for maintaining these. 

What is a lateral drain?

A drain is a pipe that carries waste water away from a single property. Drains belong to the owner of the property they are connected to. A drain is the property owner’s responsibility until it connects to either someone else’s drain or a sewer. Nearly every property is connected to its own private drains. The property owner is responsible for their repair and maintenance. However, some properties – such as apartment blocks – have shared drains. Owners of these properties are jointly responsible for their drains. 

A lateral drain is the part of a drain which lies outside the property boundary. In some cases these can be located under someone else’s land or a road. Before 1 October 2011 lateral drains were the responsibility of the individual property owner they serve. 

On 1 October 2011 private sewers and lateral drains were automatically transferred to the water and sewerage companies. The local water and sewerage company is now responsible for the maintenance and repairs to these pipes.

Related articles

• Who owns the drains? (cllrtward.wordpress.com)

Drain Doctor’s tips to avoid holiday horrors this winter

Keep drains in tip-top condition to avoid emergency call outs this winter

The ‘Indian Summer’ is well and truly over. Autumn weather has set in and the clocks are due to be turned back in just a few weeks. Winter is just around the corner so you might be looking forward to long Sunday lunches and Christmas. But it is easy to forget how dependent we are on our plumbing systems so now is the right time to put a bit of effort into preparing for the winter months to ensure they are in tip-top working order. Don’t let plumbing failures spoil your enjoyment of the season. This is particularly important if you are expecting to host family or friends over Christmas. 

Kitchens, toilets, showers and baths will work a lot harder during these periods than at other times throughout the year so you have to be prepared to avoid having to call a drain cleaning expert. If you are unfortunate enough to need a drain unblocker like Drain Doctor remember that there will be no call out charges, even over bank holidays. 

In the kitchen, avoid throwing cooking fats and oils down the drain. The cold will make them set even faster. In winter a clog could be very inconvenient to deal with, even for the most experienced emergency plumbers. Pour fat into an old drink carton and put it in the bin. 

To keep drains clear and flowing to avoid a call-out it is a good idea to run some cold water down the drain before and after using it to ensure any small particles stuck to the sides of the pipes are washed away. In order to avoid any uncomfortable moments try to do the washing up when none of your guests are using the shower. 

Showers should be spread out around 15 minutes apart. Avoid family and guests taking showers one after another in order to maximise your boiler’s efficiency. You can also turn the water temperature up to ensure everyone has a nice warm shower.

 When the family is over safety comes first. Have your boiler checked. Fit smoke and carbon monoxide detectors for some peace of mind. Test these regularly and keep spare batteries to hand. If something should go wrong you will have time to react. 

Finally, ensure that your pipes are properly prepared for the winter. Frozen pipes can burst and lead to severe damage. Always know where your water main is so that you can turn it off in an emergency. Drain all of your garden hoses and lag all of the exposed pipes around your house. These simple steps can not only help make your home more energy-efficient, which will save you some money in the process, but they will also help to prevent any major damage as a result of the winter.