SMALLBORE PIPEWORK SEPTIC TANKS / CESS PITS GREASE TRAPS INTERCEPTORS COUNCIL MAIN GULLIES
GUTTERS AND DOWNPIPES These are the main parts of your drainage system. There are two lines; the foul line and surface line. The foul line carries foul waste to the sewer. Your surface line carries storm water to rivers, lakes and ponds. PETROL INTERCEPTORS Let me talk you through your drainage system.
GUTTERS AND DOWNPIPES A GUTTER BLOCKED WITH LEAVES AND DIRT. GUTTERS AND DOWNPIPES. A GUTTER AFTER IT HAS BEEN CLEARED. A GUTTER A PITCHED ROOF WITH AN INTERNAL DOWN PIPE.
WHAT ARE THEY? Gutters and downpipes carry the rain water from your roof into the main line and then on to the main drainage system. They can be found externally along the edge of the roof and down the side of your building. There are different varieties of gutters and downpipes. If you have a pitched roof then you may have what is known as a valley. This works in the same way as a gutter but it cannot be seen from the ground. If you have a flat roof the storm water will flow into an outlet and down into a downpipe. This will then carry the storm water on to the main drainage system. DO YOUR GUTTERS AND DOWNPIPES NEED TO BE CLEARED? Yes. You would be surprised what blocks your gutters and downpipes. Leaves, moss, bird s nests, litter and even footballs and tennis balls prevent the flow of the rain water off your roof. If they are not regularly cleared out it will result in a build up of water on your roof, causing it to weaken and lead to leaks of storm water into your premises. WHERE DOES YOUR STORM WATER GO?
GULLIES A SPLIT CHANNEL BLOCKED WITH LITTER, SILT AND LEAVES. A SPLIT CHANNEL AFTER IT HAS BEEN CLEARED A ROAD GULLY BLOCKED WITH MUD AND SILT. A FLOODED ROAD CAUSED BY A BLOCKED GULLY. A ROAD GULLY AFTER IT HAS BEEN CLEARED.
WHAT ARE THEY? Road gullies catch the storm water from large surface areas such as car parks, roads and playgrounds. You may also have what is known as split channelling. These work in the same way that gullies do and run along the length of large surface areas. They prevent the roads and car parks from becoming flooded. The rain water flows into the gullies and split channelling which then hold litter, silt, and leaves etc to prevent them from joining the main drainage line. DO YOUR GULLIES AND SPLIT CHANNELS NEED EMPTYING? Yes. Gullies and split channels can become blocked by litter, silt and leaves if they are not regularly cleaned out. Your large outdoor surface areas will then flood, as the storm water has nowhere to drain into. WHERE DOES YOUR FOUL WASTE GO?
SMALLBORE PIPEWORK A STACKPIPE BLOCKED WITH URIC ACID AND FOUL WASTE. THE STACKPIPE AFTER IT HAS BEEN CLEARED. SMALLBORE PIPE WORK BLOCKED WITH URIC ACID. THE SMALLBORE PIPEWORK CARRYING THE WASTE FROM THE URINALS. SMALLBORE PIPEWORK AFTER IT HAS BEEN CLEANED.
WHAT ARE THEY? Smallbore pipes transport waste water from internal facilities such as toilets, basins, urinals, showers, washing machines and dishwashers. The waste water is carried by the Smallbore pipe work to a central stack pipe which then carries it to the main council line. DOES YOUR SMALLBORE PIPEWORK AND STACK PIPE NEED TO BE CLEANED? Yes. The pipework needs to be regularly cleaned as the pipes can become furred up and blocked with food, sanitary products, tissue, uric acid, hair, grease, fats and soaps etc. Blockages will prevent the flow of the foul water through the pipework and the stack pipe. The blockage will then lead to a back up of foul water in your pipes and will cause foul sewage to spill from your toilets, basins and sinks. WHAT PREVENTS YOUR FOUL AND INTERCEPTOR WASTE JOINING THE MAIN SEWER LINE?
INTERCEPTORS PETROL INTERCEPTORS A PETROL INTERCEPTOR IN THE PROCESS OF BEING CLEANED OUT. AFTER THE PETROL INTERCEPTOR HAS BEEN CLEARED. THE FIRST STAGE OF THE INTERCEPTOR. THE RESIDUE/PETROL BEGINS TO COLLECT IN THE CHAMBER AND THEN MOVES ON INTO THE SECOND CHAMBER. THE SECOND STAGE OF THE INTERCEPTOR. ADDITIONAL RESIDUE/PETROL SETTLES IN THE CHAMBER. THE LAST STAGE OF THE INTERCEPTOR. THE RESIDUE/PETROL STAYS IN THE CHAMBER AND THE WATER MOVES ON INTO THE MAIN LINE.
WHAT ARE THEY? An interceptor does exactly what the name suggests; it intercepts the impurities in the foul or surface water system before it joins the main line. There are two main types of interceptor: An interceptor on a foul line helps prevent any undesirables from entering the drainage system and prevents a foul smell from escaping into your premises. An interceptor on a surface line catches silt and solids and separates the residue/petrol from the surface water. It holds it in the chamber to prevent it from joining the main line ensuring an environmentally friendly drainage system. DO YOUR INTERCEPTORS NEED TO BE EMPTIED? Yes. Your interceptors will fill up with petrol, silt and general waste and will become blocked. This could lead to the residue/petrol joining the main line and polluting the environment as the line eventually leads to ponds, rivers and lakes. DO YOU PREPARE FOOD ON YOUR PREMISES?
WHAT ARE THEY? If you operate a building with a canteen facility using a fully functional kitchen you should have a grease trap installed. A GREASE TRAP FULL OF FAT AND GREASE. As the name suggests it traps the grease that is produced during food preparation preventing it entering the drainage system. GREASE TRAPS A GREASE TRAP IN THE PROCESS OF BEING EMPTIED. THE GREASE TRAP IS NOW EMPTY AND CLEAN. DO YOU NEED TO HAVE YOUR GREASE TRAP EMPTIED? Yes. If it is not regularly cleaned out it will block and will lead to a back up of grease, fat and waste water in your kitchen drainage system. This will possibly lead to your kitchen closing. This will lead to flooding in your kitchen; it will cause grease to escape into your main drainage system and will cause many more problems further down your system. IS YOUR DRAINAGE SYSTEM PART OF THE COUNCIL LINE?
SEPTIC TANKS and CESSPITS WHAT ARE THEY? Is your drainage system linked to the main council foul line? If you are not you will either have a cesspit or a septic tank. A FULL CESSPIT THAT NEEDS TO BE EMPTIED THE SEPTIC TANK HOLDS RAW SEWAGE They both hold all the liquid waste (including sinks, baths, showers, toilets etc) from your property. A cesspit is a sealed tank which holds the waste and needs to be emptied on a frequent basis to avoid problems. A septic tank works in a similar way but is linked via a soakaway. Bacteria begins to break down the waste forming layers, with sludge falling to the bottom and partially treated wastewater gradually discharging into the soil via a soakaway. DOES YOUR CESSPIT AND SEPTIC TANK NEED EMPTYING? Yes. Your cesspit will need emptying regularly how often depends on the size of your premises and volume of waste. Check the level regularly. Your septic tank should have the sludge removed periodically to avoid problems. SEPTIC TANKS / CESSPITS COUNCIL MAIN WHAT CONNECTS IT ALL?
WHAT ARE THEY? Lines are the pipe work that links all of the different parts of your drainage system. PIPE WORK THAT IS COMPLETELY BLOCKED WITH LIME-SCALE. Your lines carry the foul waste and surface water to the main council line. TREE ROOTS GROWING IN A PIPE. A LINE BLOCKED WITH FOUL WASTE AND GREASE. DO YOUR LINES NEED TO BE CLEARED? Yes. Your lines will become blocked by litter, silt, lime-scale and roots. If your lines are not cleared it will cause blockages and will affect the other parts of your drainage system. This will lead to flooding and leaks of foul waste from your toilets and sinks. Subsequently, your toilets and other facilities will be forced to close. AFTER THE LINE HAS BEEN JETTED AND UNBLOCKED
WHY SHOULD YOU HAVE REGULAR MAINTENANCE ON YOUR DRAINS? Regular maintenance will help to protect your premises against blockages, damage and leaks that will have disastrous, inconvenient and costly consequences for your business. Think of your drainage system in the same way as you do your teeth or your car. You have regular check ups at the dentist, to prevent any decay build up on your teeth and regular MOT s on your car, to prevent your car breaking down. If you do not have regular visits it will result in unexpected costly treatment or repairs. In the same way, you should have regular maintenance on your drainage system to avoid unexpected blockages, leaks and floods that could come at the worst time for you. YOUR DRAINS ARE OUT OF SIGHT BUT SHOULD NOT BE OUT OF MIND...
We hope this booklet about your drainage system has been informative and useful for you. If you do require any further explanation and would like to book in regular maintenance please do not hesitate to contact us at Clear Drains. Please call us on 08700 600 995 or visit our website www.cleardrains.co.uk for more information. We can provide you with a free quotation, with no obligation to buy, for any maintenance work that you wish us to carry out. Clear Drains (UK) Ltd Beaconsfield House, Fieldhouse Lane, Marlow, Bucks SL7 1LW Tel: 08700 600995 Fax: 01628 890434 www.cleardrains.co.uk