We see blocked drains nearly everyday across the Stoke area and know they can be a real pain, here's how we can help.

If you find yourself with a blocked drain, there are a couple of things you can try yourself to move whatever is creating the blockage, such as: -

• Down the drain chemicals followed by hot water, 
• Using a plunger for the toilet  
• Pouring baking soda and salt down the drain followed by hot water will cause a reaction that can help unblock drains.

However we find that these solutions aren’t fully effective, they tend to remove only part of what is blocking your drains which means you are more susceptible to further blockages. Your best option is to get in contact with Metro Rod, who offer a few different solutions to fully unblock a drain.

The following are the top causes of a blocked drain and how you can help prevent future blockages: -

• Wet Wipes - these make up the majority of blockages in homes these days, wet wipes are not able to disintegrate which mean they stay in the pipes collecting dirt and fats which all build up creating a blocked drain over time. The BBC investigation found that even though wet wipes are being sold as flushable across supermarkets and shops in the UK, there aren’t actually any wipes that fully meet the water industry’s disintegration test.
• Fats, Oil and Grease (FOG) - fatbergs are a large clump of fat mainly from cooking which become lodged in your pipes. When oil and grease is poured down the drain they are liquid, but as they cool down they solidify and stick to the walls of your pipes meaning they cant be washed away. So you should always make sure you scrap as much fat off plates and pans before washing them up.
• Cotton wool - cotton wool, cotton bud and similar products expand when in water which means if you flush them down the toilet they will block the pipes, so it is always best to throw them in the bin.
• Food waste - people will often wash food waste down the sink when washing up dishes, however a lot of the time food is porous so will soak up the water this is especially carbs like rice and pasta, which then expand in the pipes and drains and create a blockage. 
• Hair - hair is a huge problem in bathroom drains, while it may not seem like a lot during each shower, hair soon builds up and blocks pipes as it also collects dirt. Shower drain Hair Catchers are great to have in place as they collect the hair and are easy to pull out yourself.

We found that 80% of blocked drains are completely avoidable if you follow the 3 P rule when flushing the toilet - only flush Poo, Pee and (toilet) Paper.

Metro Rod Stoke offers services across Stoke-On-Trent, Stafford, Wolverhampton & Worcester, from dealing with blocked drains, drain repair, CCTV surveys and septic tank maintenance. We believe in simple things and make sure we follow them through; available 24/7, professional, value for money service during and after the job and peace of mind in the fact that all our engineers are highly trained, DBS checked and fully insured.

Talk to your local Metro Rod specialist

We are always happy to arrange a free site assessment and no obligation quotations for any work you might need. Alternatively, you can call our emergency hotline number on 0800 66 88 00

Get in touch Drainage Services