Services
In addition to the usual range of commercial and domestic plumbing repair , maintenance and emergency works we offer the following range of specialised services:
Drain Rodding
This it the most basic technique for clearing blocked drains which entails steel rods being inserted in order to clear the blockage and restore free-flowing conditions.
High Pressure Water Jetting
A hose is inserted into the drain. This fires powerful water jets at up to 5,000 psi. A nozzle at the hose end converts the water into laser cutting jets which strips deposits and scale from pipe walls, flushes out waste and restores the pipe bore to its full flow.
Also used to clear blocked rainwater stacks from roof areas. These frequently become blocked with debris, particularly in the Autumn.
Further use of this equipment is in clearing road gullies and gratings as installed on many commercial and retail sites and which often become inoperative due to silt, etc, build ups within the channels. As well as the general cleaning of car park areas.
This equipment is also used with a lance attachment to provide high-pressure cleaning of walkways, forecourts, entrance areas, etc, which have become hazardous due to build up of natural deposits such as moss, etc. We also use the lance jet to remove the postings by "bill stickers".
Electro-Mechanical Cleaning
This technique is used to thoroughly purge and de-scale waste pipes and drains. An electro-mechanical drain machine with flexible steel cables and cutters is inserted and cuts through debris to restore normal drainage function. This work is often accompanied by acid cleaning of the wastes and drains.
Tanker Jetting
In areas where large amounts of water, silt and sewage have accumulated, such as interceptors, large sewers and culverts, a tanker jetter is used to remove such deposits and transport them to an approved disposal site. A substantial flow of water is used in order to ensure effective clearance and cleaning.
CCTV Surveys
Why is a CCTV survey needed?
With time and use, drains can deteriorate and fracture and ultimately collapse. Deterioration may take several years and is a result of a number of factors such as ground movement, poor construction, tree root penetration. First indications of a problem quite often materialises as frequent and excessive blockages.
Problem detection and solving
In many cases, nothing less than a visual assessment of the drain will provide the answer. The process by which this is attained is by carrying out a CCTV inspection.
A CCTV camera is inserted into the drain via an appropriate access point, such as a manhole. It is then pushed or powered through the pipe. As the camera travels along the pipe the image is relayed to a monitor above ground where the operator will follow its progress and take note of any defects, recording their location within the length of the pipe. A survey report is then produced which lists the type and location of any defects.
This report, together with a diagram and video tape, is submitted to the client along with recommendations for remedial works which may take the form of excavation and replacement or lining works.
CCTV surveys are a cost effective way of detecting problems at their source and help to determine the most practical remedial options.
Planned Maintenance
These are scheduled to meet individual needs and involve regular visits where drainage is thoroughly purged and cleaned using our appropriate specialist equipment.
The nature of the use of many commercial properties is such that scale and debris build-up is inevitable. Deposits of fat from restaurants is just one example of this. Our regular maintenance visits seek to keep waste pipes and drains free-running and problem free by eliminating such deposits before any build up becomes so excessive so as to cause problems.
Another planned maintenance which we perform for a number of our clients is a gutter and downpipe maintenance. Regular visits control the build up of silt and leaves thus preventing any blockages which can cause damage to the fabric of the building and flooding. These visits prove to be of particular benefit in the Autumn.
Other works which we undertake and that are related to the above are the cleaning of channels within grated drainage (ACO) and replacement of gratings. Replacement of manhole covers and surrounding supports, etc. These works are included in planned maintenance programmes but, in addition, are often carried out when clients have identified potential health & safety hazards relating to such installations (ie, trip hazards, corroded and defective manhole covers and gratings).
