Blocked Drain at an Ashkirk Farmhouse: Years of Hardened Fat Cleared by Drain Jetting
A recent call-out took JD Drain Away to a farmhouse just outside Ashkirk in the Scottish Borders, where the drainage pipework had become completely blocked.
The cause turned out to be a substantial build-up of hardened fat inside the pipework. The blockage had built up to the point where water could no longer flow through the drain properly.
Using high-pressure drain jetting, we were able to break through the blockage and flush large amounts of hardened fat from the pipework, leaving the drain clear and flowing freely again.
Why Does Fat Block Drains?
Fat and grease are common causes of blocked kitchen drains.
You don't need to deliberately pour a pan full of cooking fat down the sink for a problem to develop. Small amounts of grease left on plates, pans and cooking utensils can enter the drainage system during everyday washing up.
Once inside the pipe, the fat cools and begins sticking to the walls. More fat and other debris can then attach to it, gradually reducing the space available for water to flow.
Over time, this build-up can harden and eventually cause a complete blockage, as we found at this farmhouse near Ashkirk.
How High-Pressure Jetting Clears Hardened Fat
For this job, we used high-pressure water jetting to break up the hardened deposits and thoroughly clean the affected pipework.
Rather than simply creating an opening through the middle of the blockage, jetting uses powerful streams of water to dislodge accumulated fat and debris from inside the drain and flush it through the system.
On this particular job, large amounts of hardened fat were jetted out of the completely blocked pipework. Once the drain had been thoroughly cleared, water was able to flow normally again.
Is Your Kitchen Sink Getting Slower to Drain?
One of the most useful lessons from this job is that you don't have to wait for a drain to become completely blocked before calling someone.
A kitchen sink that is becoming progressively slower to drain can be an early warning that fat, grease or other debris is beginning to restrict the pipework.
Having the drain investigated and, where appropriate, professionally jetted at this stage can clear the build-up before you're left with a completely blocked sink or drain.
Some warning signs to look out for include:
Water taking longer than usual to disappear from the sink
Gurgling noises as water drains
Unpleasant smells coming from the plughole
Water beginning to back up
Blockages that disappear but repeatedly return
If you've noticed your kitchen sink gradually getting slower, it's worth dealing with the cause rather than waiting until water stops draining altogether.
Can You Prevent Fat from Blocking Kitchen Drains?
Reducing the amount of fat and grease entering your drains can make a big difference.
Allow cooking fat to cool and dispose of it appropriately rather than pouring it into the sink.
Wiping greasy pans and plates before washing them can also prevent small amounts of fat entering the drainage system every day.
Even with good habits, however, deposits can accumulate over a long period, particularly in older drainage systems.
Blocked Drain or Slow-Draining Sink Around Ashkirk?
JD Drain Away provides drain unblocking and high-pressure drain jetting in Ashkirk and throughout the Scottish Borders.
Whether your drain is already completely blocked or you've simply noticed that your kitchen sink isn't draining as quickly as it used to, getting it checked sooner can prevent a relatively
small restriction from becoming a much bigger problem.
This farmhouse drain was completely blocked with hardened fat, but after thorough high-pressure jetting, the blockage was removed and the drain was left clear and flowing freely again.
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