How to Become A Qualified Drain Expert

Becoming a drain expert can certainly lead to a lucrative career. It’s also a very rewarding profession and is an expanding industry. Drainage experts typically specialise in water drainage systems, working to ensure that water, sewage and other materials can flow between drain networks as efficiently as possible yet, some of you may be wondering how to get started within the industry in the first place. As such we have detailed:

• What skills do I need to become a drain expert?
• Do I need drainage certificates?
• What equipment do I need
• Final Point

What Skills do I Need to Become A Drain Expert?

To become an efficient drainage expert, you will need a wide range of necessary skills in order to excel and thrive within the drain cleaning industry which we have detailed below:

• Communication 

The first skill you will need to become a drain expert is to possess strong communication skills. You will need to be capable of assessing any given situation and talk with your client about the problem and the solution you plan to take. Not to mention, if you are working with other colleagues, having strong communication skills will mean you can complete the job at hand quicker and to a professional standard by conferring with your fellow workers. Remember, communication is key.

• Practicality  

The next skill you will need is to be practical. When drainage systems fail, there could be a variety of causes behind the issue, which can include blockages (see our blog of 5 things you need to stop putting down drains to have an idea of what substances you could be dealing with) or burst pipes. Ultimately, it is down to you to fix the problem no matter how obscure the cause is so by being practical, it will help you be better prepared when trying to solve the issue. 

• Flexible

You’ll also need to adapt and be flexible as you’ll be working with a wide range of different tools and situations to fix drain problems. Of course, like with any job, circumstances change all the time so having the flexibility, like being able to be called in for emergency work, will definitely put you in good stead to be employed and thrive within the drain cleaning industry.

Do I Need Drainage Certificates?

Although there are no required formal drainage qualifications required when deciding to pursue a career as a drain expert, there are some qualifications that employers sometimes look for. For example, an ‘NVQ Level 2 in Plumbing and Heating’ course is desired as this will give candidates a head start in understanding plumbing networks and the potential problems that are associated with them.

Drain experts may also need to perform a CCTV pipe inspection, or a CCTV drain survey while on duty. To gain experience using CCTV, you can enrol on a ‘National Association of Drainage Contractors’ (NADC) approved course. This training will teach you about drain designs, common problems and the solutions while using appropriate CCTV methods. 

Experience of water jetting is something drain cleaning candidates should have previous exposure with and by obtaining a high-pressure water jetting certificate, it will no doubt stand you in good stead for a role in the drain cleaning profession. To acquire water jetting drainage qualifications, you can enrol on a ‘Water Jetting Safety Awareness’ and ‘Drain & Sewer Cleaning’ training course. This is usually a 2 day training course and covers the following modules/practices: 

• The WJA Safety Awareness and WJA Drain & Sewer Module
• Identification of potential hazards
• Setting up equipment with regard to the safety of operators, other staff and the public
• Hands on experience using equipment effectively and safely
• Nozzle selection with regards to the correct application
• Precautions to be taken when using a mains water supply
• How to identify and set up a safe system of work when water jetting
• Selection of the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Knowledge of the Code of Practice as published by the Water Jetting Association

At the end of the course, you will receive a WJA Certificate and photo ID card that is City & Guilds Accredited.

Finally, it is essential that you have a full and clean UK driving licence as you will be expected to take travel to onsite jobs within the local area or up and down the country depending on the company you are employed too. 

What Equipment do I Need? 

More often than not, the company you are employed to will give you the necessary equipment you need in order to perform your job efficiently. A short summary of the types of equipment you will likely use are:

• Computers and CCTV equipment to conduct full drainage surveys  
• Flexible drain rods to clear deep blockages 
• Drain snakes, drain augers or drain plungers to loosen debris 
• High-pressure water to help remove unwanted blockages 
• Chemical substances to dissolve debris

Final Point

As we have mentioned, becoming a qualified drainage expert can be an incredibly worthwhile and rewarding job. Here at Draincall, we highly recommend that you obtain all the necessary drainage certificates and qualifications if you want the best chance of standing out as a potential candidate for future drain cleaning companies looking to hire workers. Finally, if you are in need of any information regarding drain cleaning services, give us a call on 08000 157 823 or email us at office@draincall.co.uk where our friendly and highly knowledgeable team will get back to you.