What Drain Cleaning Equipment Is Used To Clean Drains?
Cleaning your drains is no easy task. That is why here at Draincall, we pride ourselves on excellent reputation within the counties we serve and display a professional service when cleaning your drains. The drainage industry is exceptionally specialised and that is because it takes a thorough understanding of some of the most advanced drain cleaning equipment to install, clean and uphold a series of pipes and drains. in hindsight, drain cleaning seems like a challenging job and people often neglect what sort of specialised drain cleaning equipment is used to make it easier for our drain engineers to operate.
That is why within this blog, we will provide you with the different types of drain cleaning equipment and their primary uses to conduct our drain cleaning services effectively.
Types Of Specialised Drain Cleaning Equipment:
- High Pressure Jetting Machines
High pressure jetting machines (also known as hydro jet cleaning machines) are probably the most common form of drain cleaning equipment. The way the machines work is by the jetter containing a tank of water, a hose, a nozzle and a device that pressurizes the water in the nozzle so it can shoot out when released. It is widely used by drainage engineers to clean blocked drains. High pressure jetting machines are very successful because of their influential blasting effects to clear blocked drains. To summarise, the jetting machine consists of:
- An electric motor
- Bare pump
- A pressure regulating valve
- A starter
- Pressure gauge
- Safety valve
Other miscellaneous accessories consist of delivery hoses, suction hoses, various nozzles, flexible lance and rigid lances.
- Root Cutting Machines
Root cutting machines are effective in cleaning drains. These machines release water at high pressures in order to cut tree roots as well as other material that has caused damage to the pipes. The way these machines work is by attaching a blade to a drain cleaning cable, feeding the cable down the drain line and then retrieving it by the operator who removes roots from the blade. This process is repeated multiple times until the pipe is clear and is the more ideal practice for smaller, residential sewer lines with smaller cleanouts.
- Lateral Cutter
Another commonly used equipment to clear blocked drains is the lateral cutter. This equipment is used to cut away solid material such as concrete. It comes with unique features such as different variable speed controls, as well as a cutting head that is useful in removing durable material from the blocked pipes. What’s handy about lateral cutters is that they can come with a camera that allows the drain engineers to identify the material that is blocking the drain so that they can clearly see what is obstructing the flow of the pipes.
- Plungers
Plunging a drain uses the forces of suction and compression. When you pull up on a plunger, it pulls water in the drain upward, beginning the process of loosening the clog. When you push down on the plunger, water is forced downward, moving the clog in the other direction. After a few up-and-down strokes, the clog will begin to loosen so the water in the drain can carry it down through the drain system.
- Drain Rods
Using a drain rod requires attaching enough rods together to reach the entire depth of the drain. The rod is meant to be moved around to loosen the debris causing a blockage to get the water to start flowing smoothly again. Once a drain has been unlocked with a rod, the debris can be removed with drain jetting.
- Drain Tracing
Drain tracing is an incredibly useful process and nifty piece of drain cleaning equipment. A transmitter is attached to the head of a CCTV camera and is placed in the drain in the direction it is required to go. The transmitter sends a ‘sonar pulse’ out and the drain and engineer follows it above ground using a receiver. Electrical pulses are transmitted into the ground which allows engineers to map out the depth, directional flow, and locate hidden objects such as buried manholes and collapsed pipes within a drainage system. Drain tracing is useful as well for if drainage plans have been lost, or never created in the first place.
After a few moments of mapping out the area, the drainage engineer adjusts the receiver so that there is a minimal signal. At this point, they will be directly over the top of the transmitter. The receiver will give the exact location of the drain blockages so that the engineers can quickly get to work.
- Gully Grabs
A gully grab consists of a long pole with a hinged scoop on the end. The scoop can be manipulated at the handle end. The gully grab is used to reach into external drains and scoop out blockages and obstructions like leaves and stones.
We hope we have enlightened you with the knowledge of specialised drain cleaning equipment that is utlised to clean your drains. Here at Drain Call, our drain engineering experts possess over 40 years of experience, have undergone CITB Health and Safety Awareness training and have all been DBS checked. Whatever your drain cleaning query, you can rely on us to get your property free-flowing again.
If you wish to have a drain cleaned, call us on:
- 01462 685 384 (24/7 Emergency only)
- 08000 157 823 (general enquiry)
- Email: office@draincall.co.uk
