What Does Drain Descaling Involve?

You might not realise it but it's quite important to make sure that you have your drains cleaned regularly. Otherwise, if you don't, your pipes will fur up more and more with scale. 

If that happens, you will need an experienced drainage professional to undertake drain descaling for you. But what exactly does that involve and why is it important?

How does it work?

In a nutshell, drain de-scaling is the removal of scale with high pressure water jetting.

At JLH Drains, we specialise in fast and effective drain de-scaling. We will pass down a cast iron pipe, with cutters at the end, all the way through your pipework and through the application of water, we'll very quickly clear away debris all the way from top to bottom and leave it clear for another twenty years or so. 

The pressure produced from the tiny holes in the high pressure water jetting nozzle will remove pretty much all of the scale from the wall of domestic and commercial drain pipes. 

While this is the most common way of de-scaling drains, there are some occasions where it is not possible to use the water jetting equipment. This is especially the case when the pipe is running down through a building with several stories, like a hospital. 

In these instances, the best thing to do is to utilise a rotary machine. This will quickly and easily reach through the five stories of the drainpipe and is proven to effectively remove scale from drain and pipe walls. In addition, this equipment can also feature a variety of different attachments to help negotiate the tightest of bends without losing cleaning power. 

Why do drains need descaling?

Over time, drainpipes will fur up more and more with scale if they're not cleaned regularly. Similarly, if a drainpipe has dropped slightly underground, water will build up at the bottom of the pipe that can then turn into scale over the coming years. 

The most common type of scale found in pub and restaurant drains is urine scale; which often requires lengthy 'out of hours' attention due to the smell and hardness. On these occasions, we would recommend a six to 12 month maintenance schedule, especially if the pipes are hard to get to, like when they're behind walls. 

Of course, general scale can also form up on any commercial or domestic drains too. While cleaning and descaling these is a more simple and quicker procedure, it's still important to make sure that you have your drains cleaned and descaled regularly to avoid the chances of smelly and hard scaling forming in your drainpipes. 

What can you do?

Aside from making sure you clean your drainpipes regularly, if you discover that your drainpipes are full of scale, make sure that you hire professional and experienced drainage experts to undertake full de-scaling for you.

At JLH Drains, we work throughout Kent and London, providing commercial and domestic clients with affordable, fast and effective drain de-scaling solutions. Contact us today to arrange your free property survey and no obligation quotation at your convenience.