Excess Runoff
In urban areas - particularly large cities like London - most of the ground is concreted meaning that, instead of being absorbed into the earth, excess water runs straight into the sewers. This is even true in suburban areas meaning that many homeowners have to keep a close eye on their drains.
While there isn’t a lot that can be done about the problem of excess runoff, one step you can take is regularly cleaning out your gutters. Debris that ends up in the gutters often gets washed down into the sewers in large quantities adding to blockages. Cleaning your gutters can go a long way towards reducing these blockages.
Population Density
It’s also worth noting that the need for sewer cleaning in London is, in some sense, directly proportional to the number of people. More people means more usage. At the same time, it also necessitates denser living conditions. Houses and apartments are packed closer together, placing more pressure on smaller and smaller areas of sewer infrastructure.
That being said, one major step everyone can take to minimise the likelihood of sewer blockages is to be very careful what they pour down the sink.
Fats and oils solidify quickly after cooling down and can easily build up into ‘fatbergs’. Not only can these cause blockages in your sewers but they can also flow out into the main sewers causing more build-up and massive blockages, affecting large parts of the city.
You should also be careful about anything that might contain fats and oils, such as liqueurs and raw eggs, as these foods and drinks can separate and congeal.
Ageing Infrastructure
Perhaps the biggest cause of sewer blockages in London - at least compared to the rest of the country - is the plain and simple fact that nothing is built to last forever. At the end of the day drainage infrastructure has a lifetime like everything else and if you don’t maintain your drains damage can build up over time.
Add to that the fact that older infrastructure often wasn’t built to keep up with modern demands and it’s no surprise that London’s sewers can cause so many problems. For your part, if you haven’t had your house's sewers looked over by a professional, then you probably ought to. An investment upfront could save you money in the long run.
Need help with your sewers? Contact one of the leading London sewer cleaning companies today by calling 020 4572 5273 or emailing us at info@environdrainageservices.co.uk.
