If you are enjoying the last days of this year’s summer months, you probably don’t want to be thinking just yet about preparing for the autumn, but we all know that with the inevitable turn of the seasons, leaves will start to fall.

If you want to avoid costly blockages to your drainage system, and even water damage to your home, now is a good time to add “clear leaves” to our To-Do list.

The problem with leaf debris

The splash of colour that autumn leaves bring is a welcome sight, but when they begin to fall, they go from being a joy to a potential problem that will cost us money to fix.

Fallen leaves can easily be blown into heaps above drains. As they become soaked with rain, they clump together, often causing the drain to become blocked; the same can happen in gutters.

It takes a long time for leaves to disintegrate so what usually happens is that the mass of mulch the leaves create just continues to grow as more leaves fall and are added to it.

Initially, this will just slow the flow of water down the drain but eventually it will block it completely. Other debris such as branches, stones and rubbish also get trapped and add to the building problem. We’ve seen situations where this process has been allowed to continue for years, getting steadily worse.

Why do drains need to be kept clear?

When water can’t flow freely into drains the ground around the drain can become saturated and eventually flooded. The pressure from the building debris and the standing water can damage the drainage infrastructure and if left, potentially the foundations of your property cause moisture to enter your home.

Pressure on the drainage system can be quick to find weaknesses in the whole system, which may also lead to leaks that you aren’t aware of until the damage is done. In addition to physical damage to your property, water that can’t flow freely can also become a health risk and cause bad smells.

What can you do to help protect your drains?

It is important to prevent leaf debris from building up around drains and in gutters in the first place, and you can do this by the following:

  • Regularly sweeping up fallen leaves
  • Cutting back tree branches to reduce the amount of leave debris that’s falling
  • Ensuring that leaves are cleared from drains and gutters

Are you worried that your drains are being damaged?

Even with the best efforts to care for drains, sometimes damage will still occur and Drain and Sewer Services will always be there to ensure the problem is fixed quickly and with no fuss.

Our skilled teams, using specialist equipment, can efficiently assess a drainage problem and fix it, often without the need to dig up the surrounding area, providing a cost effective solution with little disruption to you. And with our emergency 24 hour services, you can be reassured that we will be there when you need us.

Do you want to know more about protecting your drains or sewers?

If you would like to talk to Drain and Sewer Services about our drain repair, drain unblocking, drain cleaning or gutter cleaning services and how we can help you to maintain and protect your property, then call us today on 01252 312738 or email info@drainandsewer.co.uk for an obligation-free consultation.