How to Prevent Drain Corrosion

Drains are like the hidden veins of your body, quietly carrying away waste to keep your plumbing working efficiently. Though many drain pipes are now made of plastic, older properties are often reliant on metal drainpipes and because they’re out of sight, they’re also often out of mind until there’s a corrosion problem and they start to leak. Here’s a handy guide to preventing drain corrosion to keep your plumbing working trouble free.

What is Corrosion?

Corrosion, which causes weakening of the metal, occurs as a result of the electrolytic action – it’s the way a battery works. By connecting copper piping and galvanized steel pipes together, a reaction occurs and the water becomes charged, stripping the galvanized coating and allowing rust to occur. The real problem with galvanic corrosion is that, because it occurs on the inside of the pipe, you’re often not aware of the problem until it’s too late. A dielectric coupling should fix the problem of joining two dissimilar metals – this type of fitting uses a rubber washer to stop electricity in its tracks.

Check Your Drains

Do you have rust around the plughole in your sink or bath? This is a sure sign of corrosion further down and you’ll need to take action – fast. This type of corrosion occurs when iron in the water supply is exposed to humidity and it can clog your drains quickly. A water filter is a good long term solution, but in the short term, you’ll need to unclog your drains with a chemical or natural drain cleaner.

Prevention is Better Than Cure

There are some routine maintenance checks you can do to stop water stagnating in the system and causing corrosion. Flush the drains once a week by filling all your sinks and then pulling out the stopper – the weight of the water will flush the drains. Repeat this monthly, filling all baths and flushing all toilets simultaneously, too. And a monthly overnight treatment with bleach can shift any debris.

If you’re experiencing the misery of blocked drains, contact us on 0115 8226086 for help and Inspect-A-Drain Limited can arrange an inspection.