Advising clients on defects to external walls which we believe is due to a simple blocked drain can be difficult when you cannot physically see the issue.
A blocked drain damaging a property
We usually recommend a CCTV inspection to safely detect the location of the blockage. It allows us to assess if there is any damage to the drain which, if blocked, maybe causing damage to the building as a whole. A CCTV inspection is where a small camera on wheels is placed in the drain and films its journey, passing the images back to an onsite engineer.
Signs that the drain is blocked can include an unpleasant smell around the drain, gurgling noises, subsidence, and visible damage such as cracks, raised water levels, sewage coming up through drains, and signs of localised damp.
Tree roots can also cause major problems on below ground drainage. When the trees’ roots are left to grow into a drain, they may cause serious damage and subsidence to a property.
If you think your drains are blocked and damaging the fabric of your building, contact MCP and we would be happy to advise.