If a drain in Lanark backs up, the cause is not always easy to spot. Homes in the countryside around Lanark that are not on the public sewer may have a septic tank or other private system. Say so in your request, because it changes the job.
Use the request form to say what you see. Slow drains, gurgling, bad smells and standing water all help, because they hint at where the blockage sits. Add the best time to reach you.
Your own pipes are yours to clear. South Lanarkshire Council deals with blocked road gullies, which some people call stanks.
Ask what caused the blockage and how to prevent it. Bin wipes instead of flushing them. Scrape cooled fat into the bin instead of pouring it down the sink.
First, the engineer may look at gullies, manholes and chambers to trace the blockage. A camera can help when the cause is unclear. Ask to see what the camera finds.
Fat, oil and grease thicken as they cool, so they set inside pipes. Let fat cool and set, then scrape it into the bin. That keeps it out of your drains, whether they run to a sewer or a tank.
A few good questions can save money later, because they show how the engineer works. Put them in your request, or ask when the engineer replies.
Yes, you can send a request from Kirkfieldbank too. National Records of Scotland groups it with Lanark as one settlement of about 9,800 people (mid-2020). Lanark alone had about 8,900.
Yes. By law, septic tanks in Scotland must be registered, and SEPA lets you check if yours is. Tell the engineer about the tank, because the blockage may sit between the house and the tank.
Prices vary with the cause, the access and the engineer. UK cost guides give different figures, so ask for a written quote and whether there is a call-out charge.
Scottish Water's teams attend over 36,000 blockages in its drains and sewers each year. It says 80% of these blockages come from wrong items flushed or fat poured down sinks. So bin wipes and cooled fat.
Catching a blocked drain early can spare you a messy clean-up, since the signs build up over weeks. Here are seven to watch for.
Drain MaintenanceFat, oil and grease block many sinks because they thicken as they cool. Learn the simple daily habits that keep a kitchen drain clear.