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GLOSSARY OF DRAINAGE TERMS
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What are CCTV Drain Surveys?A CCTV Drain Survey or CCTV Camera Inspection involves a small portable camera unit being inserted into the drainage system which allows us to see inside the underground pipework and report on our findings. There are many reasons for investigations and we tailor our reports to each individual property. Find out more about CCTV Drain Surveys.
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Are your computerised drawings to scale?Our drawings are not to scale and are for indicative purposes only however we can superimpose the drainage layout onto supplied architect GA plans for more accurate reading. Dependant on the access available, it is not always possible to determine the route or configuration of the drainage system and an assumption may be made based on our findings but this can be confirmed with electronic sonde tracing.
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Do you provide the depth of the pipework?The survey does not include invert levels back to a datum but we will provide you with the invert depth of each chamber in millimetres which you could add to your levelling survey.
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Do Drainsmart provide drain cleaning services?If so, how long does a blockage clearance or high pressure water jetting take? Unfortunately we cannot put a time frame on this as it is all dependant on the level and type of deposits found. A standard domestic blockage can usually be cleared within one hour but we cannot guarantee this and will not be able to know until we have the jetting hoses in the system and start moving the deposits. Find out more about this here.
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I require drain repairing, can you help? How much do repairs cost?As each drainage system and the extent of damage which dictates the schedule of remedial works is completely different, this could drastically vary. Once we have carried out a CCTV camera inspection, we will provide you with a quotation for the remedial works but until further information has been obtained we will not provide a ball park figure. Learn more about drain repairs.
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How long do your repair works take to complete?Again, this is dependant on the level of damage that was discovered and the remedial works that are instructed which could vary from a couple of hours to a couple of weeks. Where possible, we will try to send multiple crews specialising in different aspects of the trade to try to keep time on site to a minimum but this is not always practical.
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Can you work on Thames Water sewers?Following the “Transfer of Sewers” Act in 2011, private contractors are not permitted to work on any Local Water Authority’s drains without their full permission, excluding CCTV surveys. It is common for these assets to run through your property and even if you are willing to pay for the necessary repairs, any contractor found to carry out work to these sections will be heavily fined and therefore we will not proceed without confirmation of their written consent.
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Who do Drainsmart provide drainage services in London for?We work with numerous professional trades on a regular basis as well as schools, local councils and other authorities. See more on our Area pages.
We hope you found this Glossary of Drainage Terms useful. We appreciate the concerns which can arise when dealing with drainage issues and the mystery surrounding them - not many people want to know much about their drains, just that they are working properly. This is why many of our customers appreciate the feedback from our drainage engineers. The Drainsmart team are always happy to answer any questions or concerns you have about your drainage issue or any of the work being done.
If you choose to have a CCTV drain survey in London conducted by Drainsmart, you will be provided with a report which has the findings. You can have a look at our Sample Report page by clicking the option in the website menu. This report can be invaluable to many of our customers, especially those looking to purchase a new property. If anything on your drain survey report doesn't make sense, please speak to a member of the Drainsmart team - we will be happy to go through it with you and let you know about any of the findings and/or recommendations that emerge from the survey.
One of the reasons we chose to add a glossary of drainage terms to our website was to help all customers, no matter their knowledge levels, learn more about what we do to help them. We work with all types of drainage customers, from individual homeowners to large construction companies, to assist them with their drainage needs. If we feel it is important for you to understand an aspect of your drainage issue, we will ensure to take the time and go through it with you, offering plenty of time for questions. In a lot of cases, most customers just want the problem fixed and to carry on with their day - which we appreciate and will do our best to accommodate.
To learn more about our drainage services, visit our menu page or use the contact form below to ask our friendly team a question. You can also use the contact form to request a drain repair or drain survey, please just let us know the details of the problem you are having and where the property is located. We hope to hear from you soon.