A pipe has broken, water is running somewhere it shouldn’t – but who do you call? Is this plumbing or drainage?
The difference between the two has long been a source of confusion. In our industry it pays to know the difference even if, like us, you handle both.
Plumbing is the system that carries water into a building.
Drainage is the system that drains water away from a building.
Plumbing includes pipes, tanks and fittings that are required for water supply.
The water going through your plumbing pipes is clean; it’s come from the underground pipe network straight from your water supplier. When a plumbing pipe has a leak, it’s inconvenient but resolvable with minimal damage. You can usually tell when a plumbing pipe springs a leak because the water pressure means you are likely to have a fountain of water springing from a pipe! A good plumber can repair or replace a broken plumbing pipe for you and have you back to normal in no time.
Drainage involves the process of removing waste water from your home.
Drainage pipes are angled downward, making use of gravity to drain the water away to a sewage treatment facility or septic tank.
Problems with drainage can be more of a cause for concern. Poor drainage can lead to mould and mildew, and even damage to the structure of a property if water is left to pool around the foundation rather than being drained away. A leak in a drainage pipe can be smelly and leave problems behind after the pipe has been fixed – especially if dirty waste water has been dripping onto the floor inside your home.
The good news is that whether you have a problem with your plumbing pipes or something dripping from your drainage pipes, BlockBusters are always here to help.
Bad weather in the winter can cause a range of watery problems. Not only is there the risk of burst pipes in cold weather, leaves can clog outdoor drain covers and even cause sewers to flood. Nobody wants to go out and try to clear a blockage that’s causing a flooded garden (or worse) – which is why they call us.