For a pub, restaurant or shop, a blocked drain is rarely just a repair job. It can mean closing the kitchen, losing trading time, upsetting customers and, in some cases, breaching hygiene requirements. Planned maintenance is usually far less disruptive than an emergency.
Why commercial drains are under more strain
Commercial premises put far more through their drains than a typical home. Kitchens handle fat, food waste and large volumes of water. Busy toilets deal with heavy use. Shared drains serving a row of units mean one business’s blockage can affect its neighbours.
What a sensible routine includes
- Regular jetting of kitchen and main drains to clear fat, scale and build-up before it becomes a blockage
- Grease trap servicing where one is fitted, at the interval its use requires
- Periodic CCTV inspections to catch cracks, displacement and root ingress early
- Checking gullies, grates and inspection chambers for debris and damage
- Staff awareness about what should and should not go down sinks and toilets
Our guide to the role of grease traps in commercial kitchens covers fat, oil and grease control in more detail.
Responsibility and compliance
Businesses are generally responsible for the drains within their own premises, and for what they put into the sewer. Requirements around trade effluent and fat disposal vary, so it is worth checking with your water company what applies to your type of business. If your drain is shared with neighbouring units, our guide on who handles a blocked drain issue is a useful starting point.
Why planned beats reactive
A scheduled visit can be arranged around opening hours. An emergency usually cannot. A CCTV drain survey also gives you a record of the drain’s condition, which is useful for landlords, insurers and anyone buying or leasing the premises.
If you run a commercial property and want a maintenance routine in place, we can talk through what suits your premises. Call us on 0333 200 1623 or use our contact page and we will help.