Schools and colleges face unique demands on their drainage systems. They need to not only cope with high volume usage, but must be completely reliable, safe and hygienic. External drains and gullies also play a key part in preventing localised flooding in car parks, walk-ways and playgrounds. It’s a lot to contend with, so here are a few ideas on how to manage these systems and help prevent problems occurring.
A Short History Lesson
A lot of schools and colleges have buildings that span several decades. Vitrified Clay was largely used externally on Victorian sites through to the 1960’s. Whist many of these systems have stood the test of time, they can be prone to joint displacement, fractures and root ingress. Internally, cast iron was the pipe of choice. Over time, corrosion causes the internal walls to break down. This leads to snagging of debris and paper accumulating in blockages.
Pitch Fibre pipes were introduced in the late 1960’s. Cheaper and easier to install then clay pipes they were popular in the construction of schools through to the early 70’s. Regrettably, these pipes are basically a pitch impregnated papier mache tube with a life span of around 40 years!
From the mid 70’s plastic, modern clay ware and treated or lined iron systems (cast or ductile) have been in use. Overall these modern choices are far more reliable but will still fall foul to problems if not correctly installed and maintained.
How Can Drainage Problems Be Prevented?
The answer to this question is regular maintenance. Some emergencies can’t be foreseen or prevented but regular maintenance will significantly reduce the risk of problems occurring. Pre-planned maintenance is the ideal tailored solution for schools and colleges. Designed to meet the individual requirements of your establishment the work is best carried out during holidays. We offer a free site visit for this service. An engineer will call at a time to suit you, and conduct a visual survey. Area’s prone to problems can be examined and a maintenance plan agreed.
What About Repairs?
Avoiding disruption is key when it comes to schools and colleges. To this end we offer “no dig” and localized structural repairs (LSRs) which provide a quick and unobtrusive fix. LSRs include patch liners, ambient cured lining, heat cured lining and excavation. These repair options meet the varying construction and age of school’s pipework.
What If The Problem Is Buried Deep?
Sometimes a more in depth investigation is necessary to get to the root of a problem. This is where our CCTV service comes into its own. We use the iTouch system which enables the CCTV survey to be streamed to a live web portal. It is so fast the survey is normally available for inspection whilst the engineer is still on site. This enables repair options to be addressed without delay. The survey remains available for inspection at any time via the portal. So, where third party repair approval is required, a permanent visual reference is available.
Education is Key
It’s important to teach people that toilets are NOT dustbins. By ensuring that there are clear instructions on only flushing the three P’s - Pee, Poo and Paper (toilet) you are not only helping to avoid blockages at school but in their homes as well.
We Are Here To Help
Cornwall’s Metro Rod work closely with schools across the Duchy to ensure their drainage facilities run smoothly. When things do go wrong we are never far away and are on call 24/7. Our engineers are all DBS checked, and come to you fully trained, qualified and insured.
For more information on how we can help give our Truro office a call on 01872 870918.
We are always happy to arrange a free site assessment and no obligation quotations for any work you might need. Alternatively, you can call our emergency hotline number on 0800 66 88 00
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