Drain Descaling & Fat, Oil, Grease (FOG) Removal
Restore Your Pipes to Full Capacity — Trusted Since 1986
Are slow-draining pipes, foul odours, and recurring blockages disrupting your home or business? Restore full flow with our deep-cleaning services.
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Professional Pipe Descaling & Grease Removal in London & Hertfordshire
Go beyond simple unblocking with our professional drain descaling and fat, oil, and grease (FOG) removal services. Over time, pipes become internally constricted by hard scale and solidified grease, reducing flow and causing constant blockages. We use powerful, specialist equipment to scour your pipework clean, restoring it to its original diameter for homes and businesses across London and Hertfordshire.
Your Local 24/7 Engineers in London & Hertfordshire
For a long-term solution to recurring drain problems, trust our local experts. We have dedicated engineers serving: All London Boroughs (including North, South, East & West London) and Hertfordshire (including Watford, St Albans, Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage, and surrounding areas).
Signs Your Drains Need More Than Unblocking
If you experience these persistent issues, a standard unblocking service won’t solve the underlying problem:
Recurring Blockages: You clear a blockage, but it comes back weeks or months later.
Constant Slow Draining: Your kitchen sink or shower is always slow to drain, even when not fully blocked.
Foul, Rancid Odours: A persistent bad smell from the plughole that cleaning doesn’t fix, caused by rotting grease deposits.
Gurgling Sounds: Frequent gurgling from your pipes as water struggles to pass through a narrowed opening.
Reduced Flow in Toilets: Toilets connected to older cast iron pipes may have reduced flushing power due to heavy scale build-up.
The Cause: The Slow Build-Up Clogging Your Drains
Think of your drainpipes like arteries; over time, their internal diameter can shrink, leading to serious problems. Two main culprits are responsible:
The Problem with Fat, Oil & Grease (FOG)
When hot liquid fats, oils, and grease are washed down the sink, they cool and solidify on the pipe walls. Food particles stick to this greasy layer, which gradually builds up, restricting flow and eventually causing foul-smelling blockages known as “fatbergs.”
The Problem with Limescale & Uric Scale
In hard water areas like London and Hertfordshire, limescale deposits slowly coat the inside of pipes, creating a rough, hard surface that snags waste. In soil pipes from toilets, uric scale creates a similar concrete-like build-up. This reduces the pipe’s diameter, making blockages much more frequent.
Specialist High-Pressure Water Jetting (HPWJ)
This is the ultimate solution for FOG and scale removal. We use high-pressure jetting vans equipped with specialist cutting and flail jet heads. These heads spin rapidly inside the pipe, cutting away hard scale and blasting solidified grease from the pipe wall, flushing it all away into the main sewer.
Electro-Mechanical Descaling
For extremely hard deposits like concrete, slurry, or heavy limescale in delicate pipes (e.g., cast iron), we use high-speed milling machines. Abrasive chains and cutting heads are fed into the pipe to grind the scale away, restoring the pipe's original diameter without damaging the pipe itself.
Who Needs Descaling & Grease Removal?
While all properties benefit, this service is essential for:
Commercial Kitchens: Restaurants, pubs, takeaways, and food processing sites require regular FOG removal to prevent costly blockages and comply with regulations.
Older Properties: Homes and buildings with original cast iron pipework are highly susceptible to severe limescale build-up that restricts flow.
Hard Water Areas: Any property in a hard water zone will eventually suffer from the effects of limescale in its pipework.
Preventative Maintenance: A scheduled annual or bi-annual deep clean is the best way to prevent drainage emergencies before they happen.
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Drain 247 mapping saved our project from delays. Clear plans, fast service!”
— John S, Architect, London
Why Choose Drain 247 for Descaling?
A Lasting, Preventative Solution: We don’t just clear the latest blockage; we remove the underlying cause, preventing it from happening again.
Powerful, Specialist Equipment: Our jetting vans and milling machines are far more effective than any domestic solution, delivering a professional result every time.
Expertise in Commercial Kitchens: We understand the unique demands and hygiene standards of the food service industry.
Improved Pipe Performance: Our services restore your pipes to their maximum capacity, improving flow and efficiency throughout the property.
Fixed, Transparent Pricing: You get a clear, upfront price for the deep clean. No call-out fee, no hidden charges.
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42-44 Clarendon Road, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD17 1JJ
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Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between unblocking and descaling?
Unblocking simply pokes a hole through a blockage to get water flowing again. Descaling and grease removal is a comprehensive clean that scours the entire internal surface of the pipe to remove the build-up that causes the blockages.
Can I just pour drain cleaner chemicals down the drain?
We strongly advise against it. Chemical cleaners are highly corrosive and can damage your pipes and the environment. They are also largely ineffective against the hard, built-up layers of grease and scale.
How often should my restaurant have its drains deep cleaned?
This depends on the volume of business, but we typically recommend a preventative FOG removal service every 6 to 12 months for commercial kitchens to avoid emergency closures.
Will high-pressure jetting damage my old pipes?
Our engineers are fully trained to assess the condition of your pipework and regulate the pressure to ensure a safe and effective clean without causing any damage. For very old or fragile pipes, we may recommend electro-mechanical cleaning instead.
Is this service available for residential properties?
Yes, absolutely. We provide descaling and grease removal for all types of properties. It’s particularly effective for homes in hard water areas or for resolving persistent kitchen drain problems.