Drains have been a part of the UK infrastructure for centuries.

And because they’re underground, people only know there’s an issue, when there’s a blockage. Victorian sewers, and older ones, deteriorate. They’re bound to. Chemicals and human waste cause their deterioration and their lifespan, just like that of an older home, is not infinite. If you have a house built in 1829 or 1929, you’ll know that windows, roofs, doors etc need maintenance and so do drains.

Just as chimney sweeping has evolved from pushing boys up or down the sooty structure, to powered brushes and cameras, drain maintenance has too.

Years ago, the solution for a blocked drain would have been some attempt with a chemical solution and rods. Those thin rods fastened together to manually find a block and prod it until it’s clear. A drain, damaged with roots or erosion, would have required excavation and replacement in the past. Yet now, drain-lining has eased costs and time for businesses and homeowners.

Cameras and smartphones have evolved too.

If you’re of a certain age, you’ll remember taking photos on a 35 mm film roll on a camera and taking it, when full, to Boots or Max Spielman, for processing. Even fancier was the Polaroid Instamatic camera that took a photo and printed it there and then.

You’ll still see perched in corners of supermarket, booths for passport photos. Insert money, adjust the spinning stool and stare at a reflective window, unsmiling. 5 minutes later, 56 thumbnail photos are ejected outside.

Renew your passport now and you can forget a trip to Tesco’s or Morrison’s – a selfie on your iPhone or Galaxy will do!

Ok, nostalgia trip to one side, we’ll come to the real meat of the blog post.

Technology doesn’t stand still and Darren’s Drains doesn’t.

We have just invested a lot of money in the business to make drain clearance in Norfolk faster and more cost-effective for you and your business. He’s had training on this and other skills, which you can read more about here.

The real star of the new tech is a drain inspection camera

Still interested in this? Let’s give you an overview of what the Flexiprobe Pushrod Inspection System does:

Flexiprobe P540c is the most powerful Pearpoint controller ever designed, providing intuitive menus and dedicated function buttons to guide you quickly through your survey.

Integrated MSCC 3, 4 or 5 compliant reporting and on-board WiFi allow you to share your reports via email or DropBox, all while still on site. Or simply copy to a flash memory stick in one of the three USB ports.

Colleagues and/or customers can see your video inspection in real-time by viewing it on a standard web browser on their local, connected communications device, such as a phone or tablet.

Impressed? We are.

There are not many explainer videos online – but we found this one (in English) from Thailand, which explains well what it does.

If you need any advice, support or help with drains at home or in business across East Anglia, contact Darren today.

You can then see for yourself new technology in action.