Pitch Fibre Drainage Services

Pitch fibre drains were once heralded as an exciting new way of providing drainage for properties in the UK. From the 1940s and through to the 1970s, pitch fibre drains were implemented in the hopes of moving away from clay-fired pipes, presenting a cheaper, easier-to-manage alternative.

However, the bubble soon burst when it was realised that the material – created with a composition of wood fibre, coal and tar – was not very reliable for the long-term future of drains. This means that many properties up and down the country could, and have, found their drains fall into disrepair, requiring work to put things right.

That’s where our expert team at Express Drainage Surveys come in. As knowledgeable and experienced drainage experts, we’ve seen many properties that have suffered damaged or collapsed pitch fibre drain pipes. Whether it’s a home or a business premises, we’re on hand to help you uncover the source of the issue in your drains and provide a repair or replacement service to restore full flow back to your system.

We even have the expertise to help you navigate through a sewer system connection if you have a pitch fibre drain. This will include updating your drains to meet legislative requirements and regulations, saving you any further headaches caused by this outdated drainage material.

Common issues with pitch fibre drains

Once it became clear that pitch fibre drains were not the future, many issues were found with the material. It was not great at handling hot water, fats, oil and grease. That means there are plenty of common issues with properties that still have such a system, including:

Deformation of pipes: flattening over time under pressure
Blistering and delamination: where layers of the material separate, bubble up and cause blockages
Brittleness: over time, the material becomes brittle and can crack or split
Root penetration: as the material weakens, tree roots find it much easier to break through and cause further damage
Pipe collapse: in severe cases, whole pipes can collapse and render the system useless
Not fit for modern life: this material hasn’t been designed to keep up with modern demands, including a higher volume of wastewater

If you’ve noticed or suspect you have any of the above issues in your drainage system, don’t delay – contact our pitch fibre drain team today and we’ll be happy to help restore your system in the most cost-effective way possible.

CCTV Surveys for Pitch Fibre Drains

For many homeowners who have purchased a property with pitch fibre drains, there may not have been any indication that the drains used this material. It’s only over time that the degradation of the fibre starts to show itself through various issues.

Not sure if your drainage system uses pitch fibre pipework? Or maybe you’re looking to purchase an older property and want to check it doesn’t have this weakness in the drainage system. We provide CCTV drain surveys to identify pitch fibre drains and assess their condition.

Through the use of our state-of-the-art technology, we can get to the bottom of any issue and make informed recommendations on how to proceed. We have fully accredited engineers on hand to handle any drainage problem, so your property will always be in the hands of the experts.

Repair solutions for pitch fibre drains

Keeping a pitch fibre drain in good condition becomes more and more challenging as time goes on. That’s why we offer our expertise as drain repair specialists for this drain type.

Your pitch fibre drains may be blistered, delaminated or fully collapsed due to the inability of the material to withstand the conditions. We’ll recommend the right course of action, including looking at your options to replace pitch fibre drains for a modern, long-lasting solution.

Lesley Morris

Excellent service. Great communication, arrived when they said they would, were very clear upfront about pricing and followed up after the job to check that everything was OK.

Grant Butler

Very efficient

amanda holden

Fabulous service ... ESL did not know of us, yet still moved heaven and earth to meet our requirements! WELL DONE and HUGE THANKS

Stuart Johnson

When your thousands of miles away in another country and your industrial estate is flooding, you call Company do you have a friendly and helpful person at the end of the line and nothing is too much trouble being a drainage engineer myself for 35 years I can honestly say, probably one of the best services I’ve ever had I can highly recommend this company to anybody polite, professional and discreet. I cannot thank you enough What is amazing, Company will be working with you a lot more Thanks again

Danial H Mian

Thank you Express Drainage Solution for helping us retrieve the car keys. My wife dropped them by mistake in a drain. Their tech was able to retrieve them in 15-20 mins. Their manager Scarlett was super helpful in setting up the appointment and providing necessary assurance. They saved us from 2-3 weeks of downtime and hassle/money required by Lexus to order and program keys.

Fabian Corbin

Definite 5 star service!!! These guys are excellent and deserve to be top of the ladder! From their telephone skills to being accommodating, they were brilliant but I have to say, their front line staff are exemplary. Big thanks to Louis and the team.

Sara Moran

Excellent response time, friendly and professional staff, very quick to revisit for additional work. Would highly recommend this company for any drainage needs. Keep up the good work!

Michał Szumiński

Just brilliant, love to work with them, always quick and professional

Your local pitch fibre drain experts

We offer our services as pitch fibre drain experts to ensure that, whether it’s your home or your business, you aren’t inconvenienced by your drains for a moment longer than you have to be. Our full range of services is available to you, making us the go-to drainage company no matter how old or complex your drainage system may be.

See our full list of drainage services below:

Whether you know you have a pitch fibre drain system and want assistance or need to identify the material used in your drains, contact our friendly team today. We can book a CCTV drain survey or any of our repair and replacement services to suit your requirements.