Plumbing and drainage fittings  

Check the condition of the plumbing fittings and their joints and clean the sewer drains and water seals regularly. That way, you can avoid unpleasant odours and reduce the risk of water damage. If a water tap is leaking or a drain becomes completely blocked, submit a defect notification.  

Water seals and floor drains  

If the drain in your kitchen or bathroom sink is starting to get blocked, clean the water seal.  

These can be signs of a blocked pipe:  

  • The sewers smell unpleasant.  
  • The sewers make strange noises.  
  • The water level in the floor drain and toilet bowl often rises.  

If cleaning the kitchen drain requires opening the water seal, submit a defect notification. Residents may not open the kitchen water seals by themselves.  

 If you need to open the water seal in the bathroom, make sure that after you have completed your work you tighten the parts of the water seal sufficiently so that the seal does not leak. If the drain becomes completely blocked, submit a defect notification.  

Sewage bacteria can enter the indoor air of the apartment from a dirty floor drain. Clean the floor drains in wet spaces at least once a month.  

How to clean a floor drain  

  1. Wear protective gloves. Do not use the cleaning supplies for other cleaning tasks.  
  2. Lift out the grid.   
  3. Remove hairs and other debris.   
  4. Wash the floor drain and its parts with warm water, detergent and a brush.   
  5. Disinfect the floor drain.  

Using a filter (available in hardware stores) that collects hair and other loose debris and which is installed under the lid facilitates keeping the floor drain clean.  

Learn about water charges and water use  

The drain is not a bin   

Do not put anything that does not decompose in water into the drain or toilet. Things that may not be flushed down a toilet:   

  • masks, wipes and rubber gloves  
  • food waste  
  • grease from food  
  • sanitary towels or tampons  
  • fibre cloths or carboard tubes from toilet paper rolls (even if they are marked as flushable)  
  • cleaning cloths  
  • paper towels  
  • diapers  
  • condoms  
  • cotton buds  
  • cotton wool  
  • medicine  
  • paints or other chemicals.  

Things you can flush down the toilet:  

  • toilet paper, urine, faeces and the water used to flush them  
  • dishwashing and laundry water  
  • water used for washing or cleaning.  

Read more about instructions for drains on the HSY website .