FAQ
The performance of your drainage system reduces over time, depending on soil type and/or soil structure.
A good example of why keeping drainage systems clean is essential is ferrous soils. These soils always release a certain amount of iron that eventually block the pores of your drainage pipe.
With a Homburg drainage cleaner, this problem is easily remedied by cleaning your pipes during a period of high groundwater levels. During this high groundwater level, the iron and/or soil particles in the drainage pipe are softened and soft, making them easier to wash away.
It is also important to know that ⅓ of the water runoff enters the system through the top half of a drainage pipe, and as much as ⅔ of the water runoff enters the system through the bottom half of the pipe. That’s more than half! If you don’t clean your drainage system, dirt will eventually settle into the drainage pipes by gravity. In this way, the main water access route will be completely blocked over time.
No, this is only when using too high a pressure and too slow an input speed.
Previously, pressure washers with 100-bar pump pressure were used to clean drainage systems. These high-pressure cleaners turned out to be very ineffective. High pressure on the nozzle requires the hose to be drawn into the drain. Because of the pulsating pressure of the pump, the head remains in the same location for several (milli)seconds, disturbing the drainage system and pores in the surrounding soil. These pores surrounding the drainage tubes partially provide natural water drainage.
It is therefore important to keep the soil around the drainage pipes intact! Homburg Draincleaners are safe because they use a low pump pressure of only 35 bar. This equates to a water pressure of 10 to 15 bar in the nozzle. Therefore, when one cleans the drainage with a Homburg Draincleaner, the structure of the soil is not affected.
With a Draincleaner using low water pressure.
When cleaning drainage systems with pressure washers, the structure of the soil around the drainage pipes is affected (see also: Will the soil be affected when I clean my drainage?). Homburg Draincleaners are safe because they use a low water pressure of only 10 to 15 bar. The extremely strong HPE hose is pushed into the drain (up to a maximum of 700 metres), with the specially developed nozzle flushing the drain and discharging the dirt.
Homburg recommends using low pressure.
First of all, it is important to know that pressure and the amount of water are always in relation to each other. Too high a pressure results in possible damage to the drainage pipes and the natural permeable pores in the soil around the drainage pipe.
Homburg recommends a pressure of 35 bar on the pump.Depending on the hose length, this results in a pressure between 10 and 15 bar at the nozzle and the volume is between 70 and 90 litres per minute. This is sufficient to achieve proper cleaning.
This depends on the type of soil.
The nozzle required varies and depends on the type of soil. It is important not to disturb the natural drainage action around the drainpipe. In fine sandy soils one has to flush with lower pressure than on (heavy) clay soils, we therefore recommend soil type-dependent flushing nozzles.
Wondering which nozzle fits your soil type? Contact one of our product specialists.
For drainage maintenance in agriculture/horticulture and large green spaces such as sports fields and golf courses, we recommend drainage cleaners that fall under the category of low-pressure machines. This is to avoid damaging the natural soil structure around the drainage pipes. Homburg drainage cleaners meet these criteria. This means a water pressure of 10 to 15 bar.
Cleaning drainage pipes depends on the following factors:
- Weather conditions
- Soil type
- soil structure
- Type of drainage pipe
- Diameter of the drainage pipe
- Condition of the drainage pipe
- Accuracy of the drainage pipe’s placement in the ground
Below is a guideline that should be carried out in or after a wet period with a lot of rain, preferably in the fall:
- Locate a drainage pipe at the side of the ditch.
- Collect the water in a measuring cup.
- Measure how many seconds (T) it takes until a liter has flowed out.
- Fill in the following formula:
With the following parameters:
- L = Length of the drainage pipe (meters)
- A = Distance between drainage pipes (meters)
- T = Measured time (seconds)
- M = Amount of water drained (millimeters) per day
For grassland, maize land and arable land, M(the number of millimetres drained per 24-hour period) should be 7mm (note that this applies to unidirectional drainage pipes). If this is less than 7mm, the correct location of the drainage tube must first be checked. If so, the drainage tube must be cleaned.
Do this calculation for different drainage pipes in the piece of land, to determine an average.
It earned the recommendation to clean the drainage pipes in a wet period when the drainage pipes themselves drain water. For in-depth agricultural knowledge and advice regarding the use and maintenance of drainage tubes, please consult the relevant authorities and/or literature.
By preventively looking for end pipes annually and making them free of vegetation and/or obstacles, you will have proper control of drainage systems and be able to locate them quickly during the rest of the growing season.
A Homburg Draincleaner can reach speeds of 35 metres per minute under ideal conditions.
The fastest way to clean your drainage is through preventive checks and, in case of any contamination, clean it with a Homburg drainage cleaner. Here, a speed of 35 metres per minute is achievable, however, this is under ideal conditions. Heavily fouled drainage systems take an unspecified amount of time.
Of importance is to know what the actual problem is, some examples:
- Mistakes were made during the construction of the drainage system
- Drainage system has subsided, causing obstruction in the pipe
- Dirt or soil particles cause poor drainage of excess water
- A so-called ”plough sole” retains water in the building stock
- Drainage system disturbed by mechanical soil tillage
A Homburg drainage cleaner is a possible solution to all these problems, or access to the possible answer to your problem.
When is the best time to clean my drainage?
The time of flushing determines the chance of effective success and the associated discharge of the loose flushed material. The greatest chance of success is during a period when the groundwater level is high and the drain itself drains water. As a result, the material in the drain is soft and flows away more easily during cleaning.
- Quality machine due to the use of high-quality materials.
- Extremely sturdy HPE hose reel for extended lifespan.
- Homburg 2 or 4 wheel drive offers ultimate grip and is more wear-resistant.
- Optimal cleaning with low water pressure of only 10 to 12 bar at the spray head.
- Using a Homburg Drain Cleaner does not damage the drainage system.
- Specific spray heads provide a technical solution for every type of soil and situation.
- The system cleans without affecting the soil structure or the drain.
- Compact construction and renewed design.
- With the choice of 3 types, there is a suitable Draincleaner for every situation.
