What causes blocked drains?
Most blockages build up slowly, then show up all at once. The usual culprits:
- Fat, oil and grease from kitchen sinks, which cool and set inside the pipe.
- Wet wipes and sanitary products flushed down toilets. Unlike toilet paper, they don't break down.
- Hair and soap in shower and basin waste lines.
- Tree roots growing into joints and cracks in older sewer lines.
- Broken, sagging or collapsed pipes that catch everything flowing through them.
- Sand, leaves and silt washed into storm water drains.
Signs you have a blockage
- Sinks, showers or baths draining slowly.
- Gurgling from plugholes or the toilet.
- Bad smells from drains or the gully outside.
- Water backing up or overflowing at an outside gully or manhole.
- The toilet water rising when you flush.
How we clear it
- Find the blockage. We work out where the line is blocked and what is likely causing it, working from the nearest access point: a gully, rodding eye or manhole.
- Clear it with the right machine. Our cable drum rooter machines, all imported from the USA, cut through most blockages. For grease, roots and sand we use high pressure hydro-jetting, which scours the full width of the pipe.
- Check the line. If a drain keeps blocking, a CCTV camera inspection shows whether a break, roots or a collapsed section is behind it.
- Repair on site. Our vehicles carry most parts and fittings, so if something needs replacing we can usually do it there and then.
Before we arrive
- Stop using water that runs into the blocked drain, so it doesn't overflow.
- Skip the chemical drain cleaners. They rarely shift a proper blockage and can damage pipes.
- Send us a photo or video on WhatsApp so we arrive with the right equipment.