A blocked drain can cause a lot of mess, particularly if it is the result of a sewer backup or misconnected pipes. This mess is not only inconvenient and unsightly, it poses a serious health risk which should be of major concern to the home or business owner. As professionals, we are equipped to deal with serious issues such as sewer backups, sewerage leaks, and other hazardous plumbing malfunctions. We will always make sure that your home is safe to live in again, or that your business is ready to serve customers as quickly as possible once the issue is resolved. We pride ourselves on cleaning up thoroughly and replacing any damaged carpet, baseboard, walls, and flooring to leave your home or business back on track.

There are two types of drains in Australia which form part of the plumbing system for almost every premises, these two drains are the most likely to become blocked and cause plumbing problems.

The sewer drain

This carries human waste and wastewater away from your premises to a water treatment plant, where it is processed and disposed of. Your home or business’s sewerage system are often placed under a high amount of stress owing to the volume of material they are required to move, as well as dealing with foreign objects such as food waste, sanitary materials, and other things which should never be put down a drain or flushed down a toilet.
The sewer drain which services your premises is connected to a local sewer network, which can also experience blockages and backups. If your home or business is being affected by a malfunctioning local sewer network, we can respond to minimise the impact to your premises. We will also work with your local water authority to solve the problem at its core.

The storm water drain

This is connected to guttering and other surface drains to carry rainwater and other ‘clear’ water away from your premises. Also known as the surface water drain, or the clear water drain, the water is carried from your premises into a nearby surface drain which leads to a water source. Surface water drains can also become blocked due to a build up of materials such as leaves or tree roots, foreign objects, broken pipes, or a blockage in the local surface water system. A major issue is when pipes are misconnected, and part or all of a surface water system is flowing into the sewerage system. This can cause backups and flooding, particularly during bad weather events or after leaf fall in autumn.

We can diagnose any issues with your plumbing system, and repair them quickly and efficiently. If pipes are misconnected, we can reconnect them for you to prevent the problem from re-occurring. If you notice a blockage or slow moving water and you believe that the problem can’t be fixed with a plunger, you should call us as soon as you can. It may be the result of a backup, and it is best not to let backups progress too far as this is when they will create a hazard.

What creates a blocked drain?

Many things can result in a drain becoming blocked. As a plumbing system ages, wear and tear can result in fraying of pipes and joints which can catch sediment and lead to larger build-ups. A loose joint or the invasion of tree roots can aggravate the problem and cause material to start backing up.

Small cracks are often present in aging systems, and these are not necessarily cause for concern, we can usually fix a blocked drain (even more serious blockages and backups) without needing to replace any plumbing infrastructure.

Another major cause of blocked drains and system back-ups is the flushing or washing away of foreign objects. Food waste, such as leftover scraps on plates or oil from frying pans etc should never be washed down a kitchen sink or be left on dishes being cleaned by a dishwashing machine. These often catch in the pipes and create build-ups, especially oil, which solidifies in pipes and catches other materials.

It is often tempting to flush a sanitary product such as a wet wipe or napkin down the toilet, but we urge you not to do this. Your sewer system is designed only to deal with human waste, water, and a reasonable amount of toilet paper. Many sanitary products are plastic or cotton based, and do not break down to form the sewerage slurry which the system is designed to carry. This leads to them becoming caught on the frayed edges of pipes or joints and causing a build-up.

We urge all home and business owners to be aware of these basic facts about their plumbing systems and to practice common sense with what they put into the system. A good idea for businesses is to put a sign in the toilet which says not to flush any sanitary products, as well as placing a bin next to the toilet which can be used for disposal of these items. The same goes for domestic bathrooms; a bin is always the best place for material other than toilet paper.

Clearing a blocked drain

Soft clogs and minor blockages are relatively easy to clear. For example, a blocked shower drain caused by a build-up of hair and soap scum or a blocked toilet following the flushing of a large amount of waste. Using a plunger and perhaps a home-made drain cleaning mixture such as those made from recipes on this site, anyone can clear these blockages and professional assistance is probably not required.

Deep clogs, which have built up over time or are the result of underlying problems, can require the use of a drain cleaning tool such as those used by professional plumbers. If you have time to spare, you can obtain some of these tools yourself and do your best to clear the blockage.

You can rent or buy these tools from hardware stores. The most common tool is a plumbing snake, which is a length of steel cable attached to a bladed head which can be rotated via a handle or electric motor. These can break up deep clogs, but are not effecting at cleaning the drain properly and can become caught on jagged edges. Professional plumbers will only use a snake once a full assessment has been made to ensure there is no risk of causing damage to your system or the snake itself.

The second and preferred option is a water jetter. These machines consist of a hose and a fitted nozzle which sprays water at a pressure high enough to break up blockages and clean your system without causing damage. A rear-facing nozzle serves to project the hose through the drain system, making the water jetter much quicker to use then a plumbing snake, which must be fed manually into the drain. You may be able to rent a water jetter and clean your drains yourself, but they are best handled by a professional. We can use a drain camera in conjunction with the jetter to locate blockages and areas which need targeted cleaning.

We recommend that you call us so we can use a water jetter, as this is much quicker and more efficient than using a plumbing snake and results in less cost to you. Not only is it quicker and cheaper, there is minimal risk of damage to your system.

Drain cleaning is our specialty, and we clear blocked drains quickly and cleanly thanks to our equipment and experience. If you are concerned about a buildup or blockage in your plumbing system, call us today so we can discuss the issue. It may be something you can fix yourself, but if not, we are on hand to serve you.