Blocked Drains.Done Right.

Signs of a blocked drain

Water that drains slowly, gurgling noises, bad smells from a floor waste, and more than one fixture backing up at the same time are all signs. If the toilet and the shower in the same bathroom are both slow, the blockage is probably in the shared pipe rather than at one fixture.

What causes blocked drains

Kitchen grease sets hard in the pipe. Hair and soap scum build up in showers. Wipes sold as flushable do not break down. Outside, tree roots find small gaps in old clay and earthenware pipes and grow into them. Each cause needs a different fix.

How we clear them

We pick the lightest method that works. A simple blockage may only need a hand tool. A hard blockage or root growth may need a drain machine or jet blasting. If the same drain has blocked before, we recommend a camera inspection so you can see the pipe.

When it is more than a blockage

Gurgling in other fixtures, water coming up in a shower when you flush, a damp patch in the yard and a repeat blockage all point to a problem in the main line. A broken, sagging or root-filled pipe needs repair, not just clearing. The choices range from a short spot repair to a longer replacement.

What you can do while you wait

Stop using the fixtures that drain to the blocked line. Do not pour chemical cleaners down the drain, as they are unpleasant to work around and can harm pipes. Put towels around any overflow and keep children and pets away from dirty water.

How to keep drains clear

Use a strainer in the sink and shower. Wipe pans with paper before washing. Keep wipes, even ones labelled flushable, out of the toilet. Plant trees away from the sewer line. If you have had one blockage, ask us whether a camera check is worth doing.

What changes the price

A drain that clears with a plunger or light jetting is a small job. One caused by roots, a collapsed pipe or a long run under concrete is not. A camera shows which one you have. Ask whether a camera look is included, and whether the quote covers clearing only or the repair as well. If the same drain has blocked more than once, ask what is causing it.

Which drain is it: kitchen, bathroom, laundry or yard

Where the blockage shows tells you where to look. A kitchen sink that drains slowly is often grease and food. A shower that pools points to hair and soap. A laundry that overflows can be lint, or the standpipe. A yard gully that fills in rain is usually leaves and silt, or a stormwater pipe that has failed. If more than one fixture is affected, the blockage is usually further down the line.

Drain cleaners and why to be careful

Chemical drain cleaners can clear a soft blockage, but they are harsh. They can damage some pipes and seals, can hurt skin and eyes, and make the water hazardous for whoever has to work on the drain next. If a cleaner has been used, tell the plumber. Never mix products.

Preventing the next blockage

Use strainers in sinks and showers. Put cooking fat in a container and bin it. Keep wipes, cotton buds and nappy liners out of the toilet. Have a plumber check drains if the same one blocks more than once in a year, because a repeat blockage is usually a sign of a root, a sag or a damaged pipe.

Grease and kitchen drains

Cooking fat cools and sticks inside pipes, and traps food scraps. Wiping plates and pans with paper before washing, and putting fat in a container for the bin, prevents most kitchen blockages. Hot water alone does not stop fat building up further down the line.

Shower and bathroom drains

Hair, soap scum and skin build up in the trap and the pipe. A strainer over the drain catches hair. Cleaning it regularly keeps the water flowing. If water pools around your feet, clean the strainer first, then call if the water still drains slowly.

Outdoor and gully drains

Gully traps and floor drains outside collect leaves, soil and silt. Keep them clear, and make sure the grate is in place. If a gully overflows in heavy rain, the stormwater drain may be blocked or too small, and a plumber can check where the water goes.

Calling for help versus trying it yourself

A plunger or a hand-held drain snake can clear a simple blockage in a sink or shower. For a drain that backs up across several fixtures, a blockage outdoors, or one that returns, call a plumber. Avoid forcing hard tools into old pipes, which can crack them.

Where the blockage is

If one fixture is blocked, the blockage is nearby. If several are, it is in the main line. Outside gully traps overflowing points to the main drain.

Tell the plumber which fixtures are affected.

What to do while you wait

Stop using the affected fixtures, avoid running more water down the drain, and do not use chemical cleaners. Move rugs away from drains that might overflow. Keep a record of what is blocked.

If sewage is backing up inside, keep children and pets away and ventilate the area.

Guides worth reading

• How to Unblock a Drain at Home Before Calling a Plumber
• How Much Does a Plumber Cost? What Affects the Price
• Why Your Drains Keep Blocking and What Actually Fixes Them

Related plumbing services

• Emergency Plumbing: Burst pipes, flooding, gas smells and no hot water. Call any hour, any day.
• Blocked Toilets: Blocked, slow or overflowing toilets cleared without making a mess of your bathroom.
• Tree Root Removal from Drains: Roots clearing out of sewer and stormwater pipes, with advice on stopping them returning.
• Drain Jet Blasting: High pressure water jetting for grease, silt, scale and root build-up.
• Emergency plumbing is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Talk to GSA Plumbing Services

Call 0401 041 103 or send an enquiry on the contact page. We work across Geelong, Melbourne and surrounding suburbs.