A blocked drain: is it that simple?

A blocked drain is quite simple if you’re experienced and have the right equipment, knowledge, and experience to use it. We can clear a blocked drain in under 30 minutes in most cases.

On occasion, a blocked drain is a simple thing: for a handyperson not afraid to get their trousers, slacks, or gloves a little dirty, they can have the drain unblocked in less than 20 minutes, if you’re lucky enough to be in the correct drain. The realisation of the horror begins after a couple of hours; you ask yourself, “Am I in the wrong drain?” or “Is the drain completely compacted with fat or sewage?”

The question is, do you know when to stop?

To call a professional. It is worth bearing in mind that if the blockage occurs too often, it won’t always be easy to unblock. A recurring blocked drain generally means there is an issue: a pipe is out of alignment or has dropped or subsided.

causing fat to build up because of the misalignment or the restriction in the drain; the caveat is that the problem could worsen as sewage water leaking from the damaged drain will find its way into the gravel that supports the drainpipe, eventually undermining several metres of pipe.

A recurring blockage around or alongside the house is likely to indicate that leaking sewage water will find its way into the foundations.

If you’ve ever had a conversation with someone who has had subsidence, they will have told you about the nightmare of

• not being able to close windows or doors because of the movement of the walls, about the insurance companies quite rightly and correctly wanting measurements over weeks and months of how much movement takes place.
• the disruption during the underpinning is to shore up and stop the subsidence.
• drains around the house that take the sewage and sewage water to the public works or a private system protect the property. Therefore, it is prudent to keep these in good repair.

Both the drains around the house that carry roof water to soakaways and the drains that carry it to the soakaway, including the soakaway itself, are essential for protecting the property.

Builders often say the homeowner will spend £15,000 or £20,000 on a kitchen, but won’t spend any money on the drains.

Blocked drain = take action!

A thoughtful person understands that the money spent on an expensive kitchen fitted as part of the house could be a waste if they have to dig the kitchen up again at a later date to fix what is underneath. If your drainage causes any damage to the walls or the foundations, it will possibly affect your kitchen.

Whether you are about to fit a new kitchen or not, it would be prudent to act fast on any blocked drain and not shy away from getting it cleared and the cause fixed. 

If you have a blocked drain that needs clearing or you want to check the condition of your drainage before installing a new kitchen, call us on 0800 181 684 to book a visit.

Our blocked drain clearance service is £99.00, including VAT, so don’t delay – call us today.