Blocked Drains & Diagnostics

What We Can Clear For You

We tackle blockages in both your waste pipes (foul drains) and rainwater pipes (surface water drains). We can help with:

• Toilets that are backing up due to outside drain issues.
• Ground-floor sinks causing trouble because of blocked external pipes.
• Manholes and inspection chambers in your garden or driveway.
• Rainwater downpipes and gully outlets.
• Soakaways that aren’t draining away water.
• Commercial drainage for businesses.

A quick note: We generally deal with the drainage system. If your bath or shower is blocked, that is usually an internal plumbing issue, which requires a slightly different type of trade.

Why Do Drains Get Blocked?

Blockages happen for many reasons. Sometimes it is a one-off accident, but often it is due to:

• Kitchen habits: Fat, grease, and food waste sticking to the pipes.
• Bathroom items: Wet wipes and sanitary products (even the ones that say ‘flushable’).
• Nature: Tree roots growing into the pipes or silt and leaves washing into the system.
• Wear and tear: Scale build-up, cracks, or old pipe materials giving up.
• Building issues: Debris from renovations or pipes that were installed with the wrong gradient.

If you have a blockage that is easy to clear but keeps coming back, it is a sure sign there is a deeper defect hiding underground.

How We Fix It: Our 5-Step Process

We believe in being thorough. Here is what happens when you call ASL:

1. The Initial Look – We start by checking your access points—like manholes and gullies—to pinpoint exactly where the blockage is hiding.

2. High-Pressure Water Jetting – We use powerful jetting equipment to blast through the obstruction to restore flow to the drain as part of the blocked drain service. If the drains have a large build up of scale, debris, drain fats, silt, etc then recommendations will be given to to carry out further jetting to methodically clean and remove the built up substances to ensure they do not contribute to further blockages.

3. Mechanical Cleaning – If the blockage is inside or in a narrow pipe, we might use flexible tools like spring rods or ‘Sanisnakes’ to physically break up the clog.

4. The Camera Check (CCTV) – Once the water is flowing again, we often recommend using a special CCTV drain camera. This allows us to see inside the pipe and check for:

• Tree roots getting in.
• Cracks or collapsed sections.
• Displaced joints or stubborn scale. This step is vital for your peace of mind—it tells us if your drain is healthy or if trouble is brewing.

5. Honest Recommendations – If our camera spots a problem, we will explain it to you clearly. We might suggest a specific repair, such as root cutting, descaling, or drain lining. We will always explain why it is needed and will provide a report if extra work is required.