Top Five Options For Clearing Blocked Drains
Sink or bath slow to empty? Backflow in the toilet? An unpleasant smell you can’t find the cause of? All these symptoms could be due to a blocked drain. If the greywater or waste from your home can’t pass freely through the drainage system, it will simply stay in your property, which is the last thing anybody wants.
Blocked drains can be due to anything from an inbound tree root through to the development of a fatberg, a build-up of hair or other detritus, a broken pipe, a pipe that’s been installed incorrectly, a build-up of soap, or an object that’s made its way into the drainage pipe that shouldn’t be there (particularly inappropriate items which have been flushed down the toilet).
If you suspect you’ve got a blocked drain, there are a number of different remedies that you can try.
Detailed below are five possible options, including everything from a DIY approach through to services provided by a professional plumber in Wollongong.
DIY chemical options
Chemical unblocking relies on chemical reactions to provide a cleaning effect. DIY chemical options include bicarbonate of soda and vinegar (when combined, the two react to create a significant amount of carbon dioxide gas, which can sometimes blast through less dense blockages.
Boiling water can be great for melting fatbergs, whilst proprietary drain cleaners (used with caution as the chemicals involved can be hazardous), may also have an effect.
However, home remedies like baking soda and vinegar aren’t effective against kitchen sink blockages from grease and oil, while boiling water sometimes isn’t enough to dislodge large chunks of food. Similarly, these methods will struggle with blockages in other areas around the house like toilets or shower drains, where it’s usually caused by hair and toiletries.
DIY mechanical options
An alternative to chemical unblocking is the use of mechanical unblocking techniques. These range from the use of a traditional plunger (which is a first option for many households), through to the use of a drain snake.
Ready-made drain snakes (long coils of wire with a hook at one end) can be purchased from a DIY or hardware store; enterprising homeowners can make their own using a wire coat hanger or some other repurposed flexible yet strong item. However, be warned, these can often cause serious damage your pipes, especially if you’re unsure of the real cause of the blockage in the first place.
Professional plumbing options
Plumber’s drain snake
A more expensive piece of kit than a DIY drain snake, the plumber’s drain snake incorporates a sharp end to a flexible cable, that can, if used correctly, break up larger, more solid blockages. This is often a quick and effective method for fixing sink blockages.
CCTV drain inspection & high-pressure water jet
As the name suggests, high-pressure water jetting is simply water that’s pumped inside the pipe at high velocity to clear away debris. Specialist machinery is required to create a water jet of sufficient pressure to blast away large, intractable blockages. Fast, effective and safe, a high-pressure water jet is frequently the best solution if a drain won’t respond to DIY measures.
We use high-pressure water jetting in conjunction with CCTV drain inspection to pinpoint the exact cause of the issue. That way we can be sure that water jetting is the best solution. For example, high pressure jetting is incredibly effective against fatbergs in sewer drains as well as eliminating tree roots. However, if your blocked drain is caused by a broken or crushed pipe then water jetting isn’t the solution.
Pipe relining
If a blockage is stubborn, or reoccurs, a plumber will usually suggest a CCTV camera inspection to identify the cause of the problem. Depending on what the CCTV footage shows, it may be the case that the pipe will need to be dug out and replaced in order to permanently solve a drainage issue. Luckily, at O'Brien Plumbing North Wollongong we offer “no dig” pipe relining. This allows us to repair broken or damaged sections of pipes without having to dig up half your lawn or garden.
Need a blocked drain cleared?
O'Brien Plumbing can clear drain blockages of all shapes and sizes. Call us on (07) 5493 7330 to book a visit.
