Blocked Drains Plumbing

Do you have a blocked drain?

Provided you halt running the shower, sink or toilet then your house is at no risk of flooding.

Most blockages are caused by 3 things.

A cracked sewer pipe — This generally shows up by retrieving roots from the drains.

Sanitary products — Please be very cautious of what you are flushing down your drains. All sanitary products should be placed in the bin and not down your toilet.

Hair — Shower and basin blockages are generally always caused by excess hair finding it’s way down the drain. Most common in older homes that contain galvanized piping as the internals of the pipe rust away and cause the hair to get easily caught on the pipes walls.

Hand Machinery
Smaller 40mm and 50mm drains such as shower, basins, laundry troughs and kitchen sinks are unblocked using a hand sani snake.

Mechanical Machinery
The majority of mains sewer blockages are unblocked using a drain machine. On the rare occasion we may be able to get away with using only a plunger on a gully or boundary IS (inspection shaft).

Sewer Jetter
This is the most effective form of drain clearing as it uses water to blast the lining of the drainage system, however it is also the most expensive. 

High pressure jetting is best for kitchen blockages which are generally blocked with cooking grease, fats and oils. Using a hand sani snake or drain machine will usually unblock the drain, however the jetter is the only way to ensure a long term solution as it clears these substances completely from the walls of the piping.

Blocked Drains Plumbers
Camera Inspections

Whenever roots are removed from a drain using machinery, a camera inspection should always take place as this generally means a cracked sewer. Once camera inspected we can locate the root intrusion points above ground using state-of-the-art locating equipment and proceed to quote for dig-up repairs.

• Once inspected with camera we can ascertain root intrusion point(s)/cracked sewer and provide written quote for required repairs to avoid on-going issues
  
• NOTE: We can only camera main 100-300mm sewer drains. Camera equipment does not fit down smaller 40mm + 50mm drains leading to showers, basins etc.
• NOTE: We camera inspect all accessible drains only. There are rare occasions where camera equipment cannot inspect past cracked piping and/or other various objects or minerals as it physically cannot go any further until rectified. On these rare occasions further inspection may be required once drainage is repaired/renewed

Gully Replacement
To dig up damaged disconnector gully (DG) up to 1.2m deep below finished floor height

• NOTE: This allowance is for sand digging only, if gully is surrounded by concrete or any other miscellaneous material then additional costs will be quoted on site for removal and possible reinstatement on completion
• To cut and replace up to 3 entry pipes within 500mm only
• If entry pipes are damaged beyond 500mm then this will incur additional costs to be quoted on site
  NOTE: We cannot physically see beyond the 500mm mark therefore cannot be held responsible for any future blockages that may occur outside the 500mm working zone of this gully. Entry pipes CANNOT be camera’d as they are too small.
• To install new disconnector gully in PVC pipe and replacing no more than 300mm of the main 100mm diameter drain
• To backfill sand only and re-pave if required
  NOTE: Some pavers may be required to be cut to reinstate as best as possible. A professional paver may be required at client’s expense should our method not be acceptable
• To remove all rubbish to tenant/client’s bin only
• To test thoroughly and provide before and after photos
• NOTE: Unless main drains are camera’d then we cannot provide a professional report on the state of the remainder of the sewer system

Sewer Conversion

Once a cracked or back-falling sewer established via a camera inspection, we are now required to dig up and repair. This will put a halt to ongoing issues and potentially save you or your clients a very costly headache.

Contact Plumbing Bros for any Blocked Drains plumbing needs.