Blocked Drains Chatswood: What’s Causing the Blockage and How We Fix It

A blocked drain in Chatswood can range from a slow kitchen sink to a completely non-functioning sewer line affecting your whole property. The cause matters — because treating a symptom without addressing the underlying issue means the drain will block again. Plumbing Bros clears blocked drains across Chatswood and the North Shore and takes the time to identify what actually caused the blockage.

Common causes of blocked drains in Chatswood

• Tree root intrusion — Chatswood and surrounding North Shore suburbs have mature street trees and large garden trees. Liquid amber, brush box, and ficus species are notorious for root intrusion into older clay sewer lines. Houses in Willoughby, Artarmon, and Roseville with pre-1990s sewer infrastructure are particularly susceptible
• Grease buildup — kitchen drains in Chatswood apartments and houses accumulate fat and grease on pipe walls over time. This isn’t cleaned by boiling water — it needs hydro-jetting to remove
• Foreign objects in apartments — particularly in multi-occupant buildings, wet wipes, cotton pads, and other non-flushable items cause toilet and drain blockages
• Shared stacks in apartments — blockages in a building’s shared sewer stack affect multiple floors simultaneously. These require access through a ground floor cleanout and are the body corporate’s responsibility

Our blocked drain process in Chatswood

1. Assessment — we identify which fixture is affected, whether the blockage is isolated or affects the whole property, and determine the most likely cause
2. Clearing — electric eel for simple blockages, hydro-jetting for grease or root-affected drains
3. CCTV inspection for recurring blockages — we run a waterproof camera through the drain to see exactly what caused it and whether there is structural damage
4. Advise and repair — if structural issues are found, we quote on pipe repair or relining before they cause a bigger problem

FAQs about blocked drains in Chatswood

My kitchen sink is draining slowly – do I need a plumber?

A slow kitchen drain is usually an early-stage grease buildup. You can try boiling water or a baking soda and vinegar treatment as a first step. If it persists after 48 hours, call us — the longer you leave it, the worse the buildup gets.

Multiple drains in my Chatswood home stopped at the same time – what does that mean?

Multiple drains failing simultaneously is almost always a main sewer blockage. This is more urgent than a single blocked drain — call us immediately. Don’t use any water-using appliances while waiting for the plumber.

How much does blocked drain clearing cost in Chatswood?

Standard clearing: $150–$350. Hydro-jetting for grease or root-affected lines: $300–$600. CCTV inspection: $200–$400. All prices are fixed — you receive a quote before we start.