Blocked Drain

Having a blocked drain is most home owners’ worst nightmare. When you need a blocked drain plumber in a hurry, don’t waste time searching “blocked drain Sandton” on your phone. Call us. We’re the best blocked drain plumber in Sandton, and we have the reviews to prove it.

When you see that ugly, smelly stream of dirty water flowing across your lawn and into your driveway, there are usually one of two causes for the blocked drain. These are tree roots, or foreign objects in your drain pipes. We’ve seen it all and know exactly how to fix it. We have the right tools for the job, and we don’t waste time, so your drains will be working again in a flash.

When we arrive on the scene, we will assess the situation, determining where the blockage is, and the extent of the problem. Next, we will decide on the best course of action, offering you a fair, honest quote on the repair job. You will know exactly what you’re paying for and why. When you’re satisfied that we’re all on the same page and give us the go-ahead, we will get to work. Here’s what you can expect:

Causes of a Blocked Drain

A variety of factors could cause blocked drains. In our experience, the culprits are usually tree roots or foreign objects.

Tree roots tunnel after water. They don’t care about the quality of the water and they “sniff” out water sources from a mile away. If you have any large trees on your property, you will probably experience this problem at some point. Tree roots can reach incredibly far – up to 100m away from the stem. This massive reach means that you may even suffer interference from your neighbour’s tree. 

When tree roots reach a drainpipe, they tunnel into the pipe. If the pipelining is durable and intact, the roots will force their way in at the joints. If the integrity of your sewerage pipes or pipe linings are compromised, the roots could bore directly through the tube. Once inside, a network of hair-like roots form, blocking the pipe. You might even experience intermittent blockages as these roots sway with the flow of water. Objects flushed down the drain will also get caught on this clump of roots, exacerbating the problem.

Foreign objects flushed down the drain could cause an outright blockage, forming a plug inside the pipe. If you have older ceramic sewerage pipes, the inside lining has probably been roughened over the years. If this is the case, foreign objects could become snagged on the lining, blocking the flow of water. Other objects could also get caught here, causing a significant blockage. 

How to Unblock a Drain

We must understand the nature of the problem and use the right tools for the job. The most straightforward mechanism for the job is a drain rod cleaner. This nifty gadget has a series of interconnected rod that you push down the drainpipe until it makes contact with the blockage. At the front end, it has a spiral hook that can be twisted into the blockage or plug. At the back end, it has a lever that is turned to spin the rods. Once the spiral hook is firmly lodged into the plug, it gets pulled out, unblocking the drain.

Sometimes, the blockage is lodged too firmly or is too far down the pipe for the drain rod cleaner to be effective. In this case, a high-pressure water jet is used.