Blocked and damaged household drains are extremely common all year round; however winter is a time of year where garden drains are particularly susceptible to blockages. Leaves, fast growing tree roots and shrubs from the previous autumn can grow into or clog outdoor and garden drains. Fixing a blocked drain outside can also cause damage and disruption to your garden growth.

This winter, be proactive and check your drains before the problem arises. Here are three simple measures you and your family can implement to help prevent blocked drains in or outside your home this winter:

• Utilise a sink stopper, and clean it regularly. When rinsing or washing dishes in the sink, make sure that there is a sink stopper inserted before the plug. When the water drains out of the sink, any debris or solid food scraps in the mixture will be caught by the sink stopper rather than ending up down the drain. The reason this is so important is because excess food scraps can accumulate very quickly, and don’t always flush cleanly down a narrow kitchen drain. Implementing this simple technique will help to prevent a multitude of potential blocked drains in your kitchen.

• Don’t flush sanitary napkins or baby wipes down the toilet. Another extremely easy way to prevent blocked drains in your home is to make sure that no one flushes baby wipes or sanitary napkins down the toilet. Blocked drains caused by baby wipes being flushed down the toilet are probably the number one cause of emergency plumbing call outs in Australia. Even if the packaging says the baby wipe is “flushable” don’t flush it! Septic systems and toilet drains are only designed to handle human waste, water and toilet paper. Toilet paper dissolves much more quickly and is a lot less sturdy than a baby wipe, meaning it breaks down easily and does not lead to blockages. Protect your septic system and bathroom drains, and do not flush baby wipes down the toilet.

• Clean your gutters of leaves and debris. A simple way to prevent blockages in your garden drain is to clean your gutters and remove any built up leaves or debris. Winter is the best time of year to do this, as the rapidly falling leaves from deciduous trees the previous autumn can quickly build up in your roof gutters and drains. Prevent blockages before they occur by cleaning leaves and debris before they get swept into your drains.

For more expert advice and plumbing tips, contact the friendly team at Sydney Blocked Drains today



Many people are aware of small tips and tricks that can help prevent blocked drains. What some don’t know is that there are certain things that should be avoided when possible. When the following five things are commonly done, this increases the chance of incurring a blocked drain in the home. The good news is that they are easily avoided so you can have peace of mind knowing that your pipes are clear and working as they should.

Let hair go down the drain – Many households have several people using the same shower and don’t give any thought to the amount of hair going down the drain. Letting hair go where it pleases it a common mistake that many make. Instead, a strainer can go over the drain to catch hair which can be regularly emptied. This way you have shower peacefully, knowing that your pipes are hair-free.

Use as much product as you want – What some don’t know is that there is a reason why laundry powders and dishwashing powders recommend a certain quantity to use. Using too much product can easily create build-up in the pipes and cause mayhem down the track. A simple way to avoid this is to use the recommended quantity stated on a packet.

Flush anything you want down the toilet – It is so convenient to flush whatever we want down the toilet, but this is actually one of the most common causes of a blockage in the home. Instead of flushing sanitary items down the toilet, simply pop them in a bin. If a thick item does accidentally go down the toilet, pouring hot water down immediately after can help deteriorate the object so it doesn’t cause a block.

Plant trees near your drainage system – It is common for tree roots to grow into your pipes, so it is not wise to plant trees or shrubs near your drainage system. Planting as far away from any pipes as possible is the perfect way to avoid any mishaps in the future. If you already have trees near the pipes, it may be time to think about digging them up.

Leave a suspected blockage – Finally, it is imperative to never leave a suspected blockage. Blocked drains can cause a wide variety of issues when they are left untreated. The structure of a home can be damaged, mould can begin to grow, and bad odours can plague the house. Easily contacting an expert is a far better option than letting things potentially get worse. A professional can easily locate and fix a blockage and same plenty of time, money and grief down the track.

At the end of the day, taking these easy steps can prevent big issues down the track. A blocked drain can cause all types of issues in the home and can end up costing a fortune if left untreated. To summarise, it is best to prevent hair from going down the drain, it isn’t wise to use as much product as you want, and it is best to avoid flushing thick items down the toilet. It is also a good idea to avoid planting trees near your drainage system and it is imperative to call a professional as soon as a blocked drain is suspected. This way, your home can function as it should, and life is a little easier.

With a fresh year comes a fresh start and 2018 brings a chance to get your home up to scratch.

When many homeowners and renters think of starting fresh with their properties they can think of outdoor surface cleaning, gardening, and indoor cleaning. Usually, a declutter is in order and gutters are also cleaned out.

The importance of having your pipes checked

What most people forget to think about is getting their pipes up to scratch. There are good reasons to think about your pipes in 2018 and this is because when you get on top of the health of your pipes, you are able to prevent as many water-related issues as possible.

For example, calling out one of our drain specialists to your property will allow us to check your pipes and let you know the condition that they are in. If you are one of the lucky ones, they will be in great condition and will only need a quick blow through with our high-pressure water jetter. This will clean out any debris that could potentially lead to blockages in the future. In some cases, the pipes will begin to show signs of their age and some may even be close to rusting out.

We are able to assess this and repair this before the pipe completely breaks and causes water issues in your home or place of work. When we do find a rusted pipe, we don’t have to dig up the garden to get to it. Our team use a special method which we refer to as no-dig pipe relining. We call it relining because we line the old pipe with a special resin which acts as a new surface to the old pipe. This technique is extremely fast and extremely cost effective. This method is also perfect for when broken or cracked drains are found.

How would a break occur?

Broken pipes can occur when a tree or plant has grown into the pipe area and pierced the surface. Sometimes people forget where the drainage system is located, and they accidentally put a shovel through the pipe. Other times, the pipes are simply old and are due for a repair.

Our special technology

Whatever the needs we are able to accurately discover them by using our CCTV Drain camera. This special piece of equipment is what allows us to assess the health of your pipes and get your home up to scratch in 2018.

This camera along with our water jetter and our no dig pipe relining techniques makes us the perfect people to call when thinking about the health of your pipes. As drain experts, we do not offer general plumbing work so we are able to solely focus on our specialty. With years of experience and friendly staff who are completely insured and qualified, we pride ourselves on being the best in the business.

All in all, we believe that checking and cleaning your pipes is a great way to start the year fresh and will help with the overall functionality of your property. Give one of our professional team members a call today to book your pipe inspection or to receive an obligation free quote.

Contact us

We can be reached on 1300 403 201, on our online contact form or by emailing us at service@sydneysblockeddrains.com.au.

All enquiries are more than welcome.

When purchasing your first home, it is important to do several checks before entering into a contract. This often includes a building and pest inspection, the calculation of boundaries and some even like to have a professional check for mould levels. What many people tend to forget is to have their plumbing system checked by a specialised drain expert. It can be a wise move to contact a professional team to organise an inspection of a property before anything is put in writing. It is important to visually check for any excess water that could be spotted at the base of a toilet, or built-up somewhere on the outside of the property. If there is a suspicion of a water-related issue, it is imperative to establish this before moving in. Here at Sydney’s Blocked Drains, we are able to visit the home and can thoroughly inspect the health of the pipes. This means that you can have peace of mind knowing that your first home it up to scratch or that you are able to negotiate to have any issues fixed before laying down a deposit.

Inspecting your drains
To establish the health of your pipes in the desired property, we are able to use our state-of-the-art CCTV-drain camera to get an accurate visual of the inside of your drainage system. Using this specialised piece of equipment means that we can take the guesswork out of finding a blocked or broken drain. This extremely useful tool is made of a high-definition and waterproof camera which is located on the end of a cable. This is then pushed into the drainage system and shows us a live image on our monitor. This way we are able to see if there are any areas that are experiencing blockages, or that are deteriorating, broken or may be rusty. In the case where some kind of issue is found, we suggest relaying this to the agent, so they are able to have any problems taken care of before sale. Our friendly team here at Sydney’s Blocked Drains can provide an obligation free quote that can be passed on to the correct people before purchasing your home.

Repairing the properties drains
In the case when there is a water-related issue, one of our qualified drain experts can quickly and effectively solve the problem. We do this by first establishing the issue with our CCTV-drain camera and then by removing a block with our high-pressure water jetter. Water is sent through the drainage system that will remove any blocks and will also clean the pipes. This means you can have peace of mind knowing that your pipes are in the best condition possible. When a pipe is broken and needs repair, we are able to cater this which our no-dig pipe relining method. This allows us to insert a liner inside the pipe without having to dig up the properties garden or any concrete area. This method not only takes less time but can also save money in the long run.

At the end of the day, it is important to be as thorough as possible when purchasing your first home. We highly recommend obtaining a detailed report of the location of the drainage system on the property and contacting the professionals to organise an expert drain inspection.

Here at Sydney’s Blocked Drains, we are usually educating people about the common things that find there way into the drainage system and end up causing a problem. Such common items are sanitary items, hair, grease, baby wipes and more. While these are the types of items that we most commonly see, this blog will explore some of the more uncommon items that we find which can still wreak havoc in your pipes. Ideally, it is best for nothing to go down your pipes except for water (or the obvious things in the toilet). It is quite alarming that so many people do not know this and will try to put all sorts of things down the drain. We recommend rather, to put a bin in every room and try to dispose of everything in the trash instead. This way, less foreign objects and substances are finding their way into the drainage system that are causing damage to wildlife and causing blockages. Without further ado, here are some unusual things that will clog up your pipes.

Kitty litter
We have to admit, advertisers are a little to blame here. Time and time again we see kitty litter advertised as “flush friendly” and we just shake our heads in disbelief. When you take a closer look at kitty litter, it is designed to absorb liquids, so it only makes sense that it will absorb liquid in the pipes and cause an issue. This is especially the case when kitty litter is consistently put down a drain over time. If you could do one thing for the health of your pipes, put kitty litter in a plastic bag instead and dispose of it in the bin.

Paint
Even though it would seem like common sense that paint cannot go down the drain, many people still do this. No only can this cause issues long term, but the chemicals in the paint can negatively affect the water and the eco-system. It is wise to instead wash paint brushes over a bucket and pour that water into a plastic bag to put into the bin or the water can be left in the sun to dry. Similarly, the best way to get rid of a can of paint is to open the lid and to let the paint inside the can dry. When it is completely dry it can then be disposed of in the bin. It is also important to not pour paint into the garden as it can again cause havoc in the eco-system.

Dead animals
There are so many movies out there that show people flushing their dead fish or mice down the toilet. This is a big no-no and can absolutely cause a blockage in the pipe work. If it is possible, it is best to bury any dead animals no matter how small. If this is not possible, then it is wise to simply wrap them in tissue or put them in a box and place them in the bin. This way, there won’t be any nasty surprises in the future.

Many people have heard plumbers say that the most common thing that causes a blockage in a pipe is a baby wipe. We all know how convenient baby wipes are, and many people use them to clean their homes. What some people don’t know, however, is that even the wipes that are marketed as flushable are still not ideal to flush down the toilet. According to research, when a product is believed to be bio-degradable, people are more likely to flush that product. But the truth about flushable wipes is that they are still not made to be flushed down the toilet. Many issues can arise when such products are put down a drain that can negatively affect the pipes in your property, community pipes as well as the environment.

Flushable wipes in your home or place of business
Using flushable wipes in your home or place of business can often lead to a blocked drain. This means that a professional drain expert will need to attend to the property and to use specialised equipment to locate and remove the block. Of course, this costs money. A great and easy way to prevent this, is by putting a bin in the toilet area so wipes can be disposed of correctly. Many mothers have plastic and/or paper bags that they can put the wipes in before putting them in the bin, so nasty odours can be avoided until that bin is emptied. At your place of business, staff can be educated on the importance of not flushing a wipe as it can lead to a block that will cost the company time and money. Again, having adequate disposal options in staff toilets is a great way to avoid any blockages caused by wipes.

Clearing community pipes
What many don’t know is that thousands of tax payer’s dollars go towards clearing community pipes that have blockages caused by wipes. Studies have found that hundreds of tons of baby wipes are found in community pipes, and the problem is only getting worse. Many believe that this is because many wipes are marketed as flushable. When thinking about the potential issues that can arise because of these wipes, it is important to simply place wipes in a bin rather than putting them into the drainage system.

Wipes and the environment
As many baby wipes and flushable wipes have anti-bacterial properties, this can remove important bacteria that the eco-system needs. Certain water plants need these bacteria to survive and other animals rely on these plants. When anti-bacterial wipes are put into the drainage system, this causes havoc in the eco-system and plants and animals are negatively affected. Of course, while no-one wants to receive an unexpected plumbing bill, it is also important to think about the animals that are affected by our flushable wipe usage.

If a problem has arisen in your home or place of business, there is no need to stress. Our professional team can be reached on our 24-7 emergency line to quickly resolve any water-related issues. Our team can use our state-of-the-art CCTV camera to quickly locate a blockage and can use our high-pressure water jetter to remove that block. Again, a simple way to avoid wipe related blockages is to put them in the bin instead of flushing them down the toilet.

A drain expert is a qualified plumber who doesn’t offer general plumbing services, but instead focuses solely on drains. A drain expert instead of a general plumber is the best person to contact in order to save water around the home. Water can be saved by effectively repairing any old drains that may be leaking water in or around the property. Water is a precious resource, so it is important to not let water go to waste. Furthermore, water bills can go through the roof when there is an ongoing leak in the home. Leaks often go unnoticed because they are in well-hidden places. They can arise behind sturdy walls or even under concrete slabs. Because of this, many home-owners or renters don’t ever notice that there is a leak in the building and end up unknowingly wasting water.

Signs you may be experiencing a water-leak
While some leaks are obvious, there are others that are a little harder to locate. The good news is that there are a few signs that can indicate some water-related issues.

• Unexplained, higher water bills
• A funny odour somewhere in the home
• A certain area in the garden has flourished
• Water stains appearing on the walls, floor or ceiling
• The growth of mould
• Cracks in the building
• A consistent wet area in the garden or home
• Bubbling paint and
• Warped, expanded or damaged wooden structures/cabinetry.

If you are experiencing one or more of these signs, it may be time to seek the help of a drain expert. That way, you are able to save water which is beneficial not only to the environment but also to your bank account.

How exactly a drain expert can help
Drain experts (such as our team here at Sydney Blocked Drains) are able to help you save water by repairing any drain related issues. We use a CCTV Drain camera to get an accurate look inside your pipes to locate any blockage that may have occurred. We are also able to see the health of your pipes and can easily spot any areas that are damaged or rusted. In the case where a pipe needs to be replaced, we are able to easily solve this issue with our no dig pipe relining method. This means that we are able to repair a broken drain pipe without doing any excavating. We first use a high-pressure water jetter to remove any blockages or debris and then insert a resin into the broken pipe. The resin then sets and leaves your drain stronger and healthier than before. You can then have peace of mind knowing that your whole drainage system has been inspected and repaired if necessary, and that you are no longer wasting any water.

Are there ways I can prevent future damage?
Yes, there are ways to keep the health of your drains intact. Blockages can be prevented by keeping an eye out for what goes down your drains. It is best to avoid hair, heavy soaps, food scraps or sanitary items. On the outside of the property, it is best to remove trees and plants that are near the drainage system, so they cannot pierce the drains with their roots. While simply practices can keep your drains healthy, sometimes issues cannot be helped, and that is when our expert team here at Sydney Blocked Drains are happy to step in to solve the problem.

Many home and business owners don’t think twice about their drainage system until there is some kind of water-related issue. This usually manifests in the form of a blocked drain or a rusted or broken drain. In order to best prevent blocks and broken pipes, it helps to have some basic knowledge about your drainage system. Essentially the system is created to minimise the impact of flooding. Storm water is carried away to nearby creeks and rivers so floods can be avoided. Pipes are designed to be able to handle storms that occur throughout the year, however, there are some occasions where the system cannot handle the amount of storm water and blockages can occur. This why it is common for issues to arise after there has been a heavy rainfall. All drain pipes should be connected to ventilation pipes which are imperative as they prevent sewerage gases from entering the home. It is important to check this before purchasing a property as pipes that are not running smoothly can cause issues down the track. Our professional team has all of the equipment necessary to thoroughly inspect a drainage system in a home to ensure that everything is in working order.

The difference between sanitary and storm sewers

As previously discussed, storm sewers are designed to prevent floods by carrying storm water to nearby creeks, rivers or oceans. A sanitary sewer, however, is used to carry wastewater away from the home or place of business to a treatment plant where is can be decontaminated. Separate drains have been installed for many years for sanitary and storm water in order to prevent cross-contamination. Piping throughout a building is of different sizes for different areas. For example, a bath tub pipe is able to carry a lot of water whereas a laundry sink pipe would not be designed to carry that much. It is important to think about where waste is being carried to, and the size of pipes, when disposing of particular things down the drain. Common sense can then be used to establish what is suitable to flush down the toilet or to go down the kitchen sink.

When blockages occur

Even with more information on how a drainage system works, blocks can never be completely avoided. When a property is suspected of a block, it is important to call the professionals as soon as possible. This way further issues can be avoided. Our team here at Sydney Blocked Drains can use our state-of-the-art CCTV Drain camera to look inside your drainage system and easily establish the location of any issues. Once a blockage is discovered we can then remove it with our high-pressure water jetter. This allows any blocks to easily dislodge and will clean your pipes at the same time. If there is a scenario where a pipe is cracked, rusted or broken, we can solve this with no-dig pipe relining. This means that your property doesn’t need to be dug up so your gardens and concrete can remain intact.

At the end of the day, it is important to have knowledge about your drains and to use common practice that will avoid blockages as best as possible. On the odd occasion when blockages do arise, it is important to leave the task in the hands of the experts. This way you and your loved ones can get back to enjoying your property as soon as possible.

Most people in their lives can experienced a water-related issue in their home or place of business. While for most this isn’t a common occurrence there are some things that professional plumbers see time and time again that is the cause of a blocked drain. It is handy to know these things to best avoid making the same mistakes that many others have made. This way, you get to enjoy your property rather than ringing the experts to come and tend to any water problems. Our professional team here at Sydney Blocked Drains use a high-pressure water jetter to remove any stubborn blockages so your pipes are clean and clear once more. While you are in safe hands with our experts, here are the most common causes of a blocked drain, so your household can best avoid them to best avoid any water-related mishaps.

Nappies and other sanitary items
Time and time again we see tired parents or rouge toddler’s flush nappies down the toilet. Other sanitary items such as baby wipes, pads, and tampons are also culprits. What many don’t know is that these products are not designed to go down the toilet so will often cause blockages. A great way to avoid this is to use a strap to keep the toilet lid shut, which will keep out playful children. Another good way is to keep a bin in the toilet area to use instead of flushing products down the loo.

Cooking oil
Another common occurrence that causes a blockage is cooking oil. What many don’t know is that oil solidified in the pipe lines and then will cause a block. Our team must then attend the property to use our high-pressure water jetter to remove the oil. A great way to avoid this is by having a container in the kitchen to store used oil after cooking, which can be correctly disposed of in the regular garbage bin.

Hair build-up
A regular cause for a blocked shower in hair build up. When showering it is unavoidable to shed loose hair, however, small practices can be used to prevent blocked shower drains. A mesh plug can be placed over the shower drain that will catch lose hair. This can be emptied into the regular garbage bin when it becomes full and a blocked shower is usually avoided. On the nights where your hair doesn’t need to be washed, it can also be a great idea to wear a shower cap.

Incorrectly installed pipes
Finally, there are sometimes cases where our water jetter is not needed as there is no blockage in the pipe work. Sometimes pipes are incorrectly installed by unprofessional plumbers, or simply by accident. This can cause issues such as water leaks, blockages and more. It is important to call out the experts to fix this issue immediately as water damage can wreak havoc to a building.

At the end of the day, there are many different reasons why a blockage can occur. While these are some of the common occurrences that we see, other things such as deadlines, plants, salt-water, and sand can also cause blocks.  It is important to be aware of what goes your drain and to use a bit of old-fashioned common sense. When unavoidable issues do arise, it is important to call the professionals as soon as you can.

As drain experts, we here at Sydney Blocked Drains know that using a High-Pressure Water Jetter is the best way to remove debris from a blocked drain. Seeking a company that uses a Water Jetter in Sydney can make all the difference when it comes to solving water-related issues. When used in conjunction with our state-of-the-art CCTV Drain Camera, any blockages that may occur will easily be located and removed.

What exactly is a High-Pressure Water Jetter?
Water jetting is the most economical and efficient way of clearing a blocked drain. Water is feed through a high-pressure pump which propels the high-pressure water through a series of hoses. The main hose is then fed down the drain forcing high-pressured water out of the attached cutting nozzle jets on the end of the hose. These nozzles vary in shapes and sizes and they all have different benefits depending on what blockage you are trying to clear. Using a trained operator makes all the difference to determine how well the blockage is cleared. That is where our professional team steps in.

What are the benefits of using a High-Pressure Water Jetter?
Using a Water Jetter in Sydney is the most efficient way to clear a blocked drain, thus saving valuable time and money. Jetter’s are extremely versatile and are able to make their way through multiple bends in your drainage system. Jetting is used to ensure that your drains are completely clear by…
• Obliterating tree roots
• Blasting out grease and fat build ups
• Breaking up and flushing silt, dirt & debris
• Flushing the whole system
• Washing away hard scale & grime

Is water jetting more effective than using Electric Eels?
Electric Eels have become a thing of the past as they simply cannot clear a drain as efficiently and effectively as a water jetter. The Electric Eel is a mechanical machine that feeds a series of metal cables down the line with sharp cutting heads attached to the end. Once feed down the pipe these cutting heads are only useful to cut out tree roots as they cannot break up grease or debris efficiently. Most of the time when the Electric Eel is used to cut through tree roots or debris the cutting head only pulls-out what is attached to it and the rest is left in the drain to potentially cause another blockage further down the line.

A High-Pressure Water Jetter, on the other hand, uses water pressure which is forced out small jets in the nozzle on the end of the hose. These fine water jets are powerful enough to cut up and flush away even the most stubborn of blockages. This method effectively saves you time and money by clearing the drain faster and cleaner than the Electric Eel.

If you need a drain expert to high-pressure water jet your drain or grease trap, call Sydney Blocked Drains on 1300 403 201 and our friendly staff will be on the way. With years of experience dealing with blocked drains all over Sydney combined with our leading edge high tech equipment, you can have peace-of-mind knowing that we will get the job done right the first time.

If you need a drain unblocked or your stormwater flushed out by the Drain Experts, call us on 1300 403 201 or email us at service@sydneysblockeddrains.com.au.