HC Plumbing Toowoomba are the local experts in blocked and slow drains.
We have specialist equipment which allows us to place a camera in your drain to identify the cause of your blockage, and where possible to use our high pressure water jetta to clear it.
In the event that we discover that the blockage is unable to be cleared, or the blockage is due to a break that is unable to be repaired remotely. We have the necessary equipment which allows us to identify exactly where the blockage is without having to dig up your whole yard to find the issue.
There are many reasons that you may have a slow or blocked drain. Sometimes you won’t even realise that your drain is blocked until you notice that you have yucky water backing up outside.
Common causes include:
- Fat or grease build up in the drain
- Hair and/or fibre build up in the drain (common in showers & laundries)
- Foreign items in drains (tampons, pads, baby wipes)
- Broken drains (either from ground movement which is very common in the highly reactive soil around toowoomba, human error - a star picket through your sewer line)
- Tree Roots entering and growing inside your pipes
While sometimes a blocked drain is simply out of your control, there are certainly some things you should do to prevent blocked drains:
- Never flush anything that isn’t human waste or toilet paper down the toilet
- Ensure that you remove as much grease and debris from plates & utensils by scraping it into the bin/wiping with paper towel prior to rinsing in your sink
- Ensure that you regularly clean the grates in your bathroom shower/bath to remove hair and lint - never try and wash hair/lint down the drain - instead remove from the shower/drain and place in bin
- Don’t plant near sewer lines, particularly plants that are known to have invasive roots
In the event that you do notice that you have one slow drain in particular, there are a couple of safe methods that you can try to clear the blockage yourself.
Vinegar & Bi Carb Soda:
Vinegar & Bi carb soda really are the two hardest working cleaning agents on the planet and can just about work magic with their ability to clean and deodorise.
When you notice your drain is slow we suggest you:
- Fill your kettle up to full and bring it to the boil. Then pour all but approx. 1 cup hot water down the drain (be careful if the drain is very slow to pour slowly so as not to overfill a sink with boiling water)
- Once the boiling water has cleared the drain, tip ½ a cup of bi carb soda down the drain (use a metal skewer or the tip of a spoon to push all of the bi carb down into the drain pipe)
- Mix 1 cup of vinegar in with the 1 remaining cup of hot water and pour them down the drain on top of the bi carb
- Pop the plug in and let the drain sit for approx. 10 minutes.
- While you are waiting, boil the kettle again
- After 10 minutes, remove the plug and tip the kettle of boiling water down the drain once more (be careful not to splash yourself with hot water).
- Run the hot water (from the tap) and ensure your drain is now draining nicely - if not, repeat the process.
Dishwashing liquid:
Many blockages (particularly in kitchens) are due to a buildup of grease. Dishwashing liquid is specially formulated to break this down.
- Pour ½ to 1 cup of dishwashing liquid down your slow drain and let it sit for 30 minutes (we’re hoping it works it way through)
- After 30 minutes, boil your kettle, slowly and carefully pour it down the drain (being careful not to splash yourself)
- Run the hot water (from the tap) and ensure your drain is now draining nicely - if not, repeat the process.
Drain still blocked???
If however you have noticed that multiple drains in your house are backing up, or the above methods have not worked to clear your slow drain, you will likely need professional help.
In this instance you should give us a call on
0439 648 390.
