Oh no. You know that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach when you pull the basin plug and the water… just… sits there. Not moving. Not even a hint of an enticing swirl.

Blocked drains are a common plumbing problem. You know that lovely shower you take every day? Your hair and skin leaves loads of residue in the pipes, which eventually builds up. The same happens when oils, fats and food are washed down the kitchen sink. Foreign objects are also often flushed or washed down the sewage system, causing blockages. The blockage could eventually inhibit the flow of water, resulting in water being pushed back into your system, overflowing and causing an unsightly and smelly mess.

If you suspect you have a plumbing problem, don’t panic! Check out our FAQ page to identify your concern. You can also do a basic inspection to see where the blockage is located. Even if you don’t unblock it yourself, you’ll have a much better idea of what’s going on when your call Drain Surgeon for a quote. Click here for contact details, or fill in your details and we’ll call you back within 15 minutes, any time of the day or night. 

For blocked drains, start by shutting off any water draining into the sink. For bath, basin or shower waste pipes, check that the plug is free of hair and debris. If the stopper isn’t the problem, then the drainpipe is probably clogged.

Firstly, try a plunger and chemical drain cleaner. Follow the instruction on the drain cleaner carefully, and be mindful not to allow chemicals to come into contact with the bath, basin, toilet or any other surfaces. You can also try the Drain Surgeon range of powerful chemical and bio-active products specifically designed to clear drains. Our Drain Cleaner quickly dissolves all organic obstructions including roots, sanitary pads, and even rags, while our Power Drain Cleaner is a super strong and instant drain cleaner containing a blend of highly alkaline powders.

At this point, if you’ve had enough of plunging and purging, you’re welcome to call Drain Surgeon. With more than 30 years’ experience, Drain Surgeon is the expert in unblocking drains and we’re on call 24/7.

But if you’d like to get the job done yourself, check out the video here or follow the steps below:

BLOCKED SINK

•  To remove blockages from sink waste pipes, start with a bit of water in the sink bowl. This will probably be water that’s not draining because of the blockage.

• Put a rubber cup plunger over the waste outlet, and pump the plunger up and down to force the blockage through the waste pipe. You can also use the chemicals as mentioned.

• If this does not clear the blockage, go to the rubber pipes underneath your basin. This is called the trap. With water still in the sink bowl, squeeze the sides of the trap a number of times to see if this pushes the blockage up to the basin. Do this if the pipes are soft rubber.

• If your pipes are metal or hard plastic, you’ll notice a cleaning eye that can be unscrewed to give you access to the pipe. In this case, place a bucket under the trap, remove the cleaning eye and inspect the inside of the pipes for blockages.

• If no blockage is visible here, trace the pipe and open the cleaning eyes one at a time down the line. Look inside each cleaning eye and see if you can spot any blockages.

• You can now push a suitable cleaning rod or plumber’s snake down the pipes until you dislodge the blockage. The tools are used to grab onto and remove any blockages from the system.

BLOCKED BASIN

• To remove blockages from basin waste pipes, start with a bit of water in the sink bowl. Plunge away at your heart’s content, using chemicals as prescribed.

• With basins, it’s possible that a bottle trap has been fitted underneath the basin. This can be unscrewed or removed and inspected to see whether the blockage is in there. Always remember to place a bucket underneath before you remove the bottle trap!

• If the blockage is not in the bottle trap, trace the pipe and find the closest cleaning eye to unblock any obstacles from there.

BLOCKED SHOWER

• To remove blockages from shower waste pipes, start by removing the grating from the top of the trap.

• Check the trap and remove any debris you can see that might be causing the blockage.

• If this does not work, and with water still in the shower tray, use a rubber cup plunger.

• If this does not work – trace the pipes and access the cleaning eyes with a cleaning rod or plumber’s snake.

BLOCKED OUTSIDE DRAIN

For blocked outside drains, watch the video on how to unblock drain pipes here or read the article (insert article link for BEST BLOCKED DRAINS SOLUTIONS). At Drain Surgeon we specialise in blocked drains and offer electro-mechanical drain cleaning and high pressure hydro jetting of sewer and storm water drains with pipe diameters up to 900 mm.

WHY CALL US

Drain Surgeon is the largest plumbing group in the Southern Hemisphere. We will give you quick and professional service no matter what your plumbing and drainage needs may be.

Call us today and our plumbing team will take care of it – any time of day or night. We offer plumbing services 24 hours a day across South Africa and we’ll take care of any plumbing problem that’s arisen in your home, regardless of its severity. We’ve been in the business for a long time and we’ve seen it all, so you can enjoy peace of mind in knowing that one of our expert plumbers will be with you soon. 

Download the app here and save R150 on your first job! Check out our testimonials here to hear what other happy customers have to say. We hope to add your testimonial there next!

Why call Drain Surgeon? We offer all general and specialised plumbing services, 24 hours a day.

• We are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

• Your call will always be answered by our helpful staff – never an answering machine.

• You do not pay extra for services outside office hours.

• We will keep you informed throughout the process.

• Our technicians will always be professional, highly competent and wear our easy recognisable uniform.

• The Drain Surgeon vehicles carry all the equipment to complete most jobs immediately.

• We leave all work areas clean and tidy.

When you call us we will endeavour to solve your problem quickly and professionally.