Blocked drains
How quickly can you respond to my blocked drain?
We always put blocked toilets, sinks, showers and other sewer blockages first. If you have a serious blockage or an urgent problem, call us on 1800 84 33 72. We’ll get to you as fast as we can.
What are the early warning signs of a blocked drain?
Your sink, shower or bath is slow to drain. Your toilet fills up when you flush but drains away slowly. You hear gurgling or smell something bad from any of these. Outside, look for pools of water in your garden, garage, driveway or anywhere water shouldn’t be. That can mean your stormwater drains are blocked too. Overflowing gutters and leaking downpipes are also signs of a blockage.
How will I know if my drain is blocked?
Gurgling or gulping sounds from your shower, bath, sink or bathroom floor can mean your drains are already partly blocked. Other warning signs: water drains away slower than normal, your toilet is slow to flush, or the water level in the bowl rises or falls below normal. If the drain outside your house overflows when the washing machine runs, that’s a blockage too. If you notice any of these, call The Drain Man on 1800 84 33 72.
How do drain pipes get crushed or broken underground?
Lots of things can crush or break a drain pipe underground. Renovations, heavy vehicles driving over the drain and recent digging can all do it. Heavy rain can make the ground sag or seep, which can crack or break drains. Extreme drought or extreme rain can also make the ground move, and that can crack or break drains too.
Do you fix blocked drains at businesses like hotels, cafes, restaurants, hospitals and aged care homes?
Yes. We have the gear, the team and the experience to look after blocked drains for all kinds of businesses. Blocked toilets and sinks are common in pubs, cafes and restaurants, and they can really disrupt your business. Call The Drain Man for fast, reliable service to clear the blockage and get you back up and running. We have one of the biggest fleets on the road, so we can get to you quickly. See our commercial drain services.
Drain relining
Should I replace my drains if they keep getting blocked?
No. You don’t need to dig up and replace your drains, even if they block often. First we clear your drains properly and remove any blockages. Then we use our no dig system to reline your drains from the inside, so they stop blocking up. We don’t dig up your garden or cut through your paths and driveway. Relining is easier, faster and usually cheaper than digging, and it comes with a lifetime warranty.
How do you work out what my drain needs?
Call us on 1800 84 33 72. We’ll come out and put a camera down your drain to see what’s going on inside and find the cause of the blockages. Then we’ll give you a detailed plan and a quote for relining that fixes the problem for life.
Areas and hours
Do you service my area?
The Drain Man works across New South Wales and Victoria, including the capital cities and major regional areas. Contact us to find out if we can get one of our highly trained plumbers to you fast.
Do you work after hours?
We work 7 days a week for emergencies. Please call us first on 1800 84 33 72 or fill in our enquiry form.
Sewer and stormwater drains
What is a sewer drain?
Every sink, shower, bath, toilet, dishwasher and washing machine in your house drains into the sewer. Everything you flush or wash away ends up in one drain that leads from your home. That’s your sewer drain. Fats and oils from cooking, hair and soap from showers, and toilet paper all end up in the same place. That’s why it’s the drain most likely to block, and why blocked sewers are the most common problem we fix. It’s also why you sometimes get bad smells from your kitchen sink, bathroom sink or shower.
What is a stormwater drain?
Your stormwater drain takes the rain that falls on your roof, driveway, paths and paved areas. It carries the water away from your property in pipes under the ground. In heavy downpours there can be a lot of water, so these drains can block or overflow and cause flash floods. Leaves, other rubbish and even tree roots can get in and block them. Your stormwater drains flow into a local creek or river and then out to sea. So please never wash anything toxic into them. It will pollute our creeks, rivers and oceans.
What’s the difference between a sewer drain and a stormwater drain?
Everything that drains water inside your home goes to the sewer drain. Everything that drains water outside your home goes to the stormwater drain. Not sure which one is blocked? Our blocked drain services page explains how to tell.