Blocked drains are a very common plumbing issue in Sydney and can be a frustrating problem for local households, especially if they keep coming back. While there are many things you can do to help prevent and unclog a blocked drain yourself, repeatedly treating a blocked drain won’t solve the problem if there’s an underlying issue.
Recurring blockages often indicate a larger problem further down the drainage system.
Your Drain Keeps Blocking After You’ve Cleared It
A one-off blockage usually occurs when a foreign object has accidentally been flushed or washed down the drain, like a build-up of kitchen waste in the sink or a wet wipe flushed down the toilet.
But what happens when the drain clogs up again soon after you’ve cleared it? A simple blockage may sometimes be cleared with a plunger or other appropriate household method. However, chemical drain cleaners shouldn’t be relied on as a solution for recurring blockages.
If there’s more going on in your drainage system than a simple home fix can correct, you could be dealing with a stubborn build-up, deteriorated pipework, tree root intrusion or another problem deeper within the line. From our experience dealing with blocked drains across Sydney, recurring problems are usually worth investigating properly rather than continually clearing the same drain.
Multiple Drains Are Slow at the Same Time
If your drainage issue isn’t isolated to one sink or fixture, this often means there’s an issue further down the line in the system, where multiple drains connect to a shared pipe.
We see this in established Sydney suburbs where older terrace homes and heritage properties can still have ageing clay or terracotta drainage pipes. As a plumbing company in Redfern, we work in almost every corner of the Inner City, and many of the older homes we visit still have their original drainage. As these pipes age, cracks, shifting joints and tree root intrusion can contribute to recurring drainage problems.
If several fixtures around the property are becoming slow or backing up together, a local Redfern plumber can inspect the system and determine whether the problem is further down the property’s drainage line.
You Hear Gurgling or Bubbling from Your Drains
If your drain has a gurgling, bubbly language all its own, this shouldn’t be put down as a personality quirk of your sink!
Unusual sounds from the drain, particularly if you’ve had previous blockages, can be a sign that wastewater or air is struggling to move freely through the pipe.
When we hear about recurring gurgling together with slow drainage or previous blockages, it usually tells us the problem is worth looking into rather than simply putting up with the noise.
Your Toilet and Shower Start Playing Up Together
If your toilet makes strange noises when the shower is on, or water bubbles up through the shower drain when the toilet is flushed, you’ve likely got a blockage somewhere within a shared branch drain or main sewer line.
A clog within this shared line or the main sewer pipe means wastewater has nowhere to go, so it can begin to back up through another fixture when you flush the toilet or send a large volume of water down the shower drain.
You Notice Bad Smells Coming From the Drain
While not all bad smells from your drain mean there’s a serious issue, persistent odours can indicate stagnant water, a build-up of organic matter and other drainage problems.
Keeping food scraps, fats and other unsuitable materials out of your drains can help reduce avoidable build-up. But when an odour keeps returning despite normal cleaning, the source may be further inside the drainage system and worth investigating.
Tree Roots, Leaf Matter and Ageing Pipes
Sydneysiders are blessed with beautiful beaches, established trees, parks and famously leafy suburbs. It’s part of what makes Sydney such a great place to live, but all that vegetation can occasionally create problems for underground drains and stormwater pipes.
Around Redfern, Moore Park, Darlington and other established inner-Sydney suburbs, older properties and mature trees can be an important combination to consider when a drain keeps blocking. Some older homes may still have clay or terracotta drainage pipes, and as those pipes age, joints can separate or cracks can develop. Tree roots can then find their way into existing gaps in search of moisture and gradually restrict the flow through the pipe.
Leaves and organic debris can also build up around outdoor drains and stormwater systems, particularly after periods of heavy rain.
A CCTV drain inspection allows a plumber to look inside the pipe and determine whether the blockage is being caused by tree roots, accumulated debris, damaged pipework or another obstruction. Once the cause is identified, the appropriate method can be used to clear or repair the drain.
How Do Plumbers Find the Cause of a Recurring Blockage?
A thorough inspection is the first port of call for finding the cause of a recurring blockage. CCTV drain inspection is generally one of the most useful ways to investigate a blockage if a cause is not immediately obvious.
A drain camera can show what is happening inside the pipe and help pinpoint the location and cause of the problem. If the pipe is still in suitable condition, high-pressure water jetting may be enough to clear a stubborn blockage. If the inspection reveals structural damage, pipe relining or targeted repairs may be considered instead.
The important part is finding out why the drain keeps blocking, rather than simply clearing it and waiting for the same problem to return.
Can a Recurring Blocked Drain Be Prevented?
While some issues need to be fixed by a professional plumber, there are a few things you can do to help maintain your drains:
- don’t put fats and oils down kitchen drains
- avoid flushing inappropriate items
- address slow drainage early
- maintain outdoor drainage
- investigate recurring problems rather than ignoring them
These habits won’t prevent problems caused by damaged or ageing underground pipework, but they can reduce avoidable blockages and help you notice developing drainage issues earlier.
Don’t Wait to Call a Professional
Don’t wait until a problem turns into a disaster to call in a professional plumber. The longer an underlying drainage problem is left unresolved, the more disruptive it can become.
If the same drain keeps blocking, several fixtures are affected or wastewater is beginning to back up, having the system inspected can help identify the cause and determine the appropriate next step.
