Tree roots
Roots find moisture at joints and cracks, then grow inside the pipe until the flow chokes. Common in older clay and earthenware drains.
Blocked drains · CCTV · Sydney
Blocked drains Sydney
Blocked sewer and stormwater drains cleared across Sydney, then inspected with our own CCTV drain camera so you know what caused it and what the drain needs next.
Owner-operated — Joel Polifroni attends and carries out the work himself. Blocked drains and hot water are our two specialist areas.
Blocked right now
What to do first
Stop using the fixtures on the affected line — every flush and every sink of water has to go somewhere, and a blocked drain will surcharge at the lowest point. If water is coming up from a gully outside, keep people and pets clear of it.
Then call us. Tell us which fixtures are affected, whether the problem is one fixture or the whole house, and whether it has happened before — that usually tells us straight away whether we are looking at a branch line or the main sewer drain. Blocked drain work is available across Sydney, including after hours.
Causes
What causes blocked drains
Fats, oils and grease
Warm fats wash down, cool and harden on the pipe wall, narrowing the drain until solids catch and the line blocks.
Wipes and foreign objects
Wipes, sanitary items, nappies, cat litter and toys do not break down. They snag on a joint or bend and everything behind them stops.
Displaced or collapsed pipes
Ground movement, old joints and damaged sections let the pipe drop out of line or collapse, so waste no longer runs away cleanly.
Build-up and scale
Soap, hair, detergent and sediment build up over years, particularly in older basin, shower and laundry lines.
Damage from other works
Excavation, landscaping, fencing and driveway work can crack or crush a drain that was never located before digging started.
Warning signs
Signs of a blocked drain
Most blockages give warning before they overflow. If more than one fixture is affected, the problem is usually in the main drain rather than the fixture.
- Water draining slowly from a sink, shower, basin or floor waste
- Gurgling from a toilet or drain when another fixture is used
- A toilet that rises then drops, or does not clear properly
- Sewage smell around a gully, inspection opening or yard
- Water surcharging from an overflow relief gully outside
- More than one fixture affected at the same time
- A blockage that keeps coming back after being cleared
- Wet ground, subsidence or unusually green patches over the drain line
How we work
How the blockage is located and cleared
- Step 01
Find where the blockage actually is
We check the affected fixtures, the gully and the inspection openings to work out whether the problem sits in a branch line or the main sewer drain.
- Step 02
Clear the line
Depending on what is blocking it, the drain is cleared mechanically or with high pressure water jetting, which cuts roots and scours fat and build-up off the pipe wall rather than just punching a hole through it.
- Step 03
Camera the drain
Prevail Plumbing owns and operates its own CCTV drain camera. Once the line is running we inspect it, so you see the condition of the pipe instead of guessing at it.
- Step 04
Locate any defect from the surface
Where the camera finds a broken, displaced or root-affected section, the camera sonde is traced from above ground to mark the position and depth on site.
- Step 05
Explain the repair options
You get the findings and a clear scope: whether maintenance clearing is enough, whether the section suits relining, or whether conventional repair is the right answer.
From blockage to repair
Clearing it is the first step
- Blockage cleared. Flow restored so the property can be used again.
- CCTV drain inspection. The line is camera-inspected to find the cause — roots, build-up, a displaced joint or a broken section — and the defect is located from the surface.
- High pressure water jetting. Where roots, fat or heavy build-up are the cause, the drain is jetted properly so the pipe wall is clean before anything is decided.
- Relining or conventional repair. If the pipe is structurally damaged, the inspection determines whether the section suits pipe relining or whether excavation and replacement is the appropriate repair.
Where we work
Residential, strata and commercial drains
Drainage work across the Sydney metropolitan area, from a single blocked toilet through to shared strata lines and commercial drainage.
Sydney service areas- Houses, units and townhouses — sewer, stormwater and branch drains
- Strata common property drainage, stacks and shared lines
- Commercial kitchens, grease lines and amenities
- Car park, pit and pump-out drainage
- Recurring blockages that need a cause, not another clear
Related drainage cluster
Clearing, inspection, cleaning and repair
High Pressure Water JettingRoot cutting, fat removal and pipe-wall scouring for suitable blocked drains.View serviceCCTV Drain InspectionsCamera inspection and locating when the cause needs confirming.View servicePipe ReliningNo-dig repair where CCTV shows the pipe is suitable.View serviceDrainageExcavation, replacement and stormwater repair where the pipe is damaged.View service
Frequently asked questions
Blocked drain questions
What causes most blocked drains in Sydney?
Tree roots and fat build-up are the two most common causes we see, especially in older clay sewer drains. Wipes and foreign objects, and pipes that have dropped out of line or cracked, make up most of the rest.
Why does my drain keep blocking after it is cleared?
A repeat blockage usually means the cause is still there — roots re-entering at a joint, fat coating the pipe, or a damaged section catching solids. A CCTV inspection after the drain is cleared shows which of those it is.
Do you use a camera on every blocked drain?
Not every minor blockage needs one, but we recommend a CCTV inspection whenever a blockage has returned, the cause is not obvious, or a repair is being considered. We own our camera, so inspecting the line is straightforward.
What is high pressure water jetting?
A jetting hose is fed into the drain and high pressure water is directed back along the pipe wall, cutting roots and scouring fat, sediment and build-up out of the line rather than leaving it in place.
Can a damaged drain be repaired without digging up the yard?
In many cases, yes. Where the inspection shows the pipe is suitable, the damaged section can be repaired from inside with pipe relining. Some defects — badly collapsed pipe, or a section that needs realignment — still need conventional excavation and replacement.
Do you work on strata and commercial drainage?
Yes. We clear and inspect drainage for houses, units, strata common property and commercial premises, including kitchen and amenities lines and pumped drainage.
What can I do before the plumber arrives?
Stop using the affected fixtures so waste water has somewhere to go, keep people away from any overflow, and avoid tipping chemical drain products down the line before the drain is inspected.
Blocked drain that needs clearing?
Call and describe what is happening, or send the details through and we will come back with a clear scope for clearing and inspecting the drain.