Drain cleaning in Sydney is an important part of our job as plumbers. We ensure sewers and pipes remove effluent waste and take it to where it needs to be treated, for your convenience. But when it doesn’t work as planned, it can cause a back-up, creating all sorts of problems.
What usually causes blocked sewers?
Often blockages are caused by normal household items flushed inappropriately – like excessive paper waste, wipes, nappies or other offending objects that don’t belong in the sewer system. It’s important for these items to be removed from the sewer system before the waste is processed at the treatment plant.
However not all blocked drains are caused by physical objects that get stuck in the sewer line. Sometimes there is more to the story, and this requires extra investigation work through the use of a drain camera.
A drain camera is a specialised machine that plumbers use to inspect the condition of the sewer pipe and pinpoint problem areas of the pipe that may need to be replaced or re-lined. If you have a crack in your pipe, or a tree root has pierced the line, this may also cause a blockage, and you’ll need the plumber to carefully unblock the drain.
Sydney’s sewer history
Sydney has a history of different types of sewer pipes used in the application of removing waste. Originally clay pipes were laid, and some of these pipes are still in use today. Unfortunately, over time, these can crack due to ageing and earth movement. The cracks can allow tree roots to penetrate and grow through the orifice of the sewer, causing a back-up of sewerage.
Many clay pipes, or Earthenware as it is known to plumbers, have been replaced and upgraded over the years with copper or, more recently, PVC pipes. But even with these sturdy materials, bows in the line from movement or incorrect installation can also cause blockages. PVC pipes can also crack due to pressure and force of tree roots. Sometimes if a sewer line hasn’t been laid correctly, this can cause the pipe to move and crack.
In these cases, a drain camera can help a plumber decipher the cause of the blockage and offer a plan of attack to prevent constant blockages that cost you money to fix. Regular cleaning of drains can be a drain on the finances! So pin pointing the problem areas of your sewer drains can make a solution faster and more affordable.
Drain cleaning in your Sydney property is something only an experience plumber can manage. It may lead to additional costs, like replacing a part of your sewer, but it can save future costs of call outs and the inconvenience of dealing with a backed up drain every couple of months.
Never dealt with ways to unblock drains before? If you have issues with blockages at your premises, why not give Gladesville Plumbing a call? We can have a team out to investigate the problem for you and offer advice and a quote to prevent future blockages.