Frequently Asked Plumbing Questions
What is the best method for unblocking drains?
The most effective way to ensure that your drain is unblocked correctly, is to call in professional help (of course, you assumed we’d say that!)
It’s definitely worth trying some home remedies before giving us a call as pouring hot water down the drain can sometimes clear blockages that can easily be dislodged. Alternatively, chemical solutions can be purchased from the hardware store, but these do have to be handled with care when being used in the home. If you’re unable to remove the blockage yourself, or if you’d just rather get some professional help, then calling Bristol Drain and Plumbing is the best way to ensure that your drainage problems will be correctly and efficiently resolved for the foreseeable future.
How do you clear a stubborn blockage in a drain?
For blockages that can’t easily be removed or that are continuously reoccurring, we’d strongly suggest that you call in professional help. More frequently than not, a tricky blockage does mean that there is a more severe problem with your drainage system or your pipework.
If you do have a stubborn blockage, we’d highly recommend performing a CCTV drain survey so that we can discover exactly what the issue is with your drainage system. Once we’ve found the issue, we’ll be able to find the most efficient and cost-effective way to resolve the problem.
How much does it cost to clear a main sewage line?
The price for clearing a main sewage line is really dependent on how severely your line is blocked and the reason for the severe blockage. The standard price for a simple drain jetting us, a pressurised water jet or a drain snake from £60.
If the severely blocked drain is caused by tree roots damaging the pipe or by subsidence, then the cost for the repair will be higher. Don’t panic though! Before any additional methods are tried, or any extra work is carried out, we will always provide you with a fixed price quote so that you go into any proceedings well-informed.
What can I try to unblock the drain myself?
We always recommend that, before you give us a call, it’s best to try and clear your drain yourself. Using a plunger to clear the blockage or pouring hot water down the drain are a good place to start as these are very accessible, safe at-home options. If these methods are unsuccessful then we’d recommend pouring vinegar and baking soda down your drain separately to cause a reaction and (hopefully) clear the blockage.
If none of these traditional methods successfully remove your blockage, then you can purchase chemical or biological drain clearers from hardware stores and these can be very effective.
For a guaranteed effective solution, though, we would recommend giving us a call at Bristol Drainage and Plumbing. It can often work out cheaper to just call us in than to have to gather plenty of chemicals and supplies and then spend hours attempting to unblock the drain yourself. After all, your time is valuable!
How do I clear a blocked sink?
For a blocked sink, we’d recommend trying a sink plunger to begin with. Another great at-home method is using a disformed wire coat hanger to try to remove the blockage. Then you can attempt at-home and chemical methods (the same methods as for a drain can be attempted on a sink.) If you’re still unable to resolve the issue then please do give us a call, and we guarantee we’ll be able to fix it.
Tiffany Maule