My Outside Drain is Blocked! What Should I Do?

Is your outside drain blocked and you're not sure what to do?

You’re not alone. Blocked drains are extremely common. But fear not – we’re here to help. As Newcastle’s leading plumbing team, we’re here to break down what to do when you’re faced with the sudden realisation of “My outside drain is blocked! What now!?”

There’s no doubt about it – a blocked outside drain can be a huge headache. When customers call us panicked with one of the most common statements: “my outside drain is blocked”, we understand how frustrating their concern can be.

If you’ve ever had a blocked outside drain, you’re probably familiar with that foul-smelling odour and potentially foul water or fluid rising and flooding an external area. Even if you’re somewhat aware of how your home’s drainage operates, the process of how to clean outside drains is generally more of a challenge than internal drains. Outside drains can be difficult to access and more complex than indoor systems in your kitchen or bathroom. Additionally, as most internal plumbing connects to your outdoor drains, it could be any number of reasons that have contributed to a blockage.

In this article, we are going to give you some tips and advice on how to unblock a drain outside, why drains get blocked and the signs and symptoms of a blocked drain.

How Do I Know If My Outside Drain Is Blocked?

When trying to fix a blocked drain, it is important to know the signs and symptoms of a blocked outdoor drain, as well as what causes a blockage.

Some simple ways to tell if your drain is blocked is by looking out for the following symptoms:

• Smell: Often a displeasing odour will result from the build-up of fluids and items in your plumbing systems
• Sink Drainage: When a drain is blocked or partially obstructed, water will take an increased amount of time to drain from your sink
• Toilet Drainage: Toilets may overflow or experience water rising after flushing
• Sounds: You may hear gurgling sounds from your plughole

How Can I Unblock a Drain Outside?

If you find yourself with an outside blocked drain, chances are you will probably have googled ‘How to unblock a drain outside’. This can generate a whole number of search results, each with their own methods and (frankly, unreliable) remedies for unblocking your drain.

With these online guides, throw caution to the wind. While googling prevention tips can be extremely helpful, we have seen far too many households attempt to unblock drains on their own, only to have made their situation worse.

A quick search cannot replace the skills of a trained plumber. Plumbers inspect and fix blocked drains every day. Each drain is slightly different and will require its own unique methods to unblock it. It is also important to note that you want to use the least invasive method possible, reduce the number of chemicals used and ensure a healthy and functioning drain in the long run. So, while we can’t give you a step-by-step on how to clear out your outdoor drain, we can provide some simple tips that will contribute to a clean, healthy drainage system.

1. Leaves and Debris

In many outdoor blocked drains, the causes are a simple build of leaves, debris, and silt. This is quite common around grates and guttering. Often this build-up is easily visible and simple to remove. By regularly clearing out leaves and debris, you can also prevent any outdoor drainage problems from reoccurring.

2. Chemical Drain Cleaners

Too many residents look for a quick fix, and not the long-term solution for blocked drains. If you’re one of the many thinking, “My outside drain is blocked; better grab the draino!”, it’s time to put the big bottle of toxic chemicals down.

While some drain cleaners are fine and can provide relief for a simple blocked drain, too many people often either use harsh chemicals, use them incorrectly, or use too much, without remedying their blockage. When putting these harsh chemicals into your plumbing, you risk seriously damaging your plumbing infrastructure. What’s more, not addressing the cause of your drain headache will only mean it will reoccur in a couple of weeks' time.

3. Call An Expert Plumber

Expert Plumbers such as those at CDL work on blocked outdoor drains every day. If you call us and say, “My outside drain is blocked!”, we will get to you right away to remediate your blocked drain. While it may be tempting to choose DIY methods to cut down on costs. However, if you take on the burden of a DIY method, you’re only going to put a strain on your plumbing fixtures down the line.

At CDL, we pride ourselves on delivering value to our customers and only charge what is fair. Additionally, although home remedies can work short term, we have seen far too many clients who only made matters worse and needed extensive plumbing services to fix their problems.

If you call a CDL plumber for your blocked drain services, you’re guaranteed an expert who will diagnose the blockage, provide a solution and ensure there are prevention methods in place to avoid the blockage from reoccurring. We can unblock most drains quickly and easily which means affordably with a CCTV inspection and jet water blasting among other techniques.

So, Why Is My Outside Drain Blocked?

When it comes to reducing issues from blocked drains, prevention is key. It is better to take steps to keep your drains clear and healthy rather than waiting for something to go wrong and then looking for a solution.

The easiest way to start doing this is by being conscious about what you put into your pipes. Not everything can simply be flushed down the toilet or pass through your drains. The causes of many blocked drains are poor or incorrect disposal of items. These are items that easily build up or are not designed to pass-through plumbing and drainage systems.

Main Causes of a Blocked Outdoor Drain:

These are common items that you should avoid flushing or putting down the drain. When customers call us up saying “My outside drain is blocked”, often, it is because they have flushed a number of items without any consideration as to where they will end up.

My Outside Drain is Blocked. Who Do I Call?

Outside drain blocked? Should you require the expert services of CDL Plumbing for assistance with a blocked outdoor drain or other plumbing matters, please do not hesitate to call us on 0477 76 2937 or submit an enquiry through our contact page. Newcastle and Lake Macquarie's leading plumbing team, we’ve got your drains covered by CDL Plumbing and Drainage.