Drain Unblocking Southampton

Problems we often see in Southampton

When customers in and around Southampton contact us about drain unblocking, these are some of the most common issues:

• Root ingress in older clay drains, especially in streets with mature trees in Bassett, Highfield and Upper Shirley
• Wipes and fat blocking drains in shared student and rental houses
• Shared rear drain runs in terraces backing up into several homes at once
• Kitchen gullies clogged with grease at the back of older properties
• Displaced joints in drains beneath extensions and patios

What usually causes them

• Wet wipes, sanitary products and kitchen roll flushed down toilets
• Fat, oil and grease poured down kitchen sinks, which hardens in the pipe
• Food waste, coffee grounds and rice collecting at bends
• Hair and soap residue in bathroom waste pipes
• Leaves, silt and debris washed into outside gullies

Drain Unblocking across Southampton

Southampton has a lot of older housing, and older drains block for different reasons from modern ones. Many Victorian and Edwardian terraces in Portswood, Shirley, Woolston and Freemantle still have clay pipes with mortar joints. Over time those joints crack and shift, roots find their way in, and small lips form that catch paper and wipes. A drain like that can be cleared, but if it keeps blocking, it is worth looking inside with a camera.

Houses in multiple occupation are also common, particularly around Portswood, Highfield and Swaythling. When five or six people share a drain designed for a single household, fat, food waste and wipes build up quickly. We can clear the blockage and give landlords a clear explanation of what caused it.

Terraced streets often have drains shared between neighbours. In England, shared drains and those beyond your boundary are usually the responsibility of the water company (Southern Water in Southampton). When we lift the chambers, we can tell you whether the blockage is on your private section or somewhere you should report.

What Clear Drainage does

Clearing blocked drains, gullies and waste pipes at homes and businesses, then explaining what caused the blockage so it is less likely to come back.

• The blockage is traced to its source rather than just pushed further down the pipe.
• You are told what caused the problem in plain English, with practical advice on preventing it.
• Where a drain looks damaged, you can choose whether to investigate further with a CCTV survey.
• The method is matched to the drain, from simple rodding to high-pressure jetting.

When to call us

Get in touch if you notice any of the following at your Southampton property:

• Water rising in an outside gully or inspection chamber
• Sinks, baths or showers draining slowly or not at all
• Toilets filling higher than usual or slow to clear when flushed
• Gurgling from plugholes or the toilet after water drains elsewhere
• Unpleasant smells from drains, gullies or manhole covers
• Water or waste backing up at the lowest point in the property