Drain unblocking means clearing the pipe that carries waste water away. It covers pipes inside the house and drains outside it. The right method depends on where the blockage sits, since each pipe run differs.
Inside the house, most blockages are hair, soap, fat or paper. Outside, leaves, silt and tree roots are more common. For example, a gully can back up after rain because leaves and grit collect there first.
Choose inside or outside help below. If you are not sure which you need, describe the symptoms in the request form, because that helps the engineer ask the right questions.
The engineer works out which pipe run has the problem. Then they check each fixture on that run. Opening a trap or an inspection chamber often shows where the water stops, since clear sections run freely.
An engineer can use hand rods, a powered snake or a jetter. The choice depends on the pipe size and the type of blockage, so no single method suits every job.
Once the pipe is clear, run the taps and flush the toilet. Watch how fast the water leaves. Then ask what caused the blockage, because that tells you how to stop a repeat.
Your private drain runs from your home to your property boundary, and the homeowner is responsible for it. Private pipework and gutters inside the boundary are also yours to look after, while the public sewer is not.
A drain becomes a public sewer when it leaves your boundary, or when it joins drains from another property's separate curtilage. Scottish Water looks after the public sewer, while blocked road gullies go to your local council.
Help with blocked gullies, manholes and drains outside the house. Check who owns the pipe before you call, because that decides who to ask.
Help with waste pipes inside the house. Slow fixtures often show where the blockage sits, since each one points to a pipe.
That depends on the engineer who takes your job. Ask whether there is a call-out charge before they visit. Then ask for the quote in writing, so you can compare it with others.
This website cannot promise an arrival time, because it depends on the engineer and how busy they are. Mark your request urgent and say if water or sewage is coming into your home. You can then ask the engineer for a time when they get in touch.
Yes, the request form is open 24/7 for Glasgow and surrounding areas. That describes the form only, not when someone will attend. Mark an urgent job as urgent in the job details.
Prices vary with the cause, the access and the type of drain. Ask for a written quote before work starts, so you know what you are agreeing to. Also ask what the quote covers.
A visit often starts with a check of the drain and a search for the cause. The engineer then clears the blockage where they can. Ask them to explain what they found, because that helps you stop it coming back.
Yes. You can send a request for a rented home, a shop, an office or a restaurant. If you rent, Scottish Water suggests a licensed plumber, or your landlord or the council.
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