Blocked drains in Bristol, cleared the same day

What we unblock

• Kitchen sinks blocked with grease and food waste
• Basins, baths and showers blocked with hair and soap
• Blocked toilets and soil stacks
• Outside gullies full of leaves and silt
• Blocked inspection chambers and manholes on your property
• Washing machine and dishwasher wastes

Most blockages are cleared with hand tools: plungers, drain rods and a cleaned-out trap. For stubborn build-ups of fat or silt further down the pipe, we use high-pressure water jetting.

Is it your drain or Wessex Water’s sewer?

This matters, because it decides who pays. Since 1 October 2011, shared sewers and lateral drains outside your property boundary belong to the sewerage company, which in Bristol is Wessex Water. A drain that serves only your property, within its boundary, is your responsibility.

As a rough guide, if only your own sinks and toilet are affected, the blockage is probably in your drain. If neighbours are having the same trouble, or a shared manhole in the street is full, report it to Wessex Water first. If you’re not sure, describe it to us on the phone and we’ll tell you which it sounds like.

Why drains block

Most blockages come down to a handful of things: fat and oil poured down the sink, wet wipes flushed down the toilet (including “flushable” ones), hair in shower wastes, and leaves and silt washing into outside gullies. In older Bristol streets, clay drain runs can also crack, settle or let in tree roots. If a drain keeps blocking in the same place, there’s usually something wrong with the pipe itself, and a drain repair may be the real fix.

Keeping drains clear

Wipe greasy pans with kitchen roll before washing them, bin wipes and cotton buds, fit a hair catcher in the shower, and clear leaves off gully grates in autumn. Chemical drain cleaners can shift a minor build-up, but they rarely clear a real blockage. If you’ve used some, tell us before we start.