A blocked drain outside the house is easy to ignore until it overflows. Water pools in the garden and a smell drifts in. However, acting early costs less and causes less damage.

Every building has a drainage system that carries waste away. Most people forget it exists until something goes wrong. However, a few simple checks can catch a blockage before it spreads.

What Causes a Blockage Outside?

Tree roots are a common cause. They search for moisture, so they can push into old pipes through tiny cracks, especially in warm weather. Once inside, they grow and catch whatever flows past.

Other causes are flushed items, grease, leaves and silt. For example, wipes and nappies do not break down, so they build up in the pipe. You can read more in our guide to the common causes of blocked drains.

Signs of a Blocked Drain

Look out for these warning signs before the problem grows, because each one shows that water is struggling to leave the pipe. Spotting them early gives you more choices:

A smell around the drain cover or inspection chamber
Gurgling from sinks or toilets
Water rising in the toilet
Slow shower or bath drainage
Water backing up when the washing machine runs

A bath that fills with dirty water is a clear clue, since the bath is the lowest outlet. Read about a bathtub drain backing up if you see this. Our page on how to know when your drain needs cleaning lists more early signs.

How to Clear It

Start with the simple options. Lift the cover of the inspection chamber and look. If the chamber is full, the blockage lies further along. Do not reach into it, because the contents are unhealthy to touch.

Rods can clear a soft blockage. For a stubborn one, high-pressure water is the usual answer, because it clears the pipe wall as well as the plug. Read about jetting blocked drains to see how this works. For a step-by-step view, see how to unblock a sewage drain and how to clear the main sewer line.

If the drain keeps blocking, a camera can show why, whereas rods only treat the symptom. See how CCTV drain inspections work. The camera finds cracks and roots that rods cannot.

What It Costs

Prices vary with the cause and the access. Therefore the fairest way to judge cost is to understand the job first. Our guide on how much it costs to unblock a drain explains what changes the price. We agree a fixed price before work starts.

How to Prevent a Repeat

Prevention is cheaper than repair, because a clear drain never floods. Keep leaves and silt off gullies, and bin anything that should not go down the drain. Our tips on how to keep your drain clear of blockage give you a simple routine.

Help in North London

We clear drains at homes and businesses, while keeping the work tidy. Our blocked sinks service and blocked drains service cover the common jobs. We also offer drain clearance in Wembley, with drain unblocking in Cheshunt and help for blocked drains in Potters Bar.

A properly working drain matters to any property. Still, even a careful owner can face a blockage. Send the details through the online enquiry form and we will take it from there.