Blocked Drains

• Understanding where a drain is really blocked will help to know where to clear it from
• Plunging a blocked pipe is only a temporary fix
• Contacting a licensed plumber to fix a blockage will save time and money in the long run
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• Top Dog Richard was recently called out to a property on a Friday due to a blocked kitchen sink. The sink simply wouldn’t drain and was causing headaches for the family, especially going into a busy weekend.

In this VLOG, Rich shows us what was causing the blockage and how he unclogged it using his specialised equipment.

EVERYTHING BUT THE KITCHEN SINK

A quick check of the various drains in the house verified that the blockage was contained to the kitchen sink, as this was the only one backing up. A further investigation found that the overflow gully located on the other side of the home was also backflowing, leading Rich to believe that the gully pipe was blocked, rather than the shorter kitchen waste pipe.
The gully pipe was situated under the slab of the house, running the entire width of the home and the blockage could be anywhere along that pipe.

MORE THAN TAKING THE PLUNGE

The first step the Plumbdog team will take is to use a plunger down the gully pipe to see if the blockage can be dispersed. This can lower the water level, making it easier to use other equipment. Plumbdog will never stop at using just a plunger, as further investigation is always required for blockages and this would be considered a quick fix, not a permanent one.

GREASE IS THE WORD

The next step involves feeding a drain jetter 2-3 metres down the gully pipe to clear out any immediate build-up. Rich then switched to his rigid nano cam/CCTV, but the camera lens was quickly covered in grease, confirming that the blockage was due to fats and oils being washed down the kitchen sink.
To prevent any mess inside the home, a towel was placed in the kitchen sink to avoid any splashback that may occur during the next step.
A rear-facing jetter was then fed through the gully pipe, assisted by the CCTV camera to monitor the progress. Metre by metre, the grease was cleared all the way up to the kitchen sink waste pipe.
While retracting the CCTV, it was clear that the gully pipe was now free of any grease build-up and the kitchen sink was draining with ease again.

PLUMBDOG TO THE RESCUE

Grease build-up is a very common problem that can occur over time. While there may be some short-term solutions available, it is important to contact a plumber who isn’t afraid to get their paws dirty to properly clear the build-up in the pipe. Plumbdog has the state of the art equipment to get the best results, so if you’re in the Greater Perth area and are in need of a reliable Perth Plumber, give us a whistle!

Don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel, like and subscribe to stay up to date with our latest videos.

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• Drain cleaning products are not always efficient at unblocking drains
• Understanding where the water is really blocked helps to fix the problem
• Contacting a licensed plumber often saves time and money
• Don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

Our customers are always looking for ways to unblock basins. For those that consider themselves home handy people, they often look for best drain unblocking products or how to unblock drain instructions. Quite often this simply ends up with buying a drain unblocking product of some sort from the supermarket or hardware store. What usually happens is the customer goes and buy these home remedy products or some vinegar and baking soda, then give us a whistle when the problem continues.

At today’s job, top dog Richard has been called out to a property to look at a blocked waste pipe in the bathroom. First thing he points out is that our clients have already tried to unblock the drain themselves, suspecting hair blockage, by using drain crystals.

Plumbdog Note: There are different types of crystals and products for different purposes. The customers have used a kitchen unblocking product which is more relevant for grease type blockages rather than blockages in the bathroom. However, we usually don’t recommend these types of products. You really need to get your paws dirty if you want to get to the root of the problem.

BLOCKED BASIN – IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM AREA

First things first, Richard identifies where the blockage is in basin. The usual first place to check is the waste trap area as that is a common place where blockages occur. At todays property, the water in the pipe was clear which indicates that the blockage is not in the pipe but moreso in the basin or trap.

Video: Check out how much gunk builds up in the trap even though the water isn’t completely blocked at this location. It’s normal for this type of build up to occur over time.

LOCALISED BLOCKAGE

The blockage has been identified and it’s a localised blockage. While there was some buildup of grime and soap scum in the waste trap area, the blockage was found around the plug and waste fitting area.

Check out the video at [1:04] where you can see the basin holding water when the trap was already removed.

A GOOD CLEAN

After a good clean removing the buildup of grime and soap, we always replace washers when we replace a trap as they are perishable and there’s nothing worse than water seeping out just because the washer has worn out.

Remember if you have plumbing problems it’s best to call a licensed plumber to investigate and get the job done properly. Not only do you save time, you can save money from buying products that don’t work or products that aren’t right for the job.

GIVE US A WHISTLE!

Next time you need a plumber that know to get their paws dirty and are experts when it comes to blocked drains, think of plumbers like Plumbdog. If you’re in the Greater Perth area and are in need of a reliable Perth Plumber, give us a whistle!

Don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel, like and subscribe to stay up to date with our latest videos.

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• Sometimes a ‘simple’ problem isn’t as simple as it may seem
• Our obedient Plumbdogs work in tight places causing minimal property disruption
• We have all the gear and every idea!
• Like & Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to keep up to date with our latest videos!

We were called out just for a blocked bathtub plumbing issue, the usual suspect would have been tree roots but after attempting drain cleaning with the high pressure water jetter and CCTV, it became clear that something unusual was going on.

Doing what Plumbdogs Do Best – Digging!

Darius digs his way to the waste pipe and shows us the problem area. If you’ve seen some of our other VLOGs, you would have seen the great work that Darius does. He completes jobs with minimal disruption to properties and if you look closely, the space that he works in is barely big enough to fit a power tool but he gets the job done and gets it done well.

Not Just a Tree Roots

This is a perfect example of things that could go wrong with the plumbing causing a blocked bathtub. It wasn’t blocked tree roots on this occasion, the waste pipe had completely come away from the bath waste.  The client reports that they have been at the property for around 4 years and have had this problem since they first moved in and it’s now clear why.

Perth’s Maintenance Plumbing Experts

Blocked drains are one of our specialist services and you can see why. It’s not uncommon that for detection whether leak detection or detecting blocked drains another specialist is called out for assistance. Our Plumbdogs are pedigree! Aside from the plumbing knowledge that Darius already has, check out the quality of the plumbing work.

All The Gear and Every Idea!

This video is the perfect example when a plumber is more than just a plumber. We’ve had out CCTV, our high powered water jetter, power tools, he’s got his paws dirty digging, concreting and getting some actual plumbing in all while showing us what goes on behind the scenes. This is why we say we have All The Gear and Every Idea!

If you’re in the greater Perth area and have any blocked drain issues or plumbing needs, give us a whistle!

While you’re watching the YouTube video, don’t forget to check out our other videos too, like, share and subscribe to our channel!

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