Blocked Drain, Drain Jetting and Drain Camera Inspections in Cape Town
Blockages are one of the most inconvenient plumbing problems for home and business owners as it places strain on the normal operations one seeks from a property, be it at home or work. If left unattended they cause damage to waste discharge pipes, they could slowly leak into the building structure or surrounding foundation and it can become a health hazard for both occupants and neighbouring properties.
From commercial and industrial to home drain unblocking, you get all the necessary experience and advanced equipment needed to clear blockages effectively with Monster Plumbing.
Our processes involve different blocked drain cleaning methods, including approved chemical products, manual unblocking, drain-busting equipment, and high-pressure drain jetting.
Whether it’s a blocked toilet, basin, sink, waste, sewerage, or stormwater pipe, you’ll receive the right unblocking solution to remedy the issue.
Monster Plumbing Drain Services
- Construction of manholes or inspection chambers.
- Drain camera inspections to conduct an underground and internal visual test of the pipe to identify any obstructions, damages, or movements on pipes that result in blockages or ongoing problems.
- Drain pressure tests following new installations.
- Manual drain unblocking services by means of drain rods, corkscrews, drain-busting equipment, and plungers.
- Dumpy level inspections for gravitational flow angle tests as per specification on building plans and council inspection before the closing of drainage.
- High-pressure drain jetting services to clean difficult-to-access areas, damaged drainage pipes, or pipes infiltrated by tree roots.
- Installation of new drainage systems as designed and proposed on building plans.
- Installation or building of septic tanks, conservation tanks, and other alternatives to manage sewerage in low-lying areas not able to use gravitational systems.
- Rehabilitation of aged or faulty drainage systems – urban ware, asbestos, cast iron, copper, or PVC which may have become defective due to rust, root infiltration, soil movement, or unexpected damage caused by building alterations or burst pipes.
Blocked Drain - How Unblocking Works
Obstructions in a gravitational drainage system prevents the successful flow of waste water and sewerage away from the property or services. Plumbers usually access the drainage system through rodding eyes or manholes to remove obstructions.
Where manual methods are unsuccessful, Monster Plumbing uses high-pressure drain jetting machines with hydraulic hoses to clean compromised areas and restore drainage services.
If the obstruction remains, we inspect the drain with a drain camera to identify the cause and location of the blockage. Armed with visual data and measurements our drain unblocking plumbers then take the best course of action to remedy the issue.
To clear minor blockages usually takes between 30 minutes and 1 hour. More severe blockages at factories, business parks, restaurants, and residential complexes may take several hours to unblock. The overall size and number of access points of a sewer system can affect the cleaning process. Certain forms of industrial waste and fats used in food preparation may require extra time to clear.
High Pressure Drain Jetting
High-pressure drain jetting is the best way to unblock and clean blocked drains. At 180 bar pressure, high pressure drain cleaning quickly clears overflowing drains, blocked stormwater systems, and clogged gutter downpipes. Waste is removed from hard-to-reach drain areas when severe obstructions occur at residential, commercial, and industrial properties.
Drain jetting and drain camera inspections allow our plumbers to identify drainage problem areas i.e., broken underground drain pipes, incorrect back-fall of drain pipes, or incorrect waste connections. These may require exposure before plumbing repairs commence.
Drain Camera Inspection
When a blockage is not completely cleared or re-occurring blockages are an issue, we conduct a drain camera inspection to identify the cause and location of the blockage.
We provide photos or videos of drain camera tests to show the findings of the obstructions and issues. This includes measurements and details observed for repair teams to devise a plan of action.
A written report is provided, along with invoicing for the client to use for purposes like insurance, body corporates, sectional title managers, or council where applicable.
Blocked Drain F.A.Q
Back flow occurs when a waste pipe, sewerage pipe or storm water pipe doesn’t have adequate gradient fall (slope) to allow waste or rain water to flow outwards to the main sewerage connection.
The pipes would either have to be exposed and recessed in accordance to the base requirement of 40:1 (2.5cm fall per 1 linear meter).
Build-up of sediment occurs in pipes where the slope isn’t enabled and will cause ongoing blockages, gurgling sounds and overall complications.
It is a costly ongoing expense to rely on service providers to clear re-occurring blockages.
Corrections must be made to address the incorrect slope of the waste pipes.
The most common culprit of a blacked toilet is excessive use of toilet paper in relation to the 8 to 10 litres of water that originates from a single flush. Flushing items destined for a waste bin, like paper towels, wet wipes, sanitary pads, razor blades and other foreign objects will result in a blocked toilet.
Damaged pipe joints in old drain pipes often cause sand or roots to enter the drain which creates blockages.
Soil movement may also affect the flow angles and gradient fall of sewerage pipes.
Blockages often occur due to the build-up of hair, soap, toothpaste and for sinks – fat and food particles.
Plunging the waste trap is an effective method to unblock baths, basins, and showers. The addition of some chemicals is sometimes required to rid far and food particles in sinks.
Urinals get blocked due to insufficient flushing.
Urine causes crystallisation which obstructs flow and creates an unpleasant odour.
To prevent uric scale in waste pipe systems only use approved chemical cleaning products.
In high usage work and entertainment areas, regular cleaning with hot water can reduce the build-up of uric scale.
Without regular maintenance, a plumber must manually remove the waste traps to either replace or clean them.
Blockages occur mostly due to accumulation of leaves, dust, and roof debris.
Clean gutters regularly or have them professionally serviced before the start of the rainy season to ensure rainwater flows away efficiently.