Many routine maintenance tasks are simple ‘do-it-yourself’ jobs. With daily use of household sinks and pipes you may not notice minor concerns without a full inspection.

Here are some simple ways to inspect your home for potential problems:

• Go through your home and examine your plumbing. Look at all the exposed pipes, including under sinks and behind toilet tanks for any signs of moisture or leaks. If it’s humid, condensation may naturally accumulate on a cold metal pipe, so note the dampness and make sure to recheck on a cooler day.
• Check for signs of corrosion on brass or copper fittings. Corrosion occurs more rapidly on damp metal, so corroded connections could reveal a slow leak.
• Turn on water faucets in sink, showers and tubs to monitor water pressure. Some variation between different faucet styles and purposes is normal, but all should have a steady flow.
• After you run the water through the faucets, note how quickly the water drains after you test the faucet. Slow drains could mean a bigger clog waiting to happen.
• Flush toilets to ensure they don’t run a leak at the base, a sign of a faulty wax seal. Also check to make sure the water stops running after you flush the toilet, which can be a sign of a valve leak.

After a thorough inspection, remove and clean aerators on faucets and shower heads. Sediment can build up and slow water flow. An easy way to do this is to fill a plastic grocery bag with vinegar and tie over faucet or shower head and let sit overnight. Remove and rinse with cold water.

Learn your sewage lines and where they are through your house and your yard. Take note of any excess moisture in the yard where these lines run, as people have lost entire yards to breaks in these pipe lines.

Installing any preventative tools like food or hair catchers in your shower, will reduce your risk of clogs.

Regular do-it-yourself inspections are important, but if you opt for professional maintenance, your plumbing professional will take care of all the above and may offer the following services, such as:

• Drain treatment to maximise flow rate
• Cleaning of garbage disposal and water heaters
• Pressure tests to detect hairline leaks
• Water pressure assessment and adjustment

Call our team at Drain Cleaning Gold Coast to learn more about how to effectively keep your drains and pipes running clean.

Clay and Straw were the materials troughs and pipes were made of. Obviously the materials have changed significantly for today!

The purpose of every plumbing system is to supply a building with fresh water. The second task is to get rid of dirty and used water outside of the house.

We want to show you how a well oiled plumbing system works.

Plumbing Systems 101

The water supply system uses a water pump to push water through your houses´ pipes. At this stage, the cold water is pressed through small pipes.

Your main supply line is getting water either from a well, spring or local council water supply. Depending on where you live and what water source your plumbing system is using, buildings use filtering or softening systems to clean the water.

Well designed systems place those filtering systems close to the water source.

Now the water enters a heating system, or in other cases, is distributed in smaller supply lines throughout the house. Both systems have advantages and disadvantages. Cold and hot water lines are separated when you have a central heating device.

So what happens after you use the water?

Larger fixtures have larger drainpipes, but all fixture drains have traps. Some fixtures have built in traps, such as toilets, and others, like your kitchen sink, have curves made out of drainpipes.

Traps are called traps because they ‘trap’ a small amount of water that seals your drain and keeps sewage gasses from entering your house.

Vents are another part of these simple but smart systems. They allow water to flow out freely and relieve pressure.

What happens to big chunks of dirt and food leftovers?

A short reminder: food leftovers and big chunks of dirt are the major reason for blocked drains on the Gold and Tweed Coast. Luckily, some systems have areas installed you can easily access and clean.

You can find main area at the end of horizontal drains and at the point where the main sewer line exits the building. In all cases, it is best practice to call a professional drain specialist to help you out. Toxic gasses can be trapped in your drain, not too mention other things you don’t want to know about!

But where does my dirty water go?

It depends on the system installed, and is often according to the size of your local town or city. In many cases, you will have a septic tank that needs to be emptied from time to time. Bigger cities have sewage systems that run under the whole city and take the dirty water to treatment plants for recycling or proper disposal.

Ask your local drain specialist on the Tweed and Gold Coast if you are not sure what system you are using.

In all cases though, if you see any issues with your drains or suspect a blockage, contact our team today to find out how we can help and to arrange a free quote.

Some of them work and are good to use, but the majority of advice is given from inexperienced, unprofessional and incompetent people who do more damage in the long run than solving the problem for you.

Some are even dangerous to use.

We want to show you common household methods that you should avoid using for blocked drains.

Our experience shows that if you want to prevent major problems with your sewage system and your property, it is always best to call a professional drain specialist.

Different problems require different solutions. If you want to make sure you are not doing harm to your system, remember to always call a professional.

Four Methods to Avoid When Clearing Blocked Drains

1. Chemical Drain Cleaners

This is hands down one of the most dangerous methods available. Chemical cleaners are dangerous mixtures that should not be handled by anyone not qualified to do so. They use corrosion to clean your drains and, this means serious physical damage to your health and your pipes when used wrong.

Ask yourself this question: Can you be sure that the chemical cleaner you bought will not corrode your pipes or cause health issues?

If yes, proceed at your own risk. If not, get in touch with us.

Other questions you might not have considered: What kind of pipes are you using? What are the reactions with potential debris inside your pipes?

If, at any point you use a chemical cleaner, and decide to call a professional afterwards, always inform them BEFORE they start to work what you’ve used, as the chemicals can mean serious harm to their health too.

2. Do-it-yourself Disassembling

It sounds and looks easy but unless you are a qualified drain specialist you should not try to locate and remove a drain blockage by yourself.

It is as easy to damage pipes and fittings. You will more than likely be able to reassemble them, but you will have serious leakage and cause long term damage if you don’t know how to handle them correctly.

3. Coat Hangers

This is a very common and well-known method. But obviously, putting foreign objects into a drain such as coat hangers, is a bad idea and may make your problem even worse.

Besides that, this method is extremely inefficient, the sharp edges of the coat hanger can cause serious damage to the inside of your drain pipes, resulting in even higher costs due to more damage created.

You can save that money and the time of trying to fix the issue by giving us a call and asking for our professional help.

4. Drain Augers

A drain auger is an efficient tool in the right hands. The right hands are those that belong to professional drain specialist with years of experience and training. It may seem easy to use this professional tool and think you can get the same results as a professional. But the reality is, you will do a lot of harm to your pipe systems instead of fixing them.

Don’t try and fix this drain issue yourself. Give us a call today and speak to one of our drain specialists. They’ll provide you with a quote and answer all your drain blockage questions.

We have seen a lot of things that go wrong when trying to attempt to fix things yourself, which is why we highly recommend calling a drain specialist to deal with any issues, particularly if your drain is blocked or you’ve got a major drain pipe leak.

In most cases, minor plumbing problems are the precursor to a much bigger problem. If you simply ‘fix’ the symptoms, you will not find about the major cause until it is too late.

The result will be damage  to your property, and we guarantee, you do not want to hear about the cost of those bills…

In some cases, whole walls had to be replaced.

But even if you are handy around the house and think to yourself, “Hey, I will risk it just this one time” your drain and sewage system problems can quickly lead to seriously affecting your health. Diseases and serious infections area the result of unsanitary water or leakages in your pipes.

If you are a property owner, please be responsible for the sake of all inhabitants and hire a drain and sewage specialist who knows what he is doing and has years of experience in his work.

Why would you want to risk time and money, when hiring a professional for blocked drains from the beginning is an easy process at Drain Cleaning Gold Coast.

Experience and profession are the keys for a successful repair.

What do we mean by profession?

There are a lot of maintenance plumbers out there. But the problem is, they do not have the necessary training and experience to get to the root cause.

A maintenance contract can help you to reduce costs and make sure your properties sewage system is running well all year. Proactive care about your drain pipes is best practice and reduces bigger problems occurring in the long run.

To figure out if the specialist you called it the right fit, just ask them for a few key questions. If they are happy to answer you, you have found a good drain specialist who thinks about the customer in the first place.

Consider these questions when you hire a professional:

1. Ask them about their license number

A professional will have a drain and sewage license and is happy to give you the information. Check the license number to make sure the company you chose is a professional one. If you feel it is too straightforward to question their expertise, just say you need that information for your homeowner insurance.

2. Ask them if they offer a service warranty

Whenever you buy something big and potentially expensive, you want to make sure it is the right thing to meet your needs.

Maintenance plumbers on the Tweed and Gold Coast who do not offer service warranties should be avoided at all cost. Usually, warranties should be offered for 6 to 12 months.

If you’re not sure that the professional you’ve called is going to meet your needs, simply find another one. At Drain Cleaning Gold Coast, we are happy to provide you with a free quote and answer all your drain issue questions. Simply get in touch with us today.

With some caution and preparation, you can avoid expensive restoration of your sewer system in your home on the Gold and Tweed Coast.

Defective sewage systems are the most common cause of blocked drains and in many cases, house owners don’t notice it’s not the drain; it’s actually their trees. We recommend getting professional advice when you have trees near your house.

What You Can Do

First, it´s important to understand that all trees that are close to your home can harm your property. Contrary to what people say, there are no exceptions. But there are few trees that have a bigger potential to penetrate your sewage pipes. These trees are the fast and large growing ones.

Tree roots don’t set out to destroy your sewage system. It’s the way of nature for roots to seek water. They can ‘sense’ it and will enter your tanks and pipes through weak and seeping spots. In most cases, only the top 60 cm of soil is affected.

But you don´t want to risk it, do you?

Some trees are considered aggressive when it comes to the search for water. You want to avoid those trees in your garden at all cost.

What Can You Do To Avoid Root Problems?

It starts with a carefully planned system for your house. If you have an existing home, you want to check the plans and see where your pipes and sewage drains are lying under the ground. Don´t plant new trees near your lines and carefully watch the size and growing speed of those trees that are already there.

If you still want to plant trees in your garden, or close to your home, decide on a planting area far enough away from your sewage system. Even if you consider planting slow and small growing trees, you’ll need to keep those away from your drain pipes too. These are the best choice in any case.

Nevertheless, all trees need to be regularly replanted every 8 to 10 years. Or your tree is going to out grow its planting area.

Tree Problem Already?

But maybe our post comes too late, and you’ve already got a root situation. In this case, you should always seek advice from a professional like us. There are different ways and methods to prevent further damage, and should you try to repair the issue yourself, you could run into further issues, costing you more money.

You could use slowly releasing chemicals to “scare away” tree roots from seeking further water. Barriers made out of plastic or metal can be somewhat effective too. But in any case, those methods are just short-term solutions and are not guaranteed to work in the long run. They may also harm your trees and your other plants.

Seek professional help and call our friendly team today to discuss your immediate drain clearing needs.

Plan carefully when planting trees and check existing ones regularly. Damage caused by tree roots can block your drains and lead to costly repairs. It’s better to prepare and maintain instead of waiting for something to go wrong.

Trees to Avoid Planting Near Your Pipe System

1. Silver Maple

Silver maple is a tree that grows fast and big. You can recognise it based on the big shade it casts, and it´s tiny and fragile branches. This tree type is known for the damage it causes to paths and walkways. If you have a nice driveway to your house, stay away from planting this tree.

Another potential risk with this tree is the brittle limbs that are weak because the tree grows so fast. Damages to your property during storms from falling branches can be the end result.

2. Camphor Laurel or Camphorwood Tree

This tree can grow up to 65 to 100 foot. It is a massive evergreen and needs a lot of nourishment. The leaves are waxy and glossy and smell of camphor when crushed. It´s a beautiful tree with fruits and small white flowers, but it is a disaster for your property as well.

The massive roots of this tree can cause massive damage to your power lines and underground drainpipes.

3. All Kind of Poplars

Poplars come in 25 to 30 different variations and are very common. The trees can grow from 49 to 164 feet, and the leaves are spirally arranged. They vary in shape from triangular to circular and are quite long.

If you consider placing poplars on your property, plan to plant at least 15 metres from your sewage lines.

4. Willow Trees

This trees also comes in a lot of variations. Look for elongated leaves that have serrated edges. But what makes these trees so dangerous? The roots are known for their toughness, size, and tenacity to life, and roots readily grow from aerial parts of the plant as well. Willows are survival artists and will spread their roots to your pipes and tanks in no time.

But why is it that trees are seemingly reaching out and damaging sewer systems? The roots of a tree are “programmed” to search for everything the tree needs to grow and live. They are looking for food and water. And your sewage system is a place abundant of resources the tree needs; oxygen, water, and nutritional minerals that are in your pipes.

Some trees are more aggressive in the search for a meal because they have to be more assertive against other trees. They develop new, more advancing strategies for survival daily.  The above tree types are some of the most combative ones and are unsuitable for planting in your garden if it’s close to your home.

For further information about tree maintenance and drain cleaning, give us a call now, and we can discuss your tree —sewage situation and help you fix it quickly.

But what are the reasons for a blocked drain and how can you prevent them from happening again in the future?

Often only the symptoms are treated and not the underlying cause. Which can cause your drains to block frequently.

Some of the more common reasons why your drain might block are listed below.

5 Common Drain Blocking Causes

1. Wrong use

The most common reason is the wrong usage of drains. Drains are made to manage dirty water but often people tend to flush more than just water down their drains. Things such as soaps, food fats, and food debris are flushed into the drain and become caught up in the pipe system.

It may seem harmless, but over time these things can stack up and stop the water from flowing freely. This will eventually cause a blocked drain.

Often toilets are victims to the use of too much toilet paper or flushing down sanitary items. Avoid doing any of these and you’ll prevent a major blockage problem arising.

2. Heavy rain

Outside drains are often blocked after heavy rain and storms. Older pipes are not made to manage these high volumes of water that occur during severe weather.

Additionally, leaves, dirt, and other matter can find it´s way into the outside drains and cause congestion. These problems should be solved immediately to prevent damage to your property.

3. Broken pipes

This problem is maybe not so obvious. Sure, broken pipes are not good but in addition to this, they can contribute to blocked drains. Broken pipes prevent the free flow of water and eventually can cause a collapse of the overall pipe and drainage system.

Some of the reasons for broken pipes could be poor installation, age, and tree roots. Underground pipes are particularly susceptible to tree roots, and require investigation when the problem occurs, which can be expensive. It pays to have your underground pipes checked regularly.

4. Wrong installation

Thanks to modern communication, the Internet provides a lot of do-it-yourself advice in the form of videos and articles for repairs and home renovations. Unfortunately, this causes an increase in poorly installed plumbing and drainage pipes. This can cause a lot of damage to your property.

Wrong alignments and complete collapses can be the result for a DIY gone wrong. Full understanding of the drainage system of your house is required to install the right pipes. This is why you should always only work with drain professionals for all your drainage work.

5. Water flow issues

A problem can occur from a wrong installation of your pipes, leading to build-up of foreign particles and debris within your drains. Drainage doesn’t work without the correct installation, and for this reason, it´s important to ensure the correct water flow is happening.

Now you can see why recurring drain blockages can have a variety of different causes. It´s important to understand the underlying cause of your blocked drain before attempting to solve it for yourself.

If you have been experiencing ongoing minor blockages, it’s time to call a drain professional before it turns into a major issue and a more expensive job! Contact the team at Drain Cleaning Gold Coast today.

Sometimes the drain isn´t blocked completely, and you can potentially solve the issue yourself. 

There are many drain cleaning methods. We’ve listed some below. Choose the one that is suitable for your problem.

It’s important to remember that if you have a major issue, such as an overflowing toilet or blocked drainage system, that you should always call a drain professional. This ensures the health and well being of your family is protected.

DIY Options for Cleaning Blocked Drains

Number 1: Remove the drain cover and clean the surface of the drain. Many drains that become clogged will accumulate a block directly under the cover. Things like hair and covers with screws are a potent combination for clogs. Close the cover when you´re finished and make sure all seals fit properly.

Number 2: Some drains have tub stoppers pre-installed. Remove the stopper. Open the drain, clear out any blockages that you can see and close it again. Clean the stopper regularly to avoid this happening again.

Number 3: Use a coat hanger to clear hair clogs from your sink. Straighten the coat hanger out, and then make a hook in the end. You can clean deep clogs in this way. Make sure you don´t push it down though. As this can clog your drain more than it already is.

Number 4: Use a “Drain Claw.” It can be very helpful in cases of hair caused clogs. Simply insert it and work you way around the drain opening. A good drain claw has 100 interlocking hooks, making it easy to get hair out of drains.

Number 5: Make your own DIY hair claw. This solution can become handy when you don´t have tools available. Use plastic tape. Cut a length about 30 inches long and cut tentacles in the end. Use the stickiness of the tape to help life dry hair out of the drain.

Number 6: Use hot water. Okay, admittedly this might seem like a no-brainer. But when your drain is not completely blocked, it can work wonders. We do not recommend using boiling water. It may melt or liquefy any sealants, wax or rubber gaskets used for plumbing fittings or connections. It’s your choice and may depend on the age or strength of your bathroom fittings. If you’re unsure, contact a qualified drain professional to avoid damaging your drain further.

Number 7: Try baking soda with vinegar or lemon juice. Pour it down your sink to clear minor blockages, followed with warm water to rinse.

Number 8: You can purchase inexpensive plumbing snakes in any hardware store. There are manual and electric ones. Plumbing snakes are steeled cables with a spring on the end and a crank on the other. Many drain professionals have the most success with plumbing snakes.

Number 9: Use a plunger. A plunger can be much more effective when you seal any overflowing holes. These holes are often located directly under the stop lever. Seal the holes with a wet cloth. This creates a vacuum. Now fill the sink with water and ‘plunge’ about 10 times until you’ve cleared the pipes. If this doesn’t work, then there is a more serious issue, contact your drain professional for a quick solution..

Number 10: Call a professional drain cleaner. If you have problems solving your drain problems, always call a professional. Problems with your pipes can occur in all areas of your house and some of them are difficult to get to. Don’t take a risk if you’re not sure what you’re doing.

Drain Cleaning Gold Coast are drain professionals with over 10 years of experience clearing blocked drains. Contact us today for a free quote.