If you’ve never had to call out an emergency drainage company before, it’s natural to wonder what actually happens between making the call and the problem being fixed. Here’s a straightforward walkthrough of the process, so you know what to expect.
1. The initial call
When you call, you’ll usually be asked a few quick questions: where the blockage seems to be, what symptoms you’re seeing (water backing up, a bad smell, slow drainage), and how urgent the situation is, for example whether sewage is at risk of entering the property. This helps the team send an engineer with the right equipment first time.
2. The engineer attends
An engineer will attend, assess the visible symptoms, and identify the most likely access point to work from, whether that’s an internal drain, an external gully, or a manhole. For straightforward blockages, this is often enough to get started with rodding or jetting straight away.
3. Diagnosis, if needed
For blockages that aren’t straightforward, or that keep recurring, the engineer may recommend a CCTV drain survey before doing anything further. This lets them see exactly what’s causing the problem, whether it’s a simple blockage or something structural like a cracked or collapsed pipe.
4. Clearing the blockage
- Rodding for straightforward, accessible blockages
- High-pressure jetting for stubborn grease, scale or root ingress
- Further investigation if the CCTV survey shows a structural issue rather than a simple blockage
5. Advice and next steps
Once the drain is running clear, a good engineer won’t just leave. They’ll explain what caused the blockage and how to avoid it happening again, and flag anything that might need further work, such as a section of damaged pipe that’s likely to cause problems later.
If you’re dealing with a blockage right now, call us on 0333 200 1623 and we’ll talk you through what happens next.