How To Unblock A Drain Outside

You use a plunger for your toilet, some bicarb, vinegar and boiling water for your sink, and pull out your handy at-home drain snake or auger for those really stubborn blockages. However, what if your blockage isn’t inside, but outside? Is knowing how to unblock a drain outside any different from unblocking those common drain, pipe and sink blockages inside your home?

Hopefully, becoming an expert in outside drain blockages, isn’t something you’ll need to do often, this is because the narrower pipes inside your home tend to clog up much more often. But that doesn’t mean your outside drains become immune to blockages altogether – and they can be just as frustrating, messy, unsafe, healthy and complicated.

Need to know how to unblock a drain outside and potentially avoid that call to your friendly local Sydney plumber? Here’s what you need to know:

1. Access Blockage

Gather as much knowledge about your problem outside drain blockage, which may involve having to remove a drain cover. Now, ask yourself:

• Can I see the blockage in the drain, or is it out of view?
• Does it appear to be tree roots, debris and build-up, or a more complex problem?

If you think unblocking your drain is something you want to attempt, follow the next steps to unblock a drain. If it looks very complicated, skip to step 6.

2. Gather Your Tools

If you’re still keen to proceed with how to unblock your drains outside, you’ll need the right tools at your disposal. On many occasions, you won’t be able to unblock an outside drain without a drain cleaning tool known as a Drain Auger or Drain Snake, which is a long, thick and often spring-like rod used to push into that clogged up drain.

You’ll will also need a bucket, gloves, protection for your your eyes and mouth from any stagnant or otherwise contaminated drain water or waste that may get onto you whilst clearing your drain blockage.

3. Remove The Debris/Waste

Before using the rod, see if you can simply reach in and pull out the waste and debris with your rubber-gloved hands. Even if you do need to use the rod, removing the debris will certainly help the process in clearing your outside drain blockage.

4. Clear The blockage

When using the Drain Auger or Drain Snake, don’t be afraid of using a bit of force, as an outside drain is normally much more robust than an inside one. It will take a few goes sometime and a good effort.

5. Use The Garden Hose

Once you’ve got that debris out and given your outside drain a go with your drainage auger or snake, get your garden hose, put it on with as much pressure as possible, and blast water into the drain. Please remember, the better a job you do now, the clearer your drain will be, so be patient and be thorough. If you are unable to fully clear the blockage, this attempt will certainly save you money when having to call a plumber. The easier the outside drain blockage is to clear the less time the plumber will have to spend clearing the blockage which means you don’t pay as much in the end.

6. Call In The Professionals

If your outside blocked drain has proved too much for your best efforts, don’t be too disappointed. Outside drain blockages are so often either difficult to resolve or something more complex that is causing the blockage. A professional will be able to clear your blocked drains and even show you the issue with a drain camera inspection. The benefit in a drain inspection is then knowing what exactly is causing your drains to block and what can be done to fix your drains permanently from becoming blocked.

If your drain pipes are damaged and in need of repair, most plumbers will quote on digging them up and replacing them. This obviously causes a lot of disturbance to your yard or even cutting concrete. The most advanced plumbers can avoid this by relining drain pipes with a strong material instead of digging!

So if you’re getting frustrated, don’t risk damage to your outside drains. Instead give Sydney’s friendliest, most trustworthy and always-affordable Sydney blocked drain plumbers a call. At Affordable Plumbing Solutions, we are experts in every type of drain blockage, whether it’s a blocked toilet, blocked sewer, blocked stormwater drain or any blockages inside or outside your premises. We provide long-lasting drainage solutions. So give us a call on 0417 142 430 and we’ll sort out your problem blocked drains in a flash.