How To Unblock A Drain Outside In 6 Simple Steps

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 for those really stubborn blockages. But 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 outside drain unblocker isn’t something you’ll need to do often, 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 stinky.

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

1. Assess

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

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

If you think it’s something you might be able to handle, let’s get stuck in. If it looks out of your league, skip to step 6.

2. Gather your tools

If you’re still keen to proceed with how to unblock 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 rod, which is a long, think and often spring-like rod used to push into that clogged up drain.

You’ll also need a bucket, a nose, and it’s a good idea to protect your eyes and mouth from any stagnant or otherwise contaminated drain water or waste.

3. Remove the debris/gunk

Before using the rod, see if you can simply reach in and pull out the gunk and debris with your rubber-gloved hands. Even if you do need to use the rod, removing the debris will certainly help the process, even if it’s not a pleasant thing to have to do!

4. Clear the blockage

When using the rod, don’t be afraid of using a bit of force and elbow grease, as an outside drain is normally much more robust than an inside one.

5. Use the hose

Once you’ve got that debris out and given your outside drain a workout with your drainage rod, grab your hose, crank it on with as much pressure as possible, and blast it into the drain. Remember: the better a job you do now, the clearer your drain will be, so be patient and be thorough.

6. Call in the professionals

If your blocked outside drain has proved too much for your elbow grease and best efforts, don’t be too downbeat – because outside drain problems are so often either difficult to resolve, or something more complex is going on. A professional will be able to clear blocked drains and even show you the issue with a drain camera inspection.

If your 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 drain by getting frustrated – and 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 – and provide long-lasting drainage solutions. So give us a call right now and we’ll sort out your problem in a flash.