Drain gully blocked — inside or outside, cleared again
The water in the shower no longer drains away, the drain in the utility room smells or the pit in the garden overflows during a shower. A blocked drain pit almost always has a clear cause. Often you can solve it yourself. Does the water return or are more drains affected? Then we'll clear the pipe behind it.
Pit or sewer pit blocked?
Call or message us — feel free to send a photo or video of the drain.
Call 070 783 0224 Message via WhatsApp Request a call-back ★★★★★ Rated on Google · 24/7 for emergenciesDrain pits inside and outside: where is the blockage?
Inside it concerns the shower drain, a floor drain in the bathroom or a pit in the utility room or garage. Outside you often have a pit in the garden or on the driveway, a pit by the downpipe and sometimes an access point to the sewer itself. Almost every pit has a trap under the grate: a cup or bend with water that prevents sewer smell.
That's exactly where dirt gets stuck: indoors hair, soap and limescale, outdoors leaves, sand and roots. If the blockage is just under the grate, you can usually get it out yourself. If it's further into the pipe, cleaning the drain won't help anymore. Is it the shower? Read blocked shower drain.
- Water remains standing — the drain gurgles, bubbles or drains very slowly.
- Sewer smell — the pit smells, especially after not being used for a while or in warm weather.
- Overflowing in rain — the drain in the garden or on the driveway fills up during heavy rain.
- Water comes up — from a floor drain when you flush the toilet or the washing machine pumps.
How we clear the gully and pipe
We start at the drain itself and work through to where the blockage actually is.
Shower drain and floor drain
Remove the grate and trap, clear hair and debris, then clear the pipe behind it with a drain snake.
Shower drain blockedDrain in utility room or garage
Often sand, washing machine lint or floor dirt collects here. We clean the gully and the drain behind it.
Washing machine drain blockedGarden drain and driveway drain
We remove leaves and silt from the drain and clear the pipe to the sewer, so rainwater can drain away again.
Call 070 783 0224Sewer pit and access point
If water comes up from the rodding point or inspection chamber, the blockage is in the main pipe. We'll jet it clear.
More about blockagesCamera inspection
Does the blockage keep returning? With a camera we can see if there are roots, subsidence or a break in the pipe.
More about sewer repairOne drain or the entire drainage system?
Is one pit affected, or several drains at once? That tells you a lot about where the blockage is.
- One pit drains slowly — the blockage is almost always just below the grate. You can often solve this yourself.
- Multiple drains at once — for example shower and washbasin. Then the blockage is further along, where the pipes meet.
- Water comes up from a floor drain — when you flush the toilet. The water then seeks the lowest point: the main drain is blocked.
- The garden gully overflows when it rains — first check if the silt bucket is full. If the gully stays full, the pipe to the sewer is blocked.
Do you live in a flat and are the neighbours also affected? Then it may be the shared soil stack. You can read more about this in blocked soil stack.
Sewer drain blocked: yours or the municipality's?
The sewer on your own property is usually the responsibility of the property owner; the section under the street is usually the municipality's. The boundary often lies at the inspection chamber at the property line. Report a blocked street drain to the municipality.
How exactly it works varies by municipality, rental contract and owners' association (VvE). Are you renting? Then report it to your landlord first. Everything about the rules: blocked sewer: who pays?
A clear drain again in 4 steps
A fixed price in advance, and we prefer to complete the job in one visit.
You call or message
Tell us which pit it is and whether other drains are also affected. A photo or video helps.
Price in advance
You'll hear in advance what the unblocking costs, so you won't face any surprises.
Drain unblocking
We clean the drain and clear the pipe behind it, with a spring or high pressure.
Inspection
We run water and check everything drains properly. If there's a cause in the pipe, you'll hear about it honestly.
Try yourself first
With one slow gully, you can often manage yourself. Wear gloves and work carefully.
- Remove the grate and clean — lift the grate or unscrew it. Take out the trap or odour seal and remove hair and debris.
- Hot water with soda — dissolve a few tablespoons of soda in a bucket of hot water and pour it slowly into the drain. Don't use boiling water on a plastic drain.
- Plunger — place the rubber suction cup on the drain, with a layer of water in it, and pump vigorously up and down a few times.
- Empty the garden drain — remove the leaf guard or silt bucket, empty it and rinse it clean.
- No chemical products with standing water — they can splash back. Never mix them with other products.
When should you call us?
- Immediate (24/7) — sewage water is coming up from a drain or the access point, or the water is rising towards the floor or cellar.
- Today — several drains are draining poorly at the same time, or the drain gurgles when you flush the toilet.
- This week — the drain keeps smelling or gets blocked again and again, even after cleaning.
Not sure? Call 070 783 0224 — we'll help you think it through, no obligation.
Gully or sewer gully blocked? We can help you.
Fixed price upfront · often same day · 24/7 for emergencies · ★★★★★ Rated on Google
Useful reading
Explained by our tradesmen.
Shower drain blocked? How to clear it
Read more →Sewer blocked: who pays?
Read more →Sewer smell in the house
Read more →Blocked drain: DIY or plumber?
Read more →Also useful: Drain unblocking & sewer · Unblock toilet · Unblock Kitchen Sink · Sewer Repair · 24/7 emergency
Frequently asked questions about a blocked drain pit
How do I clean a blocked shower drain myself?
Remove the grate and trap and remove the hair and dirt. Rinse everything clean with hot water. Then use a plunger. Replace the trap properly, otherwise you will smell sewer odour.
Why does water come up from my drain when I flush the toilet?
Then the blockage is further down in the main drain. The water cannot drain away and comes up at the lowest point, often a floor drain or shower drain. You will not solve this by cleaning the drain; call a technician.
What is a rodding point?
A section of sewer pipe with a sealable cap, usually near the façade or property boundary. Through that opening a technician can access the sewer line. If there is water in it when you remove the cap, the blockage is further down.
My sewer drain in the garden is blocked. Who pays for that?
On your own land the sewer is usually owned by the property owner, under the street usually by the municipality. The boundary differs per municipality. If you rent, report it to your landlord first.
Why does my drain pit smell?
Often the trap has dried out or there's dirt in it. Run water into it and clean the trap. If it keeps smelling, the trap may be broken or there may be a problem with the ventilation.
What does it cost to have a drain unblocked?
That depends on where the blockage is and how stubborn it is. You'll hear in advance what it costs: we work with a fixed price in advance.