A blocked drain rarely fixes itself. Water backs up, the smell gets worse and, left long enough, it can overflow into your home or garden. Prime Drainage Solutions clears blocked drains across Bournemouth, from slow kitchen sinks and blocked toilets to overflowing manholes and outside gullies.
Call us on 0330 043 2648. Tell us what’s happening and we’ll get an engineer to you usually the same day.
Signs your drain is blocked
Most blockages give you a warning before they cause real trouble. Watch for:
- Sinks, baths or showers draining slowly
- Gurgling noises from plugholes or the toilet
- A bad smell from plugholes, gullies or the manhole
- Toilet water rising when you flush
- Water pooling around an outside drain, or seeping from under a manhole cover
If only one sink is slow, the blockage is probably close by in that pipe. If several sinks or the toilet are struggling at once, the problem is usually further down in the main drain. That needs proper equipment to clear.
Drain unblocking for Bournemouth homes and businesses
We clear blockages anywhere in the drainage system, inside or outside the property.
Sinks, baths and showers
Kitchen sinks block with fat, food waste and grease. Bathroom wastes block with hair and soap. We clear the waste pipe and check the drain it runs into, so the water flows freely again.
Blocked toilets
A toilet that won’t flush, or fills up when you flush it, is usually blocked by wipes, sanitary products or too much paper. We clear the soil pipe and the drain beyond it.
Outside drains, gullies and manholes
Outside gullies fill with leaves, silt and grease. Manholes overflow when the main drain blocks further down the line. We lift the covers, find the blockage and clear it through the drain run.
Shared drains, flats and rented homes
Many Bournemouth buildings share one drain between several flats or houses. We find where the blockage is and tell you whether it sits in your private drain or in the shared section.
How we clear a blocked drain
- You call us. Tell us which sinks or drains are affected and whether water is backing up.
- We agree the price.
- We find the blockage. Our engineer lifts the manhole covers and traces the drain to see where it’s stuck.
- We clear it. Depending on the blockage, we use drain rods or high-pressure water jetting to break it up and flush the pipe through.
- We check it’s flowing. We run water through the drain to make sure it’s clear. If it keeps blocking, we can put a camera down to see why.
- We explain the cause. You get straight advice on how to stop it happening again.
Why drains block in Bournemouth
Some causes turn up in every town. Fat, oil and grease set hard inside pipes. Wet wipes, even the ones sold as flushable, don’t break down like toilet paper. Hair and soap build up in bathroom wastes.
Bournemouth adds a few of its own. Many homes date from the Victorian and Edwardian eras and still have older clay drain pipes. Over time the joints crack or shift, and roots from the town’s mature trees and gardens grow into the gaps. Outside gullies also fill with leaves and silt after autumn storms.
If your drain blocks again and again, there’s usually a cause underneath, such as roots, a cracked pipe or a dip in the drain. A CCTV drain survey shows exactly what’s going on before you spend money on repairs.
Who is responsible for a blocked drain
You’re responsible for drains that serve only your property and sit within your boundary. Since October 2011, most shared drains and sewers have been the water company’s responsibility. In Bournemouth that’s Wessex Water, which clears blockages in public sewers without charge.
If your neighbours have the same problem, the blockage may be in a shared drain or the public sewer, so it’s worth calling Wessex Water first. If it turns out to be in your private drain, we can clear it for you.
Areas of Bournemouth we cover
We unblock drains right across Bournemouth. We also clear blocked drains in Poole and offer drainage services across Dorset.
Related drainage services
- Emergency drain unblocking when sewage is backing up or a drain is overflowing
- CCTV drain surveys in Bournemouth to find out why a drain keeps blocking
- Drain repairs for cracked, broken or collapsed pipes
Book drain unblocking in Bournemouth
Got a blocked drain in Bournemouth? Call Prime Drainage Solutions on 0330 043 2648. We’ll ask a few quick questions, talk you through the cost and get an engineer out to clear it.
Blocked drains FAQs
How much does it cost to unblock a drain in Bournemouth?
The price depends on where the blockage is, how easy it is to reach and whether it needs rods or jetting. We’ll talk you through the cost when you call, so you know where you stand before we start.
Who is responsible for a blocked drain outside my house?
If the drain only serves your property and sits within your boundary, it’s your responsibility. If it’s shared with neighbours or lies beyond your boundary, it’s usually Wessex Water’s, and they clear public sewer blockages without charge. If you’re not sure, call us and we’ll help you find out.
Can I clear a blocked outside drain myself?
Sometimes. If leaves and debris are blocking a gully, you can often scoop them out wearing rubber gloves. A blocked manhole needs drain rods and is messy, unpleasant work. Don’t climb into a manhole or pour chemical unblockers into an outside drain. If the water won’t clear, or it blocks again within days, call us.
What causes blocked drains?
The most common causes are fat and grease, wet wipes, hair, soap, food waste and too much toilet paper. Outside, leaves, silt and tree roots are the usual culprits. In older Bournemouth homes, cracked clay pipes and shifted joints can catch waste and cause repeat blockages.
Do drain unblocker products work?
Shop-bought unblockers can shift a small hair or soap blockage in a sink or shower waste. They rarely clear a blockage in the main drain, and harsh chemicals sitting in a pipe make it hazardous for whoever has to clear it afterwards. For a blocked toilet, manhole or outside drain, rods or jetting work far better.
How can I stop my drains blocking again?
Pour fat and oil into a container and bin it, never down the sink. Only flush toilet paper. Fit hair catchers in showers and baths, and clear leaves from outside gullies in autumn. If a drain keeps blocking despite this, book a CCTV drain survey to check for roots or damage.
Is a blocked drain an emergency?
It is if sewage is backing up into your home, a manhole is overflowing or your only toilet won’t flush. Call us straight away on 0330 043 2648. Our emergency drain unblocking service is there for exactly these situations.