Blocked Sewer Drains
There are numerous reasons why a sewer drain will block, including the fixtures inside may be very slow to drain such as the toilet or shower may fill with water to a level far above normal.
Overflow Relief Gully or ORG
- Water may overflow from the gully trap or overflow relief gully, (ORG) outside the house. Gully traps, known as ‘overflow relief gullies’ or ‘disconnector gullies’ (see ‘Overflow relief gully’ picture) are installed into sewer systems as emergency points for water to overflow from in the case of a blocked drain, instead of having sewerage water overflow from the lowest fixture inside, usually the shower or bathroom floor waste.
Gully Trap or ORG seen in older homes
- A gurgling noise may be heard from fixtures or traps
- Odours maybe being emitted from floor wastes or fixtures
- The water seal or trap in some fixtures may become very low or even disappear. The most visible water seal in the home is the water in the toilet bowl. Low water levels and gurgling are caused by siphonage in the drain, which indicates the pipes are nearly completely blocked.
Blocked Storm water Drains
- A blocked stormwater drain is less likely to be noticed than a blocked sewer.
A blockage only affects a stormwater drain when it rains, at which time we are usually inside and don’t notice that the storm water drain outside is overflowing until water begins to build up outside or frequently starts to flow into the garage. - In some cases blocked stormwater drains will cause the roof gutters to overflow, causing roof leaks.
If you come across any of the situations mentioned above, you most likely have a blocked drain.
Don’t waste time Call Whywait Plumbing today & have your blockage cleared fast.
Common Causes of Blocked Drains
The most common cause of blockages in underground sewer and stormwater pipes is tree roots, which enters the pipe via the joints or cracks in the pipe joints or through breaks in the pipe wall.
- Drains may block regularly due to illegal connections or non compliant work being connected to existing drainage systems
- Insufficient gradient in the pipework will cause frquent blockages, which
Toilet drain illegally discharging into gully trap
causes the water to run slowly, leading to debris build-up and blockages.
- Too many bends and certain types of junctions can cause the same issues as with insufficient gradient
- Pipes may become misaligned or completely collapse due to incorrect installation or from external forces such as pressure from large tree roots or ground movement due to drought or heavy rain.
- Blocked sewer drains may also be due to larger objects being flushed which the drain is not designed to cope with, such as toilet deodorant block holders, sanitary products, disposable nappies and baby wipes.
For immediate help with blocked or overflowing drains or any related problems, contact Whywait Plumbing today…job done!
Gold Coast & Tweed: (07) 5580 4311
