Professional Clearing of blocked stormwater drains

Professional help for unblocking stormwater drains & pipes. Drain cleaning & stormwater drain replacements & repairs. Prevent cracking and subsidence.

Flooding is a major problem caused by blocked stormwater drains. There are 5 other things you should know about clearing blocked stormwater drains in Canberra and Queanbeyan.

1. Your stormwater drains are laid near the footings and foundations of your home. In Canberra’s and Queanbeyan’s clay soils, leaks from broken and blocked stormwater drains can cause the clay to swell. The swelling can concentrate enormous upwards pressure on parts of your footings and foundations. This can lead to cracks in walls and ceilings.
2. Broken and blocked stormwater drains can also cause subsidence under your footings and piers. This is especially so if you live in the steeper Canberra blocks of Woden, Tuggeranong, Belconnen, Gungahlin, Weston Creek and Queanbeyan. Subsidence will cause parts of your building to drop. The first signs may be doors and windows that are hard to open and close.
3. Unblocking plastic stormwater drains can be harder than unblocking plastic sewer drains. This is because the fittings used in plastic stormwater drains have very tight radius’ when compared to fittings used for sewer drains. They are also smaller in diameter and, unfortunately, less care is taken during the installation process. You may find that the joints are not glued or the plastic pipe is completely squashed.
4. Unblocking cement stormwater drains is usually harder than unblocking clay sewer drains. This is because the old cement pipes allow roots in at almost every joint. These joints are at 600mm, 900mm or 1200mm intervals. The bends and Ts were manufactured on site and do not allow the electric eel or jet blaster to easily travel past them and down the pipe.
5. Some stormwater drains cannot be unblocked. Therefore, you should seriously consider replacing your stormwater drains. In these cases we can undertake all DBYD’s, excavations, repairs and re-landscaping. We have cleared more than 15,000 drains in Canberra and Queanbeyan. We have the latest electric eels, high pressure water jet blasters and CCTV drain cameras. If your stormwater drains can be unblocked we will unblock them. If they are unable to be unblocked we can replace them for you.

Diagrams of typical problems found in Stormwater drains
Cement pipes are found in pre 1980 houses in Canberra and Queanbeyan

1) Water escaping from blocked stormwater pipes can cause undermining of footings, cause clay soils to swell. Wet soil also attracts termites.

2) Cement stormwater pipes have joints at 600mm, 900mm or 1200mm intervals. These joints easily crack allowing tree roots to block the drain. Cement pipes can easily become unaligned and broken. The wet ground attracts tree roots and termites.

3) Plastic stormwater pipes easily squash and collapse. This is because the pipe is not bedded properly and backfilled properly. Plastic stormwater pipe is soft. Extra care needs to taken when it is laid.
Electric eels usually will not pass through squashed sections of pipe. Jetting may work. However, debris and silt continually builds up causing constant blockages in your stormwater drains.

4) Straight Ts and 90 degree bends in stormwater pipes do not allow debris to easily flow through the drains. We always use 45 degree bends and 47 degree Y junctions.

Don’t put it off any longer- the risks are too high.
Call 0448 844 911 for professional help today.

For professionals at unblocking stormwater drains & pipes, drain cleaning & stormwater drain replacements & repairs in Canberra and Queanbeyan.