Older suburbs such as Linwood and Woolston, riverside streets in Burwood, 1960s and later homes in Parklands, and beachside homes in New Brighton and Sumner, many repaired or rebuilt after the earthquakes. Water backing up in the shower tray, a toilet that rises before it drains or a gully trap spilling onto the path all point to a blockage somewhere in the line. You hear the price before any work starts.
Blocked drains in the east: liquefaction repairs, sandy ground and pressure sewers
No part of Christchurch had its drains tested harder than the east. Burwood's riverside land was among the worst affected by liquefaction in 2010, New Brighton is built on old sand dunes, and Linwood's older houses came through the quakes needing repairs. Many private laterals here were relaid or patched afterwards, and where new pipe meets old, a small step can catch paper and fat. If the line was never checked after a repair, that step may have been quietly collecting waste for years.
Some properties in the east are not on a gravity sewer at all. Since the earthquakes, the council has installed pressure and vacuum systems in some areas because they cope better with liquefaction and high groundwater, and the vacuum network serves Shirley, Aranui and Prestons. On a pressure system your drain runs to a tank with a small pump, and an alarm on that tank is not the same thing as a blocked pipe. We work out which system you have before lifting any lid.
Closer to the beach, sand from decks and outdoor showers settles in gully traps in New Brighton and Sumner, while Woolston's homes sit among factories along the Heathcote River. After heavy rain, a high river or groundwater can make a gully look blocked when the public main is simply full, so we check that before clearing.
Local tip: If your property has a pressure sewer tank, note the alarm panel's contact details now, because a pump fault and a blocked drain need different people.
Blocked Drains in East and Coastal Christchurch: Local Factors
On land that moved in 2010 and 2011 a drain can have sagged, cracked or pulled apart at a joint even where it was repaired afterwards. A dip holds waste and keeps blocking, so after clearing we look at the line on camera to see if it has settled.
For anything else, see our plumbers in East and Coastal Christchurch.
How We Handle Blocked Drains in East and Coastal Christchurch
Once the line is clear we flush it and run water through every fixture, so you know the drain is running properly before we pack up in East and Coastal Christchurch.
Pricing: quotes are free, and every job gets a fixed price before we start, so there are no surprises on the invoice.
Blocked Drains Jobs We Do in East and Coastal Christchurch
- Camera drain inspection
- Blocked toilet
- Slow shower drain
- Blocked stormwater sump
- Repeat blockage diagnosis
Blocked Drains East and Coastal Christchurch FAQs
We are in Burwood and the toilet gurgles when the washing machine drains. Is that a blockage?
Often it is a partial blockage or a sag in the lateral, both common where the ground moved. We clear it, then run a camera to check for a dip so you know whether it will return.
Can you clear a blocked drain in East and Coastal Christchurch today?
Usually, yes. Blocked drains are part of our 24/7 service, and we will tell you an arrival time when you call.
Will you need to dig up my yard in East and Coastal Christchurch?
Rarely for a blockage. Most are cleared from the gully trap or an inspection point. Digging only comes up if the pipe itself is broken, and we show you the footage and price before any repair.