What Do Plumbers Use to Unblock Drains in Brisbane?

We’ve all felt that sinking feeling when you step into a shower or go to wash your hands, only to realise the water isn’t going anywhere. Blocked drains are one of the most common plumbing problems across Brisbane and Ipswich, from slow-draining sinks to overflowing gully traps. What starts as a simple blockage can quickly turn into a messy and costly issue if left unchecked.

Your first instinct might be to reach for a supermarket drain cleaner or DIY remedy, and while these can be effective for small problems, they often treat the symptom rather than the cause. Our team of professional plumbers have a whole toolkit of specialised equipment and methods to clear blockages properly and prevent them from coming back.

Common Causes of Blocked Drains in Brisbane Homes

Before looking at the tools, it helps to understand why blockages happen in the first place. In Brisbane, the common causes we come across are:

• Tree root intrusion in underground pipes: Brisbane is full of leafy suburbs with beautiful old trees. Combine thirsty roots with cracked or loose pipes, and you’ve got a disaster waiting to happen.
• Grease and fat build-up in kitchen drains: Cooking oils and fats solidify as they cool, sticking to the walls of your pipes and trapping food particles and other debris, eventually creating a blockage.
• Hair and soap residue in bathroom drains: The same thing happens in bathrooms with oils from shampoo and conditions, and fats in certain soaps.
• Foreign objects such as wipes and sanitary items: It might seem harmless to flush a wet wipe or cotton bud down the toilet, but, unlike toilet paper, these products don’t disintegrate and can easily lead to clogs in your system.
• Old or damaged pipes that collapse or misalign: Despite undergoing regular maintenance and rehab projects, Brisbane’s major sewer system is over 100 years old. Aging pipes means plenty of opportunities for things to go wrong.
• Stormwater debris after heavy rain: Queensland’s summer storm season leads to heavy rains that put immense pressure on stormwater systems, meaning small cracks can turn into big problems fast.

Because many of these problems occur deep in the pipe system, surface-level fixes rarely solve them fully. For more info on common causes of blocked drains, click here.

Professional Tools Plumbers Use to Unblock Drains

As Master Plumbers working around Brisbane and Ipswich, we’ve seen it all, and we’ve unblocked it all. Here’s a quick overview of the tools we use to keep your pipes flowing freely.

High-Pressure Water Jetting

One of the easiest ways to clear blocked drains is with good old-fashioned water. High-pressure water jetting uses a powerful stream of water to break apart and flush away debris inside the pipe without needing harsh chemicals or any other invasive methods. Think of it like a pressure washer for your drain, except with almost double the amount of pressure to carve through objects like tree roots. Hydro jets work well to:

• Clear grease, sludge, and sediment
• Cut through tree roots
• Clean the full pipe wall, not just a small section

For many Brisbane blockages, water jetting is the preferred solution because it both clears and cleans the pipe.

CCTV Drain Cameras

It can be hard to know which drain-clearing method is best when you’re not certain what’s causing the problem. That’s where a CCTV pipe inspection can help. We’ll insert a small waterproof camera into your drain, allowing us to see exactly what’s causing the blockage. CCTV drain cameras take the guesswork out of plumbing, leaving you with an accurate diagnosis and preventing repeat callouts.

CCTV inspections are especially useful for recurring blocked drains to help us uncover and treat the root cause of the problem.

Electric Drain Machines and Augers

Electric drain machines, also known as drain snakes or augers, are excellent for clearing blockages caused by hair, soap, or build-up. They look like a long, flexible cable with a cutting or grabbing head at the end. We feed the cable into the drain, and, powered by a motor, it rotates to break up or snag the blockage.

These tools can travel deep into your pipes, reaching blockages that basic plungers or DIY tools can’t get to. While it works great for clearing obstructions, it doesn’t fully clean the pipe like water jetting can.

Root Cutting Equipment

If you’re having problems with tree roots, these specialised tools make clearing your pipes easy. Our team can attach specialised root-cutting heads to drain machines or jetters to slice through roots inside pipes without having to dig them up.

This is a much more cost-effective way to unblock drains than major excavations and pipe replacements. It allows us to target the blockage precisely and restore flow. Once we’ve cleared the roots, we might recommend some pipe repairs or ongoing maintenance, since root intrusion can be a sign of cracks or joint issues.

Pipe Relining and Repairs

Sometimes the blockage is a symptom of a bigger issue, such as cracked or collapsed pipes. In these cases, simply clearing the drain is not enough.
Pipe relining allows us to repair damaged pipes from the inside without digging up your yard. A new lining is inserted and cured in place, creating a durable pipe within the old one. This is good news for homeowners with pipes that run under driveways or newly built garden beds, since we don’t have to dig up your pipes to carry out repairs.

DIY Methods You Can Try First

We understand plumbing problems never happen at a good time, and it can be stressful to think through all the options when you’re dealing with a blockage that won’t go away. While we recommend professional help as the best option to clear your blocked drains, there are a few safe DIY methods you can try to fix minor clogs.

Hot Water and Dish Soap

This is best for those nasty grease-related kitchen blockages. Pour hot water mixed with dish soap slowly down the drain to help break down fats. Avoid using boiling water, especially on PVC pipes.
Plunger

Sometimes, the old ways are the best. A proper sink or toilet plunger can sometimes dislodge small clogs. Make sure you’ve got a solid, tight seal around the drain, and pump the plunger a few times before checking that the water drains normally.

Cleaning the Trap

If you’re confident, removing and cleaning the U-bend under a sink is a good DIY repair that can help you clear trapped debris. Remember to place a bucket or towel down under the U-bend to catch any water before you unscrew it. Use a toothbrush to clean residue on the pipe, and check the seals for damage before reassembling.

Avoid harsh chemical drain cleaners

You might think these are a good place to start for a DIY drain cleaning, but these at-home drain cleaning chemicals can cause more damage than they prevent. Harsh chemicals can damage your pipes, and they’re often ineffective on serious blockages.

Make sure to read our post on the dos and don’ts of unclogging a sink first!

Why Professional Drain Clearing Is Worth It

If DIY attempts don’t work quickly, it’s best to give us a call before the problem worsens. Hiring a professional plumber isn’t just about the convenience – it can also save you money and protect your property from bigger problems in the long run.

Some benefits of using a professional plumber for your blocked drain include:

• Long-term solutions instead of temporary fixes
• Reduced risk of pipe damage
• Proper diagnosis of underlying issues
• Less mess and disruption
• Compliance with plumbing standards

Professional equipment is designed to solve the problem safely and thoroughly. While DIY methods can be a good place to start, they often only treat the symptom of your blockage, without getting rid of the root cause. As professionals, our focus is to clear your drains and make sure it doesn’t happen.

Need Help with a Blocked Drain in Brisbane or Ipswich?

Blocked drains rarely fix themselves. Even if a DIY method manages to temporarily clear your drain, the root cause of the blockage could sit unresolved. The sooner the issue is properly diagnosed, the easier and cheaper it is to resolve.

Parker Plumbing provides professional blocked drain services across Brisbane and Ipswich, using the best modern equipment like high-pressure water jetters and CCTV drain cameras to find and fix the problem fast.

If your drains are slow, smelly, or frequently blocked, it’s time to call in the experts.

Call 07 3177 2019 or book a professional drain inspection and clearing service today.

Dan Parker

Dan Parker is the Director of Parker Plumbing and has over 16+ years of experience in the plumbing industry. His commitment to providing exceptional customer service means that he has seen it all – anything to do with residential or commercial plumbing, he knows what to do. Passionate about helping people in his community, Dan strives to offer honest and reliable plumbing services in the Brisbane and Ipswich areas.