Why drains keep blocking — and how to stop paying to clear the same pipe

What causes drains to block repeatedly?

Repeat blockages are usually caused by root ingress, a collapsed or displaced pipe, a joint that has dropped, insufficient fall on the run, or heavy fat and scale build-up. Each of these traps debris in the same spot, so the blockage returns predictably.

• Tree and hedge roots entering through joints in clay pipework
• Cracked, collapsed or displaced sections after ground movement
• Flat or reverse falls that let solids settle
• Fat, oil and food waste hardening in kitchen runs
• Wet wipes, sanitary items and cat litter
• Silt and leaf build-up in gullies and soakaways

When is a CCTV drain survey worth the money?

A survey is worth it whenever a blockage has recurred, when you are buying a property with drainage concerns, after subsidence or ground works, or before paying for excavation. It replaces guesswork with a located, measured defect and a costed repair.

Can a blocked drain be repaired without digging?

Often, yes. Minor cracks and root ingress can be dealt with by cutting and relining sections rather than excavating. Full collapses, badly dropped joints and drains with the wrong fall usually need a section replaced properly.

What should I never put down the drain?

Avoid cooking fat and oil, coffee grounds, wet wipes of any description, sanitary products, nappies, cat litter, paint, cement washings and food waste that has not been through a proper disposal unit. All of them either set hard or snag on joints.