Plumbing Services
Common Causes of Blocked Drains
Most blockages come down to a handful of usual suspects. Fat and cooking oil poured down the kitchen sink cool and hardens inside the pipe. Hair and soap scum build up in bathroom drains over months. Wet wipes, nappies and sanitary products get flushed even though they are not designed to break down like toilet paper, and outside, tree roots search out any moisture they can find, including tiny cracks in old sewer pipes. Knowing the cause helps us recommend the right fix, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Drain Cleaning
Most blocked drains build up slowly, through hair, fat, soap scum or tree matter, long before they cause a full blockage. Our drain clearing service uses professional-grade equipment to clear the line properly, rather than just pushing the blockage further down the pipe. We will also explain what caused it in plain language, so you are not calling us out for the same problem again in a few months.
Inspection and Quotation
If you need help with a blocked drain, call or email us and we will arrange a time to meet with you on-site, try to find out more about the problem and provide you with a quote to get your blocked drained fixed for good.
Appointment Booking
If you would like to proceed with the job, we will arrange a time that's convenient for you for the works the be carried out. If you need to get your drain unblocked out of business hours or need emergency drain clearing then we are here to help.
Job Completion
Once we have unblocked your drain we will provide you the possible reasons that the problem occurred in the first place. We will include to you, advice on how to ensure your drains remain clear in the future preventing the problem from returning.
After Sales Support
Reach out to us! If the problem reoccurs, or if you have any questions about unblocking drains, we are here to help. A warranty is offered on our workmanship and the guarantee that when you choose FXD, it's fixed for life.
CCTV Drain Inspection
Sometimes the cause of a blockage is not obvious from the surface. Our plumbers use CCTV camera inspections to look inside the pipe, spot cracks, collapses or root intrusion, and show you exactly what is going on before recommending any work. Occasionally, a CCTV inspection reveals a cracked section that is closer to becoming a burst pipe than a simple blockage, which is worth knowing before it fails completely. You get to see the footage yourself, so there is no guessing and no
Jet Blasting
For stubborn blockages, tree roots or years of built-up grease, high-pressure jet blasting clears the pipe back to full flow without digging up your yard. It is a fast, non-invasive option that works well on both household and commercial drains. If you would like to know whether jet blasting suits your situation, you can request a fixed price quote, and we will talk you through it.
Sewer Blockages
A blocked sewer is one of the few plumbing issues that genuinely cannot wait, particularly if wastewater is backing up into the house or yard. Multiple drains backing up at once, usually the lowest fixtures in the house, such as a shower base or laundry trough, is a classic sign of a sewer blockage rather than a single blocked pipe.
Tree Roots and Older Pipes
Many Sydney homes, especially in the Inner West and older suburbs, still run on clay or earthenware pipes that are decades old. Tree roots find their way into small cracks and joints, then grow inside the pipe until water can barely pass. Recurring blockages caused by tree roots can also lead to slow, hidden leaks once a pipe is cracked, so if your property has a history of both, our water leak detection service can check for wider damage rather than only clearing the immediate blockage.
Blocked Drains in Newtown and Marrickville
Newtown and Marrickville have some of Sydney’s oldest housing stock, with narrow terraces, shared walls and ageing stormwater systems that are especially prone to blockages. Our Newtown blocked drains page has more details on how we work around these older properties, including access constraints in tight terrace blocks and strata requirements for shared drainage. The same style of terrace housing across Leichhardt, Balmain, Annandale and Petersham shares similar challenges, from narrow rear lanes to mature street trees with root systems that have had a century to spread.
Recurring Plumbing Problems: Why Quick Fixes Do Not Last and How to Get a Permanent Solution
Read More »Frequently Asked Questions
A: No. FXD Plumbing does not charge a call out fee, and every job is quoted with a fixed price before work begins.
A: We offer same-day service for most blocked drain callouts within our Sydney service area.
A: Our Fixed for Life guarantee means if the same issue returns because of our workmanship, we come back and fix it at no extra labour cost.
A: Simple blockages close to a sink or shower waste can sometimes be cleared with a plunger or a drain cleaning product, but repeated blockages or anything affecting the sewer line usually point to a deeper issue that is best assessed by a licensed plumber.
A: Yes, we regularly work with strata committees and property managers across Sydney, including on the same properties where we also handle hot water repairs, providing clear reporting and photos for landlord and owners’ corporation records.