Blocked Drain FAQs

For emergencies we aim to be on-site the same day — often within hours across Melbourne's South East. Call 0425 226 636 and Jack will give you an honest ETA straight away.

Pricing depends on the type and severity of the blockage. We always provide a free over-the-phone assessment and a full upfront quote before starting any work.

We carry our CCTV drain camera to every job and use it to properly diagnose the blockage. This means we fix the real problem rather than just the symptom.

Yes. Drain emergencies don't wait for business hours and neither do we. Jack answers his own phone — not a call centre.

Yes. We stand behind every job. If a blockage returns in the same location shortly after we have cleared it, call us and we will come back to investigate.

Yes. Jack is a BPC Registered Plumber — registered and insured to carry out all plumbing work across Victoria. You can request his registration number at any time.

We service all of Melbourne's South East — 45+ suburbs. Call 0425 226 636 and Jack will confirm he covers your area.

If the same drain blocks again and again, the blockage is a symptom, not the cause. In Melbourne's east the usual culprit is tree roots getting into older clay (earthenware) pipes through cracked joints, followed by grease and flushed wipes. A one-off clear won't stop it — a CCTV inspection shows what's really going on so it can be fixed once.

In Victoria you're generally responsible for the private sewer and stormwater drains on your property, up to the point where they connect to the water authority's main. The water authority — such as Yarra Valley Water or South East Water — is responsible for blockages in the public main itself. If you're not sure where the blockage sits, we can find out with a camera and tell you honestly whose side it's on. It's always worth confirming the specifics with your water authority.

For a minor blockage, a plunger or a hand auger (drain snake) is worth a try — our how to unblock a drain guide walks through what actually works. Stop and call a plumber if water is backing up across multiple fixtures, there's sewage, or the same drain keeps blocking — those point to a deeper problem a plunger won't fix.

At best they buy a little time. Caustic chemical cleaners often only bore a small hole through the blockage, can damage older pipes and seals, and are hazardous to handle. We don't recommend them. A 5000 PSI hydro jet clears the whole pipe safely and properly.

A sewer or rotten-egg smell usually means a dry P-trap (the water seal has evaporated), a buildup of grease and gunk in the line, or a cracked pipe letting gas escape. Our drain smell guide covers the common causes, and a drain smoke test pinpoints a hidden leak fast.

A gurgling toilet — especially when you run a tap or the washing machine — usually means air is trapped because a partial blockage or venting problem is developing further down the line. It's an early warning, and worth getting looked at before it turns into a full backup.

If just one fixture (say the kitchen sink) is slow, the blockage is usually local to that fixture. If several fixtures are slow or gurgling at the same time — toilet, shower and laundry together — the problem is most likely in the main sewer line, which needs a camera and often a hydro jet to clear.

No. Despite the label, "flushable" wipes don't break down like toilet paper — they snag on pipe joints and roots and are a leading cause of blocked drains and sewer chokes. Our guide on flushable wipes explains why. Bin them, don't flush them.

Hydro jetting uses water at 5000 PSI to completely flush the drain pipe — cutting through tree roots, blasting grease and scouring pipe walls clean. A drain snake physically punches through a blockage but leaves residue on pipe walls.

CCTV drain inspections use a high-definition camera inserted into your drain to capture live footage. Confirms exact cause and location of any blockage or defect.

A drain smoke test finds the source of mysterious sewer smells using non-toxic smoke pumped through the drain system under gentle pressure.

Pipe relining is a no-dig method of permanently repairing damaged pipes from the inside. No excavation, no garden damage — most jobs done in a single day.

Long-term manufacturer warranty. In real-world conditions, properly installed pipe liners are built to last decades.

No. The relined pipe is completely seamless with no joints — and joints are exactly where roots enter. Permanent solution to root intrusion.

Typically $500–$1,500 per metre. A standard residential job usually $3,000–$8,000 all inclusive. Traditional replacement with reinstatement can easily reach $15,000–$25,000.

The tell-tale signs are a drain that blocks every few months in the same spot, gurgling toilets, fixtures that drain slowly after rain, and a sewer smell in the garden. Tree roots get into older clay pipes through cracked joints — common across Melbourne's leafy east. The only way to confirm it is a CCTV drain camera, which shows the roots and the exact joint they're entering.

Yes — on sound pipes, hydro jetting is safe. The 5000 PSI water cuts roots and grease without the harsh scraping that can mark pipe walls, and the operator matches the pressure and nozzle to the pipe. On very old or already-cracked pipes we run a CCTV camera first to check condition, so the jetting is matched to the pipe rather than guessed.

Most household blockages are cleared within 30–90 minutes once we're on site. A simple sink or toilet blockage can take minutes; tree roots or grease in a main sewer line take longer and usually involve hydro jetting plus a camera inspection. You'll get a time estimate along with the upfront quote, before any work starts.

A slow, smelly kitchen sink is almost always cooking fat and food waste building up inside the pipe. As it hardens it narrows the drain and traps rotting debris that causes the smell. Boiling water and degreaser help short-term, but once it keeps happening the line needs a proper clean — a hydro jet scours the fat off the pipe walls so it drains and smells clean again.

The key sign is several fixtures backing up at once — the toilet, shower and laundry gurgling or rising together points to the main sewer rather than one fixture. Other warnings are sewage smells, water pooling around the overflow relief gully outside, and the toilet bubbling when you run a tap. A CCTV inspection confirms it and locates the blockage.

Keep fats, oils and food scraps out of the kitchen sink, only flush the three Ps — pee, poo and paper, never wipes — and fit strainers to catch hair. If tree roots are the cause, the lasting fix is pipe relining, which seals the joints roots enter through. A periodic hydro jet and camera check also catches build-up before it becomes a blockage.

Pooling water, an overflowing pit or a downpipe that won't drain after rain usually means the stormwater line is blocked with silt, leaves or roots, or has collapsed. Clear the visible debris from pits and grates first; if it keeps flooding, the underground line needs a hydro jet and a camera to find the blockage or break. Best sorted before winter storms, when overflow can reach the house.

It depends on the blockage — a simple sink, toilet or basin clear sits at the lower end, while a tree-root-choked sewer line that needs hydro jetting and a camera costs more. Water Serpent works to a fixed, upfront price agreed before any work starts, so there are no surprise bills. For a full breakdown see our blocked drain cost guide for Melbourne, or call Jack for a quote.

Water Serpent Plumbing is a 5-star, owner-operated blocked drain specialist covering Melbourne's eastern suburbs and the Yarra Ranges. Unlike a general plumber, we focus only on drains — using high-pressure hydro jetting and CCTV cameras to clear and diagnose a blockage in the one visit. Every job is quoted at a fixed price upfront before work starts, so there are no surprises, and we back it with a written guarantee. See our blocked drains service or call Jack for a quote.

A good blocked drain plumber is a drainage specialist, not just a general plumber. Look for three things: the right equipment, transparent pricing and proof of quality. Water Serpent carries hydro jetters and CCTV cameras on every van, so we both clear the blockage and show you what caused it on screen. We agree a fixed price before starting, hold a 5-star rating across 85+ customers, and we're fully licensed and insured — and we explain what caused the blockage so it doesn't come straight back.

Yes — Water Serpent offers prompt, often same-day help for urgent blockages like overflowing toilets, backed-up sewers and flooding stormwater drains across Melbourne's east and the Yarra Ranges. We arrive equipped to both clear and diagnose the problem on the first visit with hydro jetting and CCTV, and we confirm a fixed price before starting. If you've got sewage backing up or water pooling, act quickly to avoid damage — call Jack and we'll let you know the soonest we can be there.

Water Serpent uses a professional CCTV drain camera on every drain job across Melbourne's eastern suburbs and the Yarra Ranges. The waterproof camera is fed through the pipe so we can see exactly what's causing a blockage — tree roots, a collapsed section, a cracked join or a build-up — and show you the footage on screen. That means we fix the real problem instead of guessing, and you get the recording for insurance or to plan repairs. See our CCTV drain inspection page for more.