So you have a blocked drain and need a drain unblocker right away? Blocked drains, whatever the type, are a nuisance and not something you can push aside to deal with another day. Whether it’s an inside or outside drain, it will cause you problems if it’s blocked. After all, the water or waste has to go somewhere!

It’s always a good idea to leave blocked drains to an expert. If you’re wondering why hiring a professional drain unblocker is the best solution, read ‘9 Benefits of Hiring a Professional Drain Unblocker‘. By reading ‘Why You Should leave Blocked Drains to an Expert’, you will see what can go wrong if you try to tackle a blocked drain without experience or the right equipment.

If you’re in a pickle and need a drain unblocker in Auckland, then we can help! While you can save yourself the time of reading this article and simply choosing iSpecialise as your drain unblocker, we also understand that sometimes, it pays to make informed decisions. And, in the case of blocked drains, it does pay to do your homework. Unfortunately, there are plenty of Auckland plumbers out there – who aren’t expert drain unblockers – that can easily pull the wool over you.

So today, I’m going to give you an in-depth guide to choosing a drain unblocker in Auckland.

Defining the Type of Drain That Needs Unblocking

The first thing you need to do before you even start Googling “drain unblocker Auckland” is to determine the type of blockage you’re dealing with.

Believe it or not, some so-called “drain unblockers” will only unblock indoor drains because they don’t want to get their hands dirty. Why? Because not all plumbers don’t have the specialist equipment needed to unblock all drains. Hi-tech equipment is needed to locate underground blockages with precision and efficiency, and such equipment is expensive – too expensive for general plumbers.

Therefore, you need to know the type of blockage you have to ensure you don’t waste your time (and money) calling a drain unblocker unequipped to provide quick and professional assistance.

Homes have many drains, which are split into two categories; indoor drains and outdoor drains.

Indoor drains

Indoor drains are those within the house, such as those in your kitchen sink, bathroom basin, floor or shower waste, etc. Any indoor drain that experiences a blockage needs clearing by a drain unblocker immediately.

Blocked toilets: The most urgent blocked drain is usually a blocked toilet. Never pleasant and very inconvenient, blocked toilets occur when too much toilet paper or items not meant for flushing are placed in the toilet bowl, and the pressure of the flushing mechanism isn’t strong enough to clear the bowl. Block toilets are quickly unblocked, and plumbers have many ways to go about it. If you’ve tried a plunger to no avail, a plumber will use a toilet auger or a plumber’s snake.

Blocked sinks: Blocked sinks are standard and occur from a build-up of either hair and soap scum in the bathroom or grease and cooking fats in the kitchen.

Blocked shower and bath wastes: Floor wastes, like bathroom sinks, generally become blocked from soap sum and hair build-up. Hair can get tangled in the waste until it forms a mass, preventing water from escaping down the drain.

Outdoor drains

Outdoor drains take the water from the inside drains mentioned above to the sewerage pipe. Outdoor drains also include your mains, which supply water to your home and stormwater drains that take water from your gutters and downpipes out to the road. A drain located is needed to locate underground pipes such as those used for sewer connections, mains water supply and stormwater.

Blocked sewer: Like blocked toilets, blocked sewer connections are never pleasant. They occur when waste is flushed from the toilet but gets stuck somewhere on its way to the main sewer. This can be due to excess toilet paper/sanitary items or nappies being flushed down the toilet, or from a damaged pipe leading to dirt infiltrating the pipe. Tree root infiltrating is also a common cause of a blocked sewer. If the pipe isn’t damaged, it can be cleared with a hydro jetter. However, if the pipe is also damaged, it will need to be flushed with a hydro jetter and repaired.

Blocked mains: A blocked mains water supply usually occurs due to dirt or scale infiltrating the waterline and is easily fixed with a hydro jetter.

Blocked stormwater pipe: While not as severe as a blocked sewer or blocked mains water supply pipe, a blocked stormwater pipe can lead to flooding, which can, in turn, have a domino effect. Usually, the result of leaves and debris which has fallen into your gutters and down your downpipes, blocked stormwater pipes are reasonably straightforward to clear, providing a hydro jetter is used.

Learn how to prevent indoor and outdoor blocked drains by reading ‘Tips to Prevent Blocked Drains at Home’. In most cases, blocked drains are preventable, provided you take care with what you put down the drain.

How to Choose a Drain Unblocker in Auckland

Now, you should have a clear idea of whether you have an indoor or outdoor blocked drain and the type of drain that’s blocked. Knowing this, we can now move on to how you go about choosing a drain unblocker in Auckland to get you out of your pickle!

Search Google for drain unblockers

The quickest way to find any service provider nowadays is to jump online and go to Google.co.nz. Start with a simple search for “drain unblockers” or “drain unblockers near me”. A Google search will give you a decent list of drain unblockers in Auckland to use as a starting point.

Explore their services

Visit the website of the first ten or so results for “drain unblockers”. Personally, having a modern and professional-looking website matters a great deal to me. If they present themselves well online, they will present themselves well offline. A good website will also make it much easier to see what they do.

Take a look at their services to make sure they offer drain unblocking. Specifically, look to see if they specialise in drain unblocking for indoor and outdoor drains. Their drain unblocking page should list services like toilet unblocking, basin/sink unblocking, shower drain unblocking, kitchen sink unblocking, laundry tubs unblocking, sewer unblocking, main drain unblocking etc.

Finding a plumber that not only offer drain unblocking but can unblock the drain you have blocked is essential. You don’t want to waste time contacting a drain unblocker who only does indoor drains if you have a blocked sewer drain etc. Nor do you want to contact a plumber who doesn’t specialise in drain unblocking. Offering drain unblocking and specialising in it are two different things.

Inspect their speciality areas

Chances are, your Google search will result in a lot of plumbers and few specialist drain unblockers. This is because drain unblocking is a standard service that all plumbers offer (to some extent). However, as mentioned, not all plumbers are capable of clearing any type of blockage… not unless you want your entire yard dug up or floor ripped up.

You need to take notice of their speciality areas. For example, see if they specialise in drain unblocking for indoor and outdoor drains.

Get in contact with the drain unblocker

If the type of blockage you have on your hands is listed as one of their specialties, then you can contact them… but don’t go ahead and choose them just yet. There’s still one more important thing you need to check before you can be confident in choosing the best drain unblocker for your needs.

While clearing indoor blockages is relatively straightforward, outdoor blockages can be tricky because the drains and pipes are underground. Who knows where the blockage is?!

If their website doesn’t list their drain unblocking equipment, I strongly encourage you to ask them how they go about clearing the drain you have blocked and what equipment they use. You don’t want a cowboy who will come into your home and make a massive mess to try and unblock the drain.

Keywords to listen for as they explain their method to you would be ‘drain locator’, ‘hydro jetter’, and ‘CCTV camera’. What you don’t want to hear is ‘shovel’ and ‘saw’!

• Drain locator: A drain located is just that – a device that located drains. You don’t want a plumber digging up your entire yard to find your mains water supply, stormwater, or sewer connection pipe. With a drain locator, they won’t have to. This is a must-have device for any drain unblocker looking to clear an outdoor drain.
• Hydro jetter: A hydro jetter is a high-power hose that produces a forceful 5075 psi (a standard garden hose is 60 psi). It is inserted into the drain to blow out the blockage. Hydro jetters are essential for unblocking sewer connections, mains water supply pipes and stormwater pipes efficiently.
• CCTV camera: While the hydro jetter down the actual ‘unblocking’, a CCYV camera can be very handy in ensuring the blockage is completely cleared to prevent another blockage from occurring.

If the drain unblocker says they use drain locators, hydro jetters, and CCTV cameras when unblocking a drain, you’re in good hands. You can book their service with confidence. However, if they don’t have this equipment, they’re not specialist drain unblockers, and you’re best to continue looking for a drain unblock who does.

Why Choose iSpecialise as your drain unblocker in Auckland?

We didn’t decide to call ourselves iSpecialise for the fun of it! We call ourselves this because we are more than average plumbers. We are specialists plumbers. And one of the areas we specialise in is drain unblocking. With more than 10-year’s experience behind us, we’re the local team you can count on to deliver a first-class service that exceeds expectations.

Our iUnblock service is a state-of-the-art drain unblocking service for Auckland residents. We specialise in unblocking any, and all blocked drains – indoor and outdoor – and take on the job that other plumbers can’t unblock or put in the “too hard” basket. Whether you have a blocked toilet, blocked basin, blocked shower waste, blocked kitchen sink, or something more serious such as a blocked sewer, blocked mains or blocked stormwater pipe, we have the experience and equipment to get it cleared fast and affordably.

For us, no blocked drain is too challenging because we have the right equipment for the job. We have drain locators, hydro jetters, and CCTV cameras and offer a professional service with precision and efficiency. Moreover, we can provide a CCTV camera service with any drain unblocking service to ensure the blockage is entirely removed.

Conclusion:

If you have a blocked drain and need a drain unblocker in Auckland, then there are a few things you can do to ensure you get the best plumber for the job. First of all, you need to know what type of blocked drain you have on your hands to ensure the drain unblocked is capable, and more importantly, they have the right equipment to unblock it professionally and swiftly.

There are two main types of blocked drains; indoor blocked drains, such as blocked toilets, blocked basins, blocked shower wastes, and blocked kitchen sinks, and outdoor blocked drains, the more severe type, which include blocked sewers, blocked mains and blocked stormwater pipes.

While any plumber should be able to clear a blocked indoor drain, outdoor drains are another story. Because they are underground, they are hard to locate, and unless the plumber has the right equipment, your yard may end up looking like a minefield.

Therefore, your need to find a drain unblocker capable of unblocking outdoor blockages if that is the case.

Start by going to Google and searching for “drain unblocker near me”. From the results, look at their website to see the drain unblocking services they offer. You need to make sure they offer drain unblocking for the type of blockage you have. If you find they do, then it’s best to call them and ask them how they go about repairing or unblocking the drain – especially if it’s an outdoor drain!

When speaking with them, ask if they use equipment like drain locators, hydro jetters, and CCTV cameras for outdoor blockages. This is the specialised equipment needed to be a professional drain unblocker. If they don’t have such equipment, we recommend you keep looking or save yourself a lot of time by simply calling iSpecialise.

We are true specialist drain unblockers and have all the equipment to unblock any drain in any location. There’s no drain we cannot unblock, and we do it with precision and care.

Call us today on  09-2322 895 or make an online booking through our booking portal.