Drain rods

Usually drains can be unblocked with the use of drain rods and assorted accessories.

Drain rods are 3’ (0.9m) long and made from a tough but flexible polypropylene material that bends to allow you to push the rods into and along the drain. Drain rods can be screwed together to reach blockages many metres along the drain, with special fittings screwed on to the leading rod to assist with clearing the cause of the blockage.

Protective clothing

Before you start work it is important to be suitably dressed as using drain rods can be a messy job. You might want to consider waterproof clothing such as a two piece wet suit, a pair of goggles or a good pair of wellingtons and you will definitely want some waterproof gloves like PVC gauntlets.

Unblocking your drain

The first step to clearing a block is to find the manhole. Manhole keys may prove helpful with this. Once you have the cover up you need to locate the entrance to the drain. If the block is between you and the house the manhole will be empty and the u-shaped channel and drain entrances will be clearly visible. Screw two rods together and attach a drain rod fitting onto the first rod. I usually start with a double worm screw and progress to a rubber plunger if the worm is not successful. Feed the leading rod into the drain in the direction of your house, adding further rods as necessary, until you reach the cause of the blockage. Push and pull the rods back and forth until the blockage is cleared.

If the manhole has filled up with water and/or effluent the blockage is in the other direction and you will need to poke about with the rods to find the drain opening. This can be done by finding the u-shaped channel and following it along. Once you have the drain located repeat the steps as described above.

Removing the drain rods and cleaning up

When you pull the length of rods back out of the drain be careful not to twist them so that they unscrew. Once you have finished using your rods clean them with disinfectant (Jeyes or similar brand) before storing them away. That advice applies for your gloves, boots or any other clothing that came in contact with the rods.

Further assistance

If you are unable to locate and clear a blockage with drain rods alone you will need to enlist the services of a drain clearing specialist.

Items we recommend to clear a blocked drain:

Drain Clearing Kit

PVC Gauntlets

Wellington Boots

Two Piece Waterproof Wet Suit

Goggles