What is happening when a drain backs up
A drain backs up when something downstream stops the flow, and the water takes the easiest way out: the lowest toilet, shower or gully in the property, or a manhole outside. The blockage can be in your own pipe, in a shared drain, or in the public sewer in the street. In heavy rain, older areas where one sewer carries both foul and surface water can also struggle to cope, and that is one reason flooding often arrives with a storm.
What to do while you wait
Sewage carries bacteria, so treat it with care. Until we arrive:
- Stop using water: no flushing, no washing machine, no dishwasher, no taps
- Keep children and pets away from the affected area
- Avoid touching the water, and wear gloves and waterproof boots if you have to go near it
- Open windows to ventilate, and lift valuables and furniture off the floor
- Keep clear of electrical sockets and appliances if water is near them
- Take photographs for your insurer before anything is moved or cleaned
Whose drain is it
If the blockage is in the public sewer, which usually means a manhole in the street or sewage coming up in more than one property, it is United Utilities' responsibility and you should report it to them as well. If it is in the drain that serves only your home, it is yours. Since October 2011 many shared drains have also moved to the water company. If you are unsure, report it to United Utilities anyway: it costs nothing and they will tell you whether the problem is theirs. We can tell you which applies, and our guide to who is responsible for your drain explains the rules in full.
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How we deal with it
We lift the chamber covers and see where the water stops. A full chamber next to an empty one tells us where the blockage sits. We clear it with rods or high-pressure water (drain jetting), flush the line, and run water to check it flows freely. If it has happened before, or looks like a structural fault, we suggest a camera survey (CCTV drain surveys) to find the cause. Our job is the drain: cleaning, drying out and floor repairs are separate work, and your insurer will usually help you arrange them.
What affects the price
Where the blockage is, whether it is in a private or a shared drain, how hard it is to clear, whether a camera or a repair is needed afterwards, and the time of day all change the job. We give you a firm price once we have found the problem and before we start work.
What happens after you call
You speak to the team, at any hour. Tell us what is coming up, where, and whether it is still getting worse. We will tell you what to do until we get there and when we can get a van to you. On site we find the blockage, explain what we have found and what it will cost, and get the drain flowing again.