A blocked drain in Reigate rarely sorts itself out. Water lingers in the sink, the toilet rises when it is flushed, or grey water lifts the cover in the garden. Monster Drainage clears blocked drains in Reigate and right across RH2 for homeowners, tenants, landlords and local businesses.
Our local engineers are available 24/7, so if a drain gives up late in the evening or over a weekend, you can still get help.
One Sink or the Whole House?
The first thing we ask on the phone is how much of the property is affected. That one answer tells us roughly where the blockage sits before a single cover is lifted.
If only the basin or the bath is slow, the trouble is nearly always in that fitting’s own waste pipe, close to the trap. Hair, soap and toothpaste gather in bathroom wastes, while kitchen pipes collect cooking fat and food scraps that harden as they cool.
If the toilet, the shower and the kitchen sink are all sluggish together, or water bubbles up in the lowest fitting when something upstairs is used, the restriction is further along in the main drain that carries everything away. That is an outside job, and it starts at the inspection chamber nearest the house.
Working from the inside out in this way saves time and means nobody is rodding or jetting in the wrong place.
Sandy Ground and Older Pipes around Reigate
Much of Reigate is built on the Lower Greensand, and the town centre and Reigate Heath stand on the sandstone of the Folkestone Beds. The same soft sand was once dug out from under the castle mound, which is how the Reigate Caves came about.
Sandy ground drains well, but it has its own effect on old pipework. Where a clay drain has a cracked collar or a joint that has opened slightly, fine sand can wash in with groundwater and settle along the bottom of the pipe. Over the years that silt narrows the bore until paper and waste begin to snag on it.
Roots look for the same gaps. Large gardens and mature trees on the slopes towards Reigate Hill and around Priory Park give them every reason to search out a leaking joint. Newer plastic pipework on later estates has tighter joints, so blockages there come more often from what goes down the drain than from what gets in from outside.
Gullies and Autumn Leaves
The outside gully, the grated drain where a downpipe or the kitchen waste meets the ground, has a hard time every autumn. Leaves, moss washed off the roof and grit from the drive gather in the trap beneath the grate, and the next heavy shower has nowhere to go.
A gully that overflows during rain but empties slowly once it stops is usually choked at the trap. One that stays full on a dry day points to a blockage further down the line.
For the first kind, lifting the grate and scooping out what you can reach, wearing gloves, is often enough. For the second, the line itself needs clearing, and that is where we come in.
Clearing Your Blocked Drain
We match the method to what we find, rather than reaching for the biggest machine on every visit. Depending on the blockage, that can mean:
- Rodding through a single obstruction near an access point
- High pressure water to wash out grease, scale and sand silt
- Emptying gullies, channels and inspection chambers outside
- Clearing kitchen, bathroom and toilet wastes indoors
- A camera check if the same drain blocks again
- Advice on what to keep out of the drain afterwards
Our drain jetting service scours the pipe wall as well as shifting the blockage, which suits drains that have narrowed slowly. For a drain that blocks time after time, a CCTV drain survey shows whether a cracked joint, a dip in the pipe or roots are behind it before anyone talks about repairs.
Your Drain, a Shared Drain or the Public Sewer
Who looks after a blockage depends on where it is. Pipes that serve only your property and sit within your boundary are yours. Since October 2011, drains shared with neighbours, and the pipes that run beyond your boundary to the public sewer, have been the job of the local water company.
That is worth knowing in Reigate, where terraces near the town centre and many converted houses send their waste through a shared run. If we lift the covers and the blockage turns out to be in a shared length or the sewer itself, we tell you straight away so you can report it, rather than charging you for work that is not yours to pay for.
Landlords and managing agents get the same clear answer, which helps when tenants in different flats are all reporting the same slow drain.
When It Cannot Wait
Sewage rising in a downstairs toilet, or a chamber spilling across the garden, needs attention straight away. Stop using water in the property, do not keep flushing, and ring us. Our emergency call outs run day and night across RH2.
Homes, Flats and Lettings
We work in family homes, flats above shops and rented properties throughout the town. Whoever calls us, we explain what we found in plain terms that both the landlord and the tenant can follow, so the next step is clear for everyone.
Shops and Offices in Town
A blocked drain in a café, salon or office in the middle of Reigate affects staff and customers alike. Our commercial drainage team will talk through timing with you, so the work causes as little disruption as possible.
Questions About Blocked Drains in Reigate
Q: Should I try a chemical unblocker first?
A: For a slow basin, a plunger and a clean of the trap are kinder to your pipes. Strong chemicals seldom shift a blockage in the main drain, they can harm older pipework and seals, and they make the job hazardous for whoever opens the drain next. If you have already used one, please tell us before we start.
Q: Why does the drain smell after heavy rain?
A: Rain can force air and water through a partly blocked pipe, pushing smells back up through gullies and traps. A trap that has dried out will do the same. If the smell returns after every downpour, the drain is worth checking.
Q: Will you need to dig up the garden?
A: Hardly ever for a blockage. Drains are cleared from the inspection chambers and rodding points already in place. Digging only comes into it if a camera shows a pipe has broken or collapsed, and even then we explain the options first.
Q: How do I find my inspection chamber?
A: Look for a square or oblong cover in the drive, path or garden, usually close to the house and in line with the soil pipe. On older properties one is sometimes hidden under paving, gravel or a planter. If you cannot find it, we will.
More Help in Reigate and Close By
Other Monster Drainage pages for Reigate, plus blocked drain help in two nearby towns:
Contact Us
Got a blocked drain in Reigate? Call Monster Drainage on 08006 546213 or send us a message. Tell us which fittings are affected and whether water is rising outside, and we will advise the quickest next step for your RH2 home or business.