Leatherhead sits on the River Mole, and the Mole can rise quickly after heavy rain. When it does, drains that cope perfectly well on a dry day can start to back up, and dirty water in the garden or a toilet that will not stop rising is not something to leave until morning. Our emergency drainage call outs cover KT22 and out to Fetcham, Ashtead and Bookham, with local engineers available 24/7.
When the Mole Rises After Heavy Rain
Much of the land the Mole drains is clay, so rain runs off rather than soaking in and the river responds fast to a downpour. The town also sits on the line where North Downs chalk gives way to London Clay, and that junction is known for springs and a high water table.
In practice, the ground around many homes is already saturated after a spell of wet weather, and surface water has fewer places to go. Gullies, channels and soakaways fill up, and any drain that is partly blocked is the first to show it.
Storm Water or Sewage?
Not every waterlogged lawn is a drainage fault. Clear water pooling on grass after a storm will often go down by itself as the ground dries out.
Water that is grey, carries debris or smells of sewage is different. If it is coming up through a gully, a manhole or a downstairs toilet, the foul drain is involved and needs clearing before it spreads. If you are not sure which you are looking at, describe it to us on the phone and we will help you decide.
An Overflowing Toilet
If you have an overflowing toilet in Leatherhead, stop flushing straight away. Lifting the cistern lid and holding the float up stops more water filling the pan while you wait.
Watch what happens when someone runs a tap or empties the bath elsewhere in the house. If the toilet bowl rises at the same moment, the blockage is in the pipe below it that the whole house shares, rather than in the toilet itself.
Internal Drain Damage
Some emergencies start inside the walls. Internal drain damage, such as a cracked soil pipe, a joint that has pulled apart under a floor or a waste pipe that has come loose behind a bath, can let dirty water into ceilings, walls and floor voids.
Signs include a stain spreading across a ceiling, a sewage smell in one room, or damp at the base of a wall beside a bathroom. We trace where the water is escaping, clear any blockage that has put pressure on the joint, and use a CCTV camera where the pipe cannot be seen, then tell you plainly what needs repairing.
Town Centre Businesses That Cannot Lose a Toilet
For a small shop, café, salon or office in the town centre, one blocked toilet can mean sending staff home or turning customers away. Many smaller premises have only one toilet, so there is no spare to fall back on while you wait.
Because our engineers are available 24/7, we can come before you open or after you close, which keeps disruption to a minimum. Our commercial drainage page explains how we help businesses with repeat problems once the emergency is over.
Blocked Drains in Leatherhead That Turn Urgent
Most blocked drains in Leatherhead begin slowly, with a sink that takes longer to empty or a faint smell near a gully. That stage can usually wait for a booked visit, and our drain clearance service deals with it.
It becomes an emergency when water stops draining altogether, when waste comes back up through a fitting, or when an outside chamber starts to overflow. At that point every flush and every load of washing makes things worse, so call us rather than waiting.
After the Water Goes Down
Once the drain is flowing again, it is worth finding out why it struggled. Silt washed in during a storm, roots inside an older clay pipe or a section that has sunk can all leave a drain that fails again with the next spell of heavy rain. A camera survey once things have settled shows what is in the pipe, and jetting can then clear silt and roots along the full length.
If dirty water has reached the house, photograph the damage before you start cleaning, as the pictures may help with an insurance claim. Keep children and pets out of the affected rooms until the floors have been washed and disinfected, and wear gloves while you do it.
Covering the Villages Around Leatherhead
Fetcham lies across the river from the town, Ashtead sits to the north east on the road to Epsom, and Bookham is a little further west. The same 24/7 number covers all of them, and everything on this page applies there just as much as it does in Leatherhead itself.
Leatherhead Emergency Drainage Questions
When It Can Wait in Leatherhead
If the problem is not urgent, these pages for Leatherhead may help.
Emergency Help in Nearby Towns
Get Emergency Help in Leatherhead
Call Monster Drainage on 08006 546213, day or night. Let us know where the water is coming from, whether it is clear or dirty and whether the weather has played a part, and we will advise you on what to do while we arrange help across KT22.