Drain Clearing: Mount Maunganui, Tauranga, Papamoa

It usually means the drain past the gully trap is blocked, so wastewater has nowhere to go. It can also happen in heavy rain if a downpipe has been connected to the gully trap. Either way, it needs sorting quickly.

Usually there's a partial blockage further down the drain, so air gets pushed back up through the toilet. It's an early warning sign, and if it's left, it often turns into a full blockage.

When more than one drain is slow, the blockage is usually in the main drain, not the individual pipes. Drain cleaner rarely fixes that. It needs clearing properly.

If the drain is shared, the owners who share it usually share the cost. If the roots are in the council's part of the sewer, the council fixes it. A camera inspection shows exactly where the problem is.

It's worth it for older houses and houses with big trees near the drains. A camera inspection can show cracked pipes or tree roots that you'd otherwise only find out about after you've moved in.