A clogged drain is a common plumbing issue faced by homeowners in Australia, and it affects the drains in homes frequently. Whether they are small or big, minor obstructions or severe clogs, these issues can add a lot of stress, discomfort, and even harm if not solved on time. In Australia, the cost of professional drain unblocking services can be very much different due to many factors including the severity of the blockage, drain type, tools or methods needed and the location.
This detailed blog will discuss the price of unblocking a blocked drain in Australia, factors that affect the price and what to anticipate when hiring a professional plumber Sydney.
What Causes Blocked Drains?
It will be advisable to have some background information about the main causes of blockage of drains as this will help the user to appreciate why some blockages cost more to be jogged than others. Here are the most frequent causes of blocked drains:
- Collection of Grease and Fat: Over time, more especially to the pipes through which the water passes, the grease, oil and fats end up forming a thick layer that hinders the passage of water. This is so especially with contemporary kitchen sinks where food particles and greases tend to find their way into the drain.
- Hair Buildup: Hair is a well-known cause of blocked drains in showers and bathtubs being one of the most common items that causes blockage. Hair strands can entangle in the pipes and blend with water and soaps, shampoos and other dirt to cause blockage.
- Foreign Objects: Items we use in our day-to-day activities like toys, wipes, sanitary products, and even jewellery can easily end up being flushed down the toilet or washed down the sink. Such objects very frequently lead to major issues causing blockage that can only be addressed by a professional.
- Tree Root Infiltration: Tree roots may grow towards pipes to search for water and this causes them to penetrate the pipes thus causing blockages and even destroying the pipes. This is even found in most homes with clay or metal pipes, especially for older buildings.
- Pipe Damage or Collapse: Sometimes the piping themselves can become compromised and weaker due to their age, corrosion, or unstable grounds. This can cause major blockages that need major repairs and it is also a good area to start because of the nature of the problem.
- Build-up of Soap Scum and Minerals: In hard water areas, the scum from soap and minerals produces a layer in the interior of pipes which narrows the pipe and causes blockage.
Types of Drain Blockages
Not all blockages are similar and the cost of clearing the specific blockage will depend on the severity of it. Here are the common types of drain blockages and their potential issues:
- Minor Blockages: This is especially true with minor blockages that happen in small drainages like a sink or a shower. These commonly take a short time to clear using simple equipment such as plungers or drain wires. The expense involved in using a Colonic Irrigator to clear a minor blockage is insignificant.
- Moderate Blockages: Moderate obstructions can be cleared with professional equipment that includes drain rods or high-pressure water jetting. These blockages may be a result of the clogging of hair, soap or fat. It is cheaper to perform angioplasty to clear a moderate obstruction than a severe one, although still inexpensive.
- Severe Blockages: Major blockages are more common in large drains including sewer lines and are best treated by using expensive techniques like drain camera inspection, drain jetting or even drain excavation where there is severe pipe damage. Sometimes these blockages can prove to be very costly since one needs a lot of time, equipment, and professional work to avail them.
Factors Affecting the Cost of Unclogging a Blocked Drain
The cost of unblocking a drain in Australia again depend on various issues. By being aware of these aspects you can be in a position to prepare for some of the prices you are likely to incur when you hire a Sydney plumber for professional assistance.
1.Location:
It therefore becomes important to take note that the prices of plumbing services may differ depending on the Australian state in which the services are being sought. Large cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth pay more for plumbing services as compared to city areas or towns. This is because operating costs including rent are relatively high, there is increased demand for health and allied services among people living in metropolitan areas, and there is a pool of qualified health officers in these areas.
2.Time of Service:
The time of day or night that a plumber is called can also influence the price as well. Different plumbers charge disjointed prices at distinctive times of the day or at night. It is advisable to use the promoting business hours which are usually during the working days from 9 am to 5 pm, since the prices during extended services or emergency services are usually high. Some of the plumbers may charge you a call-out fee or higher rates when you hire them during the weekends or at night.
3.Severity of the Blockage:
To be more precise, the price will increase depending on how severe the blockage of the arteries is. Minst blocking in a sink could easily be tackled with a few minutes of work using ordinary tools while a serious blocking in the sewer involves hours of work and hi-tech equipment.
4.Methods of Clearing the Blockage:
Some blockages may be observed using a certain technique in removal, while others may be removed by a completely different technique; each technique will cost differently. Here are some common methods used to clear drains and their cost implications:
- – Plunger: A plunger belongs to the basic tools, and it is the cheapest when it comes to clearing minor blockages in both the sink and toilet.
- – Drain Snake: A drain snake or auger is a longer and coiled tool that could bend into the pipes further in. It is best for dealing with moderate blockages and is relatively more expensive than using a plunger.
- – Hydro Jetting: Hydro jetting is done using high water pressure to remove any obstruction from the pipe interior. This method proves best for the stocks of grease and debris and is comparatively costlier as the employment of specific apparatus and time is involved.
- – CCTV Drain Inspection: There are occasions where a plumber may be required to carry out the CCTV pipe survey in order to identify where the blockage is coming from, especially when the system has been compromised by tree roots or has developed pipe cracks. This brings extra cost into the service delivery process hence making the services highly priced.
5.Pipe Accessibility:
If the blocked drain is out of sight or hard to reach (i.e., it is in a basement, under a lawn or behind walls), the plumber may need to employ some extra gear or may take a longer time to get to the pipe thus incurring more cost in unblocking the drain.
6.The type of pipes, pipes age and condition:
Where your plumbing system is aged, or the pipe is in bad condition, then clearing the blockage may be complex. Occasionally, the plumber will have to make a repair or replace a damaged pipe – this is rather costly.
Average Cost of Clearing a Blocked Drain in Australia
Now we see how the above factors affect the cost but let’s look at some of the common costs that people will incur while clearing a blocked drain.
- Minor Blockages: The cost of clear average blockages like those in showers or bathroom sinks will range from $100 to $250. This price usually contains the cost of the plumber, the travel cost where he/she comes to fix the problem, and common fixer gear like a plunger or a drain snake.
- Moderate Blockages: A moderate obstruction which includes grease, hair or small objects may cost you between $250 and $500 to have it cleared. The total cost will also incorporate additional charges such as the use of drain augers or hydro-jetting, additional labour time etc.
- Severe Blockages: In some scenarios, the root causes can be tree root invasions, collapsed pipes, or blockage in sewer lines and this will cost anything between $500 -$1,500 and may sometimes extend as per the extent of work. This is usually brought about by the utilization of factors like closed-circuit television drain cameras, hydrojetting, and possibly burst pipe repair and/or replacement. The time taken to complete the job and the level of involvement in the job make it more costly.
- Emergency Call-Outs: Although most plumbing companies operate during working hours, any plumbing emergency after working hours will cost you more. The cost of emergency plumbers ranges from $200 an hour to $400 an hour depending on time and place. Some may also have a one-off call-out fee of $100 – $150 in addition to the above rates per hour fee.
How to Save Money on Clearing a Blocked Drain?
While some drain blockages require professional intervention, there are a few things you can do to minimize the costs:
- Regular Maintenance: A way of preventing blockages in the drain is through general maintenance of the drains. It is also beneficial to install drain strainers to prevent debris buildup, refrain from flushing grease from your sink, and occasionally clean your drain with hot water or vinegar and baking soda.
- Use a Plunger First: When you notice the sink is blocked you do not have to call for a plumber immediately as you might use a plunger. This is a very simple method and is very cheap too, especially if used to remove small blockages in the sinks and toilets.
- Preventive Measures: Use drain covers and screens to filter materials that ought to be separated from fluids before getting to the drain facility. Also, do not throw any objects other than toilet paper into the toilet and do not dispose of large pieces of food through the kitchen sink.
- Get Multiple Quotes: When getting a plumber it is advisable to consider several FREE quotes so that you can know the average plumber price. Most of the plumbers provide free quotations or price indications, and thus, should be used for this service.
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Conclusion
Everyone dreads cases of blocked drains, but you should not let this issue scare you since you now know how much it will cost to get help from professional plumbers/ drain specialists. If you’re just having a simple blockage or a major one, the drain clearing services in Australia will cost anything between $100 and over $1,500.
There are ways to prevent blockage and ensure that your drains are working efficiently and properly and in case of an emergency, this should be done erratically: Emergency drain cleaning is important since it helps to mitigate damages due to blocked drains within your home.