Drainage Wellington
Drainage Wellington
Our experts can help you with any drainage wellington problem in the Wellington region. Our services include drain laying for new buildings, drain cleaning and repairs, and of course the all too often required drain unblocking service – Wellington wide, 24 hours a day.
Drain Leaks
Drain leaks are like water supply leaks in that they discharge water in locations that are often not near the source. In other words where you see the water is often not where the break in the drain is.
Often these leaks can travel 100’s of meters from the leaking drain. There is a method for locating them which involves cutting and testing. Putting dye down the drains can assist sometimes.
A drain camera will locate tree roots and large breaks but not small cracks. In most cases large sections of drain will need replacement. Drain cameras will not fix drains but are useful in locating the position of the drain and seeing its general condition.
Sewerage can discharge from storm water drains when they are both broken. Leaking drains are often also blocked.
Blocked Drains Wellington
We under take blocked drains Wellington wide. We have a fast response drain unblocking Wellington service. All areas covered.
Wellington Blocked drains are caused by broken drains, usually and tree roots grow in to the crack, and then on the inside of the pipe. Sometimes the drain breaks completely and the water discharges under ground until the solids build up and eventually block up the drain until it discharges out an entry point.
Do we have to dig up the drains?
Not to put the water blaster down the drain and this is not a domestic water blaster this is a beast cutting through tree roots and the worst things you can imagine. Better than a machine, particularly for storm water drains filled with sand a machined only spins it round and round going no where. High pressure water is a powerful force. Its rare we cannot get it unblocked.
Causes of Blocked Drains Wellington
By far the majority of blocked drains are caused by broken or cracked drains allowing tree roots to penetrate and block the drain. It is rare for a foreign object to go down the drain and block it,as it has to pass through the pan u bend or the Gully Trap u bend where the waste pipes discharge. Some times fat can block a drain or toys or drink cans. Ensure grates are on the gully traps to keep these items out.
Recently we were called to a drain block where the kids put a motor vehicle oil filter down the gully. Round or cylindrical items are hard to get out and occasionally need the drain opened up to get them out. In this case we got it out with a water blaster. Also watch what is put down the drain that is not organic matter for example plastic bags or baby wipes. If the drain is a drain in good condition foreign objects are usually ok such as wet wipes. If the drain has any faults or snags they will stop water flow and back up and shortly after the drain is blocked.,
Drain Unblocking
There are different methods of unblocking drains depending on what is blocking it. For example sand in storm water drains will not be removed by using a drain clearing machine. In this case we use an industrial water blaster. The same applies to heavily root infested drains a machine will take a long time to cut through. Industrial water blasters will be more successful than machine clearing. There are some locations, and drains, where a machine is handy in remote locations. Wellington is one of the most difficult locations in the world to unblock drains due to its hilly topography, and long back sections, far back from the road, and drains in a number of cases over 100 years old. Also due to the sections being undulating the drains are often deep underground due to fill deposited over the top of them form flat ground, the drains are hard to locate, and work on due to retaining walls built over the top of them.
In NZ it is not required to bring drain access points to the surface which means we often have to access drains through S bend gully traps making it all the more difficult.
Drain unblocking Methods
There are three methods of drain clearing:
- Hand Rod with plunger or worm or some other attachment
- Machine Worm or cable with a variety of attachements
- Industrial Water Blaster
They all have advantages and disadvantages however none will repair a broken drain, it will only remove the symptom. They may remove the roots temporarily. But the only sure method of repair is replacement. One thing is sure – a drain in good condition rarely blocks particularly new PVC drains. Rodding is cheaper than replacement and can keep a drain going for many years but the inconvenient times that blocks occur is more than some can bear and in the end may need replacement any way. It could be said it is better to fix it right once.
Drain Cameras
Drain Cameras – They give reassurance, and identify the problem some of the time.
Most drain layers can tell you what the problem is and where it is with a hand rod assuming they can gain access to the drain. Drain Cameras will not fix the drain and will often not see cracks, or leaking and broken joints.
Drain cameras will see major damage and and assist with location to save lots of digging in the wrong place.
It is a good idea to see the drainage plan if there is one. Drainage plans are often not accurate. We cover the whole Wellington Region.
Drain cameras are fantastic at locating drains. Most cameras transmit a signal that can be located above ground and its depth also determined.
Tree Roots
Often in NZ we grow large trees on our properties, and verges which have the ability, depending on tree species, to send tree roots which travel a long way to find water, and leaking drains are a good source of moisture. Once the tree finds the drain the roots wrap around the drain until they find the source of the water, and enter the crack and into the drain. They grow inside the drain, and run down the drain a long way getting larger and larger till the drain blocks. Cutting these roots from the inside is only temporary as a solution to getting the drain working again until the roots grow again and block the drain. The best permanent solution is to cut out the bad section of drain and replace it. PVC is used in drainage today and does not crack unless it is heavily stressed.
