A one-off blockage can be bad luck — too much paper, a foreign object, a build-up of grease. But when the same drain blocks again and again, something in the pipe itself is almost always catching debris.
The most common repeat offenders we see in Brisbane are:
- Tree roots growing in through pipe joints and cracks, forming a net that snags paper and waste.
- Broken, cracked or collapsed sections that create an edge for debris to build up against.
- Back-graded or bellied pipes where a section has sunk, so water pools and solids settle instead of flowing through.
- Old earthenware pipes with displaced joints, common in homes built before the 1980s.
Repeatedly clearing the drain without finding the cause is like refilling a leaking tyre. Each blockage is also doing more damage, because the pressure and standing water work on the weak point in the pipe.
The fix is a CCTV drain camera inspection straight after the line is cleared. The camera shows exactly what is causing the re-blocking and where it is, so the repair can be targeted rather than guessed at. From there, the fix might be root cutting, a patch repair, relining or replacing a short section.