Drainage Guide
5 Signs You Have a Blocked Drain (Before It Becomes an Emergency)
Most blocked drains don't happen suddenly — there's usually a build-up of warning signs over days or weeks before a drain stops working completely. Spotting these early can mean a straightforward clearance instead of an emergency call-out when the problem finally backs up into your home.
1. Water Draining Slowly
A sink, bath or shower that empties more slowly than usual is often the first sign. It usually means something — fat, hair, debris — is starting to narrow the pipe. Left alone, it tends to get worse rather than resolve itself.
2. Gurgling Noises From Pipes
If you hear gurgling when you flush a toilet or run a tap, air is getting trapped because water is struggling to pass a partial blockage further down the system. This is a strong early indicator worth acting on.
3. Bad Smells Near Drains or Gullies
A persistent foul smell near an external gully, manhole, or even inside near a sink or toilet, usually means waste is sitting somewhere it shouldn't be — either pooling against a blockage or escaping through a damaged section of pipe.
4. Multiple Fixtures Affected at Once
If your toilet, bath and sink are all draining slowly or backing up together, the blockage is likely in a shared section of drain further down the system, not in an individual fixture. This is usually a sign the problem needs proper diagnosis rather than a quick DIY fix.
5. Flooding or Standing Water Outside
An external gully or manhole that floods after rain, or water that pools near your drain covers, suggests the external drainage is restricted or blocked. Left unaddressed, this can lead to water finding its way back into the property.
What to Do Next
If you're seeing one or two of these signs, it's worth getting it checked before it becomes a full blockage or backs up into the property. If you're seeing several at once, or water is already backing up, treat it as urgent.