Overflowing drains are unsightly, but they can be problematic in and outside the home if left unchecked. Knowing how to deal with a blocked drain or an outside drain issue leaves you feeling confident about caring for your property and the surrounding area.

This guide informs you on how to resolve a blocked external drain.

What items cause a drain to be blocked?

A problem with outside drains is they can suffer a blockage for many reasons, and items from inside and outside the home can cause a blockage. With an external drain, the blockage is most likely caused by leaves, mud, dirt and debris.

However, there might also be backup from a septic tank or sewer network and sometimes, items that make their way from drains inside a home make their way to the outside.

Why is my outside drain blocked?

Household items which often block outdoor drains include:

• Sanitary products
• Food particles
• Kitchen roll
• Grease and fat
• Coffee grounds
• Toilet paper, including wipes and disposable toilet paper
• Soap scum

Knowing what items block a kitchen drain allows you to be vigilant, and helps prevent blockages and future blockages. Keeping your bathroom or kitchen sink clear of this and other debris minimises the likelihood of a blockage in a sewer drain.

Should there be standing water in the outside drain?

Ideally, water in an outside drain should flow, and there shouldn’t be any sign of blockage with your outdoor drainage. If there is standing water, it is a telltale sign of a blockage in the drain or sewer system, says Rider Drains Cleaning & Repairs.

Much like a toilet which won’t flush or a funny smell near a drain. Similarly, if water is overflowing from an outside drain, it is a clear indicator something is wrong, and you need to act.

Who is responsible for outside drain blockage?

The location of the drain determines who is responsible for maintaining and clearing. If there is a blockage in a drain or pipes inside your property, you (the homeowner) are responsible for unlocking the drain.

If the drain is shared between a number of premises, the local water authority or council will be responsible for its upkeep.

If the external drain is outside of your premises, it is not your responsibility. Instead, the drain blockage is the responsibility of the local authority or water company.

Can I move the drain cover?

If you are responsible for the blocked drain, you can lift and remove the drain cover. Sometimes, it requires brute force, other times, a screwdriver or tool for better leverage. Be careful not to damage drain covers because even though the drain is your responsibility, drain covers might be the property of a local water company or authority.

How do you fix an overflowing outside drain?

There are different ways to unblock an overflowing outside drain or sewage drain.

Products you need to unblock pipes:

• Rubber gloves
• A face mask
• Bin bags

These items help you unblock clogged pipes, improving the drainage at your home.

Drain rodding is a great way to unblock drains

If you think there is a solid blockage, a drain rod is an essential tool to break other outdoor debris and disrupt blockages. Place the drain rods into the blockage and twist them in a clockwise direction, which breaks any blockage. You should find a drainage rod in hardware stores.

Caustic soda

While baking soda is a common way to unclog drains inside the home, for external drains, sodium hydroxide, or caustic soda, is a fantastic way to free debris in a blocked outside drain.

Of course, many people have concerns about chemical drain cleaners, so this might not be a viable solution for all households.

A pressure hose

A good quality pressure hose is an excellent way to break a blocked outside drain, blasting outdoor debris into smaller pieces, allowing water to flow around it. You’ll also find a pressure hose is a proactive tool in maintaining an outside drain, ensuring outside debris doesn’t build-up in the drainage system. Hot water is also a good way to combat blockages.

Call on a professional plumber for blocked drains

Hiring a drainage expert to review the issue and unblock an outside drain makes sense. Plumbers have tools such as a plumber’s auger, drain jetting equipment, a drainage rod, and they’ll have protective clothing such as rubber gloves, a face mask and even bin bags to clean up behind.

If you are worried about making the problem worse, hiring a professional is one of the top tips in dealing with drain blockages and clogged pipes.

Plumbers can also advise on drain repairs, internal drains, electrical fittings if they’re close by and even sewage drain issues if that is relevant. There is a wide range of blockage and drainage services on offer from plumbers.

How do I clear an outside drain blocked with certain substances?

If you know a particular material or substance is blocking your drain, some methods are better than others to unblock the drain.

A drain blocked with grease or fat can be cleared with hot water (or even boiling water if you know the drains are in good condition), but you should also use a drain rod to move the drain blockages along.

Here, a drain rod insert can disrupt the blockage and unblock an outside drain for good.

Is a blocked drain covered by home insurance?

While some home insurance providers pay for damage relating to blocked drains, this depends on the circumstances. The terms and conditions of the insurance firm and the cause of the blockage impact the payout.

How do I know if my drain is shared?

A quick and effective way to determine if a drain is shared is to enlist a drain survey to review the public sewer system. With any luck, a survey will have been carried out before, and there will be sewer maps with your local authority or water company.

Before you arrange repair or cleaning work to take place, make sure you know who is responsible for the work.

These tips will help you manage an outdoor drain blockage, no matter where it is or what caused the blockage.