Drain Unblocking

A blocked drain can go from a slow-draining sink to a complete stoppage surprisingly quickly. Once a blockage takes hold - whether from accumulated grease in a kitchen drain, soap scum and hair in a bathroom, or debris in an external gully - it rarely clears on its own. Tam-Jet provides professional drain unblocking across Glasgow, Paisley, Barrhead, Greenock, and the wider West of Scotland, with fast response times and the right equipment to clear the blockage properly the first time.

We use high pressure water jetting as our primary unblocking method. This is more effective than drain rods for most types of blockage because the pressurised water both breaks the blockage apart and flushes debris all the way out of the drainage system. Rodding can shift a solid blockage, but it often leaves residue on the pipe walls - grease, scale, and compacted matter - that quickly catches new debris and causes the blockage to return. Jetting leaves the pipe clean.

What Causes Blocked Drains?

The most common causes we encounter vary by drain type. In kitchen drains, the overwhelming majority of blockages are caused by cooking grease and fat that is poured or rinsed down the sink and solidifies as it cools in the pipe. Over time this builds into a thick, sticky mass that catches food particles and eventually closes off the pipe entirely. In bathrooms, soap scum combined with hair is the typical culprit - it accumulates around the plug hole and in the trap below until the flow reduces to a trickle.

External drains and gullies block from a different set of causes: leaves and organic debris compacted by rainfall, moss and algae growth in shaded areas, tree roots growing through joints in older clay pipework, and in some cases structural issues like a collapsed or displaced section of pipe. In shared drainage systems - common in Glasgow and Greenock tenements - grease and scale from multiple households can accumulate in the shared run over many years, causing a blockage that affects every flat in the close.

Signs You Need a Drain Unblocked

A completely blocked drain is obvious - water backs up and will not drain at all. But most blockages start gradually and give warning signs before they become a full stoppage: water draining more slowly than usual, a gurgling sound from the drain or a nearby fixture when water is used, an unpleasant smell coming up from the drain, or water pooling around an external gully during rainfall when it previously drained freely. If you notice any of these, getting it looked at sooner rather than later is always cheaper and less disruptive than waiting for a full blockage.

We are available for both urgent blocked drain call-outs and for attending slower-developing issues that you want sorted before they become a full emergency. Call 07454 499567 and we will let you know how quickly we can get to you.