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Blocked Drains in Crawley

Jetting, unblocking and a camera to find out why it blocked, for homes, shops and business units in Crawley and the villages around it.

A blocked drain in Crawley usually raises the same questions: is it your pipe, a shared pipe or the public sewer, and who can get it moving again? Our transport yard is at Cophall Farm in Copthorne, a few miles from the town, and our engineers answer the phone day and night, every day of the year.

Crawley was designated a new town in 1947 and has grown neighbourhood by neighbourhood since. That means terraces and maisonettes, where several homes can share one run of pipe, alongside newer estates and the business units of Manor Royal. Most of the town is on mains drainage, and the public sewers are run by Thames Water. Since October 2011, water companies have also been responsible for shared drains and for the part of a drain that runs outside a property’s boundary, so what is left for you is usually the pipework inside your own boundary.

That is why we start by working out where the blockage actually is. If it is on your side, we clear it with high-pressure jetting and, where it helps, a camera. If it turns out to be in the public sewer, we will tell you, so you are not paying for something Thames Water should deal with.

What’s included

What a drain clearance involves

The method depends on what is blocking the pipe, so we start by finding out.

  • Finding the blockage

    We check the nearest chambers and gullies to see where the water stops moving, and whether the fault sits on your side or the water company’s.

  • High-pressure jetting

    Jetting clears fat, silt, scale and soft blockages, and washes the pipe wall as well as opening it up.

  • Roots cut out

    Where roots have grown into a joint, we can cut and descale the pipe so it runs freely again.

  • A camera when it matters

    If a drain keeps blocking, a CCTV survey shows why, and you get a written report with footage.

  • Grease and gully work

    We can empty grease traps and clear gullies, with a waste transfer note for every collection.

  • A straight answer

    We say plainly what we found, what it needs, and whether it is a job for the water company.

Drain blockages in Crawley homes and businesses

01
Clearmasters tanker on a lawn with its hose run out across the grass

Homes, terraces and shared drains

In terraces, maisonettes and blocks of flats, several homes often share one run of pipe, so a blockage in one can back up into another. That is when it matters most to know where the fault sits. We open the nearest chambers, find where the water stops moving and clear from there with high-pressure jetting.

If the same drain blocks again within weeks, clearing it only treats the symptom. Roots, a displaced joint or a dip in the pipe will keep catching paper and fat. A CCTV drainage survey finds the cause, so you can decide what to do about it.

About drain unblocking
02
Two Clearmasters (Environmental) Ltd vans parked outside a brick commercial building

Shops, restaurants and Manor Royal

A kitchen drain that blocks can stop a restaurant or takeaway trading. Fat, oil and grease set hard in the pipe and are one of the most common causes of blockages in commercial kitchens, so we clear the line and can empty the grease trap on the same visit. On the business estates around Manor Royal, silt and oil collect in yard gullies, and our jet/vac tankers jet and vacuum in one go.

Landlords and managing agents get a written record of what was found, and every waste collection comes with a waste transfer note. Tell us your opening hours when you book so we can plan the visit.

About grease trap emptying

Local to you

Blocked drain clearance around Crawley

We clear drains in Crawley’s neighbourhoods and business estates, and in nearby villages including Copthorne, Crawley Down, Pound Hill, Lowfield Heath, Charlwood and Rusper. If you are not sure whether we cover your address, give us your postcode. See the full Crawley area list.

Blockage or something bigger?

If it keeps coming back, we can look inside the pipe.

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Get a blocked drain cleared in Crawley

Tell us what is happening and we will come back to you. If sewage is overflowing, call us rather than filling in the form.

  • Free, no-obligation quotes
  • Our own engineers and equipment
  • Emergency call-outs 24/7
  • Written reports after CCTV surveys
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Questions answered

Blocked drain FAQs for Crawley

Is a blocked drain in Crawley my responsibility, Thames Water’s or the council’s?

The council does not clear drains for you. The public sewers in Crawley are run by Thames Water, and since October 2011 the water company has also looked after shared drains and the part of a drain outside your boundary. What is usually left for you is the pipework inside your own boundary. If you are not sure, ring us and we will check where the blockage is before doing anything.

How can I tell whether the blockage is in my pipe or the public sewer?

If it is safe and the covers lift easily, look in the chambers on your property. Water standing in the chamber nearest the house but not in the next one downstream suggests a blockage between the two. Do not lift covers if they are heavy, damaged or in a road. Call us and we will check.

What should I do while I wait for an engineer?

Stop using toilets, sinks, the washing machine and the dishwasher, as more water will only make the overflow worse. Keep children and pets away from anything that has backed up, and wash your hands if you touch it. Please avoid pouring strong chemicals into the drain, as they can be hazardous to the engineer.

Why does my drain in Crawley keep blocking?

A one-off blockage is often fat, wipes or paper. One that returns within weeks usually points to something in the pipe itself, such as roots, a displaced joint or a dip where waste collects. A CCTV survey will show which.

Do you clear drains for landlords and businesses?

Yes. We work for homeowners, landlords, managing agents and commercial premises. For businesses we can empty grease traps and clear gullies as well, and every collection comes with a waste transfer note.

Are flushable wipes safe to put down the toilet?

No. Wipes do not break down like toilet paper, even when the packet says flushable, and they are a common cause of blockages. Only flush human waste and toilet paper, and put everything else in the bin.

Do I need a survey after the drain has been cleared?

Not always. If it was a one-off and the drain now runs freely, there may be nothing more to do. If it has blocked before, or water is pooling in the garden or backing up in more than one place, a survey is worth having.

Got a different question? Call 03333 233566 or send us a message.

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Health & safety pre-qualification accreditation, verifying our processes meet recognised safety standards.

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Vetted and approved under the local authority's trusted trader scheme for honesty and fair dealing.

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Members of the National Association of Drainage Contractors, the UK trade body for the drainage industry.

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Registered with the Environment Agency, so your waste is handled and disposed of fully within the law.

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