Concrete & Blocked Drains – Everything You Need To Know

Concrete blocked drains often occur accidentally when it enters drains and hardens to cause a clog. When concrete dries up in the pipe then it can cause the insides to become smaller preventing water and other contents to flow through. These blockages are dealt with by professional plumbers to ensure that all the cement is cleared out of the drain. Here at Optimised Plumbing Services, our Blocked Drain plumbers are able to safely and effectively clear concrete from any drain. A concrete blocked drain is where concrete has dried up on the interior walls of a pipe and has limited the space for water to flow smoothly. A licensed plumber will utilise CCTV, hydro jetting and plumbing mechanical tools to clear out the concrete. When the concrete hardens it can mean water cannot flow through the system, causing it to backup and for more problems to develop. 

How Does Concrete Block Drains?

If cement or concrete is poured into a drain or washed into one then it will cling and stay on the side of the pipe’s interior walls. When this happens and it dries then the diameter of the pipe reduces. If too much concrete enters pipes and dries inside then the pipe, especially around bends, becomes smaller and smaller leading to the flow of water being reduced.Water will move slower in the pipe but food and other solids can also become stuck if the diameter of the pipe is too small. If too much food, oils, soaps and other materials become stuck and if the water cannot properly flow then major blockages can form. Backup can also occur and a plumber will have to be contacted to ensure that the concrete blocked drain can be professionally dealt with.

How Are Concrete Blocked Drains Repaired?

The main ways a plumber will resolve concrete blocked drains are:

Water

If the concrete was recently poured into the drain then a plumber can use water to flush out the concrete before it dries. The cement will be moved to another section of the pipe network when water flushes it out. This means that it might become a solid or it may be saturated enough to not form into a solid and simply flow away.

CCTV and Hydro Jetting Techniques

Most times professional plumbers when dealing with concrete blocked drains will use CCTV and hydro jetting techniques first. The CCTV will be used by the plumber to find the location of the concrete and see how much concrete is present. Highly pressurised water will be used next to clean out the concrete and push it out of the pipe. It is effective at clearing most concrete blocked drains while being fast and effective.

Augers

Mechanical plumbing tools, such as a plumber’s snake or an auger, are used as well to scrape out any remaining concrete. It is often used after hydro jetting methods to clear away tough and dried concrete. The tool breaks at the dried concrete to flow away and then often the hydro jet is used again to completely flush out the system. Combining the hydro jet and auger allows plumbers to clear out concrete blocked drains efficiently.

Biodegradable Cement-Softening Product

There are different commercial cleaners that are biodegradable and used to combat concrete blocked drains. They might not completely clear the concrete but can help alongside other concrete blocked drain techniques. These solutions will be used if after the CCTV the concrete is deemed to be quite strong and using the cleaner will benefit the process otherwise they will not be used as frequently.

Acid

There is specific acid that can be used to break down the concrete and clear it from the drains. This is most times avoided because the concrete might not wash away and can harden again. It can also damage the pipes and other techniques are often more effective at clearing out the cement from the drains.

How To Avoid Concrete Blocked Drains?

The best way to prevent concrete from blocking up the drains is to when using concrete, such as during a build or renovation, that it is not disposed of down drains. When working near drains covering them up will also be helpful in preventing the issue. After the use of concrete using high pressurised water to flush out the drains to ensure that if concrete did enter the drains it can be flushed out before developing into a worse issue is recommended as well.

Expert Blocked Drain Plumbers Cleaning Concrete Blockages

Optimised Plumbing Services is here to offer Emergency Plumber teams to Sydney to clear out concrete blocked drains. Our fully qualified plumbers access the station using CCTV then apply the best techniques to properly clear out the concrete. We operate swiftly and effectively to guarantee that the whole plumbing system has no concrete in it and blocking it.We offer our concrete blocked drain services to all of Sydney, including Greater Western Sydney and Sutherland Shire. For trusted plumbers to resolve concrete blocked drains – rely on Optimised Plumbing Services!