Clearing Blocked Bath and Shower Drains

Slow draining or blocked shower and bath drains are a common problem that our drainage engineers are called on to resolve throughout London.

Blockages are most commonly caused by clumps of long, tangled hair mixed with grease from soap plus other debris and dirt. The build-up of lime scale can also reduce the flow of water draining from a bath or shower. This can add to blockage problems.

Sometimes using a regular plunger can clear whatever’s causing the blockage. Used correctly a plunger will help to dislodge clumps of hair and grease. If the clump of hair has become fixed to the drain cover it may be possible to clear the blockage by hand, either by unscrewing the drain cover, or by trying to hook the hair out.

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We’re fully trade accredited. Aspect is registered with the National Association of Drainage Contractors (NADC). When you book an Aspect drainage engineer you can count on getting the professional expertise you’re looking for.

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Drainage engineers in London clearing blockages

If you’d rather avoid trying to clear a blocked drain yourself, or the blockage is too far down the pipework, or using a household chemical product hasn’t worked, it’s probably time to call for one of our drainage experts.

Our drainage engineers carry specialist equipment that helps them clear the most difficult of bath and shower blockages. With more than 20 metres of reach, their range powerful electro-mechanical tools, and years of experience, are sure to have your bath or shower drains flowing freely again in no time.

Our drainage engineers are ready to respond to calls anywhere in London 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

No hidden extras

What you get from Aspect

  • Experienced & vetted tradespeople
  • 24 hour availability for all trades
  • Dedicated Service Support Manager
  • Aspect Guarantee on workmanship
  • Peace of mind from trade accreditation

Occasional extra costs

  • Parts and materials used
  • Collection of parts and materials
  • Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) charge

We won’t charge you for

  • Cost of parking
  • Fuel or travel time
  • Congestion Charge

Using chemical products to unblock a drain

A tip from us

Chemical products are widely available for helping to clear blocked bath and shower drains. However, care should be taken when using them. It’s possible you could damage your drainage pipework if you use them regularly and especially if you’re mixing different products.

Using a mixture of bicarbonate of soda and vinegar is a very effective, traditional method of clearing some blockages. The benefits of this method over modern household chemical products are that it’s more ecological, cheaper and it won’t damage your drainage pipework.

Simply pour a cup of bicarbonate of soda down the drain, then leave it for a minute before pouring a cup of vinegar down after it. Two reactions take place; the first is the creation of carbonic acid and sodium acetate. The second is an effervescent reaction with the carbonic acid decomposing into water and carbon dioxide gas.

The two reactions in the confined space of a drainage pipe helps to break down the lime scale and grease causing the blockage. After leaving it for an hour or so boiling water can be poured down the drain to help flush the remaining debris away.

Expert tradesman

Our drainage rates

  • From £62.50 per half-hour
  • One hour minimum
  • Discounted half & full-day rates
  • Fixed pricing for planned work
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Blockages caused in hard water areas

Properties in London are more susceptible to blocked bath and shower drains due to the hard water we have. When soap is used in hard water areas two insoluble compounds are formed. When these form inside a bath or shower drain they gradually build up and reduce the flow capacity of the pipe.

When you use soap in a bath it’s easy to see the insoluble calcium and magnesium compounds on the side of a bathtub once the water has drained away. Removing this “soap scum” with a detergent and some scrubbing is relatively easy. However, soap scum is not so easy to clean from the inside of a pipe where it can’t be seen!

It’s worth remembering that using a plunger won’t clear these insoluble compounds or lime scale from bath and shower drains.

London Property Maintenance

Areas we cover

As a guide, we have tradespeople available to work in all 32 London boroughs and the City of London, and every postcode district that’s within the M25.

If you need to book one of our tradespeople to work outside the M25, we might still be able to help. Our scheduling team will check availability and let you know if we can book the right tradesperson for you.

Submit your callback request and someone will be in touch. We’re ready to help 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

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Account customers

We have a dedicated team of account handlers to support multi-site customers and commercial properties: Restaurants, Bars, Offices, Retail, Landlords, Letting Agencies, Hotels, Schools, Embassies, Care Homes and more

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Can’t find the information you’re looking for?

CCTV Drain Survey

Our other drainage pages

Our specialist drainage engineers can be booked for a wide range of tasks. Read more about the range of services we provide here: –

  • Unblocking toilets and soil pipes; our tradesmen all carry specialist equipment to clear all types of blockage, no matter what the cause of it is
  • Unblocking sinks and basins; if you’ve got a problem with a blockage or water draining away slowly, we can arrange for someone to clear it quickly
  • CCTV drain surveys; our drainage engineers all carry specialist CCTV camera equipment to check for blockages, pipework damage or network mapping
  • External drain unblocking; no matter what’s causing the blockage our tradesmen as equipped to locate it, clear it and check the pipework after

COVID-19 Update: We’ve briefed and equipped our tradespeople in response to the coronavirus crisis. Click here for details.

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