What to do if your outside drain is blocked  

What’s blocking your outside drain?

Blocked drains come in all shapes and smells. Here’s what to look out for: 

• Leaves, litter, and outdoor gunk covering your outside drain 

• Kitchen culprits — fat, oil, coffee grounds… they don’t belong down the sink. 

• Bathroom build-up — hair, soap, wipes. Bin it, don’t flush it. 

Who’s responsible for blocked outside drains?

It all depends on where the blockage is.  

Your drain, your fix — if the outside drain pipework is within your property boundary it’s often your responsibility. 

Shared or public drains — these are your water company’s responsibility. Give them a call to see if they can help. Can’t remember who you’re with? Check your water bill. 

The image below will give you a better idea of who’s responsible for which parts of the drain: 

How do I know if I have a shared drain?

Shared drains can be found in any home but are more common in terraced and semi-detached houses. It just means the drain from your house joins a pipe that’s also connected to your neighbours’ drains, before joining the main public drain. 

It’s always best to call your water company if you’re not sure — they’ll be able to give you some advice. If they think the problem is with a shared or public drain, they’ll send out a drainage engineer to take a look. 

How to unblock a drain outside

So, you’ve called the water company, and the blockage is your responsibility. Don’t worry, there are ways to unblock an outside drain yourself (as long as it’s a minor problem).  

Remember, this can be a messy job, and you should only give it a go if you’re confident. If you’re not, just Ding it. Our experts have the tools and the know-how to get the job done without the hassle.   

Blocked drain outside: DIY fix

If it’s a minor blockage and not in a shared drain, here’s your DIY guide: 

You’ll need:  

• Rubber gloves 

• Protective gear (goggles, face mask) 

• Bucket or bin bags 

• Pressure hose 

• A flat-head screwdriver 

1) Remove the drain cover

Use a flat-head screwdriver to get under the cover and lift it off. Careful — it’s heavy! 

2) Find the blockage

If you can see the blockage, pop protective gloves on and scoop away as much as you can by hand.

If you can’t reach it, you could use a drain rod – but this probably isn’t something you have lying around in the shed. If you can’t see a blockage, it sounds like it’s time to book an appointment with one of our drainage experts.  

3) Blast it clean

Give the area a good clean with your pressure washer to get rid of those last bits of the blockage.

How much does it cost to unblock an outside drain?

The cost of unblocking an outside drain depends on what type of blockage you have and how deep it is. Blocked internal and external drains aren’t a problem for our drainage engineers.

With Ding, you can get your outside drain unblocked from £175. 

Need a hand? Just Ding it

Unblocking a drain can be messy and tricky. If this doesn’t sound like your thing, we’ve got just the Ding — book an expert. Ding is fast, friendly and hassle-free. 

 Written by:

Liam Sharkey

Service Excellence Coach

With 18 plus years of plumbing and drainage experience, Liam has got more than a few useful tips about how to tackle those common plumbing problems. He's completed jobs for homeowners and even massive events like the 2012 Olympics! Now, he works with our engineers in the field, giving them advice and support with those particularly tricky jobs.

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