A blocked drain doesn't always announce itself dramatically. Sometimes it's a sink that drains slowly for weeks before it stops altogether. Sometimes it's a toilet that backs up without warning at eleven at night. Either way, you need it sorted properly, not pushed a few feet down the pipe to cause trouble again in a month.
At Drainsco, we clear blocked drains, sinks and toilets across New Malden and the surrounding KT3 area every day of the year. We're not just here to get the water moving. We're here to work out why it blocked in the first place.
Every job starts with a proper assessment. If the blockage clears with high-pressure water jetting and the drain runs cleanly, that's often the end of it. If there's a reason it blocked, whether that's a structural fault, root ingress, or a build-up that'll return within weeks, we'll tell you clearly and give you options.
What We're Usually Dealing With
Blocked drains in New Malden fall into a handful of categories. Knowing which one you've got changes how we approach it.
External drains and inspection chambers tend to block with silt, leaf matter, or root ingress. Properties on Green Lane, around Malden Manor and along the older streets near Norbiton often have clay or pitch-fibre drains that have deteriorated over decades. Roots find the joints. Silt settles in the low spots.
Internal sink and basin blockages are nearly always grease, soap and hair. Kitchen sinks in particular build up a fatty lining inside the waste pipe that narrows the bore over months until flow stops completely. It's a very common call from flats and terraced houses around Coombe Vale and the streets off Burlington Road.
Toilet blockages can be a simple obstruction, often wipes that shouldn't have been flushed, but they can also signal a problem further down the shared drain. If two or more fixtures back up at the same time, the blockage is external, not internal, and that changes the job entirely.
Gully and manhole blockages are common on older estates. Properties in Malden Park, West Barnes and around Motspur Park frequently have shared drainage running under gardens and driveways. When a gully blocks, it's usually the first sign of a bigger silt build-up in the lateral drain beneath it.
How We Find the Cause
Clearing the immediate obstruction is straightforward. Finding out whether there's an underlying reason for it takes a bit more.
Once the drain is flowing, we'll inspect the pipe condition if there's any doubt. That might mean a CCTV camera survey, particularly if:
- The drain has blocked more than once in the last twelve months
- Water backs up at multiple fixtures simultaneously
- The property is older and has never had the drainage checked
- There's a large tree within a few metres of the drain run
The camera gives us a live image of what's inside the pipe. Cracks, root intrusions, displaced joints, collapsed sections, heavy grease lining. All of it shows up clearly. We record it and explain what we've found before we suggest anything further.
If the pipe is in good condition, you'll know that too. Sometimes the drain just needed clearing.
Internal vs External Blockages: A Quick Comparison
| Symptom | Most likely location | Typical cause |
|---|---|---|
| One slow sink or basin | Internal waste pipe | Grease, hair, soap build-up |
| One toilet won't flush | Internal or pan trap | Wipes, foreign object |
| Multiple fixtures backing up | External drain | Blockage in shared lateral |
| Water rising in gully | External drain or manhole | Silt, debris, root intrusion |
| Smell from drains outside | Inspection chamber | Blockage or cracked pipe nearby |
| Gurgling when others drain | Shared drain | Partial blockage downstream |
This isn't an exhaustive list, but it's a useful starting point when you're trying to explain the problem on the phone.
New Malden Properties We See Regularly
Blockage calls come in from across the borough. The streets around Shannon Corner and Beverly Park tend to have longer drain runs under shared driveways, which collect silt quickly. Coombe and Coombe Vale have a mix of large detached properties with deep inspection chambers that haven't been lifted in years. Motspur Park and Berrylands, being mainly post-war semis with original drainage, get a lot of root problems in autumn and winter. Worcester Park and Tolworth on the KT3 fringes share the same clay subsoil conditions that make root ingress a persistent issue.
We cover all of these areas from New Malden, so response times are short.
What Happens When You Call
You'll speak to someone who knows drainage, not a call centre reading from a script. Tell us what you're seeing, where it's happening and how long it's been going on. We'll give you a clear idea of what's likely involved and agree a price before we send anyone out. There's no call-out fee.
Engineers are on the road across KT3 around the clock. If it's urgent, say so and we'll prioritise accordingly. If it can wait until morning, that's fine too. Either way, we'll sort the drain properly, not just well enough to get through the week.
Call us on 0204 652 1004. We're available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.