4 Useful Tips to Prevent A Blocked Stormwater Drain in Sydney

A blocked stormwater drain in Sydney can wreak havoc on your home or business. After a heavy downpour, rainwater can wash leaves, dirt, and debris into these drains, often causing severe blockages. From flooding your property to causing structural damage, an overflowing stormwater drain can bring along a number of problems if not addressed quickly. Our professional blocked drain plumber has a few useful tips to help you prevent your stormwater drain from overflowing so that the rainy season brings you nothing but joy.

What Is a Stormwater Drainage System and How Does It Work?

In most Sydney homes, the stormwater drainage system is made up of several key components—gutters perched along your roofline, downpipes running vertically down the exterior, and those handy stormwater pits dotted around your yard like cheery lifeguards on duty. When the rain starts to pour (as it inevitably does), these features join forces to collect all that water and swiftly channel it away from your property.

Instead of letting puddles gather near your foundations or transforming your backyard into Sydney’s next big swimming pool, the system directs water through underground pipes into the street’s broader stormwater network. Your local council is in charge of this larger network, ensuring everything flows smoothly out to natural waterways or treatment facilities. In short, your home’s stormwater drainage is both a shield and a chaperone—keeping your property dry while ensuring rainwater finds its proper path.

A blocked stormwater drain in Sydney can wreak havoc on your home or business. After a heavy downpour, rainwater can wash leaves, dirt, and debris into these drains, often causing severe blockages. From flooding your property to causing structural damage, an overflowing stormwater drain can bring along a number of problems if not addressed quickly.

Watch Out for Incorrect Pipe Connections

One sneaky culprit behind stormwater drain woes? Incorrect pipe connections. Sometimes, stormwater pipes aren’t actually linked up to the drainage system at all—they might simply disappear underground with nowhere to go. When this happens, rainwater starts to pool and soak into the soil right at the wrong spot, potentially leading to blockages, waterlogging, and a soggy mess around your property.

In other cases, stormwater pipes have been mistakenly joined to your sewer system. Not only is this illegal in Sydney and across Australia, but it can cause serious headaches. Sewer overload, nasty backflows, and drainage failures are all on the cards if these connections aren’t sorted quickly by a licensed plumber. So, if your system seems odd or you’re noticing drainage issues, it’s critical to get an expert to check your pipework before the next big downpour. Our professional blocked drain plumber has a few useful tips to help you prevent your stormwater drain from overflowing so that the rainy season brings you nothing but joy.

Ensure Annual Drain Cleaning

Conventional wisdom says “prevention is better than cure”. Over time, debris and other foreign objects collect inside your stormwater drains. All it takes is one rain or shower to make the situation worse. While you can always clear out noticeable debris manually, it’s often hard to catch the waste that has made its way deep into your stormwater drain. To counter this problem, a thorough drain cleaning by a qualified blocked drain plumber in Sydney is recommended at least once every year. Drain plumbers have the expertise and equipment to effectively remove fallen leaves, branches, and other debris from your stormwater drains, preventing stubborn drain blocks and saving you from costly pipe repairs in the long run.

Trust Only Licensed Professionals for Installation and Maintenance

When it comes to stormwater pipes, it’s crucial to have a licensed and experienced plumber handle both installation and ongoing maintenance. Professional plumbers aren’t just handy with a wrench—they bring years of expertise and use the right tools to ensure your drainage system is built to withstand Sydney’s heavy downpours. Attempting DIY repairs on these systems might seem tempting, but it can easily lead to bigger headaches—think recurring blockages, leaks, or even accidental damage to your property.

Relying on a qualified expert gives you peace of mind knowing the job is done safely and up to code. Plus, a seasoned pro can spot issues long before they become major problems, saving you from the frustration and expense of frequent repairs. There’s simply no substitute for the knowledge and experience a licensed plumber brings to the table.

Keep An Eye on Early Blockage Signs

Drain blocks do not occur overnight. There are always some warning signs that indicate your stormwater is heading towards a complete blockage. If you notice the water is not draining quickly from your downpipes, unpleasant odours, gurgling sounds, wet patches, or water flooding near your stormwater grates, be sure to call a Sydney blocked drain plumber before it’s too late. He will investigate the root cause of the blockage and resolve the problem before it escalates.

Install Gutter Screens on Drains

Gutter guards, also known as gutter screens, are installed on top of gutters to catch leaves, debris, and other garbage, preventing them from flushing down the stormwater drains. Installing them will spare you the constant worry of having blocked stormwater drains after a heavy rainfall. However, make sure to clean the gutter guards regularly to avoid debris buildup.

Avoid Planting Trees Close to The Stormwater Drain

When it comes to underground pipe blockages, tree roots often turn out to be the main culprit. Old and damaged stormwater pipes provide the perfect amount of moisture for the tree roots to grow inside them. As such, be mindful of not planting foliage or new trees close to your property’s drainage system.

How to Clear A Blocked Stormwater Drain?

If a tree root has made its way to your stormwater drain through a broken underground pipe, immediately reach out to a blocked drain plumber in Sydney. Qualified plumbers use high-pressure jet blaster technology to remove the intrusion and reline the damaged sections of the underground pipes to ensure the problem doesn’t resurface.

If you have a blocked stormwater drain in your Sydney home or business and you are unsure about the cause of the blockage, engage a local plumber from Ready Set Plumb. We offer a full range of professional blocked drain services in Sydney, including repairs, cleaning, and maintenance to help keep your property’s drainage system healthy and problem-free.

Our plumbers are always on-call, offering prompt and efficient blocked drain solutions for all sorts of drainage issues, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.