Bath Unblocking

A bath that drains slowly is often the first sign of a blockage building up, worth calling before it stops draining altogether.

1. Hair and soap scum: the most common cause by far, hair combines with soap residue to form a dense plug in the trap or waste pipe. This builds up gradually, so the bath usually drains slower and slower over several weeks before it stops completely. We clear this from the trap and waste directly, which resolves the large majority of bath blockages without needing to go further into the pipe run.
2. Old lead or cast-iron pipework: common in period homes across our coverage area, these narrower, ageing pipes block more easily than modern plastic waste. The internal surface is often rougher too, which gives debris more to catch on as it builds up. We use gentler rodding techniques on older pipework and avoid high jetting pressures unless a survey confirms the pipe can take it.
3. Slow build-up over time: a bath that’s taken longer to drain for weeks is a warning sign, not something to wait out. Left long enough, a slow drain typically becomes a full blockage, and by that point standing water can start to smell or attract flies. Clearing it early is quicker and less disruptive than waiting for it to stop draining altogether.
4. Shared waste pipework: in converted period properties, a bath waste can share a run with other fixtures, so the real blockage may be further down the line. This is worth ruling out if the bath keeps blocking again shortly after clearing. We can trace the shared run to confirm where the actual blockage sits.