By Matthew Baring-Gould, Kingscliff-based drainage plumber. Servicing Tweed Heads for 4 years. 5.0 stars across 173 Google reviews. Licensed NSW 383340C and QLD 15036450. ABN 74 605 392 348.
Bundall kitchen waste line had never been cleaned in 20 years. First plumber on scene could not clear it with an electric eel. We came in with the hydrojet and brought the pipe back to brand-new condition.
What the customer called us for
Repeat customer in Bundall. A previous plumber had already been out and tried to clear the kitchen waste but did not have the equipment for it. Because the customer had used us before, they called us straight after.
What we found when we got there
A kitchen line choked completely with 20 years of kitchen-fat build-up. Full-circumference fat deposits for metres of pipe. The customer confirmed the line had never been serviced since the house was built.
Why we did it this way
An electric eel will punch a small hole through solidified kitchen fat and get a short-term flow back. A hydrojet actually cleans the inside of the pipe wall and leaves you with pipe diameter instead of a straw through a plug. On a 20-year build-up, only the jet is the right tool.
What we did on site
- Hydrojetted the full kitchen waste line, washing the fat deposits back out to the main sewer.
- Filled both kitchen sinks with hot water plus a splash of dishwashing liquid.
- Pulled both plugs together so the whole surge of hot soapy water flushed the newly cleaned line in one go.
- Checked flow at every fixture to confirm full diameter was back.
- Advised the customer on the weekly hot-water flush routine to stop the fats building up again.
The result
Pipe back to full diameter after 20 years of neglect. Customer now has a weekly hot-water flush habit so the fats do not resettle.
If you have the same issue
If your kitchen is more than 10 years old and no one has ever cleaned the waste line with a jetter, you are overdue. Blocked drains that have been building up for decades are predictable and the fix is a one-off hydrojet plus a weekly flush habit. Call Matty on 0447 188 394 or request a quote.
Customer names and addresses have been withheld. Individual results vary. Drain Masters Plumbing is licensed in NSW (383340C) and QLD (15036450).
Frequently asked
Why would a previous plumber not be able to clear this?
They were probably using an electric eel or a hand snake. Those work on hair, roots and foreign objects. They do not have the water pressure to shift 20 years of kitchen fat built up around the whole inside of the pipe.
How does the hot-water-and-soap flush actually help?
The volume plus the heat plus the surfactant breaks down fresh fat before it has a chance to adhere to the pipe wall. Doing it once a week stops the next 20-year problem starting.
How long before this is likely to block again?
If the weekly flush is kept up: a decade or more. If no change in habits: another five to seven years. The pipe itself is fine, so it is only ever an operating problem.
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