Blocked drains are the single most common plumbing call we get in Northern Johannesburg. Mature jacarandas, oaks and plane trees love old clay sewer joints, and decades of cooking fat coats the inside of every kitchen waste line in Sandton. Here's what's actually causing your blockage and what professional drain cleaning costs in 2025.
The 4 most common causes in Joburg homes
- Tree-root ingress — clay or fibre-cement sewer joints crack with age and roots find the moisture. Classic symptom: blockages every 6–12 months at the same spot.
- Fat, oil and grease (FOG) — kitchen sinks slowly fur up like an artery. Hot water seems to clear it; it actually pushes it further down to set hard.
- Wet wipes and sanitary items — "flushable" wipes do not break down. They snag on any joint or root and catch everything else.
- Collapsed or bellied pipes — older PVC laid in unstable Joburg clay soil sags and holds water permanently. Only a CCTV drain inspection finds these.
Safe DIY fixes to try first
Before calling a plumber, try a kettle of boiling water followed by a cup of bicarb and a cup of white vinegar down a slow kitchen sink — leave 30 minutes, flush with hot water. For a slow basin, unscrew the bottle trap and clean it manually. Never use caustic drain cleaners on a fully blocked drain — the chemicals sit on top and burn anyone working on the pipe later.
What professional drain cleaning costs in 2025
- Standard drain machine (electric eel) clearance: R850–R1,650
- High-pressure water-jetting of main sewer line: R2,200–R3,800
- CCTV drain inspection with USB recording: R1,500–R2,400
- Root cutting + jet wash combo: R3,200–R4,800
When to ask for a CCTV inspection
If the same drain blocks more than once in a 12-month period, stop paying to clear it and pay once for a CCTV camera survey. The footage shows exactly where the root, belly or crack is, so the repair (pipe relining or open dig) is targeted rather than guesswork.
Preventing it next time
Fit hair traps in every shower, scrape food scraps into the bin (never the sink), pour cooking fat into a container to throw away, and book a 5-yearly preventative jet-wash if you have large trees within 3m of your sewer line.
Recurring blockage you're tired of? Phone 082 886 9119 or book a CCTV drain inspection — Sandton, Midrand and Northern Joburg, Monday to Saturday.