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A 24-hour drain clearance specialist will aim to be at your home as soon as possible. Some tradespeople can arrive in as little as 30 minutes, but others may not be at your home for several hours.

The following factors impact how long it takes for a 24-hour drain clearance company to arrive at your home:

• Traffic conditions
• Distance the tradesperson needs to travel
• Availability – you will need to wait longer if the tradesperson is already working at another property

Ask for an estimated time frame when hiring a drain clearance specialist.

You may want to contact other emergency drain clearance companies covering your area if you can’t wait several hours for the plumbing problem to be fixed.

An emergency drain clearance service is typically only needed if the blocked drain is putting you and your home in immediate danger.

For example, large leaks can cause severe water damage, and an overflowing toilet can put your health at risk.

The following issues require emergency assistance from a 24-hour drain clearance service:

• Wastewater / sewerage overflowing into your home
• Flooding / large leaks
• Blocked pipes causing dangerous structural damage
• Toilet and other amenities can’t be used

On the other hand, a slow-draining shower or a leaky tap are not emergency situations and can be fixed during standard working hours.

If possible, you can save money on an emergency call-out fee by using DIY drain unblocking methods and waiting to call a drain clearance service during working hours.

A blocked drain is not always classed as an emergency. For instance, a slow-draining shower with hair in the pipes can wait to be unblocked by a regular plumber.

It is also not considered an emergency situation if you have multiple toilets and only one of them is blocked.

A blocked drain is typically only an emergency if there is water overflowing from the toilet or a burst pipe has caused a major leak. Removing a blockage far down in the pipes can be challenging, and you will likely need the help of a drain clearance service.

Read our expert guide to discover if your blocked drain is an emergency situation or not.

It is mandatory for all plumbers and tradespeople providing drain clearance services in the UK to have public liability insurance. Accidents and damage can happen during emergency drain clearance work, and hiring an insured professional is necessary to make sure repair costs are covered.

Alongside public liability insurance, drain specialists may also have other policies in place to protect their business should anything go wrong during a job. We recommend always asking a tradesperson for their insurance details before agreeing to hire them.

It is also important to check that a drain clearance specialist is providing a high-quality service. Tradespeople in this field of work are often accredited with the following organisations:

• National Association of Drainage Contractors (NADC)
• Water Industry Approved Plumber Scheme (WIAPS)

Drain clearance professionals use specialist equipment to locate the blockage in the pipes and remove the obstruction from the drainage system.

Professional drain clearance methods include:

• Drain jetting – Using high-pressure water to break up debris and move it through the pipes
• Drain rodding – Inserting a flexible rod into the drain to break down the buildup of materials and remove them from the system
• CCTV drain survey – A CCTV camera is inserted into the pipes to find the source of the blockage

A drain clearance company will be able to recommend the best method for your needs, and will answer any questions you have about the methods they provide.

Here are our top tips for finding the right 24-hour drain clearance company for your needs in Caithness:

• Ask friends and family for local recommendations
• Ask your regular plumber if they know of any 24-hour drain clearance services in the area
• Request detailed quotes from three or more drain clearance companies to compare
• Ask for insurance and guarantee information
• Hire a tradesperson with experience working on your local drainage network
• Read customer reviews and check online business ratings
• Search the Checkatrade directory

All drain clearance services covering your area of Caithness on Checkatrade have passed up to 12 checks and agreed to adhere to the Checkatrade Standard.

And we even offer a guarantee. Find and book a trade through us and we'll guarantee their work for up to £1,000. 12 months guarantee – Eligibility and T&Cs apply.

Use our search tool or our request a quote feature to find checked 24-hour drain clearance companies operating near you.