Emergency - does anyone or their dh/dp know anything about unblocking drains??

[Aero]

I noticed our drain outside was blocked the other day and thought it would be a simple if rather unpleasant job for dh to sort out this weekend, but upon further inspection this morning, it seems the problem is rather a lot worse than we first thought and extends to the sewer pipe (apologies if you're having lunch) and there's no way we can afford for a plumber to come out unless absolutely necessary.
Dh has just been to Wickes and bought a drain cleaning kit - do you think this will be enough to (sorry to be graphic) shift the blockage? Any useful suggestions will be most welcome. TIA

I use caustic soda for blockages. Can buy it in Sainsburys or any diy place. Make sure it's out of reach of children and only use in a well-aerated place as the fumes can be pretty overpowering.

Do you just empty it down the drain Freckle?

the drain cleaning kit should be easy to do. my drains were blocked last week. we shifted the blockage down the main sewer pipe (have a handy copver in the garden so we couldf inspect it), chucked buckets of water down to check everything was flowing coorectly, then put the dogs mess down there and more water. the blackage was caused by dd2 chucking 2-3 rolls of toilet paper down the loo in one afternoon the week before.

It has instructions on the container, but basically you put it in a bucket of hot water, stir it round and then chuck it down the drain. You leave it for a while and then pour more hot water down to ensure it has cleared the blockage.

Dh is out there now having fun and games with his new toy (didn't want to type 'rod' in there due to current thread re innocent remarks making people rofl). He thinks it may be a case of over enthusiastic post poo cleaning process by dd and her use of copious amounts of loo roll! Delightful. (ugh emoticon)

dh uses a set of extendable rods on our drains, which get blocked a lot due to the way they were laid out, and it always seems to work

Thanks misdee (hope you're getting some rest and that sm got her parcel from me).
If this lovely procedure fails, then I'll be off to Sainsbury's for the caustic soda - thanks Freckle. You always have good advice.

Cheers lou - that's what he's just bought - think it's working. Can't believe the water got that high before we noticed!

Aero, The skirt turned up this morning! Thank you

Glad you got it and hope it fits! My pleasure.

i love it when he does manly stuff like that, esp if he wears a tool belt . It's almost worth blocking the drain on purpose so i can get him being all handy

I am weird aren't i?

pmsl lou - to coin a phrase - job done! Personally, I really hope he doesn't have to do it again for ages, but the rods will be useful also for cleaning the guttering - another job we can't afford to pay someone to do! Might have to invest in a boiler suit and a tub of 'swarfega' for dh!

ps - thanks everyone - emergency over.

Emergency - does anyone or their dh/dp know anything about unblocking brains??

i really need to have a break from these boards

We had several blockages in the US (very dodgy plumbing systems there), and so have acquired a "snake". It bores through whatever waste is blocking the pipe and lets water through to take care of the rest. Highly recommended .

lol bubbly1973 - have only just caught up with my own thread - you are clearly a fellow mn addict! Had to check my thread title there!!
Good to know pinkdiamond - lovely job i'nt it!

Never had to do it myself but I remember ex-bil telling me the importance, when using those screw-together rods, of maintaining a slight clockwise twist pressure on the end one (i.e. the one you're holding). If they come apart (unscrew) inside the drain you're faced with a very, very large bill. No amount of caustic soda will clear a stuck set of rods.

Cheers for that Stuart - very useful piece of info! Dh has just told me it warns you of that on the packaging, but if we'd not had to buy the rods today, we'd not have known. Thanks.