unblocking outside drains - professionals or diy!

[mousmous]

victorian terrace.
the bathroon (outside) drain seems to be blocked, it still flows, just slow. so slow that the 'pot' sometimes overflows if we open the shower plug too much.
can we unblock it ouselves (and what tools would we need)?
there is a metal grid that we regularly clean.

This was the last thing I tried before I rang for professional help - it worked for us!

I got it in Robert Dyas:reviews.diy.com/2191-en_gb/9271678/reviews.htm

Have you tried Soda Crystals & boiling water down the drain?
I do this quite regularly to keep the drains flowing
If you've never done it, it might need a few goes.
We bought a set of drain rods as our Victorian drain regularly had problems - they weren't expensive and saved our loads on professionals.

hmm, the pipe into the 'pot' outside (where also the roof rainpipe ends into) seems to flow freely. the other 'pot' (in lack of the proper term) furher down the drain where the washing mashine drains into, drains fine. so it sees to be bit in between.

how many soda crystals? a cup? whole bag?

OP, you need to read the packet carefully.
Your drains will be really narrow and obviously the old system.
Caustic soda worked for us with a similar problem, but you need to keep putting stuff down regularly to avoid build up.

and obvious (once you know it...) tip with drain rods - turn them in the correct direction. Otherwise the sections can unscrew!!

guessing this is a hair ball. Chemical blitz might deal with it.

Is this a yard gulley that takes the sink waste?

Does anybody put cooking fat down the sink?

Use a trowel, ladle or large spoon first to scoop out all accessible material out. This will also tell you if it is fat, leaves, mud or gravel.

no fat down the drains. ever.
this is the one that takes rainwater and the water from the bathroom.
long haired people, but have a hair catcher in the shower.
I can see the hole to the bottom side of the 'pot' , we keep the pot and the grid clear (have to take moss off after a big rain).
I guess we will take a sunday stroll to the diy store :)

Lots of Veet?

actually I put half a bag of soda crystal and a kettle full of hot water this morning and the vapour that came up was rather smelly.
stagnant water kind of smelly, not poo smelly.

Hope you don't have plastic pipes...

I thought plastic pipes are good?

Drain rods from <a class="break-all" href="//wickeswww.google.co.uk/webhp?source=search_app&gws_rd=cr&ei=x8ccU4KLB-roywPipIKoBw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">wickeswww.google.co.uk/webhp?source=search_app&gws_rd=cr&ei=x8ccU4KLB-roywPipIKoBwonce you've got them you can sort out any problems We bought some at our previous house and I've used them loads of times. Saved a fortune.

Oh..soda crystals ok. Was thinking of the caustic soda someone suggested upthread. Could melt the pipes (according to various plumbers.)

if it is an old house, with brown, salt-glazed clay gullies and underground pipes, there is quite a good chance that they are cracked underground due to settlement, so mud or roots can get in. You may get some clues from what comes out on your rods or ladle.

the soda crystals are especially good for grease, but from what you say, that might not be the trouble.