A blocked drain is one of the most common plumbing problems in any Cape Town home, and knowing how to unblock a drain quickly can save you from water damage, foul odours and a costly repair bill. Some blockages clear with a few simple DIY methods, but others are a...
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French Drain or Soakaway: Which is Best for Your Property?
A soakaway manages excess surface or storm water by allowing it to percolate slowly back into the surrounding soil. Combined with a French drain — a perforated pipe in a gravel trench — it forms one of the most effective stormwater management systems for South African...
5 Common Grease Trap Problems and How to Fix Them
A clogged grease trap is one of the most common — and most expensive — operational problems in commercial kitchens. When fats, oils and grease (FOG) accumulate faster than the trap is serviced, the result is slow drainage, sink backups, foul odours and, eventually, a...
Blocked Drains 101: Causes, Effects, and Solutions
A blocked drain rarely starts as an emergency — it begins with a slow-draining sink, a faint odour, or water that lingers a little too long in the shower tray. Left unaddressed, those small warnings can escalate into overflowing manholes, structural damage and health...
Grease Trap Inspection Checklist for Restaurant Owners
A grease trap is one of the most critical — and most overlooked — pieces of equipment in any commercial kitchen. Whether you run a restaurant, hotel, catering facility or food processing plant, a properly functioning grease trap is not optional. It is a legal...
The Dos and Don’ts of Using Drain Cleaners: Tips from the Pros
How to use drain cleaner safely: always read the label, wear gloves and eye protection, work in a well-ventilated space, never mix products, and follow the contact time on the bottle before flushing with hot water. Used correctly, a chemical drain cleaner can dissolve...
Understanding How Septic Tanks Work: Step-by-Step Breakdown
How does a septic tank work? A septic tank is an underground wastewater treatment structure that separates solids from liquids and uses naturally occurring bacteria to partially treat household sewage before releasing the cleaner effluent into the surrounding soil....
Common Causes of Blocked Drains for Commercial Buildings
Industrial and commercial properties place enormous demands on their drainage systems. Unlike a residential home where one or two people use the plumbing each day, an industrial building may have hundreds of employees, heavy machinery, food preparation areas, loading...
How Scheduled Pipe Maintenance Prevents Costly Repairs
Most property owners only think about their pipes when something goes wrong. A backed-up drain, a foul smell creeping through the house, or worse — raw sewage surfacing where it shouldn't. By the time any of these problems are visible, the damage is usually already...
Types of Septic Tanks: A South African Guide
If you're building, replacing, or just trying to understand the system you've inherited, the type of septic tank you choose has a direct impact on how long it lasts, how it handles ground movement, and how easy it is to maintain. This guide covers the main types of...
What Is a Dry Flood? Understanding Hidden Water Damage
Flooding is the most common and widespread weather-related natural disaster in the world. It can happen within minutes of heavy rainfall, overwhelm stormwater systems, and cause catastrophic damage to buildings, contents, and infrastructure. For South African property...
CCTV Drain Inspections: Eco-Friendly Drain Maintenance
CCTV drain inspections involve feeding a high-resolution, waterproof camera attached to a flexible cable into a drainage system to capture real-time footage of the pipe interior. The footage is transmitted live to a monitor above ground, where technicians can clearly...
Tree Roots in Drain Pipes: Causes, Signs, and Solutions
Tree roots in drain pipes are one of the most common — and most destructive — causes of blocked drains in Cape Town. Roots naturally seek out moisture and nutrients, and your sewer and stormwater pipes provide both in abundance. In this guide, we explain how tree...
Honey Sucker Truck: What It Is and When You Need One
If you have ever dealt with a blocked drain, a full septic tank, or a flooded basement, chances are a honey sucker truck was involved in the cleanup. These powerful vacuum trucks are the backbone of liquid waste removal across South Africa — but most people have no...
Waterless Urinals: How They Work and Why They Save Water
Waterless urinals are gaining popularity across South Africa as businesses and facilities look for practical ways to cut water consumption. But how do they actually work, and are they worth the switch? In this guide, we explain how waterless urinal systems function,...
A Complete Guide to Understanding Septic Drain Fields
A septic drain field — also known as a leach field, dispersal field, or absorption field — is an underground wastewater treatment system that forms the final stage of a conventional septic system. Together with the septic tank and the connecting pipework, the drain...
South Africa Liquid Waste Landfill Ban: What You Need to Know
South Africa's liquid waste landfill ban prohibits the disposal of all classifications of liquid waste at landfill sites. The ban came into effect on 23 August 2019, implemented by the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (formerly the Department of...
Drain Blasters: Certified Essential Service Provider in Cape Town
Drain Blasters is certified as an official essential service provider in South Africa. This certification means that our drain clearing, liquid waste removal, and related plumbing services have been formally recognised as critical to public health and infrastructure —...
Licensed Liquid Waste Transporter Cape Town | Drain Blasters
Drain Blasters holds an official Certificate of Accreditation as a Licensed Liquid Waste Transporter with the City of Cape Town. This accreditation confirms that our operations meet all regulatory requirements set out by the City for the collection, transport, and...
The Importance of Grease Traps for Commercial Properties
Every commercial kitchen produces a steady stream of fats, oils, and grease — collectively known as FOG — and without proper management, this waste causes serious problems. Blocked drains, foul odours, regulatory fines, and costly plumbing emergencies are just some of...