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Covering Berkshire, Hampshire and Buckinghamshire Rated 5.0 on Google (opens in a new tab)

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24 hour drain unblocking engineer from 24hrs Drainage on an emergency service visit

Emergency call-outs · Reading and Berkshire

24 Hour Drain Unblocking, Answered by the Engineer

Dirty water coming back up, or a toilet that will not go down? Ring us and Carlo or one of the team picks up, agrees the price with you, and gets on the road.

Call 0800 020 9198 Book a Visit

You hear the price first. Nothing starts until you say yes.

0800 020 9198 Lines open every hour of every day, bank holidays included.

Any hour Answered Day and Night, All Year
Fast response On Site Within the Hour Around Reading
Clear pricing Price Agreed Before Work Starts
Proven Rated 5.0 From 138 Google Reviews

Emergency drain unblocking from 24hrs Drainage

24hrs Drainage provides 24 hour drain unblocking for homes and businesses across Reading, Berkshire, Hampshire and Buckinghamshire. Carlo and the team answer the phone themselves. They aim to reach you within the hour in and around Reading, and they agree the price with you before any work starts.

Domestic and commercial Engineer on the phone Price agreed up front

24hrs Drainage engineer on an emergency drain call-out — While you wait

Before we arrive

Four things to do while the engineer drives over

While you wait for an emergency drain engineer, a few small jobs keep the mess contained and save time once we arrive.

Hold off on flushing, showers and the washing machine until the drain is clear.
Move the car, plant pots or anything else sitting on the manhole cover, so the engineer can start straight away.
Take photos and a short video of any water before it is cleared, as your insurer may ask for them.
Keep children and pets away from dirty water, and wash your hands after touching anything it has reached.

Then ring and tell us what you have seen, so the engineer brings the right kit first time. Once things are calm, our guide on whether your home insurance will pay is worth a read.

Get an Engineer Moving

You agree the price before any work starts.

Emergency or morning?

Which drain problems need an emergency call out tonight?

Ring us tonight if dirty water is coming back up indoors, if your only toilet is blocked, or if a business needs to open in the morning. Plenty of other drain problems are fine until daylight, and we will tell you honestly which one you have. For a longer look at the signs, read our guide to telling an urgent drain from an annoying one.

Ask an Engineer Now

Sewage coming up through a shower or floor drain?

Ring straight away. Waste water indoors soaks into floors and skirting fast, and every flush upstairs adds to it. The engineer clears the blockage, then washes the drain through so it runs freely again.

Is the only toilet in the house blocked?

Yes, that counts as tonight's job. Most homes have no second toilet to fall back on. If an upstairs toilet still works while a downstairs one backs up, tell us, because that points to a blockage inside the house pipework and helps us find it quickly.

A slow sink or a bad smell indoors?

This one usually suits a daytime visit at a time you choose. Use that sink lightly, keep fat and wipes out of it, and book us for the morning. We are still happy to talk it through tonight if you would like a second opinion.

Water sitting in the yard gully after rain?

If it is creeping up to a door or an airbrick, ring now. If it is sitting in the gully and slowly going down, a daytime visit to clear the leaves and silt does the same job.

What we bring

What a 24 hour drain service can clear on one visit

Emergency drain unblocking is usually a single visit, with high-pressure jetting kit and a drain camera on board the van.

long high-pressure jetting hose laid out to clear a blocked drain

Blocked Drain Clearing

Most night-time calls end here. High-pressure water jetting scours fat, wipes and silt from the pipe and leaves it flowing at full width. It is the same 24 hour drain clearance whether the blockage sits under the kitchen or out in the main run.

Blocked drains

engineer feeding a survey camera into a drain

CCTV Drain Surveys

When a drain blocks for the second time, a camera shows why. You see the footage yourself, so any repair is based on what is really in the pipe.

CCTV drain surveys

24hrs Drainage tanker parked at a residential property

Tanker Services

A tanker empties a flooded chamber or a full septic tank quickly, so the system has room to work again while the cause is fixed.

Tanker services

drain liner being fitted inside an existing pipe at a home

Drain Installation and Repair

If the camera finds a cracked or sunken pipe, the repair is priced and booked as its own job, so tonight's bill covers tonight's work.

Drain installation and repair

engineer working at an open drain chamber on site

Root Cutting

Roots that have pushed in through a pipe joint are cut back with a spinning cutter head. They often explain a drain that keeps blocking in the same spot.

Root cutting

Commercial and rental

Drain emergencies at kitchens, shops and rentals, handled overnight

24hrs Drainage covers commercial kitchens, shops, offices and rented homes out of hours. You get the same engineers and the same price-first approach as a family home. A business often needs to open first thing, so these calls are treated as urgent.

24hrs Drainage van at a commercial site for an out-of-hours drain call — Out-of-hours work at a commercial site in Reading.

Restaurant and pub kitchens

Fats, oils and grease set hard as they cool. A kitchen drain that ran well at closing time can be blocked by morning prep. We jet the run and check the grease trap so the kitchen opens on time. For a steady routine, ask about regular drain care for your business.

Shops, offices and care homes

Customers, staff and residents all need working toilets. We work around them, keep the area tidy, and if a camera goes down, the footage is yours to keep for your records.

Landlords and letting agents

Tell us how you want the job handled. We can meet your tenant on site and agree the price with you by phone before any work starts, so you stay in charge of the cost wherever you are.

Housing associations and facilities teams can use the same number at any hour.

Yours or theirs?

Is the overflowing drain yours or Thames Water's?

The manhole nearest your house usually tells you, if you can lift the cover safely.

If that chamber is empty, the blockage sits between your house and the manhole, in pipework that is normally yours. If it is full, the blockage is further along. If your neighbour's chamber is full as well, the shared sewer is the likely cause, and that is Thames Water's job to clear.

Thames Water's own guide to who clears what (opens in a new tab) explains the split. It takes reports at any hour on 0800 316 9800 and aims to attend within 48 hours. Tell us what you saw when you ring, and we will say straight away whether it sounds like ours or theirs. If the manhole is already spilling over, these steps for an overflowing manhole help in the meantime.

Usually yours

Pipes inside your boundary that serve your property alone, up to where they join a shared run.

Usually Thames Water

Shared sewers, public sewers in the street, and any blockage affecting more than one property.

Your call-out Step 01 / 03

Ring
You speak to the engineer

Carlo or one of the team answers, asks what the drain is doing and what you saw in the manhole, and tells you roughly when they will arrive.
On arrival
Find it, then agree the price

The engineer finds the blockage and explains it in plain words. You agree the price, and only then does the work begin.
Before we leave
Run it, check it, tidy up

We run water through to prove the drain flows, clean up the area, and tell you if anything needs a closer look on another day.

Clear pricing

How is an emergency drain call out priced?

24hrs Drainage prices every emergency job clearly and agrees the figure with you before any work starts, whatever the hour. You know what you are paying before the engineer picks up a tool.

The price you agree is the price on the bill. If the job turns out bigger than it first looked, the engineer stops and explains what has changed. You get a new price, and the choice is yours.

Ring for Your Price

The quote is free, and you are under no obligation to go ahead.

What clients say about 24hrs Drainage

Giada Castellana

I had a great experience with Carlo. He went above and beyond to help me, even assisting me outside of normal working hours. He was extremely patient, professional, and determined to find a solution and resolve the blockage, keeping me informed throughout the process. I really appreciated his dedication and willingness to help, and the issue was resolved efficiently thanks to his efforts. I would definitely recommend Carlo and his company to anyone looking for a reliable, professional, and customer-focused service.

Leanne Oconnor

I phoned a few Drainage companies for a quote & carlo immediately answered & was really helpful talking me through the options for what I needed , he was able to book me in super quick & did his best to keep costs down! Would 100 % recommend

Rosemary Brown

We would have no hesitation in recommending 24hour drainage for any drainage issues. They are a professional company that have old fashion values, keeping a clean and safe work site.

Richard Brazell

Had a few problems with a national company's mis-diagnosis of a drainage problem. Called 24hr drains and had a call straight back with a quote. Great, knowledgeable guy, very personable, prompt and tidy. Wouldn't hesitate to use again and would recommend to anyone. All the 5 star reviews are definitely justified. Top man.

Nicolas Scotto Di Perto

Excellent service quality and the best price! The person was very friendly, my drain got unclog, and I even had a guarantee (for a month or two, can't remember) that if the problem came back, they would come for free. That's the kind of worker that you're happy to pay - highly recommended

Helen Judd

Reading based. Called up, drain blockage fixed same day. Great service.

Imogen Ault

Quick and good service. Fixed the blocked drain in my student house very quickly. Was helpful with my student-tenant/landlord difficulties and gave a reduced price for the fixture.

Kamil Reszka

Excellent service from 24hrs Drainage. They arrived on time, quickly identified the issue and had everything cleared and working again in no time. Friendly, professional and explained exactly what the problem was and how they fixed it. Fair pricing with no hidden costs, and they left everything clean and tidy afterwards. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to anyone in Reading or the surrounding areas needing drainage work. Will definitely use them again if needed. Five-star service!

Darren Mitchell

Very good and reliable service

Christine eccleston

Sunday morning washing to do etc.Rang this company said he could come today in few hours. Rang to say he was on his way, drains sorted. Explained what he was going to do. Very polite. Will certainly use him again.

24hrs Drainage engineer clearing a blocked floor drain at a cafe in Berkshire — Why people call us

At 3am you still talk to the engineer first

A late call to 24hrs Drainage goes straight to the people who do the work, which is why the answers are clear and the price holds.

Direct line

The engineer answers the phone

Carlo and the team take the calls themselves, so the person describing the fix is the person who carries it out.

Fast response

An hour is the target around Reading

Our base is on Falmouth Road in Reading, which is why the one hour target is set for the town and the villages around it.

Price first

You agree the price before work starts

You hear one price before anyone starts. Say yes, and that is the figure on your bill.

Any property

Homes, rentals and businesses on the same night

Our trained, fully insured engineers look after family homes, rented flats, kitchens and offices. One number covers every property you look after.

Public proof

Reviews you can read before you ring

Our Google reviews and verified Checkatrade profile are open for anyone to check. One customer wrote that Carlo kept going outside normal working hours until the blockage was cleared.

Where we cover

Emergency drainage across Reading, Berkshire and the borders

24hrs Drainage answers emergency calls across Berkshire, Hampshire and Buckinghamshire, and the one hour target covers Reading and the villages around it. Further out, you get an honest arrival time on the call, with the same engineers and the same price-first approach. Ring with your postcode if your town is missing below, and you will know straight away whether we can reach you tonight.

Caversham
Calcot
Burghfield
Mortimer Common
Pangbourne
Goring-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames
Newbury
Didcot
High Wycombe
Woodley
Earley
Tilehurst
Wokingham
Bracknell
Ascot
Maidenhead
Basingstoke

Coverage map Our Reading base and the area we cover

The map shows our Falmouth Road base in Reading.

Late-night questions

Straight answers to late-night emergency drain questions

Short answers to what people ask us most when they ring after dark.

Can I pour drain unblocker down while I wait?

Best not. Liquid drain cleaner reacts with the water sitting in a blocked pipe, heating up and building pressure, and NHS estates guidance says to avoid it in blocked systems. Leave the water as it is, and the engineer can clear it straight away.

Do you come out on Christmas Day and bank holidays?

Yes. 24 hour emergency drain unblocking covers every day of the year, with Christmas Day, Boxing Day and bank holidays included. Busy family days are when drains work hardest, so the phone stays on.

Can I send photos on WhatsApp instead of ringing?

Yes. Send photos of the drain and the open manhole by WhatsApp at any hour. The engineer can often tell you what is going on and what kit to bring before setting off.

Can you deal with my tenant late at night?

Yes. Give us the tenant's number and the address, tell us how you want to approve the price, and we will speak to them on site. You stay in control of the cost from wherever you are.

Do you clear blocked toilets and sinks as emergencies?

Yes. A toilet or sink that backs up is often the first sign of a blocked drain further down, so the engineer checks the whole run and clears it at the source.

Do you send a camera down after an emergency clear?

When a drain has blocked more than once, an emergency drain survey with a CCTV camera is worth doing, often on the same visit. The footage shows whether roots, a cracked joint or a sunken pipe caused it, so the fix lasts.

Keep this number handy

Save 0800 020 9198 before the next wet weekend

Drains get pushed hardest when the house is busiest: Sunday lunch, a full house at Christmas, the first heavy rain of autumn. Put the number in your phone now and 24 hour drain unblocking is one call away whenever that happens. Carlo or the team will pick up, agree the price with you, and get on the road.

Call the Engineer Now Book Online

WhatsApp works too, at any hour.

Call 0800 020 9198

Drain Services

We provide Drainage Services across Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey, London, Oxfordshire, and the surrounding areas.

Aldermaston

Aldermaston
Arborfield

Arborfield
Ascot

Ascot
Bagshot

Bagshot
Basingstoke

Basingstoke
Berkshire

Berkshire
Bracknell

Bracknell
Buckinghamshire

Buckinghamshire
Burghfield

Burghfield
Calcot

Calcot
Caversham

Caversham
Camberley

Camberley
Didcot

Didcot
Earley

Earley
Finchampstead

Finchampstead
Goring-on-Thames

Goring-on-Thames

Hampshire

Hampshire
Henley-on-Thames

Henley-on-Thames
High Wycombe

High Wycombe
Liphook

Liphook
Maidenhead

Maidenhead
Mortimer Common

Mortimer Common
Newbury

Newbury
Pangbourne

Pangbourne
Reading

Reading
Sandhurst

Sandhurst
Shinfield

Shinfield
Spencers Wood

Spencers Wood
Winnersh

Winnersh
Wokingham

Wokingham
Woodley

Woodley

If You’re Dealing With Blocked Drains Or Require Drain Repairs, You’ve Come To The Right Destination. Contact Our Team Today At 0800 0209198 For Professional Guidance And A Complimentary, No-Obligation Quote!

We are the premier providers of comprehensive drainage solutions in Reading and throughout Berkshire. With years of experience and a dedicated team of experts, we are your trusted partners for all your domestic and commercial drainage needs.

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