LICENSED LOCAL PLUMBERS ACROSS 53 IPSWICH SUBURBSRedbank Plains, Ipswich · Queensland
IPSWICHBLOCKED DRAINS0485 093 838Get in touch
FREE TOOL · 1 MINUTE

What’s wrong
with my drain?

Pick what you are seeing. You will get the likely cause, what is safe to check yourself, whose pipe it is and what it usually costs in Ipswich, before you ring anyone.

What are you noticing?
Is anything overflowing, or water you can’t stop?
EVERY SYMPTOM, EXPLAINED

What each one
usually means.

The same answers the checker gives, all on one page. Prices are typical Ipswich ranges reviewed 2026-10; see the price guide

ONE SINK, SHOWER OR TOILET IS SLOW OR BLOCKED

A blockage in that fixture’s own pipe

When only one fixture is slow, the blockage is almost always in the short pipe between it and the main line: hair and soap scum in a shower or basin, fat and food scraps in a kitchen sink, wipes or too much paper in a toilet.

Safe to check yourself

  • Run water in another fixture nearby. If that drains normally, the main line is clear.
  • A plunger is worth one try on a sink or toilet. Skip caustic drain cleaners: they rarely clear a real blockage and they make the pipe dangerous for the plumber to open.
  • If it keeps coming back every few weeks, the pipe itself may be damaged, which is what a camera inspection is for.
Whose pipe is it?
You. Pipes inside the property boundary belong to the owner (in a rental, tell the property manager).
Typical Ipswich price
$150–$550 to clear a standard blockageIndicative only; the plumber quotes after seeing it.
Send this to a local plumber Blocked drains guide
SEVERAL DRAINS AT ONCE, OR GURGLING WHEN ANOTHER DRAINS

A blockage in the main sewer line

When the toilet gurgles as the shower drains, or water rises in the shower when the toilet flushes, the blockage is further down, in the line every fixture shares. In Ipswich that usually means tree roots in older clay pipes, or a build-up of wipes and fat. It gets worse quickly.

Safe to check yourself

  • Stop running water until it is sorted: every flush adds to what is backing up.
  • Look at the overflow relief gully outside (the grated pipe near the house). If water is sitting in it or bubbling up, the main line is blocked.
  • Ask a neighbour. If their drains are slow too, the blockage may be in Urban Utilities’ sewer main: report it on 13 23 64.
Whose pipe is it?
You, up to the point where your line joins the sewer main. Urban Utilities is responsible for the main itself.
Typical Ipswich price
$150–$550 to clear a standard blockageIndicative only; the plumber quotes after seeing it.
Send this to a local plumber Blocked drains guide
SEWAGE SMELL, OR AN OVERFLOWING GULLY OUTSIDE

The sewer line is backing up or cracked

The overflow relief gully is designed to overflow outside so sewage does not come up inside, so an overflowing gully means the line past it is blocked. A smell with no overflow is usually a dried-out trap in an unused fixture, or a cracked pipe letting gas out, often where roots have got in.

Safe to check yourself

  • Pour a bucket of water into floor wastes and any fixture that is rarely used. If the smell goes, it was a dry trap.
  • Keep children and pets away from any overflow and wash hands after touching anything near it.
  • If the overflow is coming from a maintenance hole (a round concrete lid) rather than your gully, it is Urban Utilities’ main: call 13 23 64.
Whose pipe is it?
You for the pipes and gully on your property. Urban Utilities for the sewer main and its maintenance holes.
Typical Ipswich price
$150–$550 to clear a standard blockage; or $1,000–$3,000 to dig up and replace a damaged sectionIndicative only; the plumber quotes after seeing it.
Send this to a local plumber Sewer drain repairs guide
WATER POOLING IN THE YARD, OR DOWNPIPES OVERFLOWING IN RAIN

A blocked or broken stormwater line

Downpipes that spill at the joint, or water pooling in the same spot after rain, mean the stormwater pipe underground is blocked with leaves, silt or roots, or has broken. After the 2011 and 2022 floods a lot of Ipswich stormwater lines also carry silt.

Safe to check yourself

  • Clear the gutters and the top of the downpipe first. That is often all it is.
  • Run a hose into the downpipe on a dry day and see where the water comes out at the kerb or the yard outlet.
  • Stormwater must not drain into the sewer gully. If yours does, that needs fixing too.
Whose pipe is it?
You, on your property, out to the kerb or the legal point of discharge. Ipswich City Council for the kerb, the street drains and the stormwater network.
Typical Ipswich price
$200–$600 to clear a blocked stormwater lineIndicative only; the plumber quotes after seeing it.
Send this to a local plumber Stormwater drainage guide
A DAMP PATCH, A HIGH WATER BILL OR A METER THAT KEEPS TICKING

A hidden water leak

A jump in the water bill, a damp patch in a wall or slab, or the sound of running water with every tap off all point to a leak in the pressure pipes. In 1960s to 1990s Ipswich homes it is often copper pipe in the slab; in newer homes, a failed flexi-hose or fitting.

Safe to check yourself

  • Turn every tap off and watch the water meter for 15 minutes. If it moves, water is escaping somewhere after the meter.
  • Check under sinks, behind toilets and around the hot water system for drips or swollen cabinetry.
  • If water is spraying or the leak will not stop, turn off the main stop tap, usually next to the meter.
Whose pipe is it?
You for everything after the water meter. Urban Utilities for the meter and the main before it: a leak there is theirs to fix (13 23 64).
Typical Ipswich price
$250–$600 for the investigationIndicative only; the plumber quotes after seeing it.
Send this to a local plumber Leak detection guide
NO HOT WATER, OR THE HOT WATER SYSTEM IS LEAKING

A hot water system fault

No hot water is usually a tripped circuit, a failed element or thermostat on an electric unit, or a pilot or ignition fault on gas. A slow drip from the relief valve pipe is normal; a steady stream, or water around the base of the tank, means a valve or the tank itself is failing. Tanks past about ten years old are often cheaper to replace than repair.

Safe to check yourself

  • Check the circuit breaker or the hot water switch on the meter box (electric), or whether the pilot is lit (gas).
  • Note the brand, model and age on the label: the plumber will ask for it.
  • If you smell gas, turn the gas off at the meter if it is safe to, keep flames and switches off, and call your gas supplier’s faults line.
Whose pipe is it?
You. The hot water system and the pipes to it are the owner’s (in a rental, tell the property manager straight away).
Typical Ipswich price
$150–$450 per repairIndicative only; the plumber quotes after seeing it.
Send this to a local plumber Hot water systems guide
QUESTIONS

Quick answers.

Why is only one of my drains blocked?

When only one fixture is slow, the blockage is almost always in the short pipe between it and the main line: hair and soap scum in a shower or basin, fat and food scraps in a kitchen sink, wipes or too much paper in a toilet. You. Pipes inside the property boundary belong to the owner (in a rental, tell the property manager).

Why do my toilet and shower gurgle at the same time?

When the toilet gurgles as the shower drains, or water rises in the shower when the toilet flushes, the blockage is further down, in the line every fixture shares. In Ipswich that usually means tree roots in older clay pipes, or a build-up of wipes and fat. It gets worse quickly. You, up to the point where your line joins the sewer main. Urban Utilities is responsible for the main itself.

Why does my yard smell like sewage?

The overflow relief gully is designed to overflow outside so sewage does not come up inside, so an overflowing gully means the line past it is blocked. A smell with no overflow is usually a dried-out trap in an unused fixture, or a cracked pipe letting gas out, often where roots have got in. You for the pipes and gully on your property. Urban Utilities for the sewer main and its maintenance holes.

Why is water pooling in my yard after rain?

Downpipes that spill at the joint, or water pooling in the same spot after rain, mean the stormwater pipe underground is blocked with leaves, silt or roots, or has broken. After the 2011 and 2022 floods a lot of Ipswich stormwater lines also carry silt. You, on your property, out to the kerb or the legal point of discharge. Ipswich City Council for the kerb, the street drains and the stormwater network.

How do I know if I have a hidden water leak?

A jump in the water bill, a damp patch in a wall or slab, or the sound of running water with every tap off all point to a leak in the pressure pipes. In 1960s to 1990s Ipswich homes it is often copper pipe in the slab; in newer homes, a failed flexi-hose or fitting. You for everything after the water meter. Urban Utilities for the meter and the main before it: a leak there is theirs to fix (13 23 64).

Why do I have no hot water?

No hot water is usually a tripped circuit, a failed element or thermostat on an electric unit, or a pilot or ignition fault on gas. A slow drip from the relief valve pipe is normal; a steady stream, or water around the base of the tank, means a valve or the tank itself is failing. Tanks past about ten years old are often cheaper to replace than repair. You. The hot water system and the pipes to it are the owner’s (in a rental, tell the property manager straight away).

Is the symptom checker free?

Yes. It covers the common drain, leak and hot water problems in Ipswich homes and tells you whose pipe it is and what it usually costs. When you want it looked at, the enquiry goes to a licensed local plumber who covers your suburb, one of the 53 we serve.

NO GUESSWORK

Still not sure?
Describe it in your words.

Tell us what you are seeing and your suburb. We pass it to a licensed local plumber who covers your street, and they will tell you what it is before quoting.

Get a local plumber
CallGet a local plumber