Blocked Drain or Blocked Sewer? Here's How to Tell

Tue, 05 May 2026 13:29:05 GMT

If something isn't draining in your home, the first question is simple: is it one drain, or everything at once? The answer tells you whether you have a blocked drain or a blocked sewer — and that determines what the fix involves, how urgent it is, and what it will cost.

What's the difference between a drain and a sewer?

A drain is the pipe connected to a single fixture, your kitchen sink, shower, toilet or bathtub. A sewer line is the main pipe that collects wastewater from all of those drains and carries it out to the municipal connection under the street.

If one drain is slow or blocked, the problem is in that specific pipe. If multiple drains are affected at the same time, the blockage is almost certainly deeper in the main sewer line running out of your home.

Signs you have a blocked drain

One sink, shower or toilet is slow or not draining at all
The problem is isolated to a single room
No bad smell coming from other fixtures in the house
A plunger gives temporary relief

Common causes: hair and soap build-up in shower drains, grease in kitchen drains, or something flushed down the toilet that shouldn't be there. A blocked drain is the simpler fix — usually cleared within the hour using a drain snake or high-pressure jet.

From €129 incl. VAT · On-site within 2 hours

Signs you have a blocked sewer

Multiple drains backing up at the same time
Flushing the toilet causes water to rise in the shower or bathtub
Gurgling sounds from the toilet when you run the kitchen tap
Sewage smell coming from more than one point in the house
Water pooling outside near the drain well in the garden

A blocked sewer is more serious and will not fix itself. The longer you leave it, the worse and more expensive the damage gets.

What causes a blocked sewer in the Netherlands?

Dutch sewer systems particularly in older homes and apartments are prone to a few specific problems:

Grease and fat built up over years of cooking and washing
Tree root ingress — roots grow into older clay or concrete pipes and cause blockages or cracks
Foreign objects — wipes, sanitary products, paper towels
Collapsed or cracked pipe sections — common in pre-1980s properties across the Netherlands

Can you fix it yourself?

A blocked drain: sometimes. A plunger or basic drain snake from the hardware store can clear minor blockages.

A blocked sewer: no. You need professional high-pressure jetting equipment to properly clear a main sewer line. Trying to force a blockage without knowing what's causing it or where it is can make things significantly worse and potentially damage the pipe.

What does a professional fix involve?

For a blocked drain : we clear it with a drain snake or high-pressure jet, then check water flow afterwards to confirm the blockage is fully resolved not just temporarily shifted.

For a blocked sewer : we locate the blockage, clear it with high-pressure jetting, and use a camera inspection if there's any sign of root ingress or structural damage. We show you the footage and explain what we found before recommending any further work.

All work comes with a 1-month warranty — if the blockage returns within 30 days, we fix it for free.

How much does it cost?

Drain unblocking starts from €129 incl. VAT . Sewer line clearing is quoted on-site after diagnosis — we never start work without giving you a clear price first. No call-out fee surprises.

Not sure what you're dealing with? Call us.

Your English Plumber is operated by RRD Service & Installatie, based in Amsterdam with local technicians across the Netherlands. With 20+ years of experience, we're on-site within 2 hours — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Describe what you're seeing and we'll tell you what it sounds like before we even arrive.

�� Call 06-24356980 — available 24/7
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