Yes we can carry out CCTV drain camera inspections to help identify exactly what is happening inside your drains. Using specialised HD CCTV Equipment, our team can inspect blocked, damaged, or slow-draining pipes to pinpoint issues such as tree root intrusion, cracks, blockages, collapsed sections, or general wear and tear.
Drain Cleaning
Christchurch Drain Cleaning & Blocked Drain Specialists
Whitehead Plumbing & Gas has been clearing, installing, and repairing drains across Canterbury for over 50 years. We’re a local team that knows Canterbury drains, shows up prepared, and leaves your property exactly as we found it. If you have a blocked drain or a drain that needs attention, click below to get in touch.
Canterbury Drains Take a Hammering: Here's When to Call Us
Between seasonal leaf build-up, heavy Canterbury rain, and older drainage systems with earthquake damage, Christchurch drains deal with more than most. A slow drain or gurgling toilet might seem minor, in our experience, by the time you notice something is wrong, the problem has usually been building for a while.
If you’re seeing any of the following, it’s worth a call before it becomes a bigger job.
- Water pooling at your feet in the shower and not clearing quickly
- A toilet that gurgles or takes longer than usual to flush
- Backyard flooding that lingers well after the rain has stopped
- An unexplained wet patch or lush green stripe across your lawn (often a sign of a cracked pipe leaking underground!)
- Drains that smell (inside the house or out)
These aren’t just inconveniences. Left alone, a blocked or failing drain can cause sewage backups, foundation damage, and repairs that cost many times what an early call-out would have.
Drain Cleaning Services in Christchurch
Whether it’s an emergency blockage or a drain that’s been slow for weeks, we carry the right gear to fix it properly.
Blocked Drain Clearing
Equipped with a high-pressure water jetter and various drain snake machines to clear blocked sewer drains, stormwater drains, kitchen sinks, and floor wastes. We don’t just shift the problem down the pipe, we clear it completely.
Drain Maintenance & Cleaning
Seasonal leaf fall and heavy rain are hard on drainage systems. Regular maintenance is far cheaper than an emergency call-out. Ask us about a scheduled clean before the problems start.
CCTV Inspection & Location
With our HD CCTV Equipment, we’re able to identify any issues within your drainage systems and accurately locate any issues before these become a problem.
Drainage Experts Who Respect Your Canterbury Property
Our drainage team is led by Ben and you’ll deal with the same people every time. That means accountability and someone who actually cares whether the job was done properly, not just whether it was done.
We’ve been in Canterbury for over 50 years. Every drainlayer carries a current licence, and we’re members of the Master Plumbers Association. If you want to see a licence on the day, just ask.
For customers further out in Canterbury, we’ll often FaceTime before we travel so we arrive with the right parts and fix it in one visit rather than two.
"We've been servicing Canterbury for over 50 years. All our technicians carry a current licence, and we're part of the Master Plumbers Association because you should be able to trust who you're letting into your home."
Paul Olsen
Managing Director
How To Book A Drain Cleaning Service
Book Monday to Friday, 8am–5pm.
Step 1 — Call or Enquire Online
Ring us on 03 379 0711 or enquire online at a time that suits you. Before the school run, on your lunch break, whenever works.
Step 2 — We Assess (Sometimes by FaceTime)
For jobs further out in Canterbury, we’ll often request photos or a quick video call first to make sure we arrive with the right gear to fix it in one visit.
Step 3 — We Show Up Prepared
Your licensed drainlayer arrives on time and ready to go. We tell you what we find before we start anything.
Step 4 — Fixed, Tidy, and Explained
We’ll fix the issue, clean up properly, and explain what caused it and how it was repaired. Straightforward and transparent from start to finish.
Drain Cleaning Across Christchurch and Greater Canterbury
We provide professional drain cleaning and drainage services across Christchurch and wider Canterbury, including: Christchurch Central, Addington, Riccarton, Fendalton, Merivale, St Albans, Papanui, Bishopdale, Casebrook, Redwood, Shirley, Mairehau, Edgeware, Linwood, Woolston, Opawa, St Martins, Cashmere, Spreydon, Sydenham, Somerfield, Beckenham, Ilam, Burnside, Avonhead, Hornby, Halswell, Wigram, New Brighton, Parklands and Burwood, as well as Rolleston, Lincoln, Prebbleton and West Melton in Selwyn, Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Woodend, Pegasus, Amberley, Oxford, Hanmer Springs and Kaikōura in North Canterbury, and Akaroa, Lyttelton, Diamond Harbour, Governors Bay and Little River across Banks Peninsula.
Common Questions About Drain Cleaning in Christchurch
How quickly can you attend a blocked drain in Christchurch?
We aim to get to urgent jobs the same day or next working day. Just call 03 379 0711 to book.
Should I try a plunger or drain cleaner first?
A plunger might move a surface blockage, but it usually just pushes the problem further along the pipe. Chemical cleaners can damage older pipes. If the blockage keeps returning, or you’re hearing gurgling, call us, we carry the right equipment and CCTV to unblock and identify the issue properly the first time.
Do I need to be home when you attend?
Not at all. You can leave a key out, drop one to our workshop, or we can collect it from your workplace. We’ll call you to explain what we found, what we did, and anything to keep an eye on. If the drainage blockage/work is outside, we don’t require a key -just access into property.
What’s the difference between a sewer drain and a stormwater drain?
Your sewer carries wastewater from toilets, sinks, and showers to the council main. Your stormwater system handles rainwater runoff from roofs and paved surfaces. Both can block or fail, and both require a licensed drainlayer to repair or alter. We handle both.
Do you do CCTV drain camera inspections?
Are your drainlayers licensed?
Yes. All our plumbers, gas fitters, and drainlayers are certified, registered, or working as qualified apprentices, and every job is fully insured. We’re members of the Master Plumbers Association.
Got a Blocked Drain? Let's Sort It.
Book Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. Our team arrives prepared, fixes the problem properly, and leaves your property clean and tidy. Call us on 03 379 0711 or get send an enquiry through our website now.