Drain Unblocking Overijssel

Clay, sand and peat: three soils under one province

Overijssel runs from the IJssel in the west to the German border in the east, and along the way the soil changes character several times. Along the river lie the Hanseatic cities of Zwolle, Deventer and Kampen on river clay, with a groundwater level that moves with the river. Further east begins the cover sand of Salland and Twente, with ice-pushed ridges at Enschede, Oldenzaal and Rijssen-Holten and a hedgerow landscape full of scattered farms. In the north-west, around Steenwijk and Giethoorn, it is peat and water as far as the eye can see.

For drain unblocking in Overijssel that makes a difference. On clay and peat rainwater hardly soaks away, the sewer soon runs full in a downpour and water comes back through the lowest drain. On sand that is rarely the problem, but there the homes are spread out, outside drains are long and tree roots seek out the joints. Add to that the building history: medieval cellars in the Hanseatic cities, textile workers' districts from around 1900 in Twente, post-war estates in Hengelo and Almelo and Vinex-era new-build near Zwolle and Deventer. That is why the engineer always asks first where you live and how old the house is.

Sewer unblocking by region in Overijssel

Zwolle and the Hanseatic cities on the IJssel

In Zwolle, Kampen and Deventer, buildings with centuries of building history are stacked on top of each other. Kitchens and bathrooms were added later, cellars have become living space and drains make detours on their way to the street. Beneath it all lies river clay with high groundwater, so a subsided vitrified clay pipe soon fills with sludge. Kampen also has dyke houses where the drain has to pass under the dyke, and Deventer a town centre where pipes run beneath squares and alleys. For the capital we have a separate page: drain unblocking in Zwolle, covering the districts from the centre to Stadshagen.

Enschede and Twente

Enschede sits on a ridge, and you notice it in the drains: long pipes with a steep fall in one street, almost flat in the next. The old textile districts from around 1900 have narrow, deep houses with a long garden drain; around the campus and in the centre many buildings have been split into rooms, with bathrooms that all discharge into one pipe. You can read more about the districts on the page drain unblocking in Enschede. Hengelo and Almelo are more spaciously laid out, with post-war terraced houses and an inspection chamber in the back garden; Almelo has plenty of water and its sewers run full sooner after rain. Oldenzaal shares Enschede's height differences, with old buildings in the centre.

Salland, the Vecht valley and the north of Overijssel

Around Raalte, Rijssen and Holten there are many detached homes and farms on spacious plots, where a drain runs tens of metres through the garden before it reaches the road. Oak and beech roots are the usual culprits here. In the Vecht valley, around Hardenberg and Ommen, sand and peat alternate and villages stand on soft ground where pipes subside. In Steenwijkerland, with Giethoorn and Steenwijk, homes stand on peat right by the water: the groundwater is high, the sewers lie shallow and a drain that runs slowly often has to do with the water level.

Common blockages in Overijssel

A gully backing up after rain

In the low parts of the province, from the IJssel delta to the peat near Giethoorn, water regularly comes up through the garden gully or the ground-floor shower drain after a downpour. Do not run the washing machine, and wait for the downpour to pass. If the water is still standing when the street has long since dried, there is a plug in your own house connection (lateral). The engineer opens the inspection chamber by the front wall and checks whether the water is standing there or not; that tells him whether to start inside or outside.

Hair and soap in a subdivided building

In student houses in Enschede and Deventer and in the subdivided Hanseatic buildings of Zwolle, several bathrooms share one pipe down. Hair, soap and toothpaste form a tough layer in the bends, and the resident on the lowest floor is the first to notice. Lift the grate off the shower drain and remove what you can reach. If the plug is further along, the engineer clears the pipe with an auger and checks all the connections above it.

Roots in a long outside drain

On the sand of Salland and Twente, trees often stand close to the pipe that runs to the road. Roots push in through a joint and form a mat that paper catches on; the toilet runs slowly, so does the kitchen sink, and after a few weeks everything stops. The engineer cuts the roots away with a machine and flushes the pipe through. If it keeps coming back, the pipe at that point is probably broken and a section needs replacing.

Our drain unblocking services in Overijssel

As the drain unblocking service for the whole province, from Hanseatic city to Twente village, our work includes:

• Shower drain unblocking in bathrooms that were added later or are shared by several residents.
• Washbasin unblocking when the trap is clean but the pipe behind it stays blocked.
• Sewer cleaning with the high-pressure jetter for long garden drains with sludge, sand or roots.
• A drain camera inspection in case of subsidence, a break or a blockage that keeps returning.

Owner, VvE, landlord or municipality: who is responsible for which part?

In your own home you are responsible for the drains indoors and for the house connection on your plot, up to the inspection chamber or the boundary. From there the sewer belongs to the municipality, and in Overijssel exactly where that line is drawn differs from one municipality to another. The water board manages the surface water and the pumping stations, not your connection. In subdivided buildings and blocks of flats, think of the centre of Zwolle or the rented rooms in Enschede, the shared soil stacks are a matter for the owners' association (VvE) or the landlord. Tenants therefore also report a shared blockage to them. Afterwards the engineer tells you what he has found, so you can report it to the right party.

Drain unblocking in Overijssel: calling, price indication and rates

Day and night you can reach us on 085 333 4698. Tell us which drain is blocked, which town you live in and whether it has rained heavily in the past day. You get an assessment and a price indication, and once you agree the engineer comes, usually within the hour, with the equipment that suits the job.

Clearing a blockage costs from €129. The call-out charge is added separately. Outside office hours we work at an emergency rate, at the weekend and on public holidays too. For bigger work, such as cleaning and inspecting a long pipe under a Hanseatic building or a farm plot, you can ask for a quote. Customers rate Afvoer Ontstoppen 5/5 based on 48 Google reviews.

Cities in Overijssel with their own page

Afvoer Ontstoppen works across the whole province, from the IJssel delta to the German border. The two largest cities have their own page: Zwolle for the capital and the IJssel delta, and Enschede for Twente. If you live in Deventer, Kampen, Hengelo, Almelo, Oldenzaal, Hardenberg, Raalte or Steenwijk, you call the same number and the engineer comes just the same. All places with their own page are listed under our service area.

Is your drain blocked right now? Call 085 333 4698 for drain unblocking in Overijssel; we answer day and night and the engineer is usually on his way within the hour.