Northcote
Blocked, burst or leaking in Northcote?
Blocked drains, burst pipes and leaks in Northcote, from Ruckers Hill down to the Merri Creek, passed to a licensed plumber day and night.
Plumbing in Northcote
Rock, clay and land boom brick
Northcote's ground is a mixture of basaltic and mudstone or clay, and it changes within a few streets. One trench hits hard rock, the next sits in clay that swells and shrinks, so what the camera shows decides the method.
In the land boom the cottages and row houses were built with brick rather than timber, unlike much of Collingwood. Original clay sewers and old galvanised or lead services often survive under them, with pipes running tight against solid walls.
The first lots were sold long and narrow, mostly running east-west, and that set the street pattern. The sewer branch and stormwater line often run the full depth of the property, so the drain is traced front to back and gear goes down the side path.
Jobs in Northcote
Cottage sewers, deep lots and root-bound joints
CCTV drain inspection
A camera to show whether a Northcote line sits in basalt or in moving clay before a spade goes in.
Pipe relining
Lining for old earthenware under brick cottages, where opening a solid wall is the other option.
Blocked drains
Lines near the creek that back up in heavy rain, checked at the outfall first.
What it costs: hot water replacement cost, gutter replacement cost, toilet installation cost
Northcote questions
Discharge reports, filled quarries and creek outfalls
How long before Darebin says where stormwater can connect?
Darebin sends the legal point of discharge as a report in the mail within 10 business days of the application. Connecting to that point also needs a road opening permit, so both are best lodged at the first visit.
Why do drains near the Plaza keep sagging?
The New Northcote Brick Co sold its quarry to the council for a tip, and the shopping centre grew as the tip was filled. Fill settles, so a dip the camera finds in a line there points at the ground, not just a blockage.
Do the old park trees cause blocked drains nearby?
Often. The cricket ground and gardens were planted with elms, poplars, peppercorns, and willows, the species most often found growing inside pipes. The joints are checked for roots before a quote, and root cutting or a lining usually follows.
Where does water go off the hill in a storm?
Stormwater runs off Ruckers Hill which slopes down to the Merri Creek, toward the low ground at Westgarth. A drain near the creek bend backs up first in heavy rain, so the outfall is checked before the house drain is blamed.
