Standard visit
Monday to Friday, until 6pm
£100
including the first hour of labour
then £25 per 30 minutes
Home›Not draining
Drainage faults · Bristol
Commercial Dishwasher & Glasswasher Not Draining in Bristol
Water left sitting in the tank can mean dirty wash water, poor results and a machine you can’t use. I look into why the water isn’t leaving and explain what’s needed to get it draining again, on glasswashers, undercounter dishwashers, passthrough machines and pot washers across Bristol.
Or email joshua@
You deal with me, the engineer, directly.
Fully insured (£5m public liability) and DBS checked.
Safe checks
What you can check first
- Switch off and let it coolTurn the machine off at the isolator before reaching into the tank. The water and the surfaces inside can be very hot.
- Watch for sharp debrisPut on thick gloves. Broken glass and other sharp debris can settle in the bottom of the tank and around the filters.
- Clear the filtersLift out the filters or scrap baskets and empty them. Food scraps, labels and fruit pips can collect there.
- Look behind the machineIf you can see the drain hose without moving anything heavy, check it hasn’t been squashed or kinked.
- Check the wasteIf a nearby sink shares the same waste pipe and is also slow, the blockage may be in the pipework rather than the machine.
Common causes
Why machines stop draining
Commercial warewash machines can drain in one of two ways. Gravity-drain machines let the water fall away through a hose or outlet, so they rely on a clear run with enough fall to the waste. Pumped-drain machines use a drain pump to push the water up and out.
A sliver of glass or other hard debris caught in a drain pump impeller can jam it, or chip the vanes so it no longer moves water properly. Food waste, grease, paper labels and limescale can build up into sludge in the outlet. Less often, the pump motor fails, a non-return valve sticks, or the level sensing gives the controller a false reading so it doesn’t pump out.
On a recent Hobart glasswasher that wouldn’t drain, the drain fitting was packed solid with debris and sludge. I cleared, cleaned and re-secured it, and the machine was draining freely again.
On the visit
How I track down the fault
I start by confirming whether the machine is trying to drain: listening for the pump where there is one, checking the level sensing and following the water from the tank to the waste. That tells me whether the fault is a blockage, a failed component or a problem in the building’s drainage. If a part is needed, it’s quoted and agreed with you before fitting.
Pricing
The price covers coming out to you and the first hour of labour. Any extra time after that is charged in 30-minute blocks.
No VAT to add. The price you see is the price you pay.
Evening & Saturday visit
Weekdays after 6pm, and Saturdays
£150
including the first hour of labour
then £35 per 30 minutes
Sunday & bank holiday visit
All day
£200
including the first hour of labour
then £50 per 30 minutes
Parts are always quoted and agreed before fitting. No hidden extras, so you’ll know the cost before any work goes ahead.
Every job comes with an invoice. Payment is due on visit completion, by bank transfer or cash. Account terms are available for regular customers.
FAQ
Questions customers ask
Can I keep using the machine if it’s draining slowly?
For a short while, perhaps, but slow draining can leave dirty water in the tank, so results suffer. It can also get worse, so it’s worth having it looked at before it stops altogether.
Should I pour drain unblocker into the machine?
No. Household drain chemicals can damage seals and pump parts, can react with the machine’s detergent and may leave residues. Clear the filters, then give me a call.
Why does my machine keep blocking?
Repeat blockages can come from debris getting past a missing or damaged filter, from scraps not being cleared before washing, or from a drain run with too little fall. I can look at why it keeps happening, not only clear it.
What does a visit for a machine that won’t drain cost?
A weekday visit until 6pm is £100, which includes the first hour of labour, then £25 per 30 minutes. If a new drain pump or other part is needed, it’s quoted before fitting.
Do you work on gravity-drain and pumped-drain machines?
Yes, both types, on glasswashers, dishwashers, passthrough machines and pot washers.
Contact
Machine full of water? Get in touch
Call, WhatsApp or email with the make and model, and a photo of the tank if you can.
If you can, photograph the data plate and send it over with a note of when the draining problem began.