Istanbul Balcony Drain Unclogging
For balcony drain unclogging, Cantley cleans the balcony strainer and the downpipe it connects to, clogged with leaves, soil and sand, without breaking anything, so the water flows back into the building's drainage line. Balcony drains are forgotten all year, until a heavy downpour leaves a pond on the balcony and water seeps over the threshold into the living room or through the ceiling of the flat below. Soil washed out of plant pots, leaves blown in by the wind and sand that runs off when the balcony is hosed down turn, over time, into a hardened sludge inside the drain pipe that water cannot get past.
In most buildings the balcony drain connects to the rainwater downpipe on the façade or inside the wall, while in some older buildings it runs straight into the sewer line. This connection decides where the blockage is and which method is needed. Our team opens the strainer on the balcony, works down the pipe from its mouth with a drain snake or pressurised water and, where needed, looks inside the downpipe with a camera. Attic-level terraces, garden-floor balconies and the open terrace areas of workplaces are cleared the same way. When the job is done, water is poured onto the balcony and we check the flow together with you.
Signs that your balcony drain is blocked
A balcony drain usually shows itself in the first serious rain, but it gives hints before that.
A pond forms in the rain
If water collects on the balcony floor when it rains and still has not drained hours after the rain stops, the drain pipe has narrowed. Once the water level reaches the threshold, it starts to seep in under the door or down to the flat below along the base of the wall.
Mud and moss in the strainer
If leaves, soil and moss have built up on the grate of the balcony strainer, the same deposit is inside the pipe too. Cleaning the top of the strainer helps for a short while. The real blockage is usually in the elbow right under the strainer or in the horizontal section that joins the downpipe.
Stains on the ceiling below
If your downstairs neighbour has damp stains, bubbling paint or dripping on the balcony ceiling or in the living room, the water collecting on your balcony may be getting past the waterproofing and leaking down. Paint and waterproofing repairs done without unclogging the drain will not last.
Sewer smell on the balcony
If a sewer smell comes from the balcony drain, the drain is connected to the sewer line and its trap has dried out or become blocked. This is most noticeable in summer, when the balcony has not been washed for a long time and no water goes down the drain.
A drain that has been covered over or buried
Balcony drains that were covered when the balcony was glazed, or that were tiled over, cannot carry away rain that gets in or the water from washing the balcony. Mortar and silicone that slip into the pipe during the covering work also cause the pipe to clog later.
What blocks balcony drains
Unlike the other drains in your home, the balcony drain faces the open air and collects everything the outdoors brings. Leaves that fall from trees in autumn, dust and sand carried by the wind, and feathers and droppings left by pigeons all end up in the strainer. Water that overflows when plants are watered carries soil and perlite grains into the pipe. This mixture gets heavier as it gets wet and harder as it dries, and it forms a lasting plug in the narrow bends of the pipe. As the plug grows, the strainer stops taking in water.
The second cause is the way balcony drain pipes are built. A balcony drain pipe is usually narrow and joins the downpipe through a short horizontal piece set into the balcony slab, and that horizontal piece has very little slope. In cold winters, as the water left in the pipe freezes and thaws, the joints can loosen and crack. In older buildings the whole downpipe can also fill with leaves and sand from the roof, so the balcony drains on every floor are affected at the same time.
The third cause is renovation work on the balcony. During balcony glazing, floor covering replacement or waterproofing, cement, tile adhesive and silicone get into the drain. Sometimes the drain is closed off completely or ends up under the covering. In that case, balcony drain repair is handled together with PVC pipe replacement if needed, and a camera is used to reach the covered drain and find where the connection goes. This way the balcony floor is not broken when the drain is reopened.
How we unclog a balcony drain
When working on a balcony, we deal with both the strainer and the building's downpipe together.
Cleaning the strainer
The grate of the balcony strainer is lifted, and the leaves, soil and moss inside are collected by hand into a bag. If there is a trap part under the strainer, it is taken out and washed. At this stage we also check that the drain mouth is sound and whether there are cracks around it.
Clearing the elbow with a snake
The elbow right under the strainer and the horizontal pipe are cleared with a fine-tipped motorised drain snake. The snake breaks up hardened soil and sand and winds around clumps of leaves to pull them back out. The whole pipe is reached through the drain mouth, without breaking the balcony floor or the wall.
Flushing the downpipe
If the blockage extends down into the downpipe, it is flushed with pressurised water from top to bottom. The manhole at the building entrance or the cleaning cover in the garden is opened so the sludge can come out there. If the balconies on several floors are affected, the work is planned in advance together with building management.
Checking flow and leaks
Bucket after bucket of water is poured onto the balcony to check how fast the drain takes it. If needed, the inside of the pipe and the joints are viewed with a camera. If there is a cracked or loosened joint, the options of PVC pipe replacement and balcony drain repair are explained to you.
What to do on the balcony while the rain continues
- Place a folded towel or an old blanket in front of the balcony door to slow the water from entering the living room.
- Pick the leaves and debris off the top of the strainer with gloves, but do not push the mud down into the drain pipe.
- Put off watering the plants and washing the balcony, because every new bit of water makes the puddle on the balcony bigger.
- Tell your downstairs neighbour so they can check for leaks on their ceiling or balcony.
- If sockets or lighting on the balcony are getting wet, switch off the balcony's electrical circuit at the fuse box.
Pictures from the field
Cleaning the garden drain line with high-pressure water 
Working on the drain line outside the building with a drain snake machine 
Digging and working with a motorised drain snake on the garden drain line
Balcony Drain Unclogging by district
We provide this service in all 39 districts of Istanbul. Choose your district.
Frequently asked questions
Where does a balcony drain connect to?
In most buildings the balcony drain connects to the rainwater downpipe on the façade or running inside the wall, and in some buildings it goes into the sewer line. Which one it is decides where the blockage will be cleared from and whether there will be a smell problem. If you are not sure, our team can pass a camera through the drain mouth to show where the pipe goes.
Can a balcony drain be closed off?
We do not recommend closing it off permanently. Even on a glazed balcony, rainwater can get in from the edges, and the water needs a way out when the balcony is washed or a plant pot tips over. If the drain smells, a strainer with a trap can be fitted instead of closing it. A drain that has been closed off can be reopened and cleaned, and its connection renewed if needed.
If the balcony drain is blocked, can water leak to the flat below?
Yes, it can. Water collecting on the balcony passes through weak points in the floor waterproofing, cracks around the drain mouth and the base of the walls into the ceiling of the flat below. That is why the drain should be unclogged as soon as you notice water collecting on the balcony. If there are signs of leaking, the drain is cleared first, then the paint and waterproofing are repaired.
Can a balcony drain pipe be replaced?
Yes. A balcony drain pipe that is cracked, has come apart at a joint or is completely full of mortar can be replaced with a new one. First the condition of the pipe is viewed with a camera, and if the blockage can be fixed by cleaning, no replacement is needed. If replacement is needed, the PVC pipe is renewed with as little intervention as possible and its watertightness is tested by pouring water through.
What should be done if the balconies on all floors overflow at the same time?
The shared downpipe should be cleared together with building management, because the problem is in the pipe all the balconies connect to. In this situation, cleaning the balcony strainers one by one is not enough. The lower end of the downpipe and the manhole or cleaning cover it connects to are opened, and the pipe is flushed with pressurised water from start to finish.
How often should a balcony drain be cleaned?
At least once a year, preferably before the autumn rains begin. Balconies close to trees or with many plant pots need cleaning more often. Checking the top of the strainer once a month and putting saucers under the pots so soil does not wash into the drain clearly reduces the risk of blockage.
Our other services
No-Dig Drain Unclogging
We locate the blockage with a camera, then clear it with a drain snake and pressurised water. Your tiles stay where they are.
See detailsToilet Unclogging
From an overflowing toilet to the building's shared stack, we clear the toilet drain.
See detailsWashbasin Unclogging
Whether the blockage is in the trap or in the line inside the wall, we clear it cleanly.
See detailsKitchen Sink Unclogging
We jet the whole kitchen drain line with high-pressure water to remove built-up grease and starch.
See detailsCommercial Kitchen Drain Clearing
In restaurant and cafe kitchens, we clear the floor drain, grease trap and shared line without interrupting service.
See detailsShower and Bathtub Drain Unclogging
We clear the hair and soap that build up in floor drains, shower channels and bathtub drains.
See detailsDrain Unclogging
We work out which drain is blocked, then clear the line in your home or workplace.
See detailsBlocked Drain Clearing
Is the blockage in the trap, the shared stack or the building outlet? We find it and show you the cause so it doesn't come back.
See detailsPVC Drain Pipe Unclogging
We clear PVC drain pipes without breaking anything, using heads that won't damage them.
See detailsPipe Unclogging
PVC, cast iron, galvanised or concrete pipe: we clear the blocked pipe with a head suited to its material.
See detailsCCTV Drain Unclogging
We look inside the pipe together on a screen and clear the blockage exactly where it is.
See detailsManhole Unclogging
We clear the inlet and outlet lines of an overflowing manhole and get the flow moving again.
See detailsSewer Line Unclogging
We clear the building's main sewer line all the way to the street connection.
See detailsChannel Drain Unclogging
We use high-pressure water to clear garden lines, ramp and car park grates, and storm drains.
See detailsSewer Cleaning
We regularly clean out sludge, grease and root build-up with high-pressure water jetting.
See detailsSewer Camera Inspection
We find cracks, collapses and root intrusion with a CCTV drain camera and show you the footage.
See detailsSewer Line Renewal
We locate the damaged section with a camera and replace only the part that needs it.
See detailsBackflow Valve Installation
We keep water that comes back up from the street in heavy rain out of your basement and ground floor.
See detailsPVC Drain Pipe Replacement
We replace PVC drain pipes that are cracked, leaking or laid with the wrong fall.
See detailsVacuum Truck Service
24/7 pumping with combination and mini vacuum trucks for septic tanks, manholes, grease traps and flooded basements.
See detailsSeptic Tank Pumping
We empty full or overflowing septic tanks by vacuum and take the waste to an authorised disposal point.
See detailsSeptic Tank Cleaning
We clean the sludge at the bottom, the crust on the walls and the inlet and outlet pipes with high-pressure water.
See detailsCombi Vacuum Jetting Truck
One truck jets the line clean and vacuums out the sludge, for blocked main lines and full manholes.
See detailsMini Vacuum Truck
Our small truck gets into narrow streets, steep hills, courtyards and low garage entrances.
See detailsCar Park Vacuum Truck
We pump out an enclosed car park flooded after rain and clear the grate and ramp channels.
See detailsVacuum Truck Hire
We assign an operator-driven vacuum truck to construction sites, factories and housing complexes for scheduled or regular work.
See detailsPrivate Vacuum Truck Service
A vacuum truck for your own property that comes on your schedule, with no waiting in a queue.
See detailsVacuum Truck Company
A vacuum truck company that asks about the job over the phone, picks the right truck and transports the waste according to the rules.
See detailsCall before your balcony turns into a pond
If your balcony drain is blocked or rain water has reached the threshold, call 0212 923 66 85, and you can also send a photo on WhatsApp. The Cantley team comes 24/7 and clears the drain and downpipe without breaking anything.