4 services · Birmingham
Drains & sewer in Birmingham, AL
A single slow sink is usually a local clog a plumber can clear in one visit. Several drains backing up at once, gurgling toilets or water at a basement floor drain point to the main sewer line, which may need cleaning, a camera inspection and sometimes repair.
- Licensed local plumbers
- The problem explained before work starts
- Price agreed before the job begins
Drains & sewer services in Birmingham
Drain cleaning
UrgentIf one fixture is slow, the clog is usually in that fixture's branch line. If several drains back up at once, or the basement floor drain fills when you run the washer, the main sewer line is blocked and needs a larger cable or a jetter.
Hydro jetting
Hydro jetting cleans the full width of a drain pipe with high-pressure water, washing out grease, scale and fine roots that a cable only punches a hole through. It works best on sound pipe and is usually done after a camera inspection confirms the pipe can take it.
Sewer camera inspection
A sewer camera inspection runs a waterproof camera through the line from your house to the city main and records what it finds: roots, cracks, sags, offset joints or collapsed pipe. It's the best way to decide between cleaning, spot repair and replacement.
Sewer line repair in Birmingham
UrgentA damaged sewer line can be fixed with a spot repair, a trenchless liner, pipe bursting or an open-trench replacement. Which one fits depends on what the camera shows, how deep the pipe is, and what's on top of it, such as a driveway, trees or landscaping.
Local conditions
Drains & sewer in Birmingham: what's different
Birmingham's ridges and valleys create steep lots with long sewer laterals that stress and crack over time. Original cast-iron drains in early 1900s homes are reaching the end of their life.
Jefferson County handles sewer service and has invested in system upgrades, but older homes still connect through aging laterals.
Heavy rain tests drains and crawl spaces. A camera inspection shows the lateral's condition before repair.
Trenchless repairs help on steep lots.
Older homes in Avondale and Crestwood are most affected.
- Water and sewer in Birmingham
- The Birmingham Water Works Board supplies water; Jefferson County handles sewer service.
- Permits in Birmingham
- Plumbing permits inside the city are issued by the City of Birmingham's planning, engineering and permits office.
Birmingham housing and plumbing
Forest Park, Highland Park and Avondale have early 1900s homes with crawl spaces and older drains.
Other Birmingham conditions that affect plumbing
- Hard freezes: Occasional deep freezes burst crawl-space pipes.
- Hillside laterals: Hilly lots stress older sewer lines.
- Heavy rain: Downpours test drains and crawl spaces.
- Hilly terrain: Birmingham's ridges and valleys create steep lots and long sewer laterals.
Neighborhoods and ZIP codes
Plumbers on Thawline cover Birmingham and Jefferson County, including Southside, Avondale, Crestwood, Highland Park, Forest Park, Homewood. ZIP codes: 35201 · 35202 · 35203 · 35204 · 35205 · 35206.
When to call a plumber in Birmingham
- Water backing up in the tub or shower when a toilet flushes
- Several fixtures draining slowly at the same time
- Water or sewage at a basement floor drain
- Gurgling from drains or toilets
- Sewer smell inside or a soggy patch in the yard
- The same clog returning within weeks of being cleared
How these problems start and how to choose between repair options is covered in the drains & sewer guide.
Drains & sewer questions in Birmingham
Who handles sewer service in Birmingham?
Are chemical drain cleaners safe to use?
More plumbing in Birmingham
Need help with drains & sewer in Birmingham?
Tell us what's going on and your ZIP code. You'll be connected with a licensed plumber who serves your area.
Call now to check plumber availability