4 services · Columbus
Drains & sewer in Columbus, OH
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 Columbus
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 in Columbus
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
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 Columbus: what's different
German Village and Victorian Village have historic homes with old clay laterals prone to roots. Rentals near Ohio State see heavy use and frequent clogs.
A camera inspection shows whether a recurring clog is roots or broken pipe.
Parts of central Columbus still have combined sewers, and the city has worked on reducing overflows, but heavy storms can still back up basement drains. A backwater valve and a clear lateral are the main protections. Permits come from the City of Columbus Building and Zoning Services.
- Water and sewer in Columbus
- The City of Columbus Division of Water supplies water; the Division of Sewerage and Drainage handles sewers.
- Permits in Columbus
- Plumbing permits are issued by the City of Columbus Building and Zoning Services.
Columbus housing and plumbing
German Village and Victorian Village have 1800s and early 1900s homes with old drains and laterals; outer neighborhoods are mostly post-war and newer.
Other Columbus conditions that affect plumbing
- Basement water: Heavy spring rain tests sump pumps and floor drains.
- Frozen pipes: Cold snaps freeze pipes near rim joists and exterior walls.
- Aging laterals: Historic neighborhoods have old clay laterals prone to roots.
- Combined sewers in older areas: Parts of central Columbus still have combined sewers, and the city has worked on reducing overflows, but basement backups can still occur in heavy storms.
Neighborhoods and ZIP codes
Plumbers on Thawline cover Columbus and Franklin County, including German Village, Clintonville, Short North, Victorian Village, Hilltop, Olde Towne East. ZIP codes: 43085 · 43201 · 43202 · 43203 · 43204 · 43205.
When to call a plumber in Columbus
- 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 Columbus
Why do drains clog in Columbus rentals near OSU?
Are chemical drain cleaners safe to use?
More plumbing in Columbus
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