4 services · San Francisco
Drains & sewer in San Francisco, CA
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 San Francisco
Drain cleaning in San Francisco
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 San Francisco
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 San Francisco
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 San Francisco: what's different
San Francisco property owners are responsible for their sewer lateral all the way to the main, including the section under the sidewalk, and in Victorian and Edwardian homes that line is often clay or cast iron more than a century old. Cracks, roots and joints offset by settling and earthquakes are common findings.
The SFPUC runs a combined sewer system, so heavy rain can back water up into low basements and street-level garages in the Sunset and Richmond. A camera inspection shows the lateral's condition, and permits for repairs come from the Department of Building Inspection, with sidewalk work needing additional approval.
- Water and sewer in San Francisco
- The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) supplies Hetch Hetchy water and runs the city's combined sewer system.
- Permits in San Francisco
- Plumbing permits are issued by the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection (DBI).
San Francisco housing and plumbing
Victorians and Edwardians in the Mission, Noe Valley and Pacific Heights have cast-iron and older drains, often with plumbing added over decades. The Sunset and Richmond have 1920s–1950s row homes with garages at street level.
Other San Francisco conditions that affect plumbing
- Owner-responsible laterals: Property owners are responsible for the sewer lateral to the main, including under the sidewalk, which is often clay or cast iron in older homes.
- Combined sewer system: San Francisco's combined sewers can back up into low basements and garages during heavy rain.
- Seismic requirements: Water heaters must be strapped, and gas shutoff valves are common upgrades.
- Hills and water pressure: Pressure varies a lot across San Francisco's hills, and some homes need pressure reducing valves or booster pumps to protect fixtures and water heaters.
Neighborhoods and ZIP codes
Plumbers on Thawline cover San Francisco and City and County of San Francisco, including Mission, Sunset, Richmond District, Noe Valley, Bernal Heights, Pacific Heights. ZIP codes: 94102 · 94103 · 94104 · 94105 · 94107 · 94108.
When to call a plumber in San Francisco
- 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 San Francisco
Who owns the sewer lateral under my San Francisco sidewalk?
Are chemical drain cleaners safe to use?
More plumbing in San Francisco
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