Drains & sewer
Drain cleaning
If 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.
- Licensed Colorado plumbers
- The problem explained before work starts
- Price agreed before the job begins
About drain cleaning
Kitchen drains clog with grease and food. Bathroom drains clog with hair and soap. Main lines in older Denver neighborhoods clog with roots that grow into clay pipe joints. Each needs a different tool, so the first job is figuring out which one you have.
A good drain cleaning ends with an explanation: where the clog was, what it was made of, and whether it's likely to come back. If it keeps coming back, a camera inspection usually costs less than repeated cleanings.
Drain cleaning at a glance
- Urgency
- Can be an emergency: shut off the water and call
- Area
- the Denver metro & Northern Colorado
- Who does the work
- An independent, licensed Colorado plumber
- Permit
- Often required for replacements, repipes, sewer, water and gas line work
- Typical steps
- Find the blockage → Clear it → Verify flow → Recommend next steps
- Availability
- Call now to check plumber availability
Signs you need drain cleaning
- Water draining slowly from a sink, tub or shower
- Gurgling from a drain when another fixture runs
- Water coming up in the basement floor drain
- Sewage smell near a drain
- The toilet rising when the washer drains
How the job usually goes
- 1
Find the blockage
The plumber checks which fixtures are affected to tell a branch clog from a main line clog.
- 2
Clear it
A hand auger, a machine cable or a hydro jetter is used, sized to the pipe.
- 3
Verify flow
Water is run through the line to confirm it drains at full speed.
- 4
Recommend next steps
If roots or a sag are suspected, a camera inspection is offered before anything is dug up.
What affects the cost
Every job is priced by the plumber after they see it. These are the things that move the price most. Ask for the price before work starts.
- Branch line or main sewer line
- Access: a cleanout versus pulling a toilet or going through a roof vent
- What the clog is made of (roots take longer than grease)
- Camera inspection added after cleaning
Before the plumber arrives
Safe to do
- • Use a plunger with a good seal
- • Pull hair out of tub drains with a plastic drain tool
- • Clean the P-trap under a sink with a bucket underneath
Stop and call
- • Don't mix chemical drain cleaners or use them before a plumber arrives
- • Stop using water if the floor drain is backing up
- • Don't open a main line cleanout when sewage is backed up behind it
Drain cleaning questions
Are chemical drain cleaners safe for my pipes?
How often should a main sewer line be cleaned?
Why does my basement floor drain back up when I do laundry?
What causes recurring kitchen sink clogs?
Can roots really get into sewer pipes?
Should I use a drain snake or call a plumber?
Drain cleaning near you, by town
Related
Related plumbing services
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.
Learn more
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.
Learn more
Sewer line repair
A damaged sewer line can be fixed with a spot repair, a trenchless liner, pipe bursting or an open-trench replacement.
Learn more
Garbage disposal repair
A disposal that hums but won't spin is jammed; one that does nothing has tripped its reset button or lost power.
Learn moreGuides
Read before you call
Drains & sewer
Why is my basement floor drain backing up?
When water comes up through the basement floor drain, the main sewer line is usually blocked between the house and the street. Stop using water upstairs, then call a plumber to clear the main line. If it happens more than once, a camera inspection shows the cause.
Drains & sewer
Should you get a sewer scope before buying a home?
For homes built before about 1980, or with large trees in the front yard, a sewer scope is worth it. A standard home inspection doesn't look inside the sewer line, and in Colorado the buyer will own that line all the way to the main.
Emergencies
Sump pump not working? Causes and fixes
Check power first, then the float: if it's stuck against the pit wall the pump won't start. A pump that runs but doesn't empty the pit often has a frozen or clogged discharge line or a stuck check valve. If the pit is about to overflow, call right away.
Water where it shouldn't be? Start with a call.
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