One slow drain, or all of them?
A single slow drain usually means a blockage in the branch pipe serving that fixture. Several affected drains, or gurgling from a tub when the toilet flushes, point to the main line. If the cause isn't checked, the drain may back up again after clearing.
- One slow fixture, everything else fine: usually a branch blockage
- Several fixtures slow at once: likely the main line
- Gurgling when another fixture drains: air being pulled through a partial blockage
- Water coming up in a shower when the toilet flushes: main line, call sooner rather than later
- A smell around a floor drain, worth looking at even if it drains fine
How we clear it
Cabling clears most branch blockages. For grease, scale or roots in a main line, cabling punches a hole through and leaves the rest, which is why those come back. Hydro jetting scours the pipe wall instead.
When we put a camera down
If a line has blocked more than once, or clearing it does not restore full flow, we inspect it with a camera before quoting further work. That helps us determine whether the pipe needs repair.
What we bring
A cable machine for the ordinary blockage, a camera for the ones that keep coming back, and the jetter when the line is coated rather than blocked. We choose the clearing method based on the blockage and the condition of the line.
Kitchen, bathroom, laundry, floor drain
Kitchen drains usually clog with grease, while bathroom drains usually clog with hair and soap. A floor drain or laundry standpipe that backs up when another fixture runs often points to the main line. That changes how we handle the blockage.
What is included
- The blocked line cleared with a cable or the jetter
- A check that it drains properly afterwards
- A camera inspection when the blockage is recurring or in the main
- An explanation of the findings and any recommended follow-up
- The work area cleaned up