Hydro Jetting
Blast the inside of a drain with pressurized water to strip off grease film, mineral crust and hair-fine roots.
Drains and sewer
Drain Cleaning and Unclogging in Tempe, AZ
A sluggish sink is a warning and a standing tub of water is already a problem. Drain cleaning removes the blockage and, just as useful, reveals what caused it.
Describe which drains are slow or backed up, and a contractor is lined up.
Which drain is it?
- One fixture slowThe blockage is probably in that fixture's own branch line.
- Several fixtures slowA shared branch or the main drain is partly obstructed.
- Gurgling or sewage smellAir is being pushed through a blocked line.
One drain or the whole house
Start by counting. If only the kitchen sink is slow, the clog is probably in that sink's pipe, often grease and food. If the tub, toilet and washer all struggle together, the trouble is deeper, in the main line.
A blocked main can send water up the lowest opening in the house, frequently a shower or tub drain. If that starts, stop running water.
How clogs get cleared
A cable, often called a snake, breaks through or hooks the blockage. For buildup on the pipe walls, a cable may open a small channel but leave the rest. Hydro jetting scours the full pipe, and there is a page on it.
If the same clog returns, ask for a camera look. A cracked pipe, a sag or tree roots will keep catching waste no matter how often the line is cleared.
In Tempe
Rentals, shared lines and Tempe drains
Large apartment complexes make up the biggest slice of Tempe housing, so many clogs involve shared lines. If several units back up at once, the manager should call.
Mineral scale from Valley water can narrow older drain pipe over time. A line that clogs often may be narrowed, not just dirty.
Pricing
What affects drain cleaning cost
Drain work is priced by the line and the method.
Pricing depends on access and pipe type. Ask what is included if the clog returns.
What not to pour or flush
Grease cools and sticks inside pipes. Wipes labeled flushable do not break down like paper. Hair builds up in tub and shower drains, and a drain screen costs very little.
Caustic drain openers can eat at older pipe and are dangerous for the plumber who opens the line afterward. Ask before pouring any in.
Signs to watch
Signs a drain needs more than a plunger
These point to a deeper blockage than a plunger can reach.
Kitchen sinks, shower drains and tubs
Kitchen sink clogs are mostly grease and food. A snake clears them, and a regular hot flush with dish soap helps. Shower and tub clogs are mostly hair and soap scum. A drain strainer prevents most of it.
When water backs up from under the tub
Water bubbling up in a tub or shower after the washer drains points to the main line, not the tub. Stop using water and call.
Main line, cleanouts and sewer smells
Every drain in the house feeds the main line, and the cleanout is a capped pipe that lets a plumber reach it. The plumber removes the cap, runs a cable and, if trouble returns, follows up with a camera.
A stuck or buried cleanout cap is a known snag. Tell the dispatcher if you cannot open yours. A sewer odor can also be a dry trap in an unused drain, so run water in rarely used fixtures before calling.
Drain lines that leak
A drain that leaks under a sink, a tub or a slab is a different problem from a clog. The leak shows up when water runs. The repair can be a new trap, a section of pipe or, for a hidden line, a camera search.
Backed-up dishwashers and air gap overflows are a related clog in the same line. Describe where the water comes out so the contractor can bring parts.
Drains outside the house
Yard inlets, driveway culverts and trench drains fill with leaves, silt and litter, and a heavy storm exposes it. Ask the dispatcher whether a contractor works on outdoor drain lines.
When the same clog returns
Sewer Camera Inspection
Watch live video from inside the sewer pipe when deciding on a fix, a listing or a purchase.
Sewer Line Repair
Repair a sewer pipe that has cracked, filled with roots or sagged, whether the fix is a patch or a longer stretch.
Short answers
Drain cleaning FAQ
Buildup on the pipe wall, a sag, roots or a cracked line can catch waste again and again. A camera shows which one it is.
It can damage older pipe and puts the plumber at risk. Hold off before a service visit and tell the dispatcher if you already used some.
Several drains slowing together, gurgling or sewage coming up in the lowest drain points to the main line.
Same-day visits are available. Ask about the arrival window when you call.
Pricing depends on which line, the method and access. The dispatcher gives a clear quote before work starts.
Same-day visits are available. Describe which drains are slow and ask for the arrival window.
Both fixtures share a branch, and the clog sits below them. A cable run from a cleanout or a trap usually clears it.
Yes. Stop using water and call. The contractor clears the line and can follow with a camera if it returns.
Yes. Mention the stuck cap on the call so the contractor brings the right tools.
Drain backing up now?
Stop running water and call the 24/7 line. A dispatcher lines up a local contractor.