Plumbing · Drain cleaning
Drain cleaning that finds the cause, not just the clog
Slow sinks, gurgling tubs and the basement floor drain that backs up every time the washer runs. We clear it, show you what was in there, and tell you honestly whether it'll come back.
Signs your drains need attention
A single slow sink is usually a local clog: hair, soap, grease or a kid's toy. When more than one fixture misbehaves at once, the problem is usually further down the line, and that's when it pays to call a plumber instead of buying another bottle of drain opener.
- Several drains are slow at once, especially the lowest ones in the house (basement shower, floor drain, first-floor tub).
- Gurgling from a toilet or tub when you run the washer or the dishwasher.
- Water coming up the basement floor drain when someone showers upstairs. That's a main line backup and it needs attention today.
- A sewer smell in the basement or around a floor drain.
- The same clog keeps coming back every few months, no matter what you pour down it.
- You live in an older neighborhood with big trees. Upper Arlington, Grandview Heights and Worthington have beautiful old maples and elms, and their roots love clay sewer pipe.
What happens on the visit
- We ask questions first. Which drains, how long, what happens when. That tells us whether we're chasing a branch line or the main.
- We find a clean-out. Most Central Ohio homes have a main clean-out in the basement or crawlspace, sometimes one outside by the foundation. We work from there whenever we can, not by pulling your toilet.
- We quote before we start. You get the price in writing. The $89 service call is applied to the work.
- We clear the line. Usually with a cable machine sized to the pipe. We protect the floor with drop cloths and run water afterward to prove it drains.
- We tell you what we found. Roots on the cutter head, grease, wipes, scale. If it's recurring, we'll recommend a camera look so you're not paying for the same cleaning twice a year.
Options and posted prices
| Service | Price | When it makes sense |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic / service call | $89, applied to the repair | Every visit starts here |
| Main line drain cleaning (cable) | from $189 | Backups, multiple slow drains, floor drain overflow |
| Sewer camera inspection | $249 | Recurring clogs, roots, buying an older home, before any sewer repair |
| Hydro-jetting | from $450 | Heavy grease, scale, or roots that a cable only pokes a hole through |
Single-fixture clogs (a kitchen sink or a tub) are quoted on site and are usually less than a main line. Price assumes an accessible clean-out; if we have to pull a toilet or access the line from the roof vent, your tech will tell you before starting.
Any drain cleaning.
Expires 3/31/2025. Mention when booking.How long it takes
Most main line cleanings take 45 minutes to an hour and a half from the time the tech walks in. A camera inspection adds about 30 minutes, and you're welcome to watch the screen with us. Hydro-jetting is a bigger setup and typically takes two to three hours. If you call by mid-morning on a weekday, we can usually be there the same day.
What you can do right now
If a drain is backing up: stop using water everywhere in the house. That means no showers, no laundry, no dishwasher and no flushing until the line is clear, because every gallon you send down has to go somewhere, and the lowest drain is where it'll come up. If sewage has come up into the basement, keep kids and pets away from it and don't run a shop vacuum through it without gloves. Don't pour chemical drain opener into a fully blocked line; it just sits there and makes the job hazardous for whoever opens the pipe.
Sewage in the basement? Call 614-555-0187, day or night. After-hours visits have a $149 dispatch fee, waived for Comfort Club members.
Keeping drains clear between visits
Most of what we pull out of main lines is preventable. "Flushable" wipes are the biggest offender we see; they don't break down the way toilet paper does and they snag on any rough spot in the pipe. Bacon grease poured down the kitchen sink cools and coats the line. A hair catcher in every shower costs a few dollars and saves a call. And if you have big trees and an older clay or cast iron line, a scheduled cleaning every 12 to 18 months is cheaper than an emergency on a holiday weekend.
Drain cleaning questions
Do you use chemicals?
No. We clear lines mechanically with cables and water. We'd also ask you to skip the store-bought drain openers; they're hard on older pipe and rarely reach a main line clog anyway.
Will you have to dig up my yard?
Not for a cleaning. Digging only comes up if a camera shows a broken or collapsed section, and even then many repairs can be done trenchless. See our sewer line page.
Is there a guarantee on drain cleaning?
Yes. If the same line backs up within 30 days of a main line cleaning, we'll come back and clear it at no charge. If a camera shows a broken pipe, we'll tell you plainly that cleaning alone won't hold.
Should I get a camera inspection before buying a house?
For any home built before about 1980, or with large trees in the front yard, we think so. A $249 inspection is cheap compared with a sewer replacement you didn't know you were buying.
Who will come out?
Often Terrence "T" Booker, our lead plumber, who has been chasing drains and sewers for 21 years, or one of the technicians he's trained.
Book a drain cleaning
Pick a window that suits you and we'll text you a photo of your tech before they arrive.
Book online Schedule in our app