Drain Cleaning in Atlanta, GA

One drain or the whole house?

Where the clog sits decides the fix. A bathroom sink full of hair or a kitchen line coated in grease is a branch clog, and the rest of the house works normally. When the toilet gurgles while the washer drains, or water rises in the shower after a flush, the blockage is likely in the main line that carries everything out to the city sewer. Main line clogs need attention quickly because the next flush can push sewage into the lowest fixture.

Typical causes

• Kitchen: grease, food scraps and coffee grounds
• Bathrooms: hair, soap residue and so-called flushable wipes
• Laundry: lint and fibers
• Main line: tree roots, sagging pipe, or a collapsed or cracked section

How plumbers clear drains

1. Cabling. A drain machine feeds a cutting head through the pipe to break up the clog.
2. Camera inspection. A camera shows what is causing repeat clogs and where the problem sits.
3. Hydro jetting. High-pressure water scours grease and roots from the pipe walls when cabling alone doesn't hold.

Chemical drain openers can damage older pipes and make the job harder for whoever works on the line next, so it is better to skip them.

Atlanta's older sewer laterals

About 42.7% of Atlanta homes were built before 1980, and older intown bungalow neighborhoods are where cast iron drains and clay sewer laterals turn up. Clay joints let roots in, and old cast iron can scale inside until the pipe narrows. If a main line keeps clogging, a camera inspection is worth it before paying for another cleaning.

When it's the city's line

The City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management collects and treats wastewater for the city. If sewage is overflowing from a manhole or several neighbors have backups at the same time, report it to ATL 311 at 404-546-0311. A clog in the pipes serving only your house is a plumbing job.

What affects the cost

Which line is clogged, whether there is a cleanout to reach it, how stubborn the blockage is, and whether a camera or jetting is needed. Timing matters too. Ask for the price before the work starts.