Drain Cleaning & Sewer Line Service
One slow sink is a fixture problem. A stack that backs up into the lowest apartment is a building problem. They're not fixed the same way.
We handle both ends of this. On the apartment side that's kitchen and bath branch lines, tubs that drain slowly, and the grease and soap buildup that causes most of it. On the building side it's stacks, house traps, and the sewer connection out to the city main — the failures that show up as backups in the lowest units first.
The tool depends on the blockage. Cabling clears a path through a clog and is usually the right, cheaper first move. Hydro jetting scours the pipe wall and is what actually addresses years of grease in a restaurant or a heavily used kitchen stack. And on older cast iron, jetting isn't automatically safe — corroded pipe can be damaged by full pressure, which is why we camera anything of unknown condition before pressurising it.
If the same line clogs on a schedule, that's usually structural rather than a cleaning problem: a belly holding water, a break, scale narrowing the bore, or roots at a joint on the building sewer. Repeated clearing on a line like that is a subscription, not a repair. We'll show you the camera and say so.
When this is likely your problem
What's included — and what isn't
Included in the quote
- Assessment of which line and how many fixtures are affected
- Mechanical cabling of the affected branch or stack
- Hydro jetting where grease or scale needs the pipe wall scoured
- Camera inspection first on older or unknown-condition pipe
- Flush test to confirm the line carries flow before we leave
Quoted separately
- Camera inspection run as a standalone diagnostic rather than as part of clearing
- Repair of a break, belly, or collapsed section found during the work
- Installing a cleanout where the line has no safe access point
- Building sewer excavation and any street or sidewalk work
- Recurring scheduled maintenance, which is quoted as its own program
- Grease trap pumping, which requires a licensed waste hauler
What drives the price
We quote after diagnosis, not before. These are the factors that move the number most on this particular service:
- LINEA single fixture branch, a full stack, or the building sewer.
- METHODCabling versus jetting, and whether a camera run is needed first.
- ACCESSWhether there's a usable cleanout or access has to be made.
- PIPECast iron of unknown condition needs inspection before pressure.
- SETTINGResidential unit, whole building, or commercial kitchen.
NYC note
Many older Manhattan buildings still have a house trap on the building sewer, which is a common blockage point and sometimes worth removing when the line is being worked on anyway. Whether that's your call or the building's depends on the property — we'll tell you what we find and who typically owns that section.
Related services
What the visit involves
Map the symptom
How many fixtures and which floors tells us whether it's a branch, a stack, or the sewer.
Clear it the right way
Cable where cabling works, jet where buildup needs removing — not whichever is fastest.
Look if it repeats
On a recurring line we camera it, because clearing the same clog quarterly isn't a fix.
Confirm and report
Flush test, and camera footage on request if we found something structural.
Questions about drain cleaning & sewer line service
Is hydro jetting safe for old cast iron?
Not always, and this is the question worth asking any company that offers it. Sound pipe handles jetting well. Corroded cast iron that's thinned from the inside can be damaged by full pressure. That's why we camera pipe of unknown age or condition before jetting, and why we'll drop pressure or recommend a different approach rather than take the risk quietly.
Why does the same drain keep clogging?
Because clearing a clog and fixing its cause are different things. If cabling opens a line that closes again within weeks, the usual reasons are grease coating the pipe wall, scale narrowing the bore, a bellied section holding water, or a break. A camera answers it definitively, and we'd rather run one than sell you the same visit four times a year.
Should I use chemical drain cleaner first?
We'd rather you didn't make it a habit. Occasional enzyme products are fine for maintenance. Caustic cleaners can damage older metal pipe and fixture seals, and they tend to mask a developing problem rather than solve it. If a drain needs chemicals regularly, it needs looking at.
Do you handle the whole building or just my apartment?
Both, but they're different jobs with different authorisation. Work inside your unit is yours to book. Stacks, house traps, and the building sewer are usually building responsibility and need the super or managing agent to authorise. If we find the problem is on the building side, we'll tell you and can speak to them directly.
How long does a drain cleaning visit take?
A single fixture branch is often under an hour. A stack, a jetting job, or anything needing a camera run takes longer. We'll give you a realistic window at booking based on what you describe.
Ready to get this looked at?
Call and describe what's happening. You'll get an honest read on urgency and cost before anyone comes out.