Drain cleaning

Drain cleaning in Westminster, CO

Drain cleaning in Westminster, CO: slow sink, clogged tub or a drain that keeps backing up? A clog that keeps coming back won't fix itself. Call (720) 861-8125 now to see if an independent plumber can reach your address.

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Close-up of a stainless steel sink drain

Common problems

Signs of a drain problem

A single slow drain is usually local. A pattern across several drains points to the main line.

One slow sink or tub

Usually hair, soap or grease in the trap or the branch line. Often fixed with a snake or a camera look.

A clog that keeps returning

If it clears and comes back within weeks, there may be a deeper blockage, a damaged pipe or tree roots.

Gurgling pipes or bubbling toilets

Air is being pushed through water in the line, which can mean a partial blockage or a venting problem.

Several drains slow at once

A tub, sink and toilet that all drain badly at the same time usually means the main line is partly blocked.

Water backing up in a lower drain

A shower or floor drain that fills when you run the washer or flush upstairs points to the main line.

Bad smells from drains

Food, grease or a dry trap can cause it. A smell with slow drains can mean a blockage building up.

Safe checks before you call

Try a plunger. A plain plunger with a good seal clears many sink and tub clogs. Keep the overflow covered when plunging a sink.
Clean the stopper and trap. Hair and soap collect at the stopper. Cleaning the P-trap under a sink can clear it, with a bucket under it.
Run hot water, then check other drains. If only one drain is slow, the problem is probably local. If several are slow, stop and call.

When to call a professional

More than one drain is slow or backing up.
The clog returns after you clear it.
Water backs up into a tub, shower or floor drain.
A plunger and a simple snake do not clear it.

Safety first: Poison Control describes drain cleaners as strong, caustic products that can burn skin and eyes, and fumes can injure the lungs. Never mix drain cleaners with other cleaning products, and tell the plumber if you used one, because the liquid in the drain can still be hazardous.

Recognize the problem? Call to ask whether an independent plumber can reach your address.

Call (720) 861-8125

How a plumber typically diagnoses drain problems

Ask which drains are affected and when, to tell a local clog from a main-line problem.
Clear the blockage with a cable or a water jet, and when it keeps returning, look inside the line with a camera.
Explain what was found, whether the line is damaged and what a lasting fix involves.

What affects the cost of drain work

How deep the blockage is and how easy the drain is to reach, such as a cleanout versus pulling a toilet.
Whether a camera inspection is needed to find the cause.
Whether the line is damaged or roots have grown in and need cutting or repair.

This website doesn't set prices. Ask the plumber for a written estimate before you approve any work.

Local conditions

What clogs and backups look like around Westminster

Westminster's wastewater pages list tree roots, flushed wipes and other non-waste items, and grease as the common causes of sewer backups. Wipes labeled flushable still tend to catch in lines, so the safest rule is to flush only toilet paper.

The city says that property owners maintain the sewer lateral, the line from the home to the city main. If the backup is in the lateral, the city says to call a licensed plumber. If it is in the city main, it directs residents to its wastewater collections team. A plumber's camera can show which one you have.

Where appropriate

Hydro jetting: when a plumber may recommend it

Hydro jetting is one method among several, and it is not right for every pipe.

Hydro jetting uses a hose with a nozzle that sends high-pressure water through the drain line. The water scours the pipe walls and flushes out grease, soap scale, sludge and softer buildup, which a cable alone can leave behind. Plumbers often consider it for grease-heavy kitchen lines, for repeat clogs in a main line, and for lines where a camera shows heavy buildup.

It is not for every drain. A plumber will usually look inside first with a camera, because jetting can be a poor choice for pipes that are cracked, collapsed, badly corroded or already leaking. Older lines in Westminster's established neighborhoods are a reason to ask before agreeing. If roots are the problem, a plumber may cut them first and then discuss jetting or a repair.

Ask the plumber three things: why jetting rather than a cable, what the camera showed, and what you will do if the clog returns. If it keeps returning, the real fix may be a repair, which is covered under sewer line repair. A single clogged toilet is a different problem, covered under toilet repair.

Which drain

Kitchen, bathroom, laundry and floor drains clog for different reasons

Tell the plumber which drain is affected. A good drain cleaning service starts with that answer, because each drain type calls for a different approach.

Kitchen sink

Grease, food scraps and soap residue. Grease cools and hardens in the line, which is why it keeps returning and why Westminster's wastewater pages list it among common causes of backups.

Bathroom sink and tub

Hair and soap scum. A single slow tub or sink is usually local to that fixture.

Laundry standpipe

Lint and detergent buildup. A standpipe that overflows when the washer drains can point to the main line.

Basement or floor drain

The lowest drain in the house shows a main-line problem first. If it fills when you run water upstairs, stop and call.

Decisions

Clear it once or fix the cause?

Clearing a clog fixes the symptom. When a clog returns, the cause can be roots, a bellied or cracked pipe, or years of buildup. A camera inspection can show which one.

Ask the plumber to show you what the camera found and to explain the options in writing, from regular cleaning to repairing a section of pipe. Don't pay for repeat clearing without asking why it keeps happening.

What to tell the plumber

Which drains are slow and when it started.
Whether you have used a drain cleaner or a plunger.
Whether the problem happens after laundry, dishes or guests, which can point to the main line.

Discuss the diagnosis, pricing and timing directly with the plumber, and confirm their license and insurance before work begins.

More than one drain backing up? Stop using water, then call to ask whether an independent plumber can reach your address.

Call (720) 861-8125

Maintenance

Simple care that helps prevent repeat problems

Flush only toilet paper, and put wipes, rags and paper towels in the trash.
Keep grease out of drains by collecting it in a container and throwing it away.
Use drain screens in tubs and showers to catch hair.

Questions

Drain Cleaning questions

Is it safe to use a chemical drain cleaner?

Poison Control warns that drain cleaners are caustic and that cleaning products should never be mixed. If a drain is blocked and you have used a cleaner, tell the plumber, because the liquid can still be hazardous.

Why does my drain keep clogging?

A clog that keeps returning can come from a deeper blockage, roots, a damaged pipe or buildup. A camera inspection shows what a snake cannot.

Whose responsibility is the sewer line to the street?

According to Westminster's wastewater page, the property owner is responsible from the property to where the line meets the city main. The city owns the main.

Are flushable wipes really flushable?

Westminster lists flushed wipes among the common causes of sewer backups. The safest rule is to flush only toilet paper.

What is hydro jetting?

A method that clears a drain line with a high-pressure stream of water instead of a cable alone. It can remove grease and buildup from the pipe walls. A plumber decides whether it suits your pipes, usually after a camera inspection.

Is hydro jetting safe for older pipes?

Not always. Jetting can be unsuitable for pipes that are cracked, collapsed or badly corroded. Ask the plumber what the camera showed and why jetting is or is not appropriate for your line.

Where we take calls

Drain Cleaning calls from across the north Denver metro area

Each local guide explains who handles permits and utilities there and what to check first.

Westminster area

North and east

West and north

Other services

Water dripping from the open end of a pipe

Sources and further reading

Top tips for a safe spring cleaning — Poison Control. Drain cleaners are caustic, and cleaning products should never be mixed.
Residential wastewater questions — City of Westminster. Common causes of sewer backups and who to call.
Wastewater — City of Westminster. Who owns the sewer main and the service line.
State Plumbing Board — Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations. Colorado plumber license types and the license lookup.

Need drain help? Call to get started.

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Call (720) 861-8125 Check your ZIP