Hydro Jetting
Blast grease, scale and roots out of a stubborn pipe using a pressurized water jet.
Drains and sewer ยท Lafayette, CO
Emergency Drain Cleaning in Lafayette, CO
A single slow sink is an annoyance. A tub, toilet and floor drain gurgling together signal trouble in the main line. Solving it begins with judging how far the blockage lies from the drain you can see.
If several fixtures back up together, stop using water and call.
Which drain is it?
- One fixture slowThe blockage sits in that fixture's own branch.
- Several fixtures slowThe obstruction is further along, close to the main.
- Bubbling after a flushAir is pushing past a partial blockage.
Reading the pattern
The order in which drains misbehave tells you where the clog sits. A kitchen sink that drains slowly while the bathroom works normally points to grease or food in the kitchen branch. A basement floor drain that rises when the washer empties points to the main line.
Write down which fixtures act up and when. That short list helps the contractor choose a hand auger, a drum machine or a jetter, and it speeds the diagnosis on the phone.
Tools and methods
A hand auger or a closet auger handles a clog in a sink or toilet trap. A drum machine feeds a longer cable through a cleanout or a vent, which reaches a clog in a branch or main line. Cables can scrape walls clean but also leave grease on the pipe.
For heavy grease, scale or roots, a jetter scours the pipe with water. See hydro jetting for that method. A camera after cleaning shows whether the pipe is sound.
Cost
What affects drain cleaning prices
Drain cleaning is cheaper when the clog is close and the access is easy.
Ask whether a camera look after cleaning is included or charged separately.
In Lafayette
Tree roots and Front Range soil
Older Lafayette streets have mature trees whose roots seek moisture, and clay laterals with loose joints give them a way in. Roots reveal themselves when a drain clears, then slows again within a few weeks.
If a camera shows roots in the main line, cutting them is a temporary fix, and a repair or relining is the permanent one. Ask for the footage so you can see what the pipe looks like.
Why clogs come back
Grease poured down kitchen drains cools and coats the pipe wall. Hair and soap scum combine in tubs. Wipes sold as flushable do not break down, and they gather at pipe joints.
In older lines, roots find hairline cracks and grow into the pipe. If the same drain clogs again within months, the cause is probably in the pipe, not in what went down it. A sewer camera inspection finds out.
What not to pour in
Chemical drain openers can soften plastic traps, burn skin and eat at old metal. They also leave harsh liquid sitting in the pipe for whoever works on it next. A plunger and a drain strainer are better first steps.
Keep grease, coffee grounds, rice, paper towels and wipes out of the drain. Cooking oil goes in a can and then in the trash. A monthly flush of hot water does little for the pipe, but it does no harm.
If the clog comes back
Sewer Camera Inspection
Feed a camera through the pipe to view damage ahead of a home purchase or an excavation.
Sewer Line Repair
Repair a cracked, rooted, sagging or separated sewer pipe without replacing more than necessary.
Common questions
Answers on Drain cleaning
Yes, whenever sewage rises through a tub or floor drain. Stop all water use and call.
A careful cable on a sound pipe does not. In brittle old pipe, a camera first is a good idea.
If the lowest drains in the house, such as the basement floor drain or a ground-floor tub, back up first, the main is the likely culprit.
They can open a small clog but do not clear grease or roots, and they harm pipe. A mechanical clear is better.
Drain backing up?
Call the 24/7 line, say which fixtures are affected, and stop running water until the dispatcher has the details.