Frustrated by your backed-up drains? It’s time to get them cleared.
Is your drain backed up or moving slower than usual? You’re probably wondering how much it will cost to get this frustrating problem fixed.
The cost of drain clearing depends on these factors:
Below, we’ll cover these factors in more detail to help you budget for your drain-clearing service.
Call Red Cap Plumbing or schedule an appointment below. We’ll provide you with an upfront estimate and clear your drain the same day—guaranteed.
The difference between the two types of drain lines.
Florida homes have 2 types of drains: a main line and a secondary drain line.
A main line clog affects multiple fixtures.
While either can get clogged, it’s typically more expensive to clear a main line than a secondary one. A main line clog is harder to access, impacts multiple fixtures, and requires using more complicated equipment. Depending on how far down the clog is, you may pay more for a plumber’s time and effort to clear it.
How do you know if you have a mainline or secondary line clog? You have a main line clog if water backs up for multiple fixtures when you turn on a faucet or flush the toilet.
Plumbers access the main line through a plumbing cleanout. The cleanouts are usually located between a house and a street and should be easy to access.
Plumbing cleanouts in Florida can look like:
Example of a plumbing cleanout that is a pipe with a cap.
Example of a plumbing cleanout that looks like a mini manhole cover
While uncommon, some Florida homes have a cleanout inside a closet, utility room, basement, or behind a toilet, etc. A hard-to-reach cleanout will make accessing the clog a challenge, increasing time and labor costs, making accessing the clog a challenge. Learn more in our article, “Where Is the Sewer Cleanout in My Florida Home?”
Plumbers will use a video camera inspection to locate the clog.
Most plumbing companies will charge a diagnostic fee to inspect your plumbing system and confirm that a clog needs to be cleared. Red Cap will clear a drain with an accessible cleanout for $83 or its free.
If a clog is identified in the main sewer line, your plumber might recommend a video camera inspection to find the precise location of the clog. Using a waterproof camera that can fit into pipes as small as 2-36” in diameter, they will feed the camera down the drain and through the plumbing cleanout. Then, using a radio transmitter, they can pinpoint the location of the clog inside the main line.
While an inspection could add to your cost, it will tell your plumber exactly where the clog is and the cause for the clog. Your plumber knowing how to best access the clog reduces your overall costs because they can be more efficient at clearing the clog.
More severe clogs will require more powerful equipment, increasing the cost of the drain clearing.
Using a plumbing snake to clear a tree root clog
Mild clogs include hair, food, toilet paper, hygiene products, lawn debris, or small tree roots in a drain line. Plumbers can remove them with plumbing snakes (also called drain-cleaning cable machines or augers). These snakes are basic handheld models that work well for clearing secondary line clogs or motorized spinning versions that can break up clogs in the main line.
A serious problem is having a “FOG” clog (fats, oils, grease buildup) or a clog caused by heavy sludge or big tree roots. A plumber will likely need to use a hydro jetting (also called a sewer jetter) device for severe clogs. Hydro jetters are more powerful and complicated to use than simple snakes and are more effective at clearing tough clogs with high-pressure streams of water.
Quality plumbers will charge more for their services but can save you money down the road. An improperly cleared drain could require additional clearings or repairs to fix any damage, and you’ll have to deal with the inconvenience of being stuck with clogged pipes again.
You can verify if a contractor is reliable by:
Red Cap plumbers are ready to provide you with efficient drain clearings.
When you hire Red Cap Plumbing, we’ll give you a fair upfront quote and send one of our experienced plumbers to clear your drain the same day. We guarantee that your drain stays unclogged.
Give us a call or schedule below to experience 5-star service.