Main line blockages and how we reach them
Every drain in a building eventually joins one larger pipe that carries wastewater out to the sewer connection. When that pipe clogs, no single fixture is at fault. The lowest drain in the building, often a shower, tub or floor drain, is the first to overflow.
We open the main cleanout, which is a capped pipe at the outside wall or near the property line, and feed a heavy-duty cable machine into the line. The cutting head breaks up paper, grease, and roots, and a retrieving head can pull out toys, wipes and other solid objects. When the pipe is lined with grease or scale, we follow with a jetter to wash the wall clean.
A line with no cleanout is harder. We may need to pull a toilet or work from a roof vent, which takes more time and care, and it is one reason we suggest installing a cleanout during later repairs.
Signs the main line is the problem
A single slow sink is a local issue. These signs point to the shared line.
Gurgling toilets
Air pushed ahead of a blockage escapes through the nearest trap, so a toilet that burbles after the shower runs deserves attention.
Water at the floor drain
A laundry room or garage floor drain that seeps or bubbles when the washer drains is a classic main line warning.
Several fixtures slow at once
When the tub, the toilet and the kitchen all sag together, the common pipe is the likely culprit.
A toilet flush that raises the shower water
Wastewater moving the wrong way shows the line downstream cannot take it.
Sewer smell indoors or outdoors
Odors near a cleanout or a drain that never smelled before suggest the line is full or leaking.
Wet or unusually green patches in the yard
A saturated, foul patch near the line can mean the pipe is overflowing or broken, not just blocked.
Wastewater is backing up into the house
Sewage is a health hazard as well as a mess. Here is what to do before we arrive.
Stop using water
Do not flush, shower, or run the washing machine or dishwasher. Each gallon sent into a full line comes back out at the lowest drain.
Find and clear access to the cleanout
Look outside near the foundation or along the property line for a capped pipe. Move planters, mulch or vehicles so we can reach it, but leave the cap on if water is rising behind it.
Contain the spill
Place towels at the base of the affected drain and move rugs and stored items off the floor. Use gloves and avoid touching surfaces with bare skin.
Tell neighbors or your manager
In a condo or multifamily building the blockage may sit downstream of several units. Alerting the manager and adjacent units helps us stop more water entering the line.
Ventilate with fans if you can do so safely, and keep food and drinking glasses away from the affected area until it has been cleaned and disinfected.
Clearing a main line with a cable or a jetter
The two tools can be used together or separately. This is how they differ on a sewer line.
Heavy-duty cable machine
- Powerful drum cuts through paper, roots and packed debris
- Retrieving heads can pull out objects
- Often the right first step to open a full stoppage
- Does not remove grease from the pipe wall
- Works from a standard cleanout
Hydro jetter
- High-pressure water scours the whole pipe wall
- Best for grease, scale, silt and repeat blockages
- Can follow the cable to leave the pipe clean
- Needs a clear path and good access
- Learn more on our hydro jetting page
After either method we recommend a camera if the line has clogged before, because a pipe that keeps blocking may be damaged.
Septic or sewer, and what we can and cannot do
Many properties in this area connect to a municipal sewer, but some older or outlying properties may use a septic tank. A quick check tells you which you have. Look for a sewer cleanout near the building, a utility bill that includes sewer service, or a buried tank lid and drain field in the yard.
We clear and repair drain lines, and we do not pump septic tanks. If your system is septic and the tank is full, you need a septic hauler first. Once the tank is pumped we can clear the line between the building and the tank, and we can tell you honestly if the line, not the tank, is the issue.
Not sure which you have? Tell us your address on the phone and we will help you sort it out. If the line turns out to be broken, our sewer line repair page explains what comes next.
Commercial buildings, multifamily and shared lines
A blockage in a building with many users needs a bit more coordination. These are the points we cover with a manager or owner.
- Find the right cleanout A building may have several, and we need the one downstream of the affected units.
- Identify the affected units Knowing which floors or suites are backing up tells us where along the line the stoppage sits.
- Warn tenants and staff Stopping water use in the building while we work keeps the line from refilling.
- Plan around business hours Shops and restaurants along W Hillsboro Blvd often prefer service after closing, which we can discuss when we talk.
- Document the work We note what we found and what we did so the manager has a record for owners or the association.
- Ask about pumps A sewer ejector or lift pump that fails can mimic a clog, so tell us if your building has one.
For a single point of contact on larger properties, see our commercial plumbing page, and the Coconut Creek page if your building is west of us.
What affects the price of sewer line cleaning
A cleanout in the open and a line that needs fixtures pulled are very different jobs. We give a clear price before work starts.
Cleaning a clogged line is usually seen as maintenance, so it is often an owner expense. If a backup soaked floors, drywall or contents, a policy may respond to that damage, and some include backup coverage as an add-on.
Check your policy and photograph the damage before cleanup begins.
Want your real number? Call us and describe the job.
(561) 448-8545Sewer line cleaning questions from Deerfield Beach owners
Yes. Our emergency line is open 24/7, including nights, weekends and holidays, and we offer same-day appointments when available. We do not promise an exact arrival time because it depends on where our crews are and how many calls are active.
Call (561) 448-8545, and we will tell you what to do with the water while we plan the visit.
The shower drain is often the lowest opening on the main line. When the machine empties into a partly blocked pipe, the water seeks the easiest exit. It points to a main line problem, so stop using water and call us.
No. We clear and repair drain lines, and we refer septic pumping to a licensed septic hauler. We can clear the line between your building and the tank once the tank has been pumped.
Check your utility bill for a sewer charge, look for a sewer cleanout near the building, or look for a tank lid and drain field. If you still cannot tell, ask us when you call and we will help you work it out.
Yes. A pump that has failed or a float that has stuck can cause a backup that looks like a clog. Tell us the pump is there and we will check it along with the line.
If the line has clogged more than once, yes. Our sewer camera inspection shows whether roots, a belly or a crack is the cause, so you are not clearing the same line again in a few weeks.
We serve nearby Broward County towns, and our service areas page lists where we work. Property managers can call (561) 448-8545 to talk through access and billing.