Commercial drain cleaning
One slow sink is a maintenance ticket. Three units with slow drains on the same stack is a main line problem. We clear both, and tell you which one you've got.
What we clean
- Kitchen and laundry lines, floor drains and branch lines
- Building mains and laterals out to the public sewer
- Vertical stacks in multi-story apartment buildings
- Restaurant kitchen lines and the lines to and from the grease interceptor
- Parking garage and loading-dock drains
How we do it
- Find the right cleanout. We clear the line from the access point closest to the blockage, not through a resident's toilet when we can avoid it.
- Use the right tool. Cable machines for one-off clogs, hydro jetting for grease, scale and roots that keep coming back.
- Check the result. For any repeat problem we run a camera through the line afterward, so you know whether it's clean or damaged.
Why apartment stacks clog. Every unit above the first floor drains into shared vertical stacks and a common main. Grease, food and wipes from dozens of kitchens build up in the same few pipes, so when one finally blocks, it backs up into the lowest units first. Jetting the stacks and main on a schedule is what keeps that from happening.
Frequently asked questions
How much does commercial drain cleaning cost?
Clearing a single kitchen, laundry or branch line runs $250–$400, and a building main $350–$600. Hydro jetting a main line or stack is $700–$1,200 for the first two hours on site, and a recorded camera inspection is $300–$500 per line. Visits have a $350 minimum. See drain cleaning cost for example jobs.
What are the warning signs of a main line problem?
Several drains slowing down at once, gurgling toilets or tubs, sewage smell near floor drains, water coming up in a ground-floor unit or basement drain when upper floors run water, and the same unit calling about the same clog every few months. Any of those means the problem is in a shared line, not one sink.
What's the difference between snaking and hydro jetting?
A cable machine (snake) punches a hole through a clog to get water moving again, which is fine for a one-off blockage. Hydro jetting uses high-pressure water to scour the whole inside of the pipe, removing the grease, scale and roots that cause clogs to come back. For shared mains and kitchen stacks, jetting lasts much longer.
Do you handle active backups?
Yes. Call (630) 868-9208 during business hours and tell us it's an active backup, and we'll get a crew out as quickly as one is available. Once it's cleared, we'll recommend a camera inspection so it doesn't happen again.
Do you clean grease trap lines?
Yes. We jet the kitchen lines from the sinks and floor drains to the grease interceptor, and the line from the interceptor to the sewer. Pumping the interceptor itself is done by a licensed grease hauler; ask and we'll coordinate it on the same visit.
Stop paying for the same backup twice.
A maintenance plan costs less than the emergency calls, the water damage and the angry residents.