Which clog do you have?
- One fixture is slow: Usually hair, grease or soap buildup close to that drain. Often a quick fix.
- Several fixtures back up, or the toilet gurgles when the washer drains: The main sewer line is likely blocked.
- Water comes up in the basement floor drain or lowest tub: Main line blockage. Stop running water and call.
How it's cleared
Plumbers use a drain snake (auger) for most clogs. For grease-heavy kitchen lines or roots in the sewer, hydro-jetting scours the pipe walls clean rather than just poking a hole through.
If clogs keep coming back, ask for a camera inspection. A small camera on a cable shows exactly what's in the line: roots, a collapsed section, a belly where water sits, or old clay or cast-iron pipe breaking down. Mature trees are a big part of what makes neighborhoods like the Tree Streets attractive, and also a common cause of root intrusion in older sewer laterals.
Keep it from coming back
- Don't pour grease down the kitchen sink; let it cool and throw it out
- "Flushable" wipes don't break down like toilet paper
- Use a hair catcher in tubs and showers
- If roots are the problem, scheduled cleaning every year or two is cheaper than emergency calls