Drain Cleaning and Unclogging
Quick answer
One slow drain is usually a clog in that fixture's trap or branch line. Several drains backing up at once, or water coming up in a floor drain or tub when you run the washer, points to the main line. HomeServe puts professional drain cleaning at $100–$275 and main-line clogs at $150–$500. Call (888) 217-6781 for a plumber near you.
Follow the short menu, then your 5-digit ZIP. The line goes quiet for a few seconds while it connects; stay on. If it does not connect, call once more: companies taking calls change minute to minute.
Signs you need a plumber
- Water draining slowly from a sink, tub or shower
- Gurgling from drains or the toilet
- A sewer smell from a drain
- Water backing up in a tub or floor drain
- More than one fixture clogging at the same time
If sewage is coming up through a floor drain or tub, stop using every sink, toilet and the washer; each use sends more water toward the blockage.
What to check before you call
- One fixture or several? Several at once means the main line
- Clean the sink stopper or tub hair catch
- Run water in a drain you rarely use to refill its trap if the problem is only a smell
- Skip chemical drain cleaners if you will call a plumber; they make the job hazardous
What the plumber does
- 1
Finds the blockage
Works out whether it is a fixture trap, a branch line or the main sewer line.
- 2
Clears it
Uses a drain snake (auger) or hydro-jetting for grease and roots.
- 3
Checks the line
May run a camera to look for roots, a sag or a broken pipe if clogs keep coming back.
Drain cleaning cost
| Job | Typical range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Drain cleaning | $100–$275 | HomeServe |
| Main-line clog | $150–$500 | HomeServe |
HomeServe notes emergency and after-hours visits can cost more. Sources: HomeServe plumbing repair cost guide (Dec 2025).
Ready to book a plumber?
One call reaches a plumbing company taking calls in your ZIP.
Follow the short menu, then your 5-digit ZIP. The line goes quiet for a few seconds while it connects; stay on. If it does not connect, call once more: companies taking calls change minute to minute.
Step-by-step guides
Floor Drain Backing Up: What the Timing Tells You, and What to Do Now
When it backs up tells you where the blockage is: laundry, a flush upstairs or heavy rain each point to a different cause and a different call.
Main Sewer Line Clog: Signs, What to Do First and Who to Call
Several slow drains at once, a tub that fills when the toilet flushes: what a main-line clog looks like and what to do.
Kitchen Sink Not Draining: Disposal, Plunger, Trap or Plumber
Grease and food set in the trap or the pipe past it: four steps in order, and what the clog's location tells you.
Bathroom Smells Like Sewer? The 6 Causes, From Quick Fix to Real Problem (2026)
That sewer smell has six possible sources, and the most common one costs nothing to fix: a dried P-trap refills with a cup of water. The rest range from a $5 wax ring to a cracked sewer line — here's the order to check them, and the two signs it's about to become a backup.
Drain cleaning: common questions
Why do I smell sewer in my bathroom?
The most common cause is a dry trap in a drain nobody uses; running water refills it. If the smell stays, the cause can be the sink overflow, a failed toilet wax ring or a blocked vent, which a plumber can trace.
When is it the main sewer line?
When several fixtures back up at once, basement floor drains and tubs fill first, or flushing a toilet makes water rise in the tub.
Are chemical drain cleaners safe for pipes?
They can damage older pipes and leave caustic water in the line that the plumber then has to work in. Tell the plumber if you have used one.
Other plumbing services
(888) 217-6781 is the plumbing line. HearthDry is a referral service; the company you reach is independent.