Drain Cleaning in Reading, PA
A slow or stopped drain is the most common call we get, and it is exactly what we specialize in. We clear kitchen sinks, bathroom drains, floor drains and laundry lines with cable and auger machines, and we bring out the hydro jetter when the buildup keeps coming back.
When the Water Won't Go Down
Drains clog because something is sitting in the pipe blocking the flow. In a kitchen it is usually grease that cooled and hardened, mixed with food scraps and disposal waste. In a bathroom it is hair, soap and the waxy buildup they form together. In a laundry line it is lint and sediment. Floor drains collect whatever washes down to the lowest point in the house.
A cable machine reaches into the line and breaks up or pulls out the clog so water can pass again. That fixes most drains in one visit. When the same drain keeps clogging, the buildup is usually coating the pipe wall, and that is when hydro jetting makes sense, because it washes the pipe clean instead of just poking a hole through the blockage.
Signs Your Drain Needs Clearing
- Water draining slower than it used to
- Gurgling sounds from the drain or fixture
- A foul smell coming back up the drain
- Water backing up or pooling around the fixture
- The same drain clogging over and over again
- Multiple drains in the home acting up at once
What Builds Up Inside the Pipe
Every drain collects material over time. Grease and fats from cooking cool and stick to the pipe walls, then trap food particles and debris. Hair and soap combine into a dense mass in bathroom lines. Lint and sediment settle in laundry drains. In older pipes, mineral scale and corrosion narrow the inside and give debris more to grab onto.
Outside, tree roots find their way into sewer joints and cracks and tangle with everything that washes down. Whatever the material, the result is the same, a restricted pipe that eventually stops carrying water the way it should.
How We Clear It, Step by Step
- 1
We look at the fixture
We check which drains are affected, what the symptoms are, and whether the problem is isolated to one fixture or affecting the whole line.
- 2
We run the cable machine
A cable or auger is fed into the drain to the clog. The cutter head breaks up the blockage or pulls it back out so water flows again.
- 3
We test the flow
We run water and watch how it drains. If the line is still sluggish, or if the clog is grease-based, we recommend hydro jetting to scour it clean.
- 4
We confirm it's clear
On stubborn or repeat clogs we can run a camera down the line to show you the pipe is open and to check for underlying damage.
At Home
Most residential calls are kitchen and bathroom drains, laundry lines and basement floor drains. Cable machines handle the majority, and jetting clears the stubborn grease buildup in kitchen branches.
At a Business
Commercial drains see far more volume. Restaurants, restrooms and high-traffic fixtures need heavier clearing and often scheduled maintenance to keep lines from shutting down operations.
When Drain Cleaning Isn't Enough
If the same drain clogs every few weeks, the pipe is likely damaged or collapsed, not just dirty. Repeated clogs point to roots, a broken section, or a belly in the line where water and debris collect. In those cases clearing buys you time, but a camera inspection will show whether the pipe needs repair. We will tell you straight when clearing is a temporary fix and when there is a deeper problem.
Related Services
Drain Cleaning Questions
What's the difference between snaking and hydro jetting a drain?
A cable machine, or snake, punches a hole through a clog so water can pass. Hydro jetting uses high-pressure water to scour the entire pipe wall clean of grease, sludge and buildup. We use cable machines for most clogs and jetting when the buildup keeps coming back.
Can you clear a kitchen sink that keeps clogging?
Yes. Kitchen sinks clog from grease, food scraps and garbage disposal waste collecting in the trap and branch line. We cable the line first, and if grease is the cause we can hydro jet it clean so it does not return as quickly.
Will chemical drain cleaners fix a stubborn clog?
Over-the-counter chemicals rarely clear a full blockage and they can corrode older pipes, especially cast iron. Mechanical clearing with a cable or jetter removes the clog instead of dissolving a hole through part of it.
Do you clear floor drains and laundry drains too?
Yes. Floor drains in basements and laundry drains clog from lint, sediment and debris. We clear them the same way as any other fixture drain in your home.
What if the clog is out at the main sewer line?
If more than one fixture is backing up at once, the clog is likely in the main line. We handle main line cleaning as well, and a camera inspection can confirm where the blockage sits.
What's Causing My Clog?
Answer three quick questions and we'll point to the most likely cause and the service that fits.
Which drain is giving you trouble?
Got a Drain That Won't Move?
Clogs are what we do. Call Drainmasters inc and we'll clear it.
Call (610) 914-2564Areas we serve: Reading and Berks County. Outside our main area we serve the rest of Berks County with a trip charge.