Drain cleaning and sewer camera inspection
Compare local drain cleaning pros in your city. 1,202 pros listed in 730 cities across 43 states.
Reviewed and updated by the Fixerlane editorial team · How we research
Drain Cleaning by city
What drain cleaning involves
A drain pro’s job is to find where the blockage is and clear it with the least force that works. The usual tools, roughly in order:
- Plunger or closet auger, for a toilet.
- A hand or machine cable (a “snake” or auger) through the fixture, its trap or a cleanout, with heads that cut through hair, grease and roots.
- Hydro jetting: high-pressure water that scours grease and roots off the pipe wall. It cleans more thoroughly than a cable, but a careful pro checks the pipe first, because pressure can make a cracked or badly corroded line worse.
One clogged drain, or the main line?
One slow sink is a clog in that sink’s branch. Several fixtures misbehaving at once points to the main sewer line, which carries everything out of the house. Angi lists the giveaways: multiple fixtures clogged, water appearing in the shower when you flush the toilet, a rotten-egg smell, bubbling or gurgling noises, and soggy grass when it has not rained (Angi).
A main-line stoppage is the one to deal with quickly: until it is cleared, every flush and shower drains back into the lowest fixture in the house.
Sewer camera inspection
A sewer camera inspection (a “sewer scope”) sends a waterproof camera on a push cable down the line, usually through a cleanout — or through the toilet flange, with the toilet lifted off, where there is no cleanout. You see what the pipe looks like from inside: roots at the joints, a section that has shifted or sagged and holds water, cracks, a collapse, or a build-up of grease. A transmitter in the camera head lets the pro mark on the ground where and how deep a problem is.
It is worth paying for when:
- The main line keeps clogging, and you want to know why rather than clear it again.
- Someone recommends digging up or replacing the line — the video is your evidence either way, and a second opinion on it is cheap.
- You are buying an older house. HomeGuide recommends a scope for homes older than 20 years (HomeGuide) — publisher advice, not a code requirement.
Ask for a copy of the video, with the footage marks of anything they flag. A finding you cannot see is a finding you cannot check.
Signs you need a pro
- A drain that clogs again within days of plunging.
- Water rising in a shower, tub or floor drain when you flush or run the washer.
- Gurgling from drains or toilets when other fixtures are used.
- A sewage smell indoors or in the yard.
- Wet, sunken or unusually green patches over the sewer line.
Sewage coming into the house is urgent: stop using water and call. If it is the middle of the night, see emergency plumbers.
How to choose a drain cleaning pro
- Ask what the price covers: clearing the line, or the visit. Get it before work starts.
- Ask whether they will run a camera after clearing a main line, and whether you keep the video.
- Ask what happens if it clogs again soon after — many offer a period during which they will come back.
- Treat a recommendation to replace or dig up a line as a quote, not a diagnosis. Ask to see the footage, and get a second opinion on anything large.
- Check the licence where your state requires one for drain or sewer work, and ask for proof of insurance.
What affects the cost
- Where the clog is: a single fixture costs less than the main line.
- Access: a reachable cleanout is quicker than pulling a toilet or working from the roof vent.
- Method: a cable clears most clogs; jetting takes more equipment and time.
- A camera inspection, which may be quoted separately.
- Timing: emergency and after-hours calls cost more.
- What the camera finds. Roots, sags and breaks need repair, not just cleaning.
DIY or pro — and prevention
A plunger and a hand auger clear most single-fixture clogs — they are the safer alternative EPA lists to chemical drain cleaner (EPA). Go easy on the chemicals: Poison Control warns that drain cleaner can splash back out of the drain and injure you, particularly when too much is poured into a completely blocked drain (Poison Control). If one does not work you are left with a drain full of caustic water, so tell the plumber before they start.
Most clogs are preventable: strainers in sinks and showers; grease into a container, not the drain; and only toilet paper in the toilet — “flushable” wipes included in the things that should go in the trash.
Common questions
- How often should drains be professionally cleaned?
- There is no code or federal rule. Clean when there is a problem. If a line needs clearing more than once a year, have it camera-inspected to find the cause — roots or a sag will keep coming back however often it is cleaned.
- Can snaking a drain make it worse?
- It can, if the wrong tool is used: an oversized cutter in an old or damaged pipe can crack it, and a cable can punch a hole through a blockage that then re-forms. That is why a recurring main-line clog should be scoped, not just snaked again.
- Are chemical drain cleaners safe?
- They are caustic, and Poison Control warns they can splash back out of a drain, especially a completely blocked one. A plunger or hand auger is the safer first step. If you have used one, tell the plumber before they start.
- What is a sewer camera inspection and do I need one?
- A camera pushed through the sewer line to show its condition from inside. You need one when the main keeps clogging, before agreeing to replace a line, or when buying an older house.
- How long does a camera inspection take?
- It is normally done in one visit. Ask the pro how long they allow — finding and opening access takes longer where there is no cleanout and a toilet has to come off.
- Should I get a sewer scope before buying a house?
- For an older house, or one with big trees near the line, it is cheap insurance against an expensive surprise. A standard home inspection does not usually look inside the sewer line; ask your inspector whether theirs does.
- Who is responsible for the sewer line, me or the city?
- It depends on your city. Commonly the homeowner is responsible for the private line (the lateral) from the house towards the public main, and the city for the main itself — but where the boundary sits varies. Your sewer utility can tell you.
Related services
Guides
Sources
Safety and standards advice on this page comes from these publishers. Dates are the ones each page shows.
- Angi, How Much Will It Cost to Clean My Drain? (updated August 3, 2026)
- HomeGuide, How much does a sewer camera inspection cost? (written October 9, 2023)
- Poison Control (National Capital Poison Center), What’s in Drain Cleaner? (undated; read October 2026)
- US EPA, Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) (last updated June 1, 2026)
Are you a plumbing pro? Get a free listing and plumbing software.