Services
Drain cleaning services for Somerville homes and shops
A clogged bathroom sink and a root-bound sewer lateral are both called drain problems, but they need different tools and different people. These pages explain each service in plain terms so you know what to ask for when you call.
Not sure which one you need? Describe the symptoms on the call.
All services
ServiceBathroom Drain Cleaning
Lavatory sinks clogged by hair and soap at the stopper, the overflow or an old drum trap.
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ServiceClogged Drain Repair
Any clogged fixture in the house, starting with the question that decides everything: is it one drain or the line they all share?
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ServiceCommercial Drain Cleaning
Drain and grease-line cleaning for restaurants, cafes and mixed-use buildings, scheduled around service hours where possible.
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ServiceDrain Camera Inspection
A push camera run through interior drains and stacks to show what is inside the pipe, where it is, and whether it needs more than cleaning.
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ServiceEmergency Bathroom Drain Cleaning
A sink or tub overflowing onto the floor and into the unit below: stop the water, protect the ceiling, then clear the drain.
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Emergency Clogged Drain Service
For nights when two or more fixtures quit together and you need to know whether it is one shared clog or the main.
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Emergency Commercial Drain Cleaning
Restaurant or storefront drains down mid-service: grease interceptor overflows, Somerville FOG rules, and urgent clearing.
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ServiceEmergency Drain Cleaning
A triage guide for urgent drain trouble: sort out which drain failed, what to shut off, and when to call tonight.
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ServiceEmergency Hydro Jetting
When urgent hydro jetting is the right answer for a blocked line, and when older pipe calls for a cable or a camera first.
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ServiceEmergency Kitchen Drain Cleaning
A full, greasy kitchen sink before a big meal: safe steps, disposal jams, and when the kitchen branch needs a cable tonight.
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Emergency Sewer Line Cleaning
Sewage in the basement: sort a blocked lateral from a storm-surcharged city sewer, and know what urgent main line work involves.
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ServiceEmergency Toilet Drain Cleaning
A toilet spilling over: stop the tank, protect the ceiling below, and decide whether the clog needs someone tonight.
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Floor Drain Cleaning
Clearing and checking basement floor drains in older Somerville homes, from dried-out traps to laundry overflow and storm backups.
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Hydro Jetting
Water jetting to scour grease, sludge and fine roots from sound drain and sewer pipe, with a camera check before and after.
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Kitchen Drain Cleaning
Grease, disposal jams and stacked triple-decker kitchens that drain through the units below.
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Main Sewer Line Cleaning
Cleaning the building drain and the lateral to the street, usually from a basement cleanout, when several fixtures back up at once.
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ServicePreventative Drain Maintenance
Scheduled cleaning and camera checks for multi-unit Somerville buildings, with records owners and condo boards can use.
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Sewer Line Inspection
A documented assessment of the building drain and lateral, for buyers, condo conversions, repeat backups and relining decisions.
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Shower and Bathtub Drain Cleaning
Hair and soap scum in tub waste-and-overflows, shower strainers and clawfoot drains.
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Toilet Drain Clearing
Clearing stopped toilets, from the trap in the bowl to the closet bend and the branch that joins an old cast-iron stack.
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Choosing
Start with the fixture, then follow the pipe
Most drain calls in Somerville begin at one fixture: the kitchen sink, a tub, a toilet or the floor drain in the cellar. If only that fixture is slow, the clog is usually in its trap or its short branch, and the fixture pages below cover it: kitchen drains, bathroom sinks, showers and tubs and toilets.
When more than one fixture is affected, or when water from one floor appears on another, the trouble is further down the line: in a shared stack, in the building drain in the basement or in the lateral to the street. That is where main sewer line cleaning, hydro jetting and a drain camera inspection come in. Owners of multi-family buildings and small businesses will also find pages on commercial drain cleaning and preventative maintenance.
If water or sewage is coming up right now, go straight to the emergency pages listed with the services. They focus on what to do in the first minutes and how to call to check emergency availability, and each one points back to the full service page for the longer explanation.
FAQ
Choosing a drain service in Somerville: quick answers
How do I know which drain cleaning service I need?
Start with what is slow or backing up: one fixture points to that fixture's line, several fixtures point to the shared building drain. A single slow sink usually needs clogged drain repair, while water rising in the basement points to main sewer line cleaning. Describe the symptoms on the call and the contractor will suggest a method.
What is the difference between snaking a drain and hydro jetting it?
Snaking uses a rotating cable to bore through or pull out a clog, while jetting scours the pipe walls with high-pressure water. A cable suits most single clogs. Hydro jetting suits grease, scale and roots coating a long line, as long as a camera shows the pipe can take the pressure.
When should a camera inspection come before drain cleaning?
Ask for one when the same line keeps clogging, when roots are suspected, or before jetting old cast iron or clay. The camera shows the cause and condition of the pipe, so the cleaning method fits. The drain camera inspection page explains what the footage can and cannot tell you.
Are the emergency drain pages different from the regular services?
Yes, the emergency pages focus on what to do while water is rising and what to ask on the call. The regular pages explain each method in depth. If something is overflowing now, start with emergency drain cleaning and call to check emergency availability with the contractor you are connected with.
Describe the drain, get connected with a contractor
Call and say which drains are slow and on which floor. Your call goes to an independent local drain contractor who can explain which service fits.