Clogged Drain Cleaning in Delaware

Drains clog for different reasons in different parts of Delaware. Cast iron and clay lines under big trees are the issue in older neighborhoods, grease and wipes in newer subdivisions, and septic tanks in much of the countryside. Find your city below, or the one closest to you. Every city page shows a rough cost range, what local soil and trees do to drains, and one number that connects you with a local plumber.

In Delaware, much of the ground is flat and low, and in the south sandy soil and a high water table keep septic systems working hard. Many homes near the beaches and farms rely on septic. Farther north, older neighborhoods have cast iron and clay sewer lines under mature oaks, maples and sweetgums, and roots find the joints. Nor'easters and summer thunderstorms soak the ground fast, so a slow drain can turn into a backup right after a storm.

• High water table and sandy soil in the south
• Septic systems at many beach and rural homes
• Cast iron and clay sewer lines in older northern neighborhoods
• Roots from oaks, maples and sweetgums
• Nor'easters and heavy summer storms

Ask whether your home has an outdoor cleanout, since it makes clearing the main line quicker and cleaner.

• Kitchen sink. Cooking grease and oil that cool and harden on the pipe wall, plus food scraps, coffee grounds and soap scum that stick to it. A garbage disposal sends more solids down, not fewer.
• Bathroom sink. Hair mixed with soap, toothpaste and shaving residue, caught on the pop-up stopper or in the trap. Small items dropped down the drain add to it.
• Tub or shower. Hair is the main cause, bound together with soap scum and conditioner. Older tubs with a trip lever drain collect it in the overflow and the drum trap.
• Toilet. Too much paper at once, wipes labeled flushable, paper towels, cotton swabs, dental floss and toys. Low-flow toilets from before about 2005 clog more often.
• Floor or laundry drain. Lint from the washing machine, sand and grit, soap, and in basements the silt that washes in. A dry trap lets sewer gas up as well.
• Main sewer line. Tree roots coming in at joints in clay and cast iron pipe, grease built up from years of kitchen use, wipes, and pipe that has sagged or cracked.
• Outdoor or yard drain. Leaves, dirt, sand and roots in yard drains, area drains, driveway trench drains and the pipes that carry downspout water away.