Count the clogged drains
| How many drains | Where the clog sits | What usually works |
|---|---|---|
| One sink, tub or shower | Trap or the short line beneath it | Plunger, hair removal or a small hand auger |
| Two fixtures in one bathroom or on one wall | A shared branch line | Cable machine |
| Kitchen sink plus dishwasher | Kitchen branch line | Cable or jet |
| Several fixtures on different floors | Main drain | Professional cabling and a camera |
| Basement floor drain bubbles | Main drain or sewer connection | Stop water use, call right away |
The lowest drain in the house is the first to show a main line problem, because water follows gravity.
One slow drain you can try yourself
Hair and soap scum cause most bathroom clogs. Pull the stopper and clean it by hand, since most hair wraps around the stopper mechanism rather than sitting deep in the pipe. Use a plunger with a firm seal, and add enough water to cover the cup.
Skip chemical cleaners. They can sit in a stopped drain, burn skin and splash back during plunging. A cheap plastic drain tool or a small hand auger removes hair without any of that.
- Remove the stopper and clean it
- Plunge with water covering the cup
- Try a plastic drain tool or small auger
- Flush with hot water, not boiling water, which can soften some pipes
- Call a plumber if the water sits after two tries
Kitchen drains and grease
Cooking fat is liquid when it goes down the sink and solid a few feet later. It coats the pipe wall and catches everything that follows. A disposal helps with scraps but does nothing for grease already in the pipe.
If the kitchen sink and dishwasher both back up, the branch is clogged beyond the trap. A cable clears it, and hydro jetting scours the wall for a longer-lasting result when the pipe is coated along its length.
When to stop and call
Call the 24/7 line if sewage rises in a tub or floor drain, if more than one floor is affected, or if water is spreading toward outlets, the furnace or the water heater. Stop all water use and keep people and pets out of the wet area.
Never mix drain cleaners, and never put a hand in the disposal. If you smell gas along with the backup, leave the house and call Nicor Gas on 888-642-6748 or 911.
When the clog keeps coming back
A drain that clogs again within weeks was cleared but not fixed. The usual reasons are roots, a low spot in the pipe, scale in old cast iron or a failing joint. A camera shows which one it is.
Our drain cleaning visits begin with the cable and finish with the camera when the history suggests it. If the camera finds a problem, we show you the footage and tell you the repair options, including leaving things alone when that is right.
Drains in Woodridge homes
Census-based housing estimates put the median Woodridge home at 1980. Roughly seven in ten homes were built before 1990, and original cast iron stacks and clay laterals have had decades to collect scale and roots. If your drains clog often, the age of the pipe is a real suspect.
Village Public Works handles collection of sewage, and the Village asks residents with a backup to call so the public line can be checked, and to dial 911 after hours. Its sanitary sewer page explains the process. If the clog is on the public side, cleaning your own line will not help.
The Village prohibits sump pump, pool and downspout water in the sanitary sewer. If a basement drain keeps backing up in rain, check that none of those connect to it.
We also work in Lisle, where Public Works runs sanitary and storm sewers, and in Bolingbrook, where the private lateral is the owner's responsibility. Both are nearby, and we dispatch from Woodridge.
Keeping drains open
Use strainers in showers and tubs, wipe pans before washing and keep grease in a can. Flush only toilet paper. Run a bucket of hot water down a seldom-used drain monthly so its trap keeps its seal.
Fixing the habit matters more than fixing the clog. Most repeat calls trace back to grease poured off after cooking, wipes sent down the toilet, or a stopper nobody cleans. A few small routines keep a line open for years, and they cost nothing.
Need a plumber while you read?
Our line is open around the clock, and dispatch can book a visit for the same day when a technician is free.
Questions we hear
When several fixtures are slow together, the shared main drain is the likely cause. Stop using water and call.
We advise against it. Chemicals sit in the pipe, burn skin and can damage fittings. Tell the plumber if you already used some.
Hair around the stopper is the most common cause. Pull the stopper and clean it, then try a plastic drain tool.
It can. Gurgling when another fixture drains means air is being pushed through a restricted line or a vent is blocked.
Call Village Public Works so the public line can be checked, or dial 911 after hours. Then call a plumber for your own line.
Only when it shows symptoms. A line that clogs repeatedly deserves a camera visit, not a schedule.
For a line that keeps clogging, start with our drain cleaning service and ask for the camera.