Drain cleaning for clogged sinks, tubs and main lines in San Jose
We clear the drain and tell you why it clogged, so you are not calling again next month for the same line.
- 24/7 answered
- Phelan Ave San Jose office
- Tank, tankless, heat pump
Perfect Tankless Plumbing, San Jose, CA
Drain cleaning in San Jose clears kitchen, bathroom, tub and main line clogs with the right cable for the pipe size, or a jetter for grease and roots; when a drain keeps clogging, we camera it to find the cause instead of clearing the same line repeatedly.
Updated September 2026
Drains & Sewer
Clearing the clog and finding the cause
Most single-fixture clogs are close to the fixture: hair in a bathroom drain, grease and food in a kitchen line. A cable of the right size clears them quickly. When several fixtures are slow at once, the blockage is further down in a shared branch or the main line.
A clog that returns within weeks has a cause the cable did not touch: grease on the pipe wall, roots at a joint, scale narrowing old pipe, or a sag holding water. That is when the camera earns its place.
Warning signs
Signs the clog is more than one fixture
- Several slow drainsA shared branch or the main line.
- Tub fills when a toilet flushesMain line blockage.
- Gurgling drainsAir trapped behind a clog.
- Sewer smellWaste sitting in the line.
- Clog returns in weeksA cause the cable did not reach.
- Water at a floor drainBackup from the main.
Kitchen sink and grease
Kitchen clogs are mostly grease, soap and food that coat the pipe and catch everything else. We clear them from the trap or the cleanout with a small cable, then run hot water to check the flow. A cable opens a channel through grease, so when a kitchen line clogs repeatedly we recommend jetting to clean the full pipe wall. We also check the disposal and the dishwasher drain connection, which are common partial blockages in their own right and often the real reason the sink drains slowly.
Bathroom sink and hair
Bathroom sinks clog with hair and soap caught on the pop-up stopper linkage. We pull and clean the stopper, clear the trap, and cable the line to the wall if needed. The overflow channel often holds a smell-causing film we clean at the same time. Where the pop-up is corroded or broken, we replace it, since a stopper that will not come out makes the next clearing harder, and a new one is a small part that saves a service call later.
Tub and shower drains
Tub and shower drains collect hair at the strainer and in the trap below. We clear them through the drain or overflow opening with a small cable, and remove the tub stopper mechanism where it is trapping hair. A tub that fills when you flush a toilet or run the washing machine is not a tub clog: it points to a blockage in the main line, which we clear from the cleanout outside rather than from the tub, and then camera to see what caused it.
Floor and laundry drains
Laundry drains clog with lint that passes the washer's filter and packs the standpipe and trap. Floor drains in garages and laundry rooms dry out and let sewer gas in, or collect sediment. We clear both, check the standpipe height and trap, and refill dry floor drain traps. A laundry drain that overflows only during the spin cycle is often undersized, too short, or partially blocked further down the line, and each of those has a different fix that we explain on site.
How the job runs
How a drain call runs
- 1
Find where it is
One fixture or many.
- 2
Choose the tool
Cable size or jetter for the line.
- 3
Clear the clog
From the fixture or the cleanout.
- 4
Test the flow
Run water and flush fixtures.
- 5
Camera if it repeats
Find the cause.
- 6
Advise
Maintenance or repair if needed.
Local context
Hard water and older pipe in San Jose drains
San Jose Water Company counts anything above 7 grains per gallon as hard, and most of the city's supply is well above that. Minerals leave scale inside drain lines as well as fixtures, especially in older galvanized and cast iron drains, and scale narrows the pipe until soap and grease catch on it more easily. When a drain in an older San Jose home keeps clogging, scale is often part of the reason, and we look for it on camera.
DIY or call
Drain fixes to try first
| Task | Reasonable to DIY | Call a plumber |
|---|---|---|
| Plunging a sink or toilet | Yes | If it does not clear |
| Cleaning a pop-up stopper | Yes | If it will not come out |
| Cleaning a tub strainer | Yes | If the trap is clogged |
| Chemical drain cleaners | Not recommended | Call instead |
| Hand auger in a trap | Yes | If the clog is past the wall |
| Main line clog | No | Always |
Cost factors
What drain cleaning costs depend on
We do not publish a local drain cleaning price; the location of the clog and access set it.
- Which drain. a single fixture versus the main line
- Access. a cleanout versus pulling a toilet
- Clog type. hair and grease clear faster than roots
- Cable or jetter. jetting takes longer and cleans more
- Camera inspection. added for repeat clogs
- Time of call. after-hours visits typically cost more across the market
FAQ
Drain Cleaning questions from San Jose homeowners
Usually grease on the pipe wall, roots, scale or a sag. A camera finds the cause.
They can damage older pipes and make the job hazardous for whoever clears it next. A cable is safer.
Several fixtures slow at once, or a tub filling when a toilet flushes.
Yes. The phone is answered 24/7 and main line backups are handled as emergencies.
Cable for a one-off clog; jet for repeat grease or root clogs.
Same family
Related work in drains & sewer
Sewer Line Repair
Spot repair, Root intrusion.
How we handle sewer line repairGrease Trap Cleaning
Interceptor pumping, Line jetting after service.
Grease Trap CleaningClogged Toilet Repair
Auger clearing, Flange and wax seal.
Read about clogged toilet repairSewer Camera Inspection
Point-of-sale lateral inspection, Locating and depth marking.
Read about sewer camera inspectionSewer Odor and Smoke Testing
Dry traps and failed seals, Vent pipe leaks.
Read about sewer odor and smoke testing
One number, any hour
Get the drain flowing again
Call any hour. Tell us which drains are slow and we will bring the right tools.
