When a full sewer line is an emergency
A backed-up lateral shows itself at the lowest drain in the house. If the basement floor drain gurgles, the tub fills when you run the washer or several toilets back up together, the blockage is in the main or the lateral and is not at a single fixture.
Stop all water use at once. Do not flush or run the dishwasher, and if you can safely reach the cleanout cap outside, do not open it yourself, because a full pipe can release wastewater under pressure. Call any hour, and we schedule the visit, with same-day appointments when available.
- Water or sewage rising in a floor drain, tub or shower.
- Toilets bubbling or draining slowly across the whole house.
- Wet or sunken ground in the yard along the sewer path.
- A sewer smell inside after rain or heavy water use.
Sewer line cleaning versus drain cleaning
The two jobs sound alike but cover different pipe. Drain cleaning clears a fixture trap or a branch line inside the house. Sewer line cleaning works the long underground lateral between the house and the public main, which is larger and often a hundred feet or more.
| Question | Drain cleaning | Sewer line cleaning |
|---|---|---|
| Where is the pipe? | Inside the house, at a fixture or branch | Underground, from the cleanout to the main |
| Typical symptom | One sink or tub drains slowly | Several fixtures back up or a floor drain gurgles |
| Usual tool | Hand auger or small cable | Large machine with cutting heads or a water jet |
| Usual cause | Hair, soap film, grease | Roots, scale, wipes, buildup |
| National cost guide | Basic clog $100 to $275 | Snaking a main $150 to $500 |
A licensed plumber is on the 24/7 line now. Call before more water goes down the drain.
Call (855) 575-2890Roots and the cleanout
Roots are the most common cause of a full lateral. They enter at joints, grow into a thick mat and catch paper and grease. A cutting head on a heavy cable chews through the mass, but the roots grow back unless the joint is sealed, which is why a camera look matters.
The cleanout is the access we use. It is a capped pipe, usually in the basement, crawl space or yard. A good one lets us put the machine straight into the lateral, while a missing cleanout means pulling a toilet, which takes longer and costs more.
- Find the entry. We locate the cleanout, or the best fixture if none exists.
- Cut the blockage. A machine with the right head chews through roots or breaks up a packed clog.
- Scour the wall if needed. Where grease or scale lines the pipe, we use hydro jetting to clean the full circle.
- Run a camera to the main. We check that the line is clear and look for the cause of the clog.
What sewer line cleaning costs in Hazelwood
National cost guides put snaking a main line at $150 to $500 and hydro jetting a main at $250 to $800. Those are national ranges, not a local quote.
We give a clear price before work starts, after learning how far the clog sits from the cleanout.
Insurers rarely pay for cleaning a root-clogged line, though a separate sewer backup endorsement may cover resulting water damage.
Hazelwood laterals and who handles what
MSD maintains the public sewers, and the private lateral from your house to the public main is generally the owner's responsibility. Call MSD at 314-768-6260 to confirm your own case. If our camera shows the blockage sits in the public main, we give you the footage to take to MSD.
Hazelwood's winters matter here too. The city lists a frost depth of 30 inches and a winter design temperature of 2 degrees F, so a lateral with a shifted joint can open when the ground freezes and thaws. If cleaning keeps being needed, ask about sewer line repair.
The International Plumbing Code (IPC) calls for cleanouts at the base of stacks and at changes of direction in building drains, which exist so a cleaning tool can reach the line. A house without an accessible cleanout makes every future cleaning harder and more expensive.
Cleaning on a schedule
A lateral with known roots may need cleaning every so often, and the camera shows how fast they regrow. Some owners book it before the wet season. If you are a Maryland Heights homeowner, see the Maryland Heights plumbing page for local service notes.
Keep wipes, grease and paper towels out of the line. Even products sold as flushable do not break down fast enough, and they catch on roots.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The line is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call, tell us which drains are backing up and keep water off. We offer same-day appointments when available.
Drain cleaning clears a fixture or branch inside the house. Sewer line cleaning clears the underground lateral to the public main with larger machines or a water jet.
Roots enter at joints and grow back when the joint stays open. Cutting clears the pipe, and a repair or lining seals the entry. A camera inspection shows where they come in.
It is not required to clean the line, but it makes the work faster and cheaper. Without one we have to go in through a toilet.
MSD maintains the public sewers, and the owner is generally responsible for the lateral from the house to the main. Confirm with MSD at 314-768-6260.
Yes. We state a clear price before work starts, once we see how far the clog is from the cleanout.
Questions about your situation? A licensed plumber is on the line any hour.
Call (855) 575-2890