Drain Cleaning Salt Lake City: $147 to $352 + Root Clogs

National figures; we found no Salt Lake City drain cleaning price. After-hours work often costs 2 to 3 times standard pricing, HomeGuide says.

Do this now: a clogged or backing-up drain

1. Stop running water into the clogged fixture, and stop using the washer and dishwasher.
2. Multiple drains backing up at once is a common sign of a main line stoppage, HomeGuide says. Do not keep flushing.
3. Skip chemical cleaners. HomeGuide says they can eat through or damage the pipe, and Angi says they can erode pipes.
4. Sewage coming up from a floor drain: keep children and pets away, and if the backup may be on the city side, call Salt Lake City Public Utilities' 24-hour line, 801-483-6700.
5. Photograph any water on finished floors and call your insurer.

Is it urgent? Signs a clog is a main line problem

A single slow sink can wait; a main line stoppage is urgent because the next flush can push sewage into the house. HomeGuide lists slow drainage, foul odors, gurgling and water pooling at basement drains as warning signs, and says several drains backing up at once points to the main line. If water is rising in a floor drain, call now. Otherwise book a weekday visit and skip the 2 to 3 times after-hours pricing HomeGuide reports.

Tree roots and Salt Lake City sewer lines

Roots are a known problem here: Salt Lake City's sewer management plan calls root intrusion an ongoing concern that can reduce capacity and, ultimately, block the pipe. The city works to clean about 35% of its roughly 653 miles of public sewer each year, on a 2 to 4 year cycle, and to video-inspect 10%. That work covers the public mains only. The plan says laterals, the pipes from your house to the main, are owned and maintained by the property owner, so root clogs there are yours to clear. If roots keep coming back, a camera inspection ($125 to $500, HomeGuide) shows whether the pipe needs sewer line repair.

Snaking or hydro jetting?

Snaking clears most simple clogs: HomeGuide prices it at $100 to $275 for one drain and $175 to $600 for a main line. Hydro jetting runs $600 to $1,400 and clears grease and roots more completely, but HomeGuide says pipes over 40 years old, or older clay and Orangeburg pipe, may not be good candidates. Salt Lake City's median home was built in 1965, the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 survey shows, so ask for a camera look before jetting an old line.

Grease and the city sewer

Salt Lake City runs a fats, oils and grease control plan with a goal of zero sanitary sewer overflows caused by grease, and the plan says it does not pay for losses from a backup or failure of private facilities. Keep cooking grease out of the sink, and know that a clog in your own lateral is a private repair.

Drain and sewer facts for Salt Lake City, from the official city, county, state, utility, Census and NOAA pages listed under Sources.

Questions to ask a Salt Lake City drain cleaning company

1. Is the price flat or hourly, and does it include a camera look if the snake hits roots?
2. Is this a fixture clog or a main line stoppage?
3. If you recommend hydro jetting, have you checked the pipe's age and material first?
4. What is your DOPL license number, and can I see proof of insurance?

More Salt Lake City plumbing guides

All plumbing: plumber in Salt Lake City. After hours: emergency plumber in Salt Lake City. Other cities: drain cleaning in Denver and drain cleaning in Phoenix. National prices: drain cleaning. Calls go to an independent company that serves your area and takes this kind of job (how calls work).