Drain Cleaning Seattle: $150 to $450 + Side Sewer Rules

Seattle rows are local figures; national rows are labeled.

Do this now: a clogged or backing-up drain in Seattle

1. Stop running water into the clogged fixture and stop the washer and dishwasher.
2. Several drains backing up at once points to the main line, HomeGuide says. Stop flushing.
3. Skip chemical cleaners; HomeGuide says they can damage pipes.
4. Before anyone clears a side sewer blockage, SPU says call Puget Sound Energy at 1-888-225-5773 so a cross-bored gas line is not hit.
5. If the plumber suspects the City main, call SPU at (206) 386-1800.

Is it urgent? Signs the clog is in the side sewer

A single slow sink can wait. A clog in the side sewer is urgent because the next flush can push sewage into the basement. Slow drains, odors, gurgling and water pooling at basement drains are the warning signs HomeGuide lists. Seattle's rain makes it worse: Sea-Tac averages 39.34 inches of precipitation a year, NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals show, and Angi's Seattle guide says heavy rain drives sewer backups. Call now if water is rising in a floor drain.

Cross-bored gas lines: the Seattle rule before any snaking

Seattle Public Utilities tells homeowners to call Puget Sound Energy at 1-888-225-5773 before clearing a side sewer blockage, to avoid hitting a cross-bored gas line, a gas pipe bored through a sewer line by mistake. A cutting head on a sewer snake can rupture it. Ask the drain company whether it checks with PSE before running a cutter or jetter into the side sewer.

How often a Seattle side sewer needs cleaning

SPU recommends inspecting a side sewer every 8 to 10 years, every 2 to 3 years when large trees are near the line, and when buying a home. It puts an inspection at $230 to $845 depending on pipe condition, and says routine cleaning is generally less than $1,500 and needs no City permit. Seattle's median home was built in 1976 and 22.8% of units date to 1939 or earlier, Census counts show, so many side sewers are old clay. If cleaning keeps failing, see sewer line repair in Seattle.

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

Questions to ask a Seattle drain cleaning company

1. Is the price flat or hourly, and does it include a camera look?
2. Do you call Puget Sound Energy before clearing a side sewer?
3. Is the clog in a fixture drain or the side sewer?
4. What is your L&I registration number, and can I see proof of insurance?

More Seattle plumbing guides

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