What’s the Cost of a Main Sewer Line Cleaning in Phoenix?

Updated November 2022

Do you have several backed up drains in your home that are driving you crazy? Yikes! If so, you likely need to have your main sewer line cleared—and, of course, you’re probably wondering how much that will cost.

Well, the cost to clear your main sewer line in Arizona ranges from $100–$500, while the average price is $300 for this service.

In this article, we’ll cover:

• How to know when you need a main sewer line cleaning
• Factors that affect the cost of a main sewer line cleaning
• Knowing when you may need to replace your sewer lines altogether

Read on for more details that will help you budget for this plumbing service.

Signs You Need Your Main Sewer Line Cleared

• Multiple drains in your home are backed up. If you have multiple slow-moving or completely backed up drains , you likely have a clog in your main sewer line and will need a plumber to clear it. Learn how our drain clearing service can help your home in Chandler, Gilbert, or another Maricopa county area.
• When you use one water appliance, water backs up in different plumbing fixtures. For example, when you flush the toilet, you notice dirty water backing up in the bathtub or shower.

• Sewage is leaking from your home’s cleanout. Your cleanout is a pipe that plumbers use to access your main sewer line. This is usually located outside.
• Sewage is coming up from your home’s floor drains. Examples of this would be when dirty sewage water comes through your shower drains, sink drains, etc.

4 Factors That Affect the Cost of a Main Sewer Line Cleaning

The factors that will impact the price of your main sewer line cleaning include:

1. The location of the clog
2. The severity of the clog
3. The need for a video camera inspection
4. Your choice of plumber

Let’s take a closer look at those four factors.

Factor #1: Location of the Clog

How does this affect price? The harder it is to access the clog, the more it will cost to clean your main sewer line.

If the clog in your main sewer line is far from your home’s “cleanout” (the access point to your main sewer line), reaching it will take more time and materials, which raises the price of the job.

Sometimes plumbers may even have to access the clog via a “drain vent” on the roof.

If this is the case, you can expect the plumber to charge more to clean your sewer line.

Factor #2: Severity of the Clog

How does this affect price? More severe clogs require more expensive tools (and more labor), which raises the overall cost of the job.

A plumber may need to use more expensive tools to break up particularly severe clogs, which raises the cost of the sewer line cleaning in Chandler, Gilbert, and other parts of Greater Phoenix.

So what makes one clog more serious than another? And what are the different tools needed to break up clogs that are more severe? Let’s take a look.

Examples of Minor Clogs

While these clogs may seem dangerous, they’re easy to access and remove in most instances. These clogs are typically made of:

• Hair
• A single item (i.e. children’s toy)
• Thick paper products
• Fibrous foods (potatoes, celery, corn, corn husks, etc.)

Tools needed for minor clogs: A plumbing snake (i.e., “auger”) is often used to clear less severe clogs. A plumbing snake is basically a long metal coil with a claw-like device at the end. The claw works to break apart and remove the clog.

If you think you need a professional to remedy a clog, schedule an appointment online or learn more about our sewer line cleaning services.

Examples of Major Clogs

These clogs can cause serious problems to sewer lines and are very hard to break up on their own. They are as follows:

• FOGs—Fats, oils, or grease
• Tree roots
• Mineral buildup

Tools needed for more severe clogs: A hydro jetter is used to break up tough clogs that a plumbing snake can’t handle. Hydro jet drain clearing services use a flexible hose with a super powerful nozzle that shoots out water at very high pressures. This strong jet of water can break apart clogs, mineral buildup, and even tree roots inside your main sewer line.

Schedule an appointment online, and Patrick Riley’s experienced plumbers will come out and assess if your drain line is right for our hydro jetting service.

Factor #3: The Need for a Video Camera Inspection

How does this affect price? If a video camera inspection is needed to locate the clog, this will usually cost an additional $150. However, a video camera inspection can save you time and money in the long run.

Here are some reasons you may need a video camera inspection:

• You’re concerned with retrieving a lost item (i.e., a wedding ring that slipped down shower drain).
• If the plumber fails to reach the clog with a plumbing snake, a video inspection will show how far down and how severe the clog is.
• The plumber needs to use a hydro jetter but isn’t sure the sewer line is strong enough to handle the high water pressure.
• You want video proof that the sewer line actually needs to be cleared (or want proof after the job is completed that the line is completely clear).

Factors #4: Your Choice of Plumber

How does this affect price? The higher quality the plumber, the more they typically charge for their sewer line cleaning.

Just like any service, you can expect to pay more for higher quality. We suggest you use a plumber near your Gilbert or Phoenix home based on their reputation and experience with drain clearing service, rather than picking the least-expensive option available. Learn how Patrick Riley determines the cost of plumbing repairs.

To help you steer clear of inexperienced or dishonest professionals, here’s what to look for when choosing a plumber:

• They’re licensed and insured by the state of Arizona.
• They can provide 2–3 references that you can contact personally to back up the plumber’s skill and professionalism.
• They offer various tools for sewer line cleaning (drain auger and hydro jetting) to ensure they can handle any severity of clog.
• They offer a guarantee of some kind (for example, Patrick Riley promises that if you aren’t 100% happy with our work the first time, we’ll redo the job—on our own dime).

Need Your Main Sewer Line Cleared? Contact our AZ Plumbers

Think you have a clogged main sewer line? Since your sewer line is a piece of critical infrastructure for your home, you want your sewer line clearing done right the first time with the least amount of damage to your property. Contact Patrick Riley Plumbing for plumbing services you can trust. We’ll send over a professional plumbing technician who will walk you through the steps and cost before effectively clearing your main sewer line.

And the best part? We promise you’ll be happy with our services—otherwise we’ll redo the job FOR FREE.