A sewage backup is a house-wide emergency, so stop using water now and call, because our 24/7 dispatch reaches licensed plumbers at any hour. Keep people away from the affected floor until a plumber says it is clear.
Sewer line cleaning is the clearing of the main drain that carries all of your home's wastewater out to the street connection. The goal is a line that flows freely, and a clear explanation of why it stopped.
Sewage coming up in the house: what to do first
Do these things before you pick up a towel.
Stop all water use
That means every toilet, sink, shower, dishwasher and washing machine. A blocked main has nowhere to send it.
Keep out of the wet area
Sewage carries bacteria. Move children, pets and anyone with a weak immune system away, and wear gloves and boots if you must go in.
Turn off power to a flooded space
If water reaches outlets, a baseboard heater or an appliance, leave the room and shut off the breaker only if you can reach the panel while standing on dry ground, otherwise stay out and call 911 or the electric utility.
Do not open the cleanout cap
Pressure behind the cap can force sewage out. Tell us where it is, and we will open it safely.
Photograph before you clean
Take photos of the water and anything it touched for your insurer.
Sewer backup: signs the main line is the problem
A main line stoppage rarely starts with a flood. It starts with a toilet that gurgles when the shower drains, or a floor drain that smells. Water then rises in the lowest fixture first, because the lowest drain in the house is the first place a blocked main pushes back.
Three clues point to the main. Several fixtures react together, the lowest drain is the one that overflows, and the symptoms do not respond to a plunger. If only one tub or sink is affected, the clog is probably in a branch, and drain cleaning covers that case.
What commonly blocks a main
Grease and soap film build up on the wall until a clump of paper or a wipe jams. Roots enter through joints and form a mat. A bellied or offset section collects solids in the same place every time.
Wipes marketed as flushable do not break down like toilet paper and are a frequent culprit. Paper towels, feminine products and cat litter do the same.
October 2015 and Hugo: why rain and wet ground matter to a sewer line
NWS Charleston recorded widespread rainfall of 15 to 20 inches, with localized amounts over 25 inches, across the tri-county area during the October 2015 floods. Hurricane Hugo hit the Lowcountry in September 1989 with more than $2.8 billion in damage. No Hanahan-specific totals exist in those sources, so we cannot say how any street fared.
What those events show is how a Lowcountry lot behaves when the ground is soaked. Saturated soil and flooded yards can push groundwater and stormwater through cracks and joints in older sewer pipe, and the extra flow can overwhelm a line. After a storm, if backups start, tell us whether the yard was flooded, and ask your sewer provider if neighbors are affected. Backups that return with every storm often end up needing sewer line repair.
Water or sewage problem right now?Call the 24/7 line. A licensed plumber, a clear price before work starts.
Call (855) 575-2890From cleanout to a cleared main
A sewer line cleaning visit follows this order.
- 1
Find the cleanout
We locate the access point, often outside near the foundation, and check for standing water before opening it.
- 2
Open the line
A cable machine with a cutter head breaks through the stoppage. Roots, paper and grease give different feel on the cable, and we note which.
- 3
Clean the wall if needed
If the line is coated, hydro jetting strips the wall so the opening holds.
- 4
Run water and watch
We flush the line and watch the cleanout and lowest drain to confirm it flows.
- 5
Report what we found
We tell you whether the cause was a one-time blockage or something that will return, and whether a camera look is warranted.
Clues that point to the main sewer line
Use this to decide what to tell the dispatcher.
| What you see | What it suggests | What we check |
|---|---|---|
| One slow sink | A blocked branch or trap | The fixture's drain and trap |
| Tub gurgles when toilet flushes | A shared branch or main is partly blocked | The cleanout and the line past the bathrooms |
| Floor drain or lowest tub overflows | The main is blocked or full | The cleanout, then the line toward the street |
| Backups only after heavy rain | Ground water or stormwater overloading the line | A camera run for cracks and the yard drainage |
| Neighbors report the same thing | A problem in the public sewer | Your side, then a call to the sewer provider |
Sewer drain cleaning and main sewer cleaning, plainly
Sewer drain cleaning and main sewer cleaning describe the same work seen from two angles. The drain is the pipe inside your property, and the main is the section that carries everything to the street connection.
We clear your side of that line from the cleanout. If the stoppage lies out in the public sewer, the sewer provider handles it, and the City's Public Works page lists Berkeley County Sanitation for sewer issues. Confirm which utility serves your street, because we only service the private portion. Homeowners in North Charleston get the same advice, since the sewer district can differ from block to block.
Storm drains in your yard and driveway
Some lots have a catch basin, a driveway trench drain or a downspout pipe. These private drains take roof and yard water. They are separate from the sanitary sewer, but they clog with leaves, mulch and silt, and a clogged one can send water toward the house.
We can open a private yard or driveway drain with a cable or a water jet. Street drains may belong to the city, county or state. Ask the City of Hanahan Public Works department. If the sewer cleanout also overflows when it rains, tell us, since water may be getting into the wrong pipe.
A blocked main waits for no one. Dispatch is 24/7, and we offer same-day appointments when available, including nights and weekends.
After a sewer backup: cleanup and documentation
Do this once the line is cleared and the water stops.
- Ask the plumber for a note on the cause, the location and what was done.
- Photograph every wet surface and damaged item before moving anything.
- Wear gloves and boots, and keep children and pets out until surfaces are cleaned.
- Remove soaked carpet pad, cardboard and loose materials, and dry the area quickly.
- Clean hard surfaces with a household disinfectant and wash hands afterward.
- Contact your insurance carrier to ask what your policy covers before you throw out large items.
Heavily soaked drywall and insulation may need a restoration company. We clear the line but do not do remediation.
What affects the price of sewer line cleaning
The line determines the work. These are the main cost drivers.
- Distance to the blockage
- A stoppage near the cleanout takes less cable than one far down the line.
- What caused it
- Paper and wipes clear easily. Grease needs jetting and roots need a cutter.
- Access
- An outside cleanout is simple. Without one, we may need to pull a toilet or recommend installing a cleanout.
- Camera
- A recorded run adds time and shows why the line stopped.
- Hour of the call
- Nights and weekends include dispatch outside normal hours. A clear price comes before work starts.
Homeowner policies often exclude sewer backup unless you added the endorsement. Ask your carrier before a storm, and keep photos if one happens.
Call and describe what is rising, and we will explain what a clear price includes.
Frequently asked questions
Do you handle Sewer Line Cleaning emergencies at night or on weekends in Hanahan?
Yes. Dispatch runs 24/7 and licensed plumbers take same-day appointments when available, including nights and weekends. Stop using water first, then call.
Who is responsible for a clogged sewer line, me or the city?
It depends on where the stoppage is. Your cleanout marks the boundary of your private line. The City's Public Works page lists Berkeley County Sanitation for sewer issues, so confirm your provider and call them if the problem is in the public main.
Why does my sewer back up only when it rains?
Wet ground can push water into cracked or loose joints in the line. A camera run shows where it enters. Repair, not cleaning, usually stops the problem.
Can I clean the main sewer line myself?
Not safely in most cases. Rental cable machines can snag, scratch or break old pipe, and opening a cleanout under pressure can spray sewage. A call costs less than a damaged line.
Do you clear yard and driveway drains?
We can clear private yard and driveway drains that belong to your property. Street storm drains belong to the city or county. If a public inlet is blocked, contact the City of Hanahan Public Works department.
How do I prevent another backup?
Keep wipes, grease and paper towels out of drains, and ask us about a camera look if the line has clogged twice. Roots and sags need repair, and only a camera confirms them.