Cost to Repair a Main Drain Clog

The Cost

• Expect to pay $100 to $500 to unclog the main drain, depending on your location and the complexity of the problem. Many homeowners elect to troubleshoot the job with drain openers and rental plumbing snakes before calling in the plumber -- some meet success, but for many, these attempts fail.

What to Expect

• The professional plumber approaches the clog through the main trap in the house. The main trap leads to the main line that drains into the public sewage line or septic tank. The plumber opens the main trap's access point with a pipe wrench, and then inserts a plumber's snake or a balloon bladder attached to a garden hose into the line. After feeding the line to the clog's position, the plumber then operates the snake to loosen and break up the clog, or turns on the forceful hose, causing the balloon bladder to swell and force the clog forward until it disintegrates.

  This job requires patience, accuracy and skill, and precaution because it places the plumber in direct contact with raw sewage and residual plumbing chemicals. Its cost suits the task at hand, even if it takes five minutes from start to finish.

Unclogging the Drain Yourself

• A homeowner deciding to tackle a clogged main drain as a do-it-yourself project must consider several variables. Locating the clog in a medium-size to large house and confirming its position at the main drain takes time. Attempt to reach the main drain clog from a line within the house, but the key lies in identifying the right line to snake. This knowledge may save the homeowner from having to open the main trap in the first place.

  Having the right tools on hand, and knowing how to properly use them, makes the difference in a job well done and a job left undone. This requires estimating the distance to the clog and selecting a long-enough pipe snake or hose with a balloon bladder.

  Getting to the clog requires skill. Some techniques to unclog a main drain include knowing how to maneuver the snake or hose through the pipes, around bends and through pipe branches and knowing when to stop, pull back and forge forward with the tools.

Main Drain Clog Prevention

• Although a clogged main drain eventually makes the list of homeowner issues, preventive measures lessen its occurrence. Place strainer drain covers over the drains in the kitchen sink, laundry sink, bathroom sinks and bathtub to catch debris, including lint, hair and food particles. Stop dumping grease and oil down the drain -- even if they flow down, they make a sticky base for debris to adhere to. Use warm to hot water regularly, especially down the kitchen sink and bathtub to prevent particles from clumping together in the lines.