Drain Cleaning Services
Professional drain cleaning for clogged, slow and backed-up drains in homes and businesses across northern Chicagoland. Call 847-521-2100.
Rebekah Cook: 10/10 would recommend aqua doctors to everyone! The nicest people, reasonable prices, clean work!
Professional Drain Cleaning for Clogged and Slow Drains
Drain cleaning is more than getting standing water to go down. A drain that barely clears after plunging still has most of the blockage inside it, and the same buildup will close the pipe again. Professional drain cleaning finds where the restriction is, removes it from the full width of the pipe and confirms the line is flowing the way it should.
Aqua Doctor Plumbing and Sewer provides drain cleaning for single-family homes, rental properties and commercial buildings. Our licensed and insured plumbers clear everything from a sluggish bathroom sink to a main drain that is backing up into the basement, and we match the cleaning method to the problem instead of using one tool for every job.
Prices are quoted upfront, and estimates are free. Our current $89.99 special applies specifically to power rodding with free televising and is not to be combined with any other discount or offer. Other drain cleaning work is priced upfront once we know what the job involves.
$89.99
Power Rodding
with Free Televising
Not to be combined with any other discount or offer
Drain Problems We Handle
Most drain calls fall into a handful of patterns. Knowing which one you have helps explain what the cleaning will involve.
Kitchen drains
Kitchen sinks and dishwasher lines collect grease, cooking oil and food scraps. Grease is liquid when it goes down the drain but cools and hardens on the pipe wall, trapping everything that follows. Kitchen lines tend to slow down gradually over months before they stop completely.
Bathroom drains
Bathroom sinks, tubs and showers clog with hair, soap residue and personal care products. The blockage usually forms close to the fixture, in the trap or the first few feet of pipe, and responds well to mechanical cleaning.
Floor drains and laundry drains
Basement floor drains, laundry standpipes and utility sinks handle lint, sediment and large volumes of water from washing machines. Because the floor drain is usually the lowest opening in the plumbing system, it is often where a blockage further down the line first becomes visible. Our article on why a basement floor drain backs up explains how to tell a local clog from a main line problem.
Recurring clogs
A drain that has to be cleared again and again is almost never a new clog each time. More often, buildup is left on the pipe wall, roots are entering the line, or part of the pipe is damaged. Recurring problems call for a more thorough cleaning and often a camera inspection. Learn more about what causes drains to keep clogging.
Main drain problems
When several fixtures slow down together, toilets gurgle when other fixtures drain, or wastewater appears at the floor drain, the blockage is usually in the main building drain or sewer line rather than in any single fixture.
Residential Drain Cleaning
For homeowners, drain problems usually show up at the worst time: before guests arrive, on a holiday weekend, or in the middle of laundry day. Our residential drain cleaning covers every drain in the house, from kitchen and bathroom fixtures to basement floor drains and the main line to the street. We explain what we found, what caused it and what, if anything, can be done to keep it from coming back. Aqua Doctor offers 24/7 emergency service with 90-minute response times and does not charge overtime, so a backup at night or on a weekend is priced the same way as a weekday call.
Commercial Drain Cleaning
Aqua Doctor provides drain and sewer cleaning for commercial properties as well as homes. Businesses put heavier and more constant demand on their drains, and a blocked line can close a kitchen, restroom or entire building until it is cleared. We service commercial drain and sewer lines with the same methods we use in homes, including power rodding and hydro jetting, and can help property managers plan regular maintenance for lines that clog on a predictable schedule.
How Aqua Doctor Clears Drain Blockages
Different blockages call for different tools. Here is a short overview of the methods we use, with links to the detailed service pages.
Finding the problem first
Before choosing a method, we look at which fixtures are affected, how quickly the problem developed and whether it has happened before. That tells us whether we are dealing with a single fixture, a branch line or the main drain.
Power rodding
A motorized cable with a cutting head is fed through the pipe to cut apart clogs, roots and buildup. It is the standard method for most stubborn clogs and for tree roots in main sewer lines. See our power rodding services page for a full explanation.
Hydro jetting
High-pressure water scours grease, sludge and scale off the inside of the pipe and flushes it downstream. It is typically recommended for heavy buildup that returns after rodding, once the line has been checked. Learn more about hydro jetting.
Camera inspection and televising
A waterproof camera is run through the line to show what caused the blockage and whether the pipe is intact. Televising is especially useful for recurring problems and suspected root intrusion, and it is included free with our $89.99 power rodding special.
Sewer and main drain service
When the problem is in the main line, or the pipe itself is broken, sagging or root-damaged, the job moves from drain cleaning to sewer service. Our sewer and drain services page covers sewer rodding, maintenance and repair.
Drain Cleaning vs. Power Rodding vs. Hydro Jetting
These terms are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing:
- Drain cleaning is the overall service: diagnosing the problem, choosing a method, clearing the line and confirming it drains properly.
- Power rodding is one method within that service. It is best for solid clogs, roots and blockages far down the line.
- Hydro jetting is another method. It is best for grease and sludge coating the pipe walls, and for lines that keep clogging after rodding.
You do not need to know which method you need before you call. That is part of our job. For a deeper comparison, read drain cleaning vs. power rodding.
When a Clogged Drain May Be a Sewer-Line Problem
Some drain problems are really sewer problems. Watch for these signs:
- More than one fixture is slow or backing up at the same time.
- Water comes up through the basement floor drain when the washing machine or a shower drains.
- Toilets gurgle or bubble when other fixtures are used.
- Sewage odor in the basement or around floor drains.
- The same backup returns within weeks of being cleared.
Tree roots, grease buildup and damaged pipe are the most common causes. Clearing the line is the first step, and a camera inspection shows whether cleaning will hold or whether the pipe needs repair. For lines with a history of root problems, yearly rodding helps keep roots from building up and can help prevent broken pipes. Read about the warning signs of a main sewer line blockage.
Why Choose Aqua Doctor Plumbing and Sewer, Plumbing Sewer and Drain
- Exceptional Customer Service
- Upfront Pricing
- No Overtime Charges
- Licensed and Insured
- Locally Owned & Operated
- Warranty on all work
- 90 minute Emergency Service
- Free Estimates
Drain Cleaning Service Areas
Aqua Doctor is based at 25380 Main St in Round Lake, Illinois, and provides drain cleaning throughout northern Chicagoland, including communities in Lake, McHenry, Cook, Kane and DuPage counties. You can find your town on our service areas page. Because our service trucks are fully stocked, most jobs can be diagnosed and completed in a single trip.
If you are looking for drain cleaning near you, our local service page explains how we handle calls from nearby homeowners and businesses. We also have pages for specific communities, such as drain cleaning in Park Ridge.
Frequently Asked Questions About Drain Cleaning
What does professional drain cleaning include?
It includes finding where the blockage is, choosing the right method, clearing the line and running water to confirm it drains properly. When a problem keeps returning or the cause is unclear, a camera inspection may also be recommended.
How much does drain cleaning cost?
It depends on where the blockage is and which method is needed. We provide free estimates and upfront pricing before work begins. Our current $89.99 special covers power rodding with free televising and is not to be combined with any other discount or offer.
Is professional drain cleaning better than a hardware-store snake?
A hand snake can open a clog close to the drain opening, but it usually pokes a hole through the blockage instead of removing it. Professional equipment reaches farther down the line and cleans the pipe wall, which is why the results last longer.
How can I tell if the problem is one drain or the main line?
If only one fixture is affected, the clog is usually in that fixture’s drain. If several fixtures are slow at once, or water appears at the basement floor drain, the main drain or sewer line is the likely cause.
Do you clean drains for businesses?
Yes. We provide drain and sewer cleaning for residential and commercial properties.
Do you guarantee your work?
Every job is backed by our customer satisfaction guarantee and a 1-year warranty on all our work.
Schedule Drain Cleaning Service
Clogged sink, slow shower, backed-up floor drain or a line that keeps clogging? Call Aqua Doctor Plumbing and Sewer at 847-521-2100 or request service online. Our licensed plumbers will find the cause, explain your options and get your drains flowing again.