Drain and Sewer Cleaning for Detroit’s Older Homes
WaterWork Plumbing provides drain cleaning in Detroit for houses, two-flats, apartment buildings and businesses. In a city where most homes are 60 to 90 years old, a clogged drain is often more than a clog. Decades of grease and scale narrow old cast-iron pipe, and roots work into clay sewer lines, so the same drain clogs again and again until the cause is dealt with.
Drains We Clear
- Kitchen sinks: grease and food buildup, the most common call we get
- Bathroom sinks, tubs and showers: hair and soap
- Toilets: wipes, paper and objects that shouldn’t be there
- Basement floor drains: often the first sign of a main line problem
- Main sewer lines: roots, grease and broken pipe between the house and the city sewer
Is It Your Line or the City’s?
Detroit has a combined sewer, so during heavy rain, water can back up through basement floor drains even when your own line is clear. If sewage is coming up and it isn’t raining, the problem is most likely in your private line. When in doubt, report it to DWSD at 313-267-8000 (option 4), and call us to clear your side.
How We Clean Drains
- Find the blockage: which fixtures are affected tells us where to look.
- Clear it: with a hand auger, a main-line cable machine or hydro jetting in Detroit for grease and scale.
- Find the cause: if a line keeps clogging, a camera inspection shows why.
Older-Home Drain Specialists
We have worked in homes across Indian Village, Boston-Edison, Palmer Woods, Sherwood Forest, University District, Midtown and Downtown since 2006. Our founder, David Foltz, is a licensed master plumber (Michigan license #8003885), and we answer the phone 24 hours a day. For anything else, we are a full-service plumber in Detroit.
Detroit Drain Cleaning FAQ
Why does my basement floor drain back up when it rains?
Detroit’s combined sewer carries storm water and household sewage in the same pipes. In heavy rain, those pipes can fill up and push water back through the lowest opening in your house, usually the basement floor drain. A backwater valve can stop that, and DWSD has offered free valves in 11 neighborhoods with a history of backups.
Will the city fix my sewer line?
The city maintains the public sewer in the alley or street. Your private line, including where it connects to the city sewer, is your responsibility. Through its Alley Sewer Repair Program, DWSD is fixing about 9,000 broken private connections at no cost on blocks it selects, and residents get a door hanger if their block is scheduled.
How often should an older Detroit home’s sewer line be cleaned?
If your line has root intrusion or heavy buildup, cleaning it every one to two years usually keeps it flowing. A camera inspection will tell you whether regular cleaning is enough or whether part of the line needs to be replaced.
Schedule Drain Cleaning in Detroit
Call 248-542-8022 or book online.
