4 services · Houston
Drains & sewer in Houston, TX
A single slow sink is usually a local clog a plumber can clear in one visit. Several drains backing up at once, gurgling toilets or water at a basement floor drain point to the main sewer line, which may need cleaning, a camera inspection and sometimes repair.
- Licensed local plumbers
- The problem explained before work starts
- Price agreed before the job begins
Drains & sewer services in Houston
Drain cleaning in Houston
UrgentIf one fixture is slow, the clog is usually in that fixture's branch line. If several drains back up at once, or the basement floor drain fills when you run the washer, the main sewer line is blocked and needs a larger cable or a jetter.
Hydro jetting
Hydro jetting cleans the full width of a drain pipe with high-pressure water, washing out grease, scale and fine roots that a cable only punches a hole through. It works best on sound pipe and is usually done after a camera inspection confirms the pipe can take it.
Sewer camera inspection
A sewer camera inspection runs a waterproof camera through the line from your house to the city main and records what it finds: roots, cracks, sags, offset joints or collapsed pipe. It's the best way to decide between cleaning, spot repair and replacement.
Sewer line repair in Houston
UrgentA damaged sewer line can be fixed with a spot repair, a trenchless liner, pipe bursting or an open-trench replacement. Which one fits depends on what the camera shows, how deep the pipe is, and what's on top of it, such as a driveway, trees or landscaping.
Local conditions
Drains & sewer in Houston: what's different
Shifting clay cracks cast-iron drains under Houston slabs, especially in older neighborhoods like the Heights and Montrose. A camera inspection and a hydrostatic test can confirm whether a drain under the house is broken.
Tropical storms and heavy rain can back up sewers in low-lying neighborhoods, so backwater valves and clear main lines matter. Many suburbs are served by municipal utility districts rather than Houston Public Works.
- Water and sewer in Houston
- Houston Public Works provides water and wastewater service inside the city; many suburbs are served by municipal utility districts (MUDs).
- Permits in Houston
- Plumbing permits inside city limits are issued through the Houston Permitting Center; unincorporated Harris County areas follow county and utility-district rules.
Houston housing and plumbing
Older neighborhoods like the Heights and Montrose have early 1900s homes with cast-iron drains, while most suburbs are post-1970 slab construction with copper or PEX supply.
Other Houston conditions that affect plumbing
- Shifting clay and slab leaks: Houston's clay swells in wet months and shrinks in drought, cracking cast-iron drains under slabs and stressing supply lines.
- Hurricane and flood season: Tropical storms and heavy rain can back up sewers and flood low-lying neighborhoods; backwater valves and clear main lines matter here.
- Rare hard freezes: Homes built for heat often have pipes in attics and exterior walls, so an occasional deep freeze can split lines across the city at once.
Neighborhoods and ZIP codes
Plumbers on Thawline cover Houston and Harris County, including The Heights, Montrose, Bellaire, Memorial, Kingwood, Clear Lake. ZIP codes: 77001 · 77002 · 77003 · 77004 · 77005 · 77006.
When to call a plumber in Houston
- Water backing up in the tub or shower when a toilet flushes
- Several fixtures draining slowly at the same time
- Water or sewage at a basement floor drain
- Gurgling from drains or toilets
- Sewer smell inside or a soggy patch in the yard
- The same clog returning within weeks of being cleared
How these problems start and how to choose between repair options is covered in the drains & sewer guide.
Drains & sewer questions in Houston
What does a hydrostatic test check on a Houston home?
Are chemical drain cleaners safe to use?
More plumbing in Houston
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