4 services · Knoxville
Drains & sewer in Knoxville, TN
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 Knoxville
Drain cleaning in Knoxville
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 Knoxville
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 Knoxville: what's different
Victorian homes in Fourth and Gill and Old North Knoxville have original cast-iron and clay drains that crack and collect roots. Hillside lots along the Tennessee River mean long laterals that shift.
Fort Sanders rentals near the University of Tennessee see heavy use and frequent clogs.
KUB provides wastewater service, and the lateral belongs to the owner. A camera inspection shows whether a recurring clog needs repair.
Crawl-space moisture also corrodes older cast-iron drains under the house.
Scoping before buying older homes is common.
- Water and sewer in Knoxville
- Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB) provides water, wastewater, gas and electric service.
- Permits in Knoxville
- Plumbing permits are issued by the City of Knoxville Plans Review and Inspections; Knox County handles unincorporated areas.
Knoxville housing and plumbing
Fourth and Gill and Old North Knoxville have late 1800s homes with older plumbing. Bearden and West Knoxville are mostly mid-century and newer.
Other Knoxville conditions that affect plumbing
- KUB gas service: KUB provides natural gas, so gas emergencies go to KUB first.
- Hillside laterals: Steep lots have long laterals that shift and crack.
- Student rentals: Fort Sanders rentals see heavy use and clogs.
- Older drains: Victorian homes in Fourth and Gill and Old North Knoxville have original cast-iron and clay drains that crack and collect roots.
Neighborhoods and ZIP codes
Plumbers on Thawline cover Knoxville and Knox County, including Fourth and Gill, Old North Knoxville, Sequoyah Hills, Fort Sanders, Bearden, South Knoxville. ZIP codes: 37901 · 37902 · 37909 · 37912 · 37914 · 37915.
When to call a plumber in Knoxville
- 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 Knoxville
Why do Fort Sanders drains clog so often?
Are chemical drain cleaners safe to use?
More plumbing in Knoxville
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