Sewer Rodding

Cost depends on the severity of the blockage and how accessible your cleanout is. We always quote a flat price before any work starts.

Sewer rodding costs vary depending on the severity of the blockage and how accessible your cleanout is. We give you a flat quote before any work starts, so you'll know exactly what you're paying before your tech touches a tool. If the camera inspection reveals something beyond a standard rodding job, your tech walks you through what they found and provides a separate written estimate on the spot.

For Chicago-area homes with older clay pipes or mature trees near the line, annual rodding is the standard recommendation.

For Chicago-area homes with older clay pipes or mature trees near the sewer line, annual rodding is the standard recommendation. Homes with a history of root intrusion may benefit from rodding every six months. If you've never had your line rodded and your home is more than 30 years old, a single camera inspection will tell you whether you need to put it on a schedule.

We run a camera through the line first so you can see the blockage, then rod it clear at the flat price we quoted before starting.

Your technician starts by running a camera through the line to see exactly what's causing the backup, roots, grease, a pipe belly, whatever it is. You see the footage before any work begins. Once you know what you're dealing with, you get a flat price for the rodding, and it doesn't change once work starts. If the camera turns up something beyond a standard rod-out, your tech explains what they found and gives you a separate estimate before doing anything more.

A professional-grade sewer rod will clear most residential clogs. A handheld hardware-store snake typically won't.

A professional-grade sewer rod (sometimes called a power snake) will clear most residential sewer line clogs. A handheld drain snake from a hardware store typically won't. It's designed for sink and tub drains, not the 4-inch or 6-inch main sewer pipe. If you've already tried a hardware-store snake without success, the problem is in the main line and needs professional rodding equipment.

Tree root intrusion, grease and sediment buildup, pipe bellies, and deterioration of older clay or cast-iron pipes.

The most common residential sewer line issues are tree root intrusion, grease and sediment buildup, pipe bellies (low spots where water pools), and deterioration of older clay or cast-iron pipes. In Chicago specifically, freeze-thaw cycles and soil shifting add stress to aging pipes. A camera inspection during a routine rodding visit identifies which of these you're dealing with before they cause a full backup.

Rodding clears the blockage and restores flow. Hydro jetting scours the whole pipe wall clean, which matters if buildup keeps coming back.

Rodding breaks through roots, debris, or a clog and restores flow fast, it's the right call for a first-time backup or a line that's never been serviced. Hydro jetting scours the entire pipe wall clean, not just the blockage, so if you've had the same line rodded more than once in the past year, jetting is worth discussing with your technician.