A clogged drain is the most common plumbing problem in almost any home, and Flagstaff houses are no different. What is a little different here is the water and the weather. Hard water leaves mineral deposits that give grease and hair something to cling to, and in the deep cold a drain or vent pipe in an outside wall can freeze and slow everything down.
Drain problems Flagstaff homeowners call about
Kitchen sinks.
Cooking grease, food scraps and soap harden in the trap and the line behind the wall.
Showers and bathroom sinks.
Hair and soap scum catch on the stopper and in the trap.
Toilets.
Too much paper, wipes, or a toy that slipped down the bowl.
Laundry lines.
Lint from the washer builds up in the standpipe and the drain beyond it.
Main line backups.
Water coming up in a tub or floor drain when another fixture runs, which means the blockage is further down.
When it is more than one clogged fixture
A single slow sink is usually a local clog. Call sooner if you notice:
- Two or more fixtures draining slowly at the same time.
- Water rising in the tub or shower when you flush or run the washer.
- Gurgling sounds from drains while something else is draining.
- A sewer smell inside the house.
- A drain that was cleared recently and is already slow again.
These usually point to a blockage in the main drain or the sewer line, not just one fixture.
Winter drain trouble
At 6,821 feet, Flagstaff can stay below freezing for long stretches, and a drain or vent pipe run through a cold outside wall or an unheated space can ice up. A frozen vent stops air getting into the drain system, so fixtures drain slowly and gurgle. If drains act up only during a cold snap and improve as it warms, mention that to the plumber, because the fix may be insulation or rerouting rather than cleaning.
What you can try first
- Use the right plunger: a flat cup for sinks and tubs, a flanged one for toilets.
- Pull out the stopper and clear any hair.
- Take apart and clean the trap under a sink, with a bucket underneath.
Skip the chemical drain openers. They rarely clear a full blockage, they can harm pipes and fittings, and they leave a hazard for whoever opens the line next.
How a plumber clears it
Most jobs start with a cable machine, sometimes called a snake or auger, fed through the fixture or a cleanout. Main lines get a larger machine with cutting heads. Some plumbers also use water jetting to scour buildup off the inside of a line. If a drain keeps clogging, ask for a camera inspection, which shows whether the cause is buildup, a sag in the line, roots or a broken section, so you are not paying to clear the same pipe again and again.
Keeping drains running
- Let cooking grease cool in a can and throw it in the trash.
- Put a hair catcher in every shower and tub.
- Flush only toilet paper. Wipes sold as flushable still cause clogs.
- Clean faucet aerators and shower heads now and then, since Flagstaff water leaves scale in them.
- Know where your main cleanout is so a plumber can reach the line quickly.
What it costs
We have not found a published Flagstaff price for drain cleaning, and the price depends on which line is blocked and how it is reached. A sink clog cleared from the trap costs less than a main line cleared through a buried cleanout. Ask for the price before work starts and whether a camera inspection is included. See our Flagstaff plumber cost guide for more.
Common questions
Why do my drains gurgle only in winter?
A vent or drain pipe in a cold wall or unheated space may be partly frozen. Air cannot move freely, so drains slow down and gurgle. A plumber can find where the line is exposed and suggest a fix.
Are chemical drain openers safe to use?
They are best avoided. They seldom clear a full clog and can damage pipes and fittings. A plunger or a drain cable is safer.
How often should drains be cleaned?
Only when they need it. If one drain clogs every few months, ask a plumber to find the cause with a camera instead of clearing it over and over.