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A slow drain is usually a clog that's been building for weeks. A-1 Sewer Service clears main sewer lines, kitchen sinks, basement floor drains and bathroom drains for homes and businesses around Iowa City and the Corridor. We work out of a shop off Bay Ridge Ave on the south side of Iowa City. We're open 24/7 for emergency calls, and there are no after-hours fees until 8 p.m., weekends included. Call (319) 600-4224 or send a request through the contact page.
Every drain in the house empties into one main line that runs out to the city sewer. When that line clogs, the trouble shows up in more than one place. The basement floor drain bubbles. A toilet gurgles when the washer drains. Water comes up in the lowest fixture in the house.
We open the line at the cleanout and run a cable machine through it to cut the blockage loose. In older neighborhoods the cause is often roots that have worked into a clay or cast iron joint. In newer houses it's more often grease, wipes or debris left over from construction. If the line keeps clogging, we can run a camera through it and show you what's in there before anyone talks about digging. The video inspection page explains how that works.
Kitchen lines clog slowly. Grease goes down warm, cools inside the pipe and catches food scraps until the sink takes minutes to empty. A plunger moves that clog a few feet. It doesn't remove it.
We clear the line back to where it meets the main, so the grease comes out of the pipe instead of moving further down. If the garbage disposal is part of the problem, we can repair or replace it on the same visit.
The floor drain sits at the lowest point in the house, so it's usually the first place a main line problem shows. If it backs up during heavy rain or every time the washer drains, the blockage is somewhere between that drain and the street.
Sometimes clearing the line isn't the whole fix. One customer's floor drain had been backing up on and off for years. When we inspected it more closely, we found a crack in the cleanout and repaired it, and the backups stopped. If the drain smells like sewer but isn't backing up, the trap has probably dried out. A bucket of water poured in once a month keeps the seal full.
Hair and soap collect just past the drain opening. A shower usually slows over a few weeks before it stops completely. We clear bathroom drains without pulling fixtures apart when we can, and we'll tell you if a stopper or trap needs replacing. A cheap strainer over the drain catches most of what causes these clogs.
Restaurants, bakeries and coffee shops send far more grease down the drain than a house does. A grease trap catches most of it, but the trap has to be pumped and the line after it still needs regular cleaning. We'll schedule commercial drain cleaning around your hours so the kitchen isn't down during service.
Most clogs give a warning first. Water drains slowly, or the sink fills while the dishwasher runs. A toilet or tub gurgles when another fixture drains. There's a sewer smell near a floor drain, or water comes up through it during a storm. A clog comes back a week after you plunged it.
One slow fixture usually means a local clog in that drain. Several slow fixtures at once usually means the main line.
In kitchens it's grease and food scraps. In bathrooms it's hair and soap. In the main line it's often wipes, including the ones labeled flushable, which don't break down the way toilet paper does.
Older sewer lines add two more causes. Tree roots find their way into clay and cast iron joints because there's water inside. Sections of pipe also sag over time, and a sag holds water and waste in the line where it settles and builds up.
You call and tell us what's happening. We'll tell you what it sounds like and when we can get there. On site we find the cleanout, clear the line and run water to make sure it moves freely afterward.
If anything looks wrong with the pipe itself, you'll hear about it before we do any more work, along with your options and what each costs. Then we clean up and show you what came out of the line, if you want to see it.
Chemical drain cleaners can open a small clog. When they don't, the chemical sits in the pipe, and it's hard on older metal pipe and on whoever opens that drain next. If you've already poured some in, tell us when we arrive so we can take precautions. For a stubborn line, a cable machine clears the clog mechanically, and hydro jetting scours heavy grease and buildup off the pipe walls.
Fall is when leaves pack gutters and yard drains, and roots keep growing toward sewer lines where they can find water. Once the ground freezes, a blocked outdoor drain or a frozen sump discharge line can push water back toward the foundation. Clearing a main line that's been slow and checking downspouts in October costs less than a backup in January. If the sump pump or downspout lines need work too, the plumber page covers that.
We clear drains in Iowa City and across the Corridor, including Coralville, North Liberty, Tiffin, Cedar Rapids, West Liberty, Kalona and the Amana Colonies. You can see recent jobs on the projects page.
Finished work from across Eastern Iowa. Drag the slider to compare.
“I’ve had a recurring issue for years with my floor drain backing up. Andy at A1 Sewer Services was the first one to do a more thorough inspection rather than just clearing out the line. He also discovered a crack in my clean out which I had him repair to prevent worse issues down the road. I highly recommend A1 for sewer and drain issues.”
“First time using A1 and I can’t say enough positive. Andy came within the hour that I called to unclog a basement floor drain. He was very thorough and checked to make sure the blockage was not coming from more than one area. He cleaned it out in a short time, got things moving and had good suggestions to help minimize future problems. Reasonable charges for good work and an honest pleasant person. Highly recommended.”
“Fantastic service! Called, told him the bottom of my water heater is leaking, sent him pics of everything and he was out the next day replacing it at a reasonable price! Highly recommend 👌 Thank you!”
Most houses don't need a schedule. Call when a drain slows down. If your main line has clogged before, especially from roots, cleaning it once a year usually keeps it from backing up again.
It's hard on older pipes, and it doesn't remove grease buildup or roots. A mechanical cleaning removes the clog instead of dissolving part of it.
A main line that clogs again within a few months, especially in fall, often has roots in it. A camera inspection shows them directly, and we'll walk you through what we see.
We're open 24/7, and there are no after-hours fees until 8 p.m., including weekends.
Yes. Tell us your hours and we'll plan the work around them.
Main sewer lines, kitchen sinks, floor drains and bathroom drains.
You’re on this pageHigh-pressure water that scours grease, roots and buildup off pipe walls.
Learn moreA camera look inside the line, with the problem marked on the ground.
Learn moreFixtures, disposals, sump pumps, downspout lines, leaks and sewer repair.
Learn more24/7 response for sewer backups, burst pipes and failed sump pumps.
Learn moreTank and tankless heaters, with gas and venting checked first.
Learn moreFor a slow drain, a backup or a line that keeps clogging, call A-1 Sewer Service at (319) 600-4224 or send a message through the contact page.
Drain cleaning and plumbing from our shop off Bay Ridge Ave on the south side of Iowa City.
