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Slow or gurgling drain at one fixture.

A plumber should open drains and run the camera, and a licensed plumber should handle re-piping, vents or excavation.

Customers put it like this

  • My sink drains really slow
  • The tub gurgles when it empties
  • Bubbles come up in the toilet bowl
  • It clogs in the same spot every time
Check it step by stepPrepare this job in ForeBot

Stop first if

  • Several drains back up at once, or sewage shows at a low fixtureStop using water in the building. Handle it as a sewage backup, not a local clog.
  • Water or sewage has reached outlets, a panel or other electrical gearStay out of that area. Call the electric utility or a licensed electrician before anyone goes in.
  • The only cleanout on a full line sits lower than nearby fixture rimsDo not open it. It can dump all the standing water at once. Drain the line down or open higher up first.

Check it step by step

Answer what you can see or measure. Each answer sets causes aside, and the check offers the one cheap reading that best separates the rest. Nothing is saved, and no account is needed.

Start the check
01

Ask on the call

6

Homeowner? These are the questions a good technician will ask you. Having the answers ready makes the first visit count.

  1. Is it one fixture, or are other drains acting up too?
  2. Does it happen after this fixture drains, after another one runs, or after days without use?
  3. Did it start after a reroof, a remodel or a new low-flow toilet?
  4. Has this drain clogged before, and how far in was the clog?
  5. Do you see suds come up at a low fixture after laundry?
  6. Do you know where the cleanouts are?
02

Bring

5
  • Drain rodding tools
  • Drain camera with a distance counter
  • Gloves and eye protection
  • Containment for spills
  • Binoculars for checking vent openings
03

Check on site

6
  1. Sketch the drain path. Mark stack bases, offsets, vents, cleanouts and any air admittance valve.
  2. Top up the trap in question and mark its water line. A helper then runs other fixtures singly, saving upper floors and laundry for the end.
  3. Note if the trap water bubbles and rises, or drops and stays low. Either can point toward a pressure problem in the vents.
  4. Let a full basin go quickly, then drain an equal amount gently. Compare what the trap does each time.
  5. From the ground, look for an open vent. Note any frost or roofing debris. Roof access goes to a trained crew.
  6. For a repeat clog, run a camera from the nearest cleanout if the line is not backed up. Note footage, standing water, fittings and size changes.
04

Keep on the record

4
  • Timing notes: what ran, and what the trap level did
  • Camera video with footage marks at the trouble spot
  • Photos of cleanouts, their covers and their height against fixture rims
  • Vent opening photo or note, with date and weather

General guidance for a qualified person, not a finding about any home. The person on site decides.