Custom Flow Plumbers - Plumbing & Heating Services in the DC Metro Area
Water swirling down a kitchen sink drain.

Drain Cleaning in the DC Metro Area

A drain that keeps slowing down is telling you something. Sometimes it’s a simple clog. Sometimes it’s the first sign of a bigger problem in the line. We clear the drain — and we check what’s actually causing it, so you’re not paying to clear the same clog again in three months.

Kitchen sinks, tubs, showers, toilets, floor drains, laundry lines, and main sewer lines — if it drains, we clean it. Call (301) 971-4884.

Signs your drain needs more than a plunger

  • Water draining slowly, or standing in the sink or tub
  • Gurgling sounds from a drain or the toilet
  • Bad smells coming up from a drain
  • The same drain clogging again and again
  • More than one drain backing up at once — that’s often the main line, and it’s the one to call about first
  • Water appearing in a tub or floor drain when the washing machine runs or a toilet flushes

Drains we clean

  • Kitchen drains — grease, food, and garbage-disposal buildup
  • Bathroom sinks and tubs — hair and soap scum, the classic pair
  • Showers — slow-standing water is almost always a hair clog near the drain
  • Toilets — a clog that won’t plunge clear (more on our Toilet Repair & Replacement page)
  • Main sewer lines — when several drains act up together, the problem is usually here
  • Floor and basement drains — the ones nobody thinks about until water shows up
  • Laundry lines — lint and detergent buildup

Sewage backing up into the house? That’s an emergency — see what to do right now and call us.

How our drain cleaning works

  1. We find the cause first. A clog is a symptom. We look at the pattern — which drains, how often, how the water behaves — and tell you honestly whether it’s a simple blockage or a sign the line itself has a problem.
  2. We clear it with the right equipment. Professional augers and drain machines sized to the line, and the right approach for what the clog actually is.
  3. We prove it’s flowing. We run the water and show you the drain working before we pack up.
  4. You get the straight story. If the line is healthy, we’ll tell you how to keep it that way. If the signs point to the line itself — roots, a sag, buildup, damage — we’ll recommend a camera inspection so you can see it with your own eyes before anyone talks about repairs. No pressure, no upsell.

Why the same drain keeps clogging

Grease goes down the kitchen drain warm and liquid, then cools and coats the pipe a layer at a time. Hair and soap build up the same way in bathrooms. “Flushable” wipes don’t break down like toilet paper — they snag and start a collection. And plenty of homes across the DC metro area have older lines — cast iron that scales, clay joints that tree roots find — where the pipe itself is slowly narrowing or sagging.

The rule of thumb: a drain that clogs once is a clog. A drain that clogs every few months is a line problem, and clearing it again is just renting the fix.

Drain cleaning questions we hear

Q: Why does my drain keep clogging?

A: Because the cause is still there — grease coating, hair buildup, wipes, roots, or a line that’s sagging or narrowing with age. Clearing removes the blockage; if the cause is the pipe itself, the clog comes back on a schedule. That’s when a camera look is worth it.

Q: How long does drain cleaning take?

A: Most single drains are cleared within the visit. A main-line problem, or a line that needs a camera inspection, takes longer — we’ll tell you what we’re seeing as we go.

Q: What if it’s my sewer line, not just a clog?

A: Signs: several drains backing up together, gurgling toilets, water in the lowest drain in the house. Then the right move is a camera inspection to see the line’s condition — you decide what happens next with the full picture in front of you. If sewage is coming into the house now, start with our Emergency Plumbing page.

Q: Do you clean drains after hours or on weekends?

A: Our hours are Monday to Friday, 8 to 5. If you’re reading this after hours with sewage backing up, the Emergency page walks you through what to shut off and do right now — and leave us a message. We check messages after hours too, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

Licensed & Insured · WSSC License #P 74018 · Rated 5.0 ★ on Google · 2-Year Parts & Labor Warranty

Get the drain flowing again. Call (301) 971-4884 — Monday to Friday, 8 to 5. Tell us which drain and what it’s doing, and we’ll take it from there.