How Much Does Drain Cleaning Cost in Colorado?

If you’ve spotted some signs that you need sewer line cleaning, you’re probably wondering how much this will cost you.

Well, on average, drain cleaning in Colorado costs anywhere from $100 to $500. 

Some factors that affect the price include:

• Location of the clog
• Tools required for the job
• Ease of access to the clog
• Any additional labor

Let’s take a closer look at these factors.

4 factors that affect the price of drain cleaning

1. The location of the clog: secondary line vs main line

In general, a clog in the main sewer line is more expensive to remove than a clog in a secondary line. That’s because a main sewer line clog is farther down in the piping system and affects more than one fixture.

So how do you know where your clog is?

Well, if turning on a faucet or flushing the toilet causes sewage to back up into your showers, drains or other water fixtures, you most likely have a clog in the main sewer line.

2. Tools required for the job

The severity and location of a clog as well as the pipe conditions determine which of the following 3 tools your plumber will need to use:

• Auger (less expensive to use)
• High-pressure Jetter (more expensive to use)
• Camera inspection tools (more expensive to use)

An auger is a snake-like motorized tool that spins non-stop to break up clogs. It’s considered the first line of defense against simple clogs in secondary drains. Usually, if the clog can be removed with an auger, no additional services are needed.

A draining auger removing tree roots from inside the sewer line.

If the auger fails to break through a clog, plumbers can turn to a camera inspection to determine how far down and severe the clog is then using a “jetter” to break through it. A jetter can break up severe clogs using high-pressured water jetting to blast through even the toughest “FOG clogs” (fat, oil and/or grease clogs).

Video inspections are primarily used to locate severe clogs farther down in drain lines before a plumber uses a jetter. But they can also be used after drain cleaning services to verify that a pipe is completely cleared.

Sometimes, plumbers use video camera line inspections to identify a pipe’s current conditions or potential problems a drain could have. Reasons you may need a camera line inspection include:

• You have a drain that is repeatedly clogged
• You’re buying a house and want to inspect the sewer lines for any potential issues.

3. Ease of access

The harder a clog is to reach, the more expensive the job will be. For example, if your plumber has to squeeze through a crawl space to get the job done or if they need to remove a toilet, the price goes up.

4. Any additional labor

If your project requires other plumbing work and labor, you’ll be responsible for the cost of additional materials and labor.

Some examples of additional labor include:

• Pipe relining
• Pipe replacement
• Fixture replacements