Drain Cleaning in El Mirage, AZ

The City of El Mirage collects and treats wastewater for its customers, and the pipes inside your home plus the building sewer to the city main are yours to maintain. When drains back up, a plumber clears your side and checks whether the problem goes further. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in El Mirage.

El Mirage in brief

El Mirage sits on the west bank of the Agua Fria River in the West Valley. It was settled by migrant farm workers in the early 1930s and has grown into a diverse city that keeps its farming roots. City of El Mirage Wastewater Services runs the collection system and the city's own Wastewater Reclamation Facility. The city's water is relatively soft for the Valley: its consumer confidence report lists hardness of 4 to 9 grains per gallon, averaging 7, so mineral film plays a smaller role in clogs here than in harder-water cities. Grease, wipes, hair and food are the usual culprits.

Steps to take right away

If more than one fixture is backing up, stop using water in the whole house, including the washer and dishwasher.
Shut the supply valve behind any toilet whose bowl is rising.
Check the lowest drain, usually a tub or shower, for water entering from below.
Look at the outdoor cleanout. Water around its cap points to a main line blockage.
If sewage is coming from a manhole in the street, report it to the city's Wastewater Services.
Avoid chemical openers, which seldom reach a main line clog.

Call now to be connected with a local plumber in El Mirage.

(602) 313-0394

Symptoms and likely causes

Symptom	Likely cause
A single sink or tub drains slowly	Hair, soap or food in the trap or branch line
The kitchen sink holds water after dinner	Grease that cooled and hardened in the line
Flushing makes the tub bubble or rise	A clog in the building sewer
Sewer odor with no visible backup	Dry trap or a partial blockage
Water near the outdoor cleanout	Main line blocked between the house and the city main

What goes into the cost

The location of the clog sets most of the price. A trap or branch line is a shorter job than a building sewer opened from the cleanout with a larger machine. Jetting and camera inspection usually cost extra, and a broken or sagging section found during the work turns cleaning into repair. The City of El Mirage says permits are needed for new construction and some repair work, so ask the plumber whether a pipe repair needs one from Building Safety. After-hours visits usually carry a higher rate.

Drain Cleaning questions in El Mirage

Does hard water make drain clogs worse?

Less than in many Valley cities. El Mirage reports hardness of 4 to 9 grains per gallon, averaging 7, so most clogs here come from grease, wipes, hair and food rather than mineral buildup.

How do I know whether the blockage is in my pipe or in the public sewer?

A single slow fixture is in your plumbing. If every drain backs up and your line is clear to the property edge, the problem may be in the city main, which El Mirage Wastewater Services maintains.

Is it fine to rinse cooking grease down the sink with hot tap water?

No. The grease cools and sticks a short way down the pipe. Wipe pans out and put the grease in the trash.

Should I try a bottle of chemical drain opener first?

It is better not to. Chemical openers rarely clear a main line, can damage some fittings, and leave caustic water for whoever opens the drain next.