In Lakewood, a drain clog is almost always in private pipe, but the public sewer on the other end could belong to the city's utility or one of many sanitation districts, depending on the address. A plumber clears your side and can tell you whether the trouble goes beyond it. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Lakewood.
Lakewood's sewer patchwork and older housing
Lakewood does not have one sewer provider. The city's provider list includes Lakewood Water and Sewer Utility along with Northwest Lakewood, East Lakewood, Daniels, East Jefferson County and Wheat Ridge sanitation districts, West Alameda Heights Sanitation Service and several water and sanitation districts. Which one handles your main matters only if the blockage turns out to be on the public side; the city's My Neighborhood tool and your bill show it.
Housing age is the bigger factor for most clogs. Census survey data put the median Lakewood home at 1977, with about 56% built before 1980. Many of those houses have cast iron drains indoors and older sewer pipe in the yard, where roots from mature trees work into joints.
Cable, jetting or camera
| Approach | Best for | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Hand or drum cable | A single clog in a sink, tub or toilet line | Opens a path but may leave buildup on the walls |
| Main line machine with cutter | Roots or heavy blockage in the sewer service line | Roots tend to return if the joint stays open |
| Hydro jetting | Grease, scale and repeat clogs | Plumber should confirm the pipe is sound first |
| Camera inspection | Finding cracks, sags or the reason clogs return | Usually a separate charge from the cleaning |
Symptoms that call for more than a plunger
- A basement shower or floor drain taking on water from elsewhere in the house
- Gurgling in a sink or toilet when another fixture drains
- Slow drains on every floor at the same time
- The same clog returning within weeks of clearing
- Sewage odor in the lowest level of the home
Timing and seasons
Root growth tends to show up as slow main lines over the warmer months, so a lateral that backs up every summer is a good candidate for a camera look after it is cleared. Holidays bring extra cooking grease and houseguests, which is when kitchen and toilet lines fail most often. If the main is backing up, stop using water and call before it reaches finished space. Replacing a sewer line is permit work through the City of Lakewood Building Department.
Drain Cleaning questions in Lakewood
Who pays to fix the sewer line between my house and the street?
Will tree roots get into a sewer service line?
Is a camera inspection worth it after a main line clog?
Why do I smell sewer gas from a floor drain or basement shower?
More plumbing services in Lakewood
Drain Cleaning nearby
Helpful guides
Sources
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