Owner-operated drain & sewer service in Ballard, Seattle
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Phones 8 AM – 8 PM daily · Online booking 24/7
5608 17th Ave NW, Suite 2025, Seattle, WA 98107 · WA #DRAINDA756MA

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Rooter Service in Seattle

A motorized cable and the right cutting head, fed from the access point nearest the blockage. Roots, wipes, hair and grease cut open the same visit, and main lines get a camera pass afterward so you see what the cutter hit.

Call (206) 590-1455 Book online, any hour

Owner answers 8 AM to 8 PM, seven days · Same day when the schedule allows

Toilet auger with a rag-wrapped head clearing a blocked toilet
Field photo · Toilet auger on a toilet that has to work today

The short answer

Rooter service is mechanical drain clearing: a motorized cable with a cutting head is fed through the pipe to cut through roots, wipes, hair and grease and reopen flow. In Seattle ours runs $200–$600 flat, with no trip fee and the same rate evenings and weekends. For a main line, we follow it with a camera so you see what the cutter hit.

$200–$600

Flat price, set before work starts

Same day

When the schedule allows

$0 trip fee

No evening or weekend surcharge

5.0

Google rating from 100+ reviews

What rooter service is, and what it costs

The oldest tool in drain cleaning is still the right first tool for most clogs. The skill is in the machine and the head you choose.

We match the machine to the pipe and the cutting head to the blockage, feed the cable from the closest access point, and pull back what was in the way so you can see it.

When the cable comes back coated in grease or fine root hair, cutting alone will not keep the line open for long. That is when we recommend hydro jetting instead of a second rooter visit.

Price
$200–$600 flat
Machines
Toilet auger, drum machines and a heavy cable for side sewers
Cuts through
Roots, wipes, hair, grease plugs and paper
Camera
On main lines after clearing, or on request
Permit
None needed for routine side sewer cleaning, per SPU
Hours
Phones 8 AM to 8 PM daily; online booking any hour

Which machine for which line

Using a sewer machine on a bathroom sink, or a hand auger on a root-filled main, is how jobs go wrong. This is the match we make.

Line Usual blockage What we use Seattle price
Toilet Usual blockageWipes, paper, an object in the trapway What we useToilet auger, then the line past it if needed Seattle price$200–$600
Sink, tub or shower branch Usual blockageHair, soap, food and grease What we useSmall drum machine with a fine head Seattle price$200–$600
Laundry standpipe or floor drain Usual blockageLint, soap, debris What we useDrum machine sized to the line Seattle price$200–$600
Side sewer to the street Usual blockageRoots at joints, wipes, grease What we useHeavy cable with root-cutting heads, then camera Seattle price$200–$600
Line that closes again in months Usual blockageGrease, scale or root hair on the pipe wall What we useHydro jetting instead of another cable pass Seattle price$500–$700

Flat Seattle prices for standard service, no trip fee, same rate evenings and weekends.

What a rooter cable can and cannot do

Cutting a line open is fast and usually the right call. Knowing its limits is what keeps you from paying for the same job twice.

Plumber kneeling in a basement feeding a drum machine's drain cable into an open cleanout
A drum machine’s cable going into a basement cleanout.

  1. 01

    It cuts roots, but not the gap they came through

    Seattle Public Utilities says roots are attracted to water and nutrients in the sewer and enter older concrete and clay pipe without watertight joints. Cutting reopens flow; the joint is still there.

    Source: SPU, Side Sewer Defects & Issues

  2. 02

    Roots set the cleaning schedule

    SPU recommends inspecting a side sewer at least every 2 to 3 years when large trees or shrubs grow near it, instead of every 8 to 10.

    Source: SPU, Taking Care of Your Sewer Pipe

  3. 03

    Routine cleaning needs no permit

    SPU’s homeowner guide says no City permit is required for routine side sewer cleaning, and that cleaning generally costs less than $1,500.

    Source: SPU, Taking Care of Your Sewer Pipe

  4. 04

    Gas lines come first

    SPU advises calling Puget Sound Energy at 1-888-225-5773 before clearing a side sewer blockage, to avoid damaging a gas line.

    Source: SPU, Side Sewer Backups

What the cable pulls back

The rooter cable brings the cause back with it. The first three are from our own calls.

The right head for the blockage

Spade and saw heads for roots, finer heads for hair and soap, a toilet auger where porcelain is in the way.

From the closest access point

A short run from the right cleanout clears more of the line, and puts less wear on old pipe, than a long run from the wrong one.

Camera on main lines

After a main line is cut open, the camera shows what was in it and whether the pipe itself is the problem.

Toilet removed to expose the floor flange and drain opening during a rooter call
Toilet pulled to reach the line below
Toilet base and drain fittings above a checkered floor during a drain call
Clearing past the toilet into the branch
Drain cable coiled at a utility sink with its trap removed
Utility sink trap off, cable in
Gloved hand lifting a drain strainer caked with hair and debris out of a clogged drain
Hair and debris pulled off a clogged drain strainer.

Rooter cable or hydro jetting?

Both are on the truck. Here is how we decide, so you only pay for the one the line needs.

What to check Rooter cable Hydro jetting
Best for Roots, wipes, hair and solid clogs Grease, scale, sludge and root hair on the pipe wall
How it clears Cuts a path and pulls debris back Scours the full pipe wall with 4,000 PSI water
How long it lasts Until the buildup or roots return Longer, because the coating itself is removed
Older or fragile pipe Safe with the right head and care Camera first, every time
Seattle price $200–$600 flat $500–$700 flat

How a rooter call works

Most rooter calls are a single visit, from the phone call to a flowing drain.

  1. 3–5 min

    The call

    Which drain, how many fixtures, and where the cleanout is.

  2. Same day

    Arrival window

    A window, not a whole day, when the schedule allows.

  3. ~10 min

    Flat price

    Access chosen, floors covered, one price approved first.

  4. 30 min–3 hrs

    Cut it open

    The right machine and head, fed from the closest access point.

  5. ~15 min

    Prove it

    Flow test; a camera pass on main lines so you see what was cut.

Toilet or drain that has to work today?

Call and the owner answers 8 AM to 8 PM, seven days, or book online any hour. Same flat price evenings and weekends.

Book rooter service

Rather talk first? Call (206) 590-1455

How much does rooter service cost in Seattle?

The same flat range for a toilet, a branch drain or the side sewer to the street.

Our flat price

$200–$600

Toilet, branch line or side sewer

  • Machine matched to the pipe
  • Cutting head matched to the blockage
  • What was in the way, shown to you
  • Camera pass on main lines

Rooter service costs $200 to $600 in Seattle, as one flat price for the line, whether it is a toilet, a branch drain or the side sewer to the street. That includes the machine and cutting head matched to the blockage and, on main lines, a camera pass after clearing.

Seattle average
Angi’s 2026 Seattle data puts drain cleaning at $210–$536, averaging $373. Angi: Seattle drain cleaning cost
Main line average
Angi’s 2026 Seattle data puts clearing a main sewer line clog at $350–$1,270 for most homeowners, averaging $806. Angi: Seattle main line clog cost
Never added
A trip fee, an hourly meter, or an evening or weekend surcharge
If roots keep returning
Hydro jetting clears the root hair a cable leaves, $500–$700

Rooter service and what comes after it

Flat Seattle prices for clearing the line and keeping it clear.

Before anyone runs a cable down your side sewer

A few Seattle facts that change how a main line rooter job should be done.

  • You own the side sewer to the main

    Seattle Public Utilities: the owner’s side sewer runs all the way to the public main, including the run under the sidewalk and street, and removing roots in it is the owner’s job. SPU: Side Sewer Defects & Issues

  • Call PSE first

    SPU advises calling Puget Sound Energy at 1-888-225-5773 before clearing a side sewer blockage. PSE: Blocked sewer

  • The public main is SPU’s

    If a blockage is in the public main or the city connection, call SPU at (206) 386-1800, 24 hours a day. SPU: Side Sewer Backups

  • Check who you hire

    Washington L&I lists every registered contractor. Verify a contractor; ours is #DRAINDA756MA.

Rooter and drain service near you

Same flat prices across Seattle, the north end and the Eastside. See all service areas.

Rooter service FAQ

What it is, what it costs, and when jetting is the better call. More in the Seattle drain & sewer FAQ, or read about tree root drain clogs.

Still have a question?

Shane answers the phone himself, 8 AM to 8 PM, seven days a week.

Call (206) 590-1455 Send a question

What is rooter service?

Rooter service is mechanical drain clearing. A motorized cable with a cutting head is fed through the pipe to cut through roots, wipes, hair and grease and reopen flow. The name comes from the root-cutting machines first used on sewer lines.

How much does rooter service cost in Seattle?

Ours runs $200–$600, flat, depending on the line and the access point. There is no trip fee, and evenings and weekends cost the same. Seattle Public Utilities’ homeowner guide says side sewer cleaning generally costs less than $1,500.

Is rooter service the same as hydro jetting?

No. A rooter cable cuts a path through the blockage and pulls debris back. Hydro jetting uses 4,000 PSI water to scour the whole pipe wall clean. Cable first is right for most clogs; jetting is for grease, scale and root hair that keep closing the line.

Will roots come back after a rooter cleaning?

Usually, yes. Cutting removes the roots inside the pipe, but they grew in through a gap or joint that is still there. Seattle Public Utilities recommends inspecting every 2 to 3 years where large trees grow near the side sewer, and a camera shows how fast yours is closing.

Can a rooter cable damage my pipe?

A cable sized and headed for the pipe is safe in a sound line. In old clay, concrete or thin cast iron, we camera first or go gentler, because a failing pipe is the one case where aggressive cutting can make things worse.

Do I need a permit to have my sewer line cleaned?

No. Seattle Public Utilities’ homeowner guide says no City permit is required for routine cleaning of your side sewer. Repairs and replacements are different and do need permits.

Should I call anyone before clearing a side sewer?

Seattle Public Utilities advises calling Puget Sound Energy at 1-888-225-5773 before clearing a side sewer blockage, so a gas line is not damaged. A single sink or tub branch inside the house is a different matter.

Sources and Seattle references

Rules, intervals and outside cost ranges on this page come from these public sources. Our prices are flat Seattle rates for standard service, reviewed October 2026.

Need a line cut open today? Tell us what is stopped.

Which fixture, how long it has been slow and where the cleanout is gets the right machine on the truck.

  • Which drain or toilet is stopped
  • Whether other fixtures are slow
  • Big trees near the side sewer
  • Where the cleanout is, if you know
Book online Call (206) 590-1455

The Drain Authority

5608 17th Ave NW, Suite 2025
Seattle, WA 98107
Phone
(206) 590-1455
Email
info@drainauthority.pro
Hours
Daily, 8 AM to 8 PM
Booking
Online, 24/7
License
WA contractor #DRAINDA756MA
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