Drain Cleaning in Centennial, CO

Centennial homes and their sewer lines

Large subdivisions like Willow Creek, Homestead, Walnut Hills and Southglenn are mostly two-story and split-level homes with full basements. The earliest have clay or early plastic laterals; homes from the late 1980s on are mostly PVC.

Sewer service across Centennial is split among several water and sanitation districts, so the name on your bill tells you who maintains the main.

Because Centennial is split among several districts, the first question after a backup is sometimes whether the problem is in your lateral or in the public main. If neighbors on your street are backing up at the same time, call the district on your bill as well as a plumber. If it's only your house, the blockage is almost certainly on your side, and the plumber can confirm it with a camera after clearing.

Centennial drain patterns

Forty-year-old trees in the older subdivisions have found their way into the oldest laterals, and finished basements mean a backup can damage carpet and drywall quickly. Kitchen grease and toilet clogs make up most of the remaining calls, along with the occasional settled section on a line that was never quite graded right.

What drain work usually costs in Centennial

Centennial's housing timeline

Centennial became a city in 2001, but the neighborhoods inside it are much older. Areas like Southglenn, Willow Creek, Walnut Hills and the streets around Arapahoe Road were built from the 1960s into the 1980s, and they were planted with trees that are now large. Laterals from that era are a mix of clay and early plastic. Further east, neighborhoods from the 1990s and 2000s have PVC and fewer pipe problems.

Many Centennial homes have finished basements, and the main cleanout ended up behind a wall or under carpet during the finish. If you can't find yours, a plumber can locate it, and adding an access panel is a small, worthwhile job.

Root problems in the older subdivisions

In the 1960s and 1970s neighborhoods, roots are the most common reason for a main line backup. Willows, cottonwoods and silver maples are especially aggressive, and many were planted in front yards directly over the lateral. Cutting clears the line; jetting afterward removes the fine root hair so it stays clear longer. If the camera shows roots at more than a few joints, ask for a lining estimate. Sealing the joints stops the cycle without removing a tree you like.

What a main line visit usually looks like

1. 01

   Find access

   The plumber opens the basement or exterior cleanout, or pulls a toilet if needed.

2. 02

   Clear

   A cable with the right head is run toward the street until the line drains.

3. 03

   Test

   Upstairs taps and toilets are run to prove the line carries a full load.

4. 04

   Scope

   A camera shows the cause and distance, and the plumber explains your options.

HOAs and metro districts

Much of Centennial is covered by homeowners associations and special districts, and sewer service comes from more than one sanitation district depending on where you live. The district on your bill maintains the public main. The lateral from your house to that main is usually your responsibility. If several neighbors are backing up at once, call the district; it may be a problem in the main rather than in anyone's lateral.

Signs of a developing main line problem

• The lowest shower drain fills when a toilet is flushed
• Gurgling from the basement floor drain
• Slow drains throughout the house, not just one fixture
• A sewer smell near the cleanout

Southglenn and Willow Creek

Southglenn and Willow Creek are among Centennial's older neighborhoods, built from the 1960s and 1970s. Their laterals are a mix of clay and early plastic, and mature trees are common. Roots are the most frequent reason for main line backups here. A camera inspection after the first backup helps decide between ongoing cutting and a permanent fix like lining.

Eastern Centennial

Neighborhoods east of I-25 were built later, mostly in the 1980s and 1990s, with plastic laterals. Drain problems there are more often grease, wipes and lint. Ejector pumps in finished basements are also reaching the age where they need replacement.

What to ask on a Centennial call

Ask whether the camera inspection and video are included. In older neighborhoods, ask about lining as an alternative to repeated root cutting. In finished basements, mention where the cleanout is or ask the plumber to help find it.

Centennial through the seasons

Spring is when the willows and cottonwoods in older Centennial subdivisions push roots into clay joints, and backups follow. Summer storms can surcharge mains and send water toward basement floor drains in low-lying areas. Fall leaves and holiday cooking round out the year, with kitchen lines and ejector pumps in finished basements getting their heaviest use from Thanksgiving through New Year's. Scheduling root cutting in late winter and an ejector pump check in the fall covers most of the calendar.

What moves the price in Centennial

In Centennial, the finished basement is often the deciding factor. If the cleanout ended up behind drywall when the basement was finished, the plumber may need to work through a toilet or open a small access, and both add time. Heavy roots in the 1960s and 1970s subdivisions can call for cutting plus jetting, which sits higher in the range than a simple clearing. A camera inspection adds to the bill but often saves money later by showing exactly where the trouble is. Ask for the price range up front and what's included before work begins.

A Centennial homeowner's checklist

Make sure your cleanout isn't hidden behind drywall. In older subdivisions, schedule root cutting before spring.