Do not run water or flush if a toilet is affected. Do not pour anything down the sink. The more you use it, the further back the clog pushes and the worse it gets.
For a sink, fill it with a few inches of water, plug the overflow hole if there is one, and plunge hard for 20 seconds. For a toilet, use a toilet plunger and push down and pull up firmly. Do this only if water is not already backing up onto the floor.
Run water in another sink, tub, or shower. If those drain fine, the clog is in that one pipe only. If multiple drains back up or slow down together, the main sewer line may be blocked.
A plumber with a camera can see inside the pipe and show you exactly where the clog is. You need this to know if it's a simple one or a bigger problem.
Clogs happen for different reasons. In kitchen sinks, grease is the biggest culprit. You pour it down hot and it flows, then cools inside the pipe and hardens into a plug. Hair and soap scum pile up in bathroom drains over months. In Scotts Valley, Boulder Creek, and the surrounding areas, we also see root intrusion in older sewer lines. Tree roots follow moisture and crack into pipes, then trap debris.
When a drain backs up, it means water cannot move forward. You might see it bubbling up in the sink, rising in the toilet bowl, or pooling on the floor. Smell usually follows. The longer you wait, the more water fills your pipes and the worse it gets. If it's the main line, it affects every drain in the house.
A plumber uses a drain camera or a mechanical snake to clear it. The camera tells us what we're dealing with: is it grease, is it roots, is it a collapsed section of pipe? For a simple clog caught early, we get it done in an hour or two. For something worse, we let you know what your options are before we start. We're at your door in about 45 minutes.
Describe what you're seeing to a real Scotts Valley plumber: call (831) 555-0179 or send the form. Free, no obligation.