Do You Need a Plumber to Clean a Drain?

When a sink won't drain or a toilet backs up, the first thing most people type into Google is “plumber near me.” It's an honest instinct, but it can cost you time and money, because a clogged drain and a plumbing repair are two different jobs handled by two different trades.

Drain specialist vs. plumber: the difference

A licensed plumber installs and repairs the plumbing system itself, such as the supply lines that bring fresh water in, the fixtures like toilets, faucets, and water heaters, and the pipes inside your walls. That work requires a master or journeyman plumber's license in Minnesota, and it should.

Drain cleaning is a different specialty. It's the work of clearing what's stuck inside a drain or sewer line that's already installed, such as the grease in a kitchen branch, hair in a shower line, tree roots in a main sewer line. In Minnesota, clearing drains and scoping sewer lines does not require a plumber's license if fixtures or pipes are not removed or altered. Lucky Dog is a licensed and insured drain and sewer specialist, not a plumbing contractor. Drains and sewers are all we do.

Because we only do drains, we tend to be faster to the door, sharper at diagnosis, and less expensive than a full-service shop that bills at a plumbers’ hourly rate.

When you actually need a plumber instead

We'll always tell you honestly which call to make. You need a licensed plumber, not us, when the problem is the plumbing itself: a leaking or burst supply line, a toilet that needs to be pulled and reset, a new fixture or water heater, a broken pipe inside a wall, or any repair that means replacing a section of pipe. If we open up your line and find a job that crosses into plumbing or sewer repair, we stop, show you what we found on camera, and point you to someone we trust. We'd rather lose the upsell than sell you something you don't need.

When a drain specialist is the right call

Call a drain specialist like Lucky Dog when:

one or more drains are slow, gurgling, or fully backed up

your basement floor drain backs up, especially after heavy rain or a load of laundry

a clog keeps coming back within days or weeks

you want a sewer line cleared of roots or scoped with a camera before buying or selling a home

The bottom line for west-metro homeowners

In older St. Louis Park, Edina, and southwest Minneapolis homes where many were built before 1960 on original clay and cast-iron lines, the vast majority of “I think I need a plumber” calls are really drain calls. Start with a drain specialist. If it turns out you need plumbing work, we'll be the first to say so.

Slow or backed-up drain? Call or text Lucky Dog for same-day, flat-rate service across the west metro. Loyal to our neighbors.

Related reading

• Plumber or drain cleaner? What's the difference?
• Why is my floor drain or laundry tub backing up?
• Clogged drain clearing