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6 Best Drain Cleaning Services in Chicago (2026)

Ranked by real Google ratings and review volume · How we chose

Brad Smith
By Brad Smith, Home Services Expert · ✓ Updated (data verified October 2026) · 8 min read

We compared 18 drain cleaning services in Chicago on Google Maps · 6 listed · How we rank

A slow drain rarely stays slow. It backs up on a Friday night, usually right after you have had people over. Chicago's drain cleaning companies have logged more than 13,500 Google reviews between them, and every one of the names below holds a rating of 4.7 or higher, so the real work here is sorting out who actually shows up fast and does the job right the first time.

Short answer: King Heating, Cooling & Plumbing is a local drain cleaning choice in Chicago, rated 4.7 from more than 4,200 reviews and available around the clock for HVAC and plumbing work alike. Walsh & Son Plumbing and Sewer holds a perfect 5.0, and Roto-Rooter brings the deepest bench at more than 8,500 reviews for citywide, any-hour coverage. Expect a diagnostic or service call fee before any drain work begins.
Jump to a business

How Chicago's drain cleaners stack up

# Business Rating Reviews Best for
1 Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup 4.7 ★ 8,575 Citywide coverage and fastest emergency response View ›
2 King Heating, Cooling & Plumbing 4.7 ★ 4,341 Overall / full-home HVAC and plumbing View ›
3 Walsh & Son Plumbing and Sewer 5.0 ★ 473 Sewer line work and drain-specific jobs View ›
4 Direct Improvements 4.7 ★ 357 Combined HVAC, plumbing, and appliance repair View ›
5 Chicago Water Pros 4.7 ★ 266 Water quality and filtration alongside drain work View ›
6 SERVPRO of Downtown Chicago/Team Zubricki 5.0 ★ 112 Water damage from a drain backup View ›
6 Best Drain Cleaning Services in Chicago (2026)

Our picks, one by one

Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup logo
#1 Overall🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup

4.78,575 Google reviews

Roto-Rooter is a national plumbing and drain company with a Chicago branch downtown on Washington Street, offering 24/7 emergency plumbing, drain cleaning, and water damage cleanup with no extra charge for nights, holidays, or weekends. The company is fully licensed and insured and markets itself as the most-used plumbing brand in North America, backed by senior and military discounts and financing options. Multiple reviewers describe technicians arriving within two hours of a weekend call, including one who reported a callback for a full camera inspection after the initial fix.

What people praise

  • Two-hour response times reported repeatedly, including weekends and holidays
  • No extra charge for after-hours or weekend service
  • Technicians walk through pricing and next steps before starting work
  • Camera inspections used to confirm a clog is fully cleared, not just pushed further down the line

Worth knowing

  • Being a large national operator, several reviewers note that quotes ran high compared to smaller local shops for the same job
Reputation scorecardrank in Chicago
Rating4.7 / 5
Review volume8,575 · 100th
Confidencevery high
Recencyyesterday
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown89% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The most-reviewed name on this page by a wide margin, with more than 8,500 Google reviews. Its 24/7 service with no extra charge for nights, holidays or weekends makes it the first call when a drain backs up after hours.

166 W Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602

King Heating, Cooling & Plumbing logo
★ Featured Partner#2🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

King Heating, Cooling & Plumbing

4.74,341 Google reviews

King Heating, Cooling & Plumbing is a Chicago-area HVAC and plumbing company based in Oak Forest, covering heating, cooling, water heaters, and drain and sewer work under one roof. The company runs 24/7 dispatch with up-front pricing and NATE-certified technicians, and its site leans into same-day scheduling for both routine maintenance and emergency calls. Reviewers mention technicians by name and describe them as friendly, careful and clear about the work before it starts.

What people praise

  • Technicians explain the diagnosis and the fix before starting, not after
  • Clean, respectful in the home, including cleanup after installs
  • Responsive dispatch, with several reviewers noting fast turnaround on urgent calls
  • Handles the full range from a simple clog to a full water heater swap
Reputation scorecardrank in Chicago
Rating4.7 / 5
Review volume4,341 · 94th
Confidencevery high
Recencyyesterday
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown89% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: Our featured partner and a safe default pick precisely because it does not specialize narrowly. With more than 4,200 reviews behind it, if a slow drain turns out to be a symptom of something bigger, this is a crew that can already fix the rest of it.

4813 W 159th St, Oak Forest, IL 60452

Walsh & Son Plumbing and Sewer logo
#3🕑 Open 5 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

Walsh & Son Plumbing and Sewer

5.0473 Google reviews

Walsh & Son Plumbing and Sewer is an Orland Park-area plumbing company specializing in drain and sewer work, including clogged drain cleaning, hydro-jetting, sewer line repair, sewer camera inspection, and trenchless pipe replacement, alongside general residential plumbing. Reviewers frequently name the same two technicians, John and Dave, and describe sewer line projects completed same-day with clear explanation of the scope beforehand. The company operates a five-day week with no weekend hours listed.

What people praise

  • Perfect 5.0 rating with only a handful of 4-star reviews and nothing lower
  • Sewer and drain work is a named specialty, not a side service
  • Reviewers report quotes that beat competing estimates on the same sewer job
  • Clear, courteous communication from both the office and the technicians on-site

Worth knowing

  • No listed hours on Saturday or Sunday, so plan ahead for weekend emergencies
Reputation scorecardrank in Chicago
Rating5 / 5
Review volume473 · 94th
Confidencehigh
Recency3 days ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown98% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The specialist's pick, with a perfect rating. A smaller review base than the top two, but a service list built specifically around drains and sewer lines rather than general plumbing.

Direct Improvements logo
#4🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Direct Improvements

4.7357 Google reviews

Direct Improvements is a downtown Chicago-based home services company covering HVAC, plumbing, and appliance repair, including drain cleaning alongside furnace, air conditioning, and refrigerator work. The company works with home warranty providers like American Home Shield, handling claims and installs when a warranty company approves a repair or replacement. Reviewers repeatedly name individual technicians such as Aaron, Amy, and Alex, describing a team that communicates clearly through multi-step warranty and repair processes.

What people praise

  • Experience navigating home warranty claims, useful if your drain issue is warranty-covered
  • Technicians named and praised individually across multiple reviews
  • Reasonable pricing reported relative to competing quotes
  • Handles the full home-systems picture, not drains in isolation

Worth knowing

  • Smaller review base than the top names here, so weekend or emergency drain-only availability is worth confirming by phone
Reputation scorecardrank in Chicago
Rating4.7 / 5
Review volume357 · 89th
Confidencehigh
Recency3 days ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown89% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A strong option if your drain problem is tangled up with a warranty claim or a bigger HVAC issue, less of a pure drain specialist than Walsh & Son.

111 W Jackson Blvd Unit 1700, Chicago, IL 60604

Chicago Water Pros logo
#5🕑 Open 6 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

Chicago Water Pros

4.7266 Google reviews

Chicago Water Pros is a water treatment and plumbing company covering reverse osmosis systems, water softeners, whole-home filtration, and general drainage service across the Chicago area. Reviews center heavily on installs led by a technician named Mark, with several customers describing complex basement piping situations worked around cleanly. The company keeps weekday hours plus a shortened Saturday schedule and no Sunday availability.

What people praise

  • Technicians described as taking time to map out tricky piping layouts before starting
  • Consistently responsive follow-up after installation, including answering questions after the job is done
  • Noticeable water quality improvements reported by multiple reviewers
  • Friendly, unhurried communication style noted across nearly every review

Worth knowing

  • Smaller review base and no Sunday hours, so drain-only emergencies may be better served by a 24/7 name on this list
Reputation scorecardrank in Chicago
Rating4.7 / 5
Review volume266 · 83rd
Confidencehigh
Recency3 days ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown91% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: Worth calling if your drain issue is tied to water quality or a filtration install, though it is not primarily a drain-cleaning specialist the way Walsh & Son is.

SERVPRO of Downtown Chicago/Team Zubricki logo
#6🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

SERVPRO of Downtown Chicago/Team Zubricki

5.0112 Google reviews

SERVPRO of Downtown Chicago/Team Zubricki is a water and fire damage restoration company on South LaSalle Street serving Downtown Chicago and nearby neighborhoods, including Grant Park, Printers Row, and Streeterville. It is a certified City of Chicago Women's Business Enterprise, and its crews are IICRC-trained, handling water extraction, flood cleanup, mold, and specialty cleaning for homes and apartment buildings. Reviewers describe it stepping in after flooding events, including the kind of backup that follows a badly clogged drain.

What people praise

  • Reviewers describe fast on-site response, including staying late to start drying equipment the same day
  • Praised for daily monitoring until walls and floors are fully dry
  • Named technicians described as patient and communicative through insurance claims
  • Handles the cleanup side of a drain failure, not just the clog itself

Worth knowing

  • This is a restoration company, not a drain-cleaning plumber, so call it for the water damage a backup leaves behind rather than the clog itself
Reputation scorecardrank in Chicago
Rating5 / 5
Review volume112 · 72nd
Confidencemoderate
Recency2 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown98% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: Not a substitute for a plumber clearing the actual clog, but the name to call once a drain backup has already flooded a room. A rating of 4.9 or higher on a smaller review base rounds out this list.

601 S LaSalle St, Chicago, IL 60605

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Watch: 6 Best Drain Cleaning Services in Chicago (2026)

How we score

Rating is each company’s live Google average. Review volume measures how many customers have actually left a review, ranked against the others on this page. Confidence weighs the rating against that volume, since a handful of reviews at 5.0 tell you less than thousands at 4.7. Recency checks how recently people are still leaving reviews. No business can pay to change any of these numbers.

How much does drain cleaning cost in Chicago? (2026)

Most Chicago plumbers charge a flat diagnostic or service call fee before any drain work begins, with the total shaped by how the clog is cleared (a simple snake versus hydro-jetting) and how far into the line the blockage sits.

JobTypical price
Service call / diagnostic fee$75 - $150
Standard drain snaking$150 - $350
Hydro-jetting$350 - $700
Sewer camera inspection$150 - $300

Ranges compiled July 2026 from Angi and HomeGuide national and Chicago-metro plumbing cost guides. These are third-party averages, not quotes from the businesses on this page, so ask each company for its own written price.

Serving all of Chicago

These companies cover the city and close-in suburbs, from Downtown and the Loop down through Oak Forest and Orland Park. If you’re searching for drain cleaning near me anywhere in Chicagoland, the businesses above dispatch across most or all of that footprint, though it’s worth confirming your specific neighborhood when you call.

What to ask before you hire a drain cleaning company

  • Is the diagnostic or service call fee applied toward the repair if I move forward?
  • Do you charge extra for nights, weekends, or holidays?
  • Will you run a camera inspection to confirm the clog is fully cleared, or just pushed further down the line?
  • Are your technicians licensed and insured for sewer and drain work specifically?
  • What’s your estimated arrival window for an urgent same-day call?
  • Is there a warranty on the work if the same drain backs up again within 30 or 60 days?

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a licensed plumber for drain cleaning, or can I use a handyman?

For a simple clog, a general plumber or drain specialist is fine. For anything touching the sewer line, a licensed and insured plumber protects you if something goes wrong underground.

What’s the difference between snaking and hydro-jetting?

Snaking uses a cable to break up or pull out a clog. Hydro-jetting blasts high-pressure water through the line, clearing grease and buildup along the whole pipe wall, not just the blockage point. It costs more but lasts longer for recurring clogs.

A drain backup flooded my floor. Who do I call first?

Call a plumber to clear the clog itself, but if standing water has already damaged flooring or walls, a restoration company like SERVPRO on this list can start drying and cleanup, sometimes the same day.

The bottom line

For citywide, any-hour coverage backed by the deepest review record here, Roto-Rooter is the safe call. King Heating, Cooling & Plumbing is the strong pick when a drain job may turn into broader plumbing or HVAC work: round-the-clock dispatch and enough volume behind its 4.7 rating to trust it on a bad night. If you want a specialist with a perfect 5.0 rating, Walsh & Son’s sewer and drain focus is worth the call instead. Either way, ask for the diagnostic fee and any camera-inspection cost before the truck leaves the driveway.

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