A black and white icon of a telephone with a hose attached to it.

Drain Cleaning in Union County, NJ — Done the Right Way, Without Chemicals

Slow drain, stubborn clog, or recurring backup? We clean with proper tools — drain machines, hydro jets, and cameras. Not bottles of Drano that ruin your pipes.

There's a reason a snake from Home Depot didn't fix your drain. There's a reason the Drano you poured down it last week is back to slow draining today. Most drain clogs aren't surface-level — they're grease, buildup, roots, or sediment further down the line. Continental Plumbers has been cleaning drains across Union County since 1985. We use professional drain machines and hydro jetting to clear the actual cause — and we'll tell you straight if there's something more going on.

NJ Master Plumber License #9142
Since 1985
4.7★
(1,377 reviews)
24/7 emergency
Drains We Clean

Every Drain in Your Home — Cleared Without Damage

A snake-and-go visit only fixes the symptom. A proper cleaning addresses the cause. Here’s what we handle:

Shower & Tub Drains

Hair, soap scum, and mineral buildup. Cleared with proper drain machines that don't damage tile or fixtures.

Kitchen Sink Drains

Grease, food particles, garbage disposal clogs. We snake and flush the line so the clog doesn't come back next week.

Toilet Drains

Foreign objects, deep clogs, partial vent blockages. Augered properly without scratching the porcelain bowl.

Bathroom Sink Drains

Toothpaste buildup, hair, soap. Quick clears that get the drain flowing again in minutes.

Floor Drains

Basement, garage, laundry room. Clearing buildup and verifying proper drainage to prevent flooding.

Main & Sewer Lines

The big issues — multiple drains backing up, sewage smell, recurring problems.

How We Actually Clear Drains

Professional Tools, Not Bottles of Acid

A real drain cleaning visit uses the right tool for the kind of clog you have. Here’s what we use and when:
Drain Snake / Auger

Mechanical cable threaded through the line to break up or pull out clogs. Different sizes for sinks, tubs, toilets, and main lines.

Hydro Jetting

High-pressure water (up to 4,000 PSI) blasts grease, roots, and decades of buildup off the pipe walls. Restores flow close to original.

Video Camera Inspection

For recurring clogs or main line issues, we send a camera in to see exactly what's happening before clearing. No more guessing.

Vent Clearing

Sometimes the clog isn't in the drain — it's a blocked vent stack on the roof. We diagnose and clear vents that cause gurgling and slow flow.

Why We Don't Use Chemical Drain Cleaners

Drano, Liquid-Plumr, and Why Plumbers Hate Them

Chemical drain cleaners (Drano, Liquid-Plumr, Crystal Drano, etc.) work by burning through whatever’s in the drain. Sometimes that includes:
Your Pipes

Especially galvanized, cast-iron, and old copper — all common in Union County homes. Repeated chemical use corrodes the inside of pipes and shortens their life by years.

Rubber Seals & Fittings

The rubber gaskets and seals in your traps, vents, and fixtures break down faster when exposed to caustic chemicals — leading to leaks weeks or months later.

You and Your Family

Drain cleaners produce toxic fumes, especially when mixed with bleach or other cleaners. Splashback during use causes chemical burns.

Most chemical drain cleaners don't actually fix the cause — they push it deeper or partially dissolve a clog that re-forms. We see drains chemically "cleared" that come back worse a month later, every week. A proper mechanical cleaning costs about the same and actually solves it.

We Get It

The Drain Cleaning Concerns We Hear Every Week

"I already tried a snake from the hardware store."

Common, and understandable. The store-bought snakes are usually too short, too thin, or too rigid to reach the real clog. They handle surface clogs in shower drains and toilets — but for kitchen drains, recurring clogs, or main line issues, they're not the right tool. We have machines for every drain size in your home.

"I keep using Drano and the clog keeps coming back."

Because Drano doesn't fix the cause — it just thins the symptom. Whatever was building up is still there, just pushed deeper. We clean the line properly so the clog stops coming back.

"My house is old. Are my pipes strong enough for hydro jetting?"

Good question. Hydro jetting is safe for most pipes in good condition. For older cast-iron or galvanized lines, we camera-inspect first to assess pipe condition before jetting. If the line is too compromised, we use a lower-pressure cleaning method.

"My tenant won't stop calling about a backed-up drain."

Property manager classic. Most rental drain calls we handle same-day. Often the issue is recurring — meaning the line needs proper cleaning, not just symptom relief. We diagnose, clean, and document so you have a record of what was done.

Drain Cleaning Emergencies

24/7 Emergency Line: (973) 900-0430

Some drain situations can wait. These cannot:

Sewage backups are a health hazard. If you see or smell sewage inside your home, call (973) 900-0430 immediately.

The Neighbor Difference

Why Union County Chooses Continental for Drain Cleaning

Local since 1985

40+ years cleaning Union County drains. We know what's in these old pipes.

No chemicals — ever

Proper drain machines, hydro jets, and cameras. The tools that actually clean — without damaging your plumbing.

Same-day service

Most drain cleaning calls handled the day you call. 24/7 emergency for backups.

Cleaned right, warrantied

NJ Master Plumber #9142. If the clog returns within 30 days, we re-clean at no charge.

Where We Serve

Drain Cleaning Across Union County

Don’t see your town? call (973) 900-0430

Drain Cleaning FAQs

Replacement is swapping an old unit for a similar new one — usually because the old one failed. Installation is a new project — new construction, addition, first-time install, or major type change (like tank to tankless). Installations involve more planning and often more code work.

Yes. NJ plumbing code requires permits for water heater installations. We handle the permit, schedule the inspection, and meet the inspector on-site.

Standard tank install: 4–6 hours. Tankless install or tank-to-tankless conversion: 6–10 hours, sometimes spread across two days. We confirm timing during the quote.

Yes. NJ Clean Energy Program offers significant rebates on heat pump water heaters and qualifying tankless systems. We'll let you know what your install qualifies for and can help with the paperwork.

Yes — that's exactly what camera inspection is for. We feed a camera through the line, see the exact problem and location, and only dig where needed. Some repairs can now be done trenchless.
Yes. We work with property managers across Union County on single-call clogs and recurring maintenance programs. Documented work, clear billing.