Outdoor Drain Cleaning
Outdoor drains work out of sight until the first big rain finds the one that silted up over the summer. Then water sits on the patio, runs toward the foundation, or shows up in the crawl space. We find where the water stopped, clear the line, and tell you what it will take to keep it running.
Book online any time, day or night. After-hours emergency service scheduling available.
- Licensed in Oregon and Washington
- Since 1927
- Phones staffed seven days a week
- On-site diagnosis & price option
D&F clears yard and area drains, storm drains and catch basins, French drains, downspout lines, and the drains along patios, decks, walkways and driveways for homes across Portland and Clark County. Our licensed Journeyman plumbers bring a hydro jetter, rooter equipment and a sewer camera to an outdoor drain the same way they would to a drain inside the house, and you see your price options before any work starts.
Water Against the House Right Now?
Water standing against the foundation, an outdoor drain overflowing in the middle of a storm, or water coming in at a basement wall or floor drain. Call and tell us where the water is going and we will get you on the schedule. Until then, if you can reach the grate safely, clear the leaves off it.
Portland (503) 282-0993 · Vancouver (360) 693-5516
Book online any time, day or night, or call us. Phones are staffed Monday to Friday 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and Saturday and Sunday 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM. After-hours emergency service scheduling is available.
How We Clear an Outdoor Drain
Tell us where the water goes.
Where it pools, when it started, whether it happens in every rain or only the big ones, and whether any of it is getting inside. That tells us which drain to start with.
We find the blockage.
We clear the grate and, where there is one, the catch basin below it, and when the problem is further down the line we run a camera to see what is in there: leaves and silt, roots, or a pipe that has cracked or collapsed.
Jet, cable or cut.
Hydro jetting, often up to 4,000 PSI, flushes sediment, leaves and roots out of the line with pressurized water only. A mechanical snake breaks through a compacted blockage, and rooter equipment cuts out roots that have grown into the pipe.
You hear what we found.
On French drains we run the camera again after cleaning to confirm the line is clear. Then we tell you plainly whether this was a one-time clearing, a drain to put on a seasonal schedule, or a line that needs repair or replacement. No work you did not agree to first.
Why Outdoor Drains Fail Here
Portland: Big Trees and a Lot of Leaves
Portland’s street trees are one of the best things about living here, and every fall they drop their leaves straight onto patio grates, catch basins and downspouts. Below ground, mature maples, elms and Douglas fir send roots toward the one reliably damp thing nearby, the joints in your drain lines. A yard drain that clears and then backs up again a few weeks later usually has roots in it, and a camera tells us before we pick a tool.
Clark County: Standing Water in Winter
Our rainy season runs from October through May, and Clark County soil does not always let it go anywhere. Area drains overflow onto the patio, downspout lines silt up over the summer and show it in the first big storm, and crawl spaces hold water. Almost all of it is preventable in September and expensive in January.
Our Vancouver plumbers are licensed in Washington and keep their trucks in neighborhoods near you.
Signs It Is Time to Call
Water that will not go away.
Puddles near the patio, driveway, walkway or foundation that are still there hours after the rain stops.
Grates that overflow.
Water sitting on top of a catch basin or bubbling up out of a yard drain during a storm.
Soggy patches.
A strip of lawn that stays wet over a French drain line, or ground that has started to sink or wash out.
Gurgling after a storm.
Pipes that gurgle when it rains hard are air trapped behind a blockage.
A smell from an outdoor drain.
Leaves and debris sitting in the line and starting to rot.
Water inside.
A damp basement, a wet crawl space, or water at a floor drain after heavy rain. That one is worth a call right away.
Outdoor Drains We Clean
Storm Drains and Catch Basins
The storm drains on your property carry roof and surface water off driveways, yards and patios, and the catch basin under the grate traps leaves and sediment before they reach the pipe. We clean out the basin, hydro jet the line, and run a camera when the clog is further down.
Area and Yard Drains
An area drain moves water from the front, back or side yard out to the street. When it stops working, the yard floods first, and the water can work its way into the house. We clear the drain and the line behind it.
French Drains
A French drain sits in the low part of the yard and carries groundwater away through perforated pipe. Over time it fills with soil, roots, leaves and sediment. We hydro jet it, then run the camera to confirm the line is clear and tell you whether a section needs repair.
Gutters and Downspout Lines
Roof water runs down the downspouts into drain lines underground, and those lines silt up over the summer with leaves, needles and moss. We clean gutters and downspouts and clear the drain lines they feed, so roof water is carried away from the foundation instead of soaking it.
Patio and Deck Drains
Leaves, pine needles, moss, dirt and the odd toy find their way into patio and deck drains. Standing water on a deck speeds up wood rot and algae, and a backed-up patio drain can send water toward the basement. Hydro jetting, drain snaking and video inspection.
Walkway and Driveway Drains
The channel and trench drains along walkways and driveways keep water off the surface and away from the house. When leaves and moss compact in the grate, the surface stays wet and slick. We clear the channel and the line, and remove roots where they have found a crack.
Parking Lot Drains
For property managers: parking lot storm drains and catch basins collect sediment, debris and oil, and a flooded lot is a hazard for drivers and pedestrians. Catch basin cleaning and hydro jetting, on a schedule if you want one.
New Drains and Failed Systems
Sometimes cleaning is not enough. A French drain that has collapsed, filled with roots or was never sloped right needs repair or replacement, and a yard with nowhere for the water to go may need a new drain. We repair and replace French drains, and install French drains, yard drains and catch basins.
Basement Water After a Storm
If water is reaching the basement anyway, the floor drain and the sump pump are the last line of defense. We clear backed-up floor drains, run a camera to see whether the trouble is further down the main line, and repair sump pumps.
Straightforward Pricing
That covers getting a licensed plumber to your property, their time and travel, and a professional visual inspection. The plumber then walks you through what they found and your price options.
To be clear about how it works, because it matters: the $139 is charged in addition to any repair work you decide to go ahead with. It is not a credit against the repair.
Whatever the work turns out to be, you see your price options before it starts, and each one includes labor, parts, miscellaneous materials, and the time to acquire parts. We do not price an outdoor drain sight unseen, because a patio grate full of leaves and a French drain full of roots are different jobs, which is why the inspection comes first.
Monthly Pay Relief is available on approved credit. Two options are running now: no payments and no interest if the balance is paid in full within 12 months, or 9.99% APR spread over 96 months, which is eight years.
Keeping Outdoor Drains Clear
Most of what we pull out of an outdoor drain blew or washed in a little at a time. A few habits keep it from building up.
Sweep the grates.
Keep leaves, needles and moss off patio, deck and driveway grates, and check them after a storm.
Leaves go in the yard debris bin, not the street.
Leaves raked or blown into the street end up in the storm drains.
Covers on yard drains.
A grate cover stops leaves and debris before they get into the line.
A hose after a storm.
Rinsing a drain with clean water moves loose debris on through.
Plant with the drain in mind.
Keep trees with aggressive roots away from drain lines.
Then put the drains on a schedule. Most outdoor drains should be cleaned at least once a year, and more often under heavy tree cover. French drains should be inspected every year and professionally cleaned every one to two years. Fall, before the rain settles in, is the time to do it.
Preventive Drain Maintenance
If your outdoor drains clog every winter, we can put them on a preventive maintenance schedule: cleaning before the rainy season, on an interval that fits the property and the trees around it, so the leaves and silt come out before they turn into standing water. Ask your plumber at your next visit, or call either branch to set one up.
Why Choose D&F Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling?
99 years of serving the Pacific Northwest has taught us a thing or two about rain. Our licensed plumbers proudly wear our signature plaid, and around here people know us as the Plaid Pros.
Licensed Journeyman plumbers.
Licensed in Oregon (#26-23PB, CCB #465) and Washington (#CCDAE, DFPLU**339 N8). The person at your door is a licensed plumber.
Since 1927.
Family owned and operated, with a Vancouver branch whose plumbers hold Washington licenses and live and work in Clark County.
We find the cause.
A camera shows us whether it is leaves, roots or a broken pipe, so we clear the drain instead of guessing.
On-site diagnosis and price options.
Getting a licensed plumber to you, with a visual inspection, is our Cost of Inspection Work. Your price options, labor and parts included, come before any work starts, and the choice is yours.
Water, no chemicals.
Our hydro jetting uses pressurized water only, with no harsh chemicals.
Book any time.
Book online day or night, or call: phones are staffed seven days a week. After-hours emergency service scheduling available. Monthly Pay Relief available on approved credit.
For 99 years, D&F has kept water moving for homes in Portland and Vancouver, combining proven expertise, honest service, and a distinctly Northwest spirit. When an outdoor drain needs clearing, call the Plaid Pros.
Portland's most trusted plumbers & HVAC Technicians
99 years in business
Outdoor Drain Questions
What is the difference between a yard drain and a storm drain?
On a house, both carry rainwater away. A yard or area drain collects water from the lawn and landscaping; a storm drain and its catch basin take roof and surface runoff from driveways and patios. The storm drain in the street is a different thing: it belongs to the city or county.
Who clears the storm drain in the street?
The city or county does. In Portland, the Portland Bureau of Transportation clears street storm drains and asks neighbors to sweep leaves off the grate outside their house. In Clark County outside city limits, call Clark County Public Works; inside a city such as Vancouver, call the city. We clean the drains on your property.
How often should outdoor drains be cleaned?
At least once a year, and more often if the house sits under heavy tree cover. French drains should be inspected every year and professionally cleaned every one to two years. Fall is the best time, before the rainy season settles in.
What is the best way to clear an outdoor drain?
For most outdoor lines, hydro jetting. It flushes out silt, leaves and roots with pressurized water and cleans the whole pipe, which a garden hose rarely does. We run a camera when the clog is out of reach, so we know what we are clearing.
Can tree roots really get into outdoor drains?
Yes. Roots are one of the most common causes of blocked drains in our area. They grow toward the damp joints in a drain line and thicken inside the pipe. We cut them out, and if they have broken the pipe, a camera inspection shows where.
Can a clogged outdoor drain flood my basement?
It can. When an outdoor drain stops, the water it was carrying away has to go somewhere, and often that is toward the foundation, the crawl space or the basement. Keeping the drains clear keeps that water moving away from the house.
How much does outdoor drain cleaning cost?
It depends on the drain and what is in it. A patio grate full of leaves and a French drain full of roots are different jobs. Our $139 Cost of Inspection Work gets a licensed plumber to you with a visual inspection, and you see your price options before any work starts.
Our Service Areas
Don’t see your city? No worries! We service the surrounding areas as well.
Give us a call, we’ll happy to assist!
Portland, Oregon
Clark County, Washington