Five fixes to try, in order
Start with the gentlest method and move up only when the water level in the fixture does not drop.
Hot tap water
Run the hottest water from the faucet for a minute or two. Do not pour a boiling kettle into a toilet or a cracked porcelain basin, because the sudden heat can crack the fixture, and a full boil can soften PVC joints under the sink.
Plunger
Use a flat-bottom cup plunger on sinks and tubs, and a flanged plunger on toilets. Block the overflow opening with a wet rag, cover the cup with an inch of water, and push firmly for 15 to 20 strokes without breaking the seal.
Dish soap for grease
For a kitchen sink slowed by cooking fat, squirt a few tablespoons of liquid dish soap into the drain and follow with a kettle of very hot (not boiling) tap water. The soap breaks up the fat so it can travel past the trap.
Hand auger
A 25-foot hand auger (a coiled cable on a crank) reaches past the trap arm. Feed it in until it stops, crank clockwise, pull the cable back, and clean off whatever came with it. Hair in a shower drain often comes out on the first pass.
Enzyme cleaner
Enzyme or bacterial products digest soft organic film over several hours, so they suit a drain that is slow but still moving. They will not dissolve a hairball, a toy, or a grease plug.
If two of these fail, the blockage is probably past the reach of household tools. That is the time to book professional drain cleaning instead of escalating to harsher products.
Which fix matches which clog
| Symptom | Try first | Stop and call when |
|---|---|---|
| Bathroom sink drains slowly | Pop-up stopper pulled and cleaned, then plunger | Water gurgles in a nearby tub or toilet |
| Shower or tub pools around your ankles | Hair strainer removed, then hand auger through the drain cover opening | The auger meets a hard stop twice |
| Kitchen sink holds water | Hot tap water, dish soap, then plunger with the other side blocked | Both sink bowls fill when the dishwasher runs |
| Toilet will not clear | Flanged plunger, then a closet auger | Several fixtures back up at once |
| Every drain in the house is slow | Nothing homemade | Right away, since this points past the fixtures |
The last row matters most. A single slow fixture is a local clog, while several slow fixtures point to the branch line or main.
What never to do
Do not mix drain cleaners. Combining bleach-based products with acid-based ones releases toxic gas, and even a single product can generate heat that softens plastic pipe. Never plunge or auger over standing water that already contains a chemical cleaner, since splashback burns skin and eyes.
Skip the boiling kettle on a fully blocked drain. Water that cannot drain just sits against the joints. Do not use a metal coat hanger either, because it scratches the pipe wall and snags on the first fitting. Finally, never pour grease, oil or coffee grounds down any drain and assume hot water will carry them away.
Plunger and auger did not work? Call (385) 488-1892 and a licensed plumber will clear the line with the right machine, with a clear price before work starts. Details on our drain cleaning service.
Call (385) 488-1892Why chemical drain cleaners cause trouble
Caustic cleaners work by generating heat and eating organic matter, which also attacks old metal traps and the seals on garbage disposals. If the product fails, the pipe is left holding corrosive liquid that a plumber then has to work around with gloves and eye protection.
Tell the plumber exactly which product you used and when. That one detail changes how the line is opened and cleared.
What Herriman's sewer district asks about grease
Sewer service in Herriman comes from Jordan Basin Improvement District (JBID), not the city. JBID says never to pour oil or grease down sinks, toilets or garbage disposals. Let it cool, solidify it in a jar or can, and put it in the trash, and use strainer baskets in kitchen sinks.
That guidance matters at home as well as downstream. Fat that squeaks past your trap can set in the private line and then in the district's mains. JBID also lists what should never be flushed. Only human waste and toilet paper belong in a toilet, and wipes sold as flushable still cause backups.
The practical rule is simple. A strainer basket and a tin can on the counter cost almost nothing, while a grease-coated lateral is your repair to pay for because you own the pipe from the house to the district main.
When to stop and bring in a plumber
A hand auger is the last sensible household tool. If it will not pass the first bend, if the same drain clogs again within weeks, or if water backs up into a lower fixture such as a basement floor drain, a camera and a powered machine are needed.
A licensed plumber can run a cable machine, or hydro jetting when grease or scale has narrowed the pipe. A camera shows whether the cause is roots, a belly in the line, or a broken joint.
Herriman's water is also very hard according to the city, with wells at 25 to 60 grains per gallon and Jordan Valley Water at 10 to 12. Mineral scale inside older metal drain lines is a real contributor to slow flow, and it gives grease a rough surface to cling to.
Neighboring towns, same rules of thumb
These steps apply the same way in nearby cities. Homeowners calling from Riverton to the east and from South Jordan to the north also share the same JBID sewer service, so the grease guidance travels with you.
Clogged drain questions from Herriman homes
Does baking soda and vinegar really unclog a drain?
It fizzes and can loosen light film, but it is gentle and rarely moves a real blockage. Treat it as a mild flush, not a substitute for a plunger or auger.
Is it safe to use a plunger after a chemical cleaner?
No. Plunging pushes caustic liquid back out of the drain onto your skin. If a chemical cleaner is already in the pipe, stop and call a plumber.
How long should I wait before calling a plumber?
If the water level has not dropped after the plunger and one pass with a hand auger, further attempts usually make the clog worse. If several drains are slow at once, call right away.
Who pays if the clog is in the pipe outside my house?
According to JBID's guidance, the owner is responsible for the private line from the house to the district main. The district handles its own main in the street.
Why does my Herriman kitchen drain clog even though I use a strainer?
Fat and soap residue coat the inside of the trap and the first run of pipe, and very hard Herriman water adds mineral scale that gives that film something to stick to. A periodic hot flush and keeping grease out of the sink slows the buildup.
Still stuck after the steps above? Call (385) 488-1892 and say which step failed.
Call (385) 488-1892Sources and standards
Local rules and figures in this guide come from the public sources below. Fees and codes change, so confirm the current version before you act on it.