5 Best Drain Cleaning Services in New York (2026)

Independently ranked by our review of ratings, reviews and reputation · How we chose

By Brad Smith, Home Services Expert · ✓ Data verified August 2026 · 8 min read

A backed-up drain in a pre-war Manhattan building or an old Brooklyn brownstone is rarely a simple fix, aging cast iron pipes and combined sewer systems mean today's clog can be tomorrow's excavation. The drain cleaning services in New York covered here have logged over 2,900 Google reviews between them, and four sit at 4.8 stars or higher, so who you call first can decide whether it's a quick jetting job or a much bigger repair.

Short answer: RR Plumbing Roto-Rooter is the most-reviewed name in the city (4.8 stars, 1,706 reviews), operating since 1935. Apax Sewer Drain & Cleaning and A&E NYC Plumbing both hold perfect 5.0 ratings, with Apax specializing in camera inspections and hydro jetting. 24 Hr. Emergency Plumbing & Hot Water Heater (4.9, 640 reviews) covers Brooklyn with genuine round-the-clock response.

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1. RR Plumbing Roto-Roote…
2. 24 Hr. Emergency Plumb…
3. Apax Sewer Drain & Cle…
4. A&E NYC Plumbing
5. 718 Sewer & Drain
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New York's Drain Cleaning Companies Compared

#	Business	Rating	Reviews	Best for
1	RR Plumbing Roto-Rooter	4.8 ★	1,706	Established citywide provider	View ›
2	24 Hr. Emergency Plumbing & Hot Water Heater	4.9 ★	640	Brooklyn emergency response	View ›
3	Apax Sewer Drain & Cleaning	5.0 ★	182	Camera inspection and hydro jetting	View ›
4	A&E NYC Plumbing	5.0 ★	144	Manhattan plumber, drain and gas line work	View ›
5	718 Sewer & Drain	4.8 ★	141	Older buildings, annual maintenance	View ›

5 Best Drain Cleaning Services in New York (2026)

Who to call for a clogged drain

#1 Overall🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

RR Plumbing Roto-Rooter

4.81,706 Google reviews

RR Plumbing Roto-Rooter is the Manhattan branch of the national Roto-Rooter network, operating in New York since 1935 and covering drain cleaning, emergency plumbing, water heaters and water damage restoration. It runs 24/7, 365 days a year with no extra charge for nights or weekends, and its technicians are named repeatedly across reviews for diagnosing whether a clog is a simple clear or a sign of a bigger pipe issue.

What people praise

Deepest review base in the city at 1,706 reviews
Genuine 24/7 availability with no night or weekend surcharge
Technicians described as honest about when a pipe needs replacing, not just clearing

Worth knowing

One reviewer described a frustrating exchange over street parking access before the job could start
As a larger operation, expect a formal scheduling and dispatch process

Reputation scorecardrank in New York

Rating4.8 / 5

Review volume1,706 · 97th

Confidencevery high

Recency6 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown89% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The most-reviewed and longest-established name in New York, with a track record spanning decades. A safe default, especially for older buildings where a clog might point to a deeper pipe problem.

Website Book now +1212-687-1215 Directions

450 7th Ave Ste B, New York, NY 10123

#2🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

24 Hr. Emergency Plumbing & Hot Water Heater

4.9640 Google reviews

24 Hr. Emergency Plumbing & Hot Water Heater is a Brooklyn-based plumbing company covering drain cleaning, bathroom and kitchen plumbing, and water heater installation, with genuine round-the-clock emergency availability. Reviewers repeatedly describe fast scheduling, clear communication with reminder texts and calls ahead of the appointment, and technicians who avoid unnecessary upselling.

What people praise

Reviewers consistently praise proactive communication, including appointment reminder texts and calls
Technicians described as efficient and not pushing unneeded upsells
Strong track record on both drain clearing and water heater installation

Worth knowing

No cons noted in the review set for this business

Reputation scorecardrank in New York

Rating4.9 / 5

Review volume640 · 92th

Confidencevery high

Recency4 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown97% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A strong, consistently well-reviewed choice for Brooklyn homeowners, with communication that stands out even before the technician arrives. A solid pick for both routine drain work and genuine emergencies.

Website +1518-335-4282 Directions

80 Fenimore St, Brooklyn, NY 11225

#3🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Apax Sewer Drain & Cleaning

5.0182 Google reviews

Apax Sewer Drain & Cleaning is a Long Island City-based drainage specialist covering residential and commercial sewer drain cleaning, high-pressure jetting, video camera inspections and grease trap cleaning, with a focus on the greater Brooklyn area. Reviewers describe technicians using camera inspection to diagnose the actual cause of a slow drain, such as tree roots, before recommending hydro jetting.

What people praise

Perfect 5.0 rating across 182 reviews
Camera inspection used to diagnose the real cause before recommending a fix
Offers maintenance plans that reviewers note are cheaper than one-time drain cleaning

Worth knowing

No cons noted in the review set for this business

Reputation scorecardrank in New York

Rating5 / 5

Review volume182 · 87th

Confidencehigh

Recency5 months ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown99% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A strong specialist pick when you want to actually see what's causing a recurring or slow drain issue rather than just clearing it and hoping it doesn't come back. Its maintenance plan option is worth asking about if this is a recurring problem.

Website Book now +1347-972-4146 Directions

10-10 44th Ave, Long Island City, NY 11101

#4🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

A&E NYC Plumbing

5.0144 Google reviews

A&E NYC Plumbing is a Manhattan-based plumbing company covering drain repair, faucet repair, gas line installation and dishwasher repair, positioning itself around honest, reasonably priced service. Reviewers name the owner directly and describe him offering free phone advice even before booking a job, and the business runs long daily hours seven days a week.

What people praise

Reviewers repeatedly describe honest, fair pricing and clear explanations
Long daily hours, seven days a week
Owner personally engaged in troubleshooting calls, per multiple reviewers

Worth knowing

One reviewer described a job involving a broken drain pan and an unresolved water sensor installation, though this was a single negative account against many strongly positive ones

Reputation scorecardrank in New York

Rating5 / 5

Review volume144 · 82th

Confidencemoderate

Recency3 months ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown97% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: Strong, consistent reviews built around honesty and direct owner involvement. One negative account is worth weighing, but the overwhelming pattern is a reliable, communicative Manhattan plumber.

Website +1646-392-7164 Directions

40 Fulton St, New York, NY 10038

#5🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

718 Sewer & Drain

4.8141 Google reviews

718 Sewer & Drain is a Middle Village-based Queens plumber offering sewer cleaning, pipe replacement, water filter installation and annual preventive maintenance, with reviewers describing multi-year relationships built around yearly pipe cleaning for older buildings. It runs 24/7 and covers emergency call-outs alongside scheduled maintenance work.

What people praise

Reviewers describe multi-year, repeat customer relationships for annual maintenance
Named technicians praised repeatedly for reliability and honesty
Strong fit for older buildings needing preventive, not just reactive, drain care

Worth knowing

A small number of lower-star reviews exist without detailed context in the review set

Reputation scorecardrank in New York

Rating4.8 / 5

Review volume141 · 76th

Confidencemoderate

Recency5 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown94% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The pick if you want a long-term relationship with a plumber for an older building, rather than a one-off emergency call. Reviewers' repeat-customer pattern for annual maintenance stands out.

Website Book now +1718-729-4995 Directions

61-46 70th St, Middle Village, NY 11379

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Watch: 5 Best Drain Cleaning Services in New York (2026)

How we score

Every number on this page comes from public Google data on the date shown, not from opinion or payment. Rating is the company’s live Google star average. Review volume measures how many customers have rated them, ranked against other New York drain and plumbing companies. Confidence weighs the rating by that volume, so a 4.8 from over 1,700 reviewers carries more weight than a perfect score from a handful. Recency reflects how recently customers are still leaving reviews. No company can pay to change these numbers.

How much does drain cleaning cost in New York? (2026)

Reviewers on this page report a range depending on the job, from a simple clog clear to a full pipe repair or hydro jetting. Based on customer-reported price figures in their reviews:

Job	Typical price
Standard drain clearing	$200 to $400
Sewer line jetting or camera inspection	$200 to $400

Ranges compiled August 2026 from customer-reported price figures in Google reviews for the companies on this page. Actual pricing depends on the job’s complexity and access, so get a written estimate before work begins.

Serving all of New York

These companies cover Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the wider New York metro area, including Long Island City and Middle Village. Searching for a drain cleaning company near me? Every listing below shows a live phone number so you can call for emergency or scheduled service today.

What to ask before you hire a drain cleaning company

Do you offer a free estimate before starting the work?
Can you run a camera inspection to diagnose the actual cause, not just clear the clog?
Is there an extra charge for nights, weekends or emergency call-outs?
Do you offer a maintenance plan if this is a recurring issue?
What is your response time for an emergency call?
Will you provide a written quote before starting any repair beyond the initial clearing?

Frequently asked questions

How did you choose these drain cleaning companies?

We started from every drain cleaning company in New York with a public Google presence, then ranked by rating, review volume, consistency and recency. See How we score above.

Are these rankings paid?

No. Rankings come from the public Google data in the scorecard. A business can pay to be a Featured Partner, which adds a badge and top placement, but that never changes another business’s score or position on the underlying data.

How often is this updated?

The data carries a verified date (August 2026 on this page). We refresh listings periodically so ratings and review counts stay current.

Why do older New York buildings have more drain problems?

Many pre-war buildings still run on aging cast iron pipes and combined sewer systems, which are more prone to blockages, root intrusion and corrosion over time. Companies like Apax Sewer Drain & Cleaning offer camera inspections specifically to diagnose these older-pipe issues before recommending a fix.

Do these companies offer 24/7 emergency service?

Yes, several do. RR Plumbing Roto-Rooter, 24 Hr. Emergency Plumbing and 718 Sewer & Drain all run genuine round-the-clock availability, with no extra charge for nights and weekends at RR Plumbing specifically.

The bottom line

RR Plumbing Roto-Rooter is the safe default given its decades of history and citywide reach, while Apax Sewer Drain & Cleaning is worth calling specifically if you want a camera inspection before committing to a repair. Whichever you choose, ask for a written estimate before any work beyond the initial clearing.

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