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The Drain You Forget About
A Floor Drain Only Matters on the Worst Day
Most days a floor drain does nothing. Then the water heater lets go, the washing machine hose splits or a storm pushes water under the garage door, and the floor drain is the difference between a mop-up and a flooring claim. Because it sits unused for months, it is also the drain most likely to be clogged with dust and lint, to have a dried-out trap letting sewer gas into the house, or to be sitting below a line that has quietly filled with sediment. Radiant’s licensed plumbers keep floor drains working across Austin, San Antonio and Central Texas.
Central Texas homes are mostly built on slabs, so our floor drains live in garages, laundry and utility rooms, mechanical closets, covered patios and pool areas rather than basements. The Texas heat dries out an unused trap in a matter of weeks, which is why a “sewer smell in the garage” is one of the most common floor drain calls we get, and why a trap primer or a simple habit of pouring water down the drain solves so many of them. When the problem is deeper, we run a cable or camera down the line and find out exactly where and why it is blocked.
Drain clearing comes with a promise in the Home Comfort Guarantee: if drainage backs up or slows after we clear it, we check it at no charge and make it right if it is related to our work.
- Cleared, not just poked Cable, hydrojetting or camera as the line calls for, so the drain flows and stays flowing.
- Sewer gas solved We fix the dry or broken trap that is letting odor in, not just the smell.
- Written price first An accurate quote before any work begins, honored for 72 hours, with no hidden fees.
What to Watch For
Floor Drain Problems Worth Fixing Before the Flood
Test the drain on a normal day by pouring a bucket of water down it. If it does not disappear fast, read on.
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Sewer smell in the garage or laundry room
The trap has dried out and the drain is now an open pipe to the sewer. Pour water in; if the smell returns quickly, the trap may be cracked.
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Water pools and drains slowly
Lint, dust, pet hair and mineral sediment have built up in the trap or the line. It will not drain at all when you need it most.
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Water comes up when the washer drains
The floor drain shares a line that is restricted, and the washer’s pump is finding the lowest opening. That is a line clog, not a drain clog.
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Drain flies or gnats around the drain
They breed in the organic film inside a neglected trap. Cleaning the trap and keeping it wet usually ends it.
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Cracked, rusted or missing grate
A broken grate lets debris in and is a trip hazard. Cast iron bodies also rust through over time and need replacing.
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Patio or pool deck drain overflows in a storm
Leaves and grit have filled the line, or it was undersized for a Central Texas downpour. We clear it and tell you if it needs rerouting.
What We Handle
Floor Drain Cleaning, Repair and New Installation
Indoor and outdoor floor drains, the traps beneath them and the lines they feed.
- Clearing clogged floor drains Removing the lint, sediment and debris plug with the right cable head, and jetting lines that have narrowed with years of buildup.
- Dry and broken traps Restoring the trap seal, installing trap primers that keep it wet automatically, and replacing traps that have cracked.
- Camera inspection Looking inside the line when a floor drain keeps backing up, to find the break, belly or root intrusion causing it.
- Drain body and grate replacement Swapping rusted cast iron bodies and broken grates for new ones set flush with the floor.
- New floor drain installation Adding a drain to a garage, laundry room, utility closet or outdoor living area, including the slab cut and tie-in to the drain system.
- Backwater protection Backwater valves on lines where a municipal surcharge could push sewage up through the lowest drain in the house.
How It Works
What a Floor Drain Visit Looks Like
We find out why the drain failed, not just that it did.
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Tell us where the drain is and what it is doing
Smell, standing water, backup during a wash cycle, or a new drain you want added. We schedule around you.
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We test the drain and the line
Flow test, trap check and, when a backup is involved, a look at what else shares that line.
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You approve the written price
Clearing, trap repair, camera work or a new install, each priced separately so you can decide.
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We clear or repair, then prove it
Buckets of water down the drain, a check for odor return and, on a stubborn line, a camera pass to confirm it is open.
Current Specials
Save on the work your home needs most.
Water Where It Should Not Be?
Plumbers on call 24/7 across Austin and San Antonio, with no surprise fees after hours.
What Our Customers Say
Don't just take our word for it — hear from our satisfied customers
★★★★★
I had Radiant Plumbing replace my tankless water heater, damaged in the Feb. 2021 snowmageddon storm with a new unit. The process was smooth and professional from start to finish. The plumber, James, was extremely knowledgeable and thoroughly explained my options to me. The cost and time to perform the installation were just as estimated. When he was done, James explained how to maintain the system, what service would be needed and how to perform it, and answered all of my engineering geek questions. It was a thoroughly positive experience. I have used several different plumbers in Austin over the past 15 yrs, but my search is over - I will not hesitate to call Radiant next time and would recommend them unreservedly.
8/9/23 Update: I have subsequently used Radiant for a toilet repair, faucet installation (Danny), and drain work (Ezekiel) and they have continued to impress with knowledgeable, friendly plumbers and quality work.
8/9/23 Update: I have subsequently used Radiant for a toilet repair, faucet installation (Danny), and drain work (Ezekiel) and they have continued to impress with knowledgeable, friendly plumbers and quality work.
★★★★★
We called Radiant Plumbing after we noticed a water leak in our kitchen. We were in a time crunch and they were able to schedule us quickly, before we left for vacation. They sent their representative, Preston Nichols, and he was excellent to deal with! He was on time, skillful, friendly, and very professional. It turned out to be a problem with our dishwasher but Preston was quick to diagnose it and set our minds at ease. While he was here, we mentioned that our one year-old water heater needed to be flushed. Preston was quick to take care of that, as well, saving us time and money in the process. Radiant charged us almost half the price another plumber quoted us for that service! While Radiant Plumbing isn’t our usual plumber, they gained a new customer. We won’t hesitate to call Radiant again in the future based on our VERY positive experience with them.
★★★★★
I had a clogged drain that was slowly getting worse. Radiant was timely in communication and arriving. I was presented with the options to unclog drain without any pressure. Even though I went with the cheapest option to snake the drain, they were thorough and after discovering there may be bigger issues, the manager was sent out and video scoped the pipes at no cost to show (while I watched) the actual issue, which was a half filled slow draining pipe due to foundation issues and the pipe rising. The location was pinpointed and was exactly where we had floor tiles crack due to ground fluctuations. All in, they were here for about three hours and I was only charged for the drain cleaning service and I now know my options for a long term solution. Again, all of this with no sales pressure not even to fix the ultimate issue after an estimate was given. Highest recommendation for their service, especially in an industry where it can be hard to find someone you trust.
Maintenance Membership
Join the Care Club
Home maintenance for $9.99 a month.
Care Club members get two HVAC tune-ups and a plumbing safety inspection every year, priority scheduling, no dispatch fees — ever — and 5% off every repair.
- Priority scheduling
- Seasonal HVAC tune-ups
- Annual safety inspection
- Exclusive member discounts
- Free dispatch on repairs
- No long-term contracts
Floor Drain Questions
Why does my garage floor drain smell like sewer?
Almost always because the trap under it has gone dry. Every floor drain has a U-shaped trap that holds a plug of water, and that water is what blocks sewer gas from rising into the room. A garage or utility drain that nothing flows into loses that water to evaporation, and in a Central Texas summer that can happen in a few weeks. Pour a gallon of water down the drain; if the smell goes away and stays away for a while, that was it. Adding a little mineral oil on top slows the evaporation. If the smell comes right back, the trap may be cracked or the drain may have been installed without one, and we can fit a trap primer or replace the trap so the seal holds on its own.
Why does water come up through the floor drain when the washing machine drains?
The washer and the floor drain share a section of drain line, and that line is partly blocked. The washer pumps out a large volume of water quickly, and when the line cannot carry it away fast enough, the water backs up and exits at the lowest open point, which is the floor drain. Lint is the usual culprit, and it builds into a mat with soap scum over years. This is a line clog, so clearing just the floor drain will not help; we cable or jet the shared line and, if it happens again, put a camera down to look for a belly or a broken section. A lint trap on the washer discharge hose helps prevent it.
Can you add a floor drain to an existing garage or laundry room?
Yes, and it is a good idea in any room with a water heater or a washing machine. It involves cutting the slab, setting a trapped drain body at the low point of the floor, running a line to tie into the home’s drain system with proper slope and venting, and patching the concrete. The route matters: the tie-in has to be downstream of the right fixtures and reachable without tearing up more floor than necessary, so we look at the layout before quoting. A drain pan under the water heater that is piped to that floor drain is a common add-on and turns a tank failure into a non-event. Permits apply, and we handle them.
Do floor drains need any regular maintenance?
A little, and it is easy. Once a month or so, pour a bucket of water down each floor drain to keep the trap full; this alone prevents most odor complaints. Once a season, lift the grate and clear out any lint, hair, pet fur or grit sitting in the trap, since that is where clogs start. Watch how quickly the bucket disappears: a drain that used to take it instantly and now hesitates is telling you the line is narrowing. Outdoor patio and pool deck drains need the leaves cleared before storm season. Care Club members get an annual whole-home plumbing safety inspection, and floor drains are on that checklist.
*Offers cannot be combined with other promotions or applied to dispatch fees. No cash value. Must present offer at time of service. Call for details.
