How do you find where Louisville's sewer ends?
Ask MSD; its public pages did not spell out the line for us.
Plumbers here usually rule out the public sewer first, then turn to the lateral. Sewer line jetting from the cleanout is one method to discuss, and a camera inspection can reveal visible roots, cracks or buildup. Ring for information and to schedule your service.
Why do Louisville's older neighborhoods have root problems?
Shade trees along Old Louisville's boulevards and the Highlands' leafy blocks sit right over century-old pipe.
A root that gets into a clay joint keeps growing, so slow drains return after each cleaning. Tree root removal cuts it back, and a camera can show how far it runs. Jeffersontown and Prospect are younger and mostly plastic.
Who maintains which part of the line in Louisville?
MSD's pages left the line unstated, so treat this as a rough guide.
| Part of the line | Who maintains it | What it means when a line clogs |
|---|---|---|
| District sewers | Louisville MSD | Problems in district pipe go to MSD |
| Pipe from the foundation to the street | Usually the homeowner | Hire a plumber or drain pro for stoppages |
| House plumbing and stacks | Homeowner | Soap, grease and paper collect here first |
How do shotgun houses and Victorian homes differ for drains?
Shotgun houses have a single straight run of plumbing under a narrow footprint, while Victorians have multiple floors and stacks.
That changes where a cleanout sits and how a pro approaches access. In both cases a camera run from the cleanout or a stack opening shows what the original pipe looks like.
Which Louisville businesses book grease line work?
Distillery restaurants, Bardstown Road bars and NuLu dining rooms.
Busy fryers and dish lines coat the pipe downstream of any grease trap, so commercial grease line jetting is the stop for those, while drain jetting serves flats upstairs.
What should Louisville owners tell the pro on arrival?
Say which floor the trouble shows on and whether the house is a shotgun, a Victorian or a newer build.
Plumbing runs differently in each: a shotgun has one long straight run, while a Victorian may have several stacks. Point out any cleanout in a side yard or alley and mention past root work. Those details tell a pro where to feed the hose and where to check on camera.
Hydro jetting services in Louisville
All seven services are available across Louisville, for shotgun houses, Victorians, apartments and restaurants.
- Sewer line jetting on the owner's pipe between house and street
- Sewer camera inspection on Victorian-era clay laterals
- Tree root removal where boulevard trees have reached the pipe
- Drain jetting for sluggish sinks and tubs
- Commercial grease line jetting for Bardstown Road and NuLu dining rooms
- Sewer backup help for flooded basement fixtures
- Storm drain jetting for riverside lots and area drains
Neighborhoods and nearby cities
Calls come from across Louisville, including the Highlands, Germantown, Old Louisville, NuLu, St. Matthews, the South End, Crescent Hill and Butchertown.
Nearby, hydro jetting in Lexington has its own page. Help is also available in Jeffersontown, Shively, Anchorage, Prospect, New Albany, Jeffersonville and Shepherdsville. See the Kentucky page for every city we cover.