Drain cleaning, sewer repair & no-dig trenchless replacement — San Francisco & the Peninsula
Slow drains, recurring clogs, a sewer line backing up, or a failed lateral the city won't sign off on — we clear it, scope it, and when the line is shot we replace it without trenching your yard. 4,000-PSI hydro jetter, exclusive digless tree-root excavation, and a damage-free guarantee in writing.
When the drain won't clear — or keeps coming back
A one-off clog is one thing. A drain that's slow again a month later, gurgling toilets, sewage backing up into a tub, that sewer smell in the yard — that's a line problem, and it needs more than a plumber with a hand snake. We bring the camera, the cable machine, the 4,000-PSI jetter, and the no-dig replacement gear — and drain-cleaning estimates are always free.
From a clogged sink to a whole new sewer line
- Drain & sewer cleanoutsKitchen, bath, laundry and main-line drains cleared — fast, with the right tool for the blockage.
- Rooter / cable machinePower-driven cable cuts through clogs, grease and intruding roots in lines a snake can't beat.
- 4,000-PSI hydro jettingA high-pressure water stream scours years of grease, sludge and roots out of long lines — not just punches a hole through.
- Exclusive digless tree-root excavationOur no-dig root removal system clears invasive roots without trenching across your property — the work most plumbers can't do.
- Camera line inspectionWe scope the line on video so you can see exactly what's wrong — and exactly what the city will and won't accept.
- Sewer lateral repair & replacementSpot repairs or full lateral replacement — and we do it trenchlessly wherever possible. See trenchless below.
Replace your sewer line without digging up your yard
The old way to fix a failed sewer lateral: rent a backhoe, trench across the lawn, the driveway, sometimes the foundation, then spend weeks putting it all back. We don't work that way. Our trenchless system replaces the line through small access points — and we back it with a damage-free guarantee on your landscaping, asphalt, concrete and structural foundation. If we cause damage, we make it right.
- Damage-free guaranteeLandscaping, asphalt, concrete and foundation are protected — in writing.
- Replaced through small access pointsNo open trench across the property — in and out, then back to normal.
- We pull the permit & handle the city sign-offYou don't chase paperwork — we do.
- Written price up frontFully itemized — permit, materials and labor — before we start.
Hydro jetting clears what a snake just pushes past
A cable machine cuts a path through a clog. Our 4,000-PSI hydro jetter blasts the inside of the pipe clean — grease, soap scum, sludge and root hairs — so the line actually drains the way it should and stays that way longer. It's the right call for restaurant grease lines, long runs, and drains you've had to clear more than once.
- Scours the full pipe wallNot a hole through the blockage — the whole inside of the line.
- Handles grease & rootsBuilt for the recurring problems a basic snake can't keep up with.
- Pairs with a camera scopeWe see the line before and after — you see it too.
Need a compliant sewer lateral? We handle the whole thing.
San Francisco, Pacifica, and other Peninsula cities require a private sewer lateral inspection — and often a replacement — when a home changes hands or pulls certain permits. It's stressful, it's on a deadline, and the rules keep changing. We do this every week: camera inspect, tell you what the city wants, replace what's failed trenchlessly, pull the permit, get the sign-off, and put a written price in front of you first.
- 1Camera inspection
We scope the line and tell you exactly what the city will and won't accept.
- 2Trenchless replacement
Failed sections replaced without trenching your yard — with the damage-free guarantee.
- 3Permit & paperwork
We pull the permit, schedule the inspection, and get the sign-off.
- 4Written price up front
Fully itemized — permit, materials and labor — before we start.
No-dig sewer work in action
This is the Ditch Witch JT20 directional drill we run on no-dig sewer and water line jobs — one of the machines behind our damage-free guarantee. See it, and the rest of our trenchless gear, on the equipment & technology page.
"The Ditch Witch JT20: The Best Just Got Better" — video by Ditch Witch.
Sewer laterals, backups and clogs — in their own words
I'd just bought a house and found I needed to replace the sewer lateral before the city would approve our permits. After many quotes, I went back to Smelly Mel's for advice. Travis sat me down and explained exactly what needed to be done, what the city expected, the process, the timeline — every question answered to my satisfaction. Then he gave me a really good quote. His team was super professional, on time, and respectful of the property and my neighbors. They left the sidewalk looking brand new. I'd highly recommend anyone with a sewer lateral issue work with Travis and his team.
Travis and the whole crew at Smelly Mel's are the best. They replaced my lateral sewer line — no mess, you could hardly tell anything had changed in my front yard. I'll certainly use Smelly Mel's next time I need a plumber.
Used them again to unplug a sink, which turned into unplugging a main sewer line. They came prepared with all kinds of gear for chewing up the stuff in the line. No mess in my house, no mess at all — pretty much as white-glove as you can get when you're dealing with pipes. We'll call again.
Drain, sewer & trenchless questions, answered
One call gets the camera, the jetter, and the no-dig crew.
Slow drain, recurring clog, sewer backup, or a lateral the city won't pass — a real person answers 24/7, drain-cleaning estimates are free, and trenchless work comes with the damage-free guarantee.