Drain Cleaning in Bloomingdale, IL

A Mall-Era Suburb

Bloomingdale's growth is closely tied to Stratford Square Mall and the retail corridor around it, developed alongside residential subdivisions mostly from the 1960s through the 1980s.

That consistent construction era means most homes share similar piping, with age-related issues far less common than in older Chicagoland towns.

Retail and Residential Side by Side

Properties near the retail corridor occasionally need commercial drain or grease service, distinct from the surrounding residential subdivisions.

From Farm Town to Suburban Village

Bloomingdale is one of the oldest settlements in DuPage County, with roots going back to the 1830s when farmers established homesteads along what became Lake Street. The village remained small and rural for more than a century, with a modest historic center around the old township buildings. Real growth came in the 1960s and 1970s, when subdivisions spread across former farmland and the village expanded quickly, followed by the arrival of Stratford Square Mall in 1981 and continued commercial development along Army Trail Road and Lake Street.

That history means most Bloomingdale homes are relatively young by Chicago-area standards, largely built from the late 1960s onward. The drain issues here differ from those in older inner suburbs: fewer century-old clay laterals, more PVC and cast iron, and a different set of common problems.

Housing Types and Plumbing

Bloomingdale neighborhoods include split-levels, raised ranches, two-story colonials, and a large number of townhomes and condominiums. Homes from the late 1960s and 1970s often have cast iron stacks inside with clay or early PVC laterals outside. Homes from the 1980s onward generally use PVC throughout. Many homes have basements or lower levels with a floor drain connected to a sump pit rather than directly to the sanitary sewer.

That last point matters. If your floor drain goes to a sump, backups at the floor drain are usually a sump pump problem rather than a sewer problem. Pouring water into the floor drain and watching whether the sump pit fills is a quick way to find out how your basement is plumbed.

Sanitary and Storm Systems

Bloomingdale has separate sanitary and storm sewer systems. Sanitary flow goes to treatment, while stormwater drains through storm sewers and detention ponds to local waterways. The many retention and detention ponds visible throughout the village’s subdivisions are part of that storm management system. Separate systems reduce the risk of storm-related sewer backups compared to older combined-sewer suburbs.

Homeowners are responsible for their laterals from the house to the public main. In townhome and condo communities, the association may be responsible for shared lines, depending on the declaration.

Sump Pumps and Groundwater

Because much of Bloomingdale sits on clay soil with a relatively high water table in some areas, sump pumps work hard during wet seasons. A failed sump pump can flood a basement quickly during a spring storm. Testing the pump each spring, keeping the discharge line clear, and adding a battery backup are among the most important things a Bloomingdale homeowner can do to protect a basement.

Sump discharge lines that freeze in winter or clog with debris can send water back toward the foundation. Make sure the discharge point is well away from the house and clear of snow and ice.

Townhomes and Condos

Bloomingdale has a large number of townhome and condominium communities. In these buildings, units often share drain lines, and a clog in a shared line can affect several neighbors. Associations typically handle common lines, while owners handle branch lines within their units. Clear documentation of where a blockage was and what caused it helps associations and owners sort out responsibility.

For associations, scheduled cleaning of main lines and a camera survey of shared piping help prevent emergencies and budget for future repairs.

Stratford Square and Commercial Corridors

Commercial areas around Stratford Square and along Army Trail Road and Lake Street include restaurants, retail stores, and service businesses. Restaurants need regular grease line maintenance, and larger buildings benefit from scheduled main line cleaning and camera inspections. Crews can often coordinate service outside business hours to avoid disrupting customers.

Common Bloomingdale Calls

The most common calls from Bloomingdale are kitchen line clogs, main line blockages from grease and debris, floor drain and sump issues, and shared-line problems in townhome communities. Root intrusion is less common than in older suburbs but still occurs in homes with clay laterals and mature trees.

Tell us whether the problem involves a single fixture or several, and whether your floor drain connects to a sump, and we will route the right crew.

Tips for Bloomingdale Homeowners

Test your sump pump each spring and consider a battery backup. Know where your main cleanout is, which in many split-levels is near the stack on the lowest level. Keep grease out of the kitchen sink. If you live in a townhome or condo, find out which lines your association maintains. If you have a 1970s home with a clay lateral and large trees, a camera inspection can establish a baseline for future maintenance.

Seasonal Considerations

Spring is the busiest season for basement water in Bloomingdale, as snowmelt and rain raise groundwater and test sump pumps. Summer storms bring intense rain in short bursts. Fall leaves clog downspouts and yard drains, and winter freezes sump discharge lines and exterior cleanouts. A little seasonal maintenance goes a long way.

Buying in Bloomingdale

Even in relatively newer homes, a sewer camera inspection before buying can reveal problems like sags, root intrusion in older clay sections, or construction debris left in the line. It is a small cost compared to discovering a problem after closing.

Retention Ponds and Neighborhood Drainage

Drive through almost any Bloomingdale subdivision and you will pass a retention or detention pond. These ponds collect stormwater from streets and rooftops, hold it during heavy rain, and release it slowly to prevent downstream flooding. They are an important part of why Bloomingdale sees fewer storm-related sewer backups than older suburbs to the east.

Homes adjacent to ponds may still experience higher groundwater during wet periods, which puts more demand on sump pumps. Yard drains and downspout leaders that discharge toward the pond need to stay clear to work properly.

Lower Levels in Split-Levels and Raised Ranches

Split-level and raised ranch homes are common in Bloomingdale, and their lower levels usually hold the laundry, a family room, and sometimes a bathroom. These lower levels are partially below grade, so they are the first place water appears when a drain backs up or a sump fails. If your lower-level toilet bubbles when the washer drains, or the floor drain gurgles, the main line may be narrowing.

Many lower-level bathrooms in these homes drain by gravity to the building drain, but some use an ejector pump. Knowing which you have helps when diagnosing a problem.

Calling a Crew to Bloomingdale

Bloomingdale’s location near Route 20, Route 19, and I-355 gives crews working the central DuPage area good access. When you call, describe the symptoms and your home type, and we will confirm an arrival window before dispatching.

Stratford Square and Older Village Blocks

Stratford Square Mall and the commercial corridors along Gary Avenue and Army Trail Road shed large volumes of stormwater during heavy rain, and restaurants there should maintain grease interceptors. Older homes near Old Town Bloomingdale have laterals considerably older than the surrounding subdivisions; a camera inspection shows their condition and whether lining makes sense.

Ponds and Groundwater

Detention ponds throughout Bloomingdale's subdivisions can raise groundwater nearby in spring, so keep sump pumps in good repair with battery backups.

Frequently Asked Questions