Who We Are
Travis Holman grew up in Polytechnic Heights — a Fort Worth neighborhood built in the 1940s and 1950s on the same expansive Vertisol clay soil that still fractures sewer laterals across the east side today. He got his apprentice license through the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners in 2001, earned his journeyman license in 2004, and his Master Plumber license (TSBPE License M-46827) in 2006. In 2008, he started Cowtown Drain with one truck and one mission: give Fort Worth homeowners a drain specialist who actually knows Fort Worth pipe systems instead of a franchised call center that dispatches generalists from wherever is available.
Today, Cowtown Drain's team of licensed technicians operates exclusively in Fort Worth and Tarrant County. Every field technician holds a current Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners license. Combined, the team brings more than 60 years of hands-on experience in North Texas plumbing systems. We have cleared drains in every Fort Worth neighborhood — from the 100-year-old clay tile laterals under Fairmount and Ryan Place to the mid-century cast iron systems in Diamond Hill and Stop Six, to the hard-water-scaled PVC networks in Crawford Farms and Heritage. That coverage builds a working picture of how Fort Worth infrastructure ages, which neighborhoods have the worst root problems, and which pipe types require which protocols before a technician sets foot on a property.
Our Camera-First Protocol
Every Cowtown Drain sewer service call begins with a camera assessment unless the situation is a clear emergency that requires immediate cable clearing first. The reason is practical, not procedural: Fort Worth's three dominant pipe materials — vitrified clay tile (pre-1965 neighborhoods), cast iron (1940s–1980s), and PVC (1980s–present) — each have distinct failure modes, and the right intervention depends entirely on knowing which material you're working with and what condition it's in.
A clay tile lateral with a collapsed joint needs to be identified before jetting because high-pressure water in a deteriorated section can worsen structural damage. A cast iron pipe with active crown corrosion can look passable on a quick pass but will fail at a specific location the camera makes visible. PVC pipes with hard water scale buildup benefit from hydro jetting at settings that would be too aggressive for aged clay tile. Running the camera first means the diagnosis drives the intervention — not the other way around.
Licensing and Insurance
All Cowtown Drain field technicians are individually licensed with the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners as required by the Texas Plumbing License Law. Travis Holman holds TSBPE Master Plumber License M-46827. License status can be verified at the Texas TSBPE online license lookup. Cowtown Drain carries general liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage on all employees. Proof of insurance and license are available on request and are included on every invoice.
All work performed meets the current International Plumbing Code as adopted by the City of Fort Worth and applicable Tarrant County requirements. When a permit is required, we pull it. When a scope-of-work change is identified mid-service, we discuss it before proceeding — the quote on arrival is the price on the invoice unless the homeowner approves a stated scope change in advance.
What We Service
Cowtown Drain provides residential and commercial drain and sewer line services throughout Fort Worth. Services include clogged drain clearing for kitchen, bathroom, and basement drains; sewer line cleaning for the underground lateral from house to street connection; hydro jetting at 3,000–4,000 PSI for recurring blockages, grease-packed kitchen lines, and pipe wall restoration; HD drain camera inspection for diagnosis, pre-purchase inspections, and post-service confirmation; and main line cleaning for full lateral clearing when multiple fixtures are involved. 24/7 emergency response with within-the-hour dispatch is available for complete sewer backups with sewage entering the living space.
Fort Worth-Specific Knowledge
Drain cleaning companies that cover 30 counties in North Texas bring generalized equipment and no institutional knowledge of local conditions. Cowtown Drain works in Fort Worth exclusively — and that focus matters when diagnosing a blockage. Tarrant County's clay-heavy Vertisol soil is one of the most expansive in the country, exerting lateral pressure on underground pipes that soft soils in other Texas cities do not. Fort Worth's water hardness of 180–220 ppm deposits calcium and magnesium scale continuously on every pipe interior. The city's tree canopy — dominated by post oak, cedar elm, and pecan — puts established root systems within reach of every sewer lateral in neighborhoods built before 1980. These factors combine in ways that are specific to Fort Worth and that only years of working in Fort Worth's plumbing systems teaches.
Pricing Commitment
Upfront flat-rate pricing before work begins — every call, every time. No diagnostic fees charged separately. No fuel surcharges. No after-hours premiums hidden in line items. The quote provided before any work starts is the amount on the invoice when the job is complete. If a scope change is discovered mid-service, it is explained before any additional work proceeds and the homeowner approves it in writing on the invoice. This is not a promotional policy; it has been Cowtown Drain's operating standard since the company was founded in 2008.