Drain cleaning in Ottawa for sinks, showers, floor drains and main lines
A drain that is slow today is blocked next month. The Ottawa Plumber clears the line, finds out why it clogged and tells you what will keep it clear.
Signs a drain needs more than a plunger
A single slow sink is usually a local clog. When the signs below show up, the blockage is deeper in the system.
What blocks drains, room by room
Knowing what is in the pipe decides which tool will clear it.
How a drain is cleared properly
Opening the drain is the quick part. Making sure it stays open is the part that matters.
Find the right access point
The line is reached through a cleanout, a trap or a removed fixture, whichever gives the straightest path to the blockage.
Clear it with the right tool
A hand auger for a trap, a powered cable machine for a branch or main line, and high-pressure water jetting for grease and roots that a cable only pokes through.
Test it under load
Taps are run and toilets flushed together to confirm the line carries a full flow, not just a trickle.
Look inside when it is warranted
For a main line, or any clog that keeps coming back, a camera is sent down the pipe so you can see the cause on screen.
Explain what was found
You are told what blocked the line, what condition the pipe is in and what, if anything, should be done next.
Ottawa's clay pipes and tall trees
Many Ottawa houses built before the late 1970s are connected to the sewer by clay pipe laid in short sections. The joints between those sections are where tree roots get in, and the mature maples and ashes that make older neighbourhoods so pleasant are the reason main-line blockages are common there.
Roots can be cut out, and they grow back. A camera inspection shows whether the pipe is still sound enough to keep clearing, or whether a section has cracked or shifted and needs repair.
Whose pipe is it?
You own the sewer pipe from your house to the property line, and the City of Ottawa owns it from there to the main sewer. If a camera shows the blockage is past your property line, it is the City's to deal with. Call 3-1-1.
What drain cleaning costs
A price is given once the plumber knows which line is blocked and what is in it. These are the things that change it.
Keeping drains clear
Most kitchen clogs are prevented by keeping grease out of the sink: wipe pans with paper towel and put the towel in the green bin. Use strainers in the kitchen sink and the shower, and flush only toilet paper.
Skip the chemical drain openers. They generate heat, they can damage older pipes and fixtures, and they leave a pipe full of caustic liquid for whoever has to open it next. If a floor drain smells, pour a litre of water into it. The trap has probably dried out.
Questions people ask
Are chemical drain cleaners safe to use?
They are best avoided. They rarely clear a real blockage, they can damage older pipes and finishes, and the liquid that stays in the pipe is a burn hazard for you and for the plumber. A plunger or a hand auger is safer.
How often should a main sewer line be cleaned?
A sound pipe with no roots may never need it. A clay line with tree roots often needs clearing every year or two until the damaged section is repaired or replaced. A camera inspection tells you which you have.
Is high-pressure jetting safe for old pipes?
It is safe for pipes in good condition and it cleans the full pipe wall, which a cable does not. A cracked or fragile pipe should be inspected by camera first, because jetting can worsen existing damage.
Why does my basement floor drain smell?
Usually because the water in its trap has evaporated, which lets sewer gas through. Pour a litre of water into the drain. If the smell returns within days, the drain or the line needs a closer look.
Other work The Ottawa Plumber does
For everything else, from dripping taps to re-piping, see the main page for a plumber in Ottawa.
Tell us what the water is doing
613-820-5583Calling is fastest when something is leaking. For anything that can wait a day, send the form and you will get a call back.