Signs you need this fixed
- Water standing in the tub after a shower
- Gurgle from the sink when the toilet flushes
- Sour smell from the overflow or the trap
- Washer drain spitting back up the standpipe
Is it the main or one fixture?
A single slow fixture is a branch problem. A main drain problem shows up everywhere at once, starting at the lowest point. Look for these clues:
- Water or sewage appearing at the basement floor drain.
- The basement toilet bubbles when an upstairs sink drains.
- Every fixture in the house slows down on the same day.
- Washer water spills from the standpipe as the machine drains.
If only one fixture is slow, read our drain cleaning page instead.
Stop using water: why it matters
Everything that goes down any drain ends up at that same blocked spot. With the main closed, it has nowhere to go but up the lowest opening, which is usually the basement floor drain. Stop the washer and dishwasher, do not flush, and ask everyone to stay out of the shower. Even a single bath can push several hundred litres of water onto your basement floor.
Clearing from the cleanout
Most Toronto houses have a cleanout near where the main leaves the foundation. It may be a brass plug in a floor-level fitting, or a Y-fitting with a cap on the stack. We crack it slowly with containment in place, because a loaded line can blow water out hard. Then a sectional machine with a cutting head goes in toward the street. Roots, wipes, grease and scale are the usual finds. Once flow returns, we run water for several minutes to flush the line.
Camera check before you sign off
Clearing a main tells you nothing about why it blocked. A camera run, done right after cleaning while the line is open, shows roots at joints, offsets, bellies where the pipe has sagged, or a collapse. It also reveals whether the stoppage sat beyond your lot line. We review the footage with you and give you a copy. That way you are not paying to clear the same line next spring without knowing why. See sewer camera inspection.
What is included on the visit
Tools on the truck
- Drum machine with 3/8" cable for trap arms and stacks
- Jetter with a rear-firing nozzle for grease
- Drop-head hand auger for sink and tub branches
What we open
P-trap, cleanout plug or the floor drain grate
How we test it
Fill-and-drop test on every fixture on the branch
How the job runs
Ring the line
Say what is dripping, backing up or banging. Water still flowing? We guide your hand to the valve first.
Find the cause
The plumber traces the fault, with a scope or gauge where one earns its keep.
Pick the fix
Options come in everyday language, and nothing starts until you choose.
Repair & prove it
We finish, run the water to prove it, wipe up and leave a short written record.
Calls we field, answered plainly
Who pays if the blockage is under the street?
When footage puts the fault under City land, Toronto Water takes it from there. Call 311 with the footage or our notes.
Is sewage backup covered by insurance?
Often only with a sewer backup endorsement. Check your policy wording before you need it.