Professional drain cleaning, done properly
Most clogs come down to the same few culprits: grease and food in kitchen lines, hair and soap scum in bathroom drains, wipes and "flushable" products in toilets, and tree roots or sagging pipe in the main sewer line. A plunger or a bottle of drain cleaner might push the problem a few feet down the line; we remove it.
Your plumber chooses the right tool for the job:
- Cable machines (snaking) for sinks, tubs, toilets and floor drains, with heads sized to the pipe so they clear the full diameter instead of punching a small hole.
- Hydro jetting for kitchen lines and main sewers packed with grease, scale or sludge. High-pressure water scours the pipe walls back to near-original diameter.
- Root cutters for the clay and cast-iron sewer lines common in Edmonton's older neighbourhoods.
- Sewer cameras to see what's actually in the line when a clog keeps coming back.
Which drain is it? Signs to watch for
One slow fixture (a single sink or tub) is almost always a local clog close to that drain. Several fixtures at once, a toilet that gurgles when the washer drains, or water appearing at the basement floor drain points to a blockage in the main line, which needs to be cleared from the cleanout before it backs up into the house.
Water coming up the floor drain? Stop running water and flushing toilets immediately and call (780) 996-7950. It's a main-line blockage or a city sewer surcharge, and it only gets worse with use.
Why Edmonton drains clog
Edmonton's hard water (roughly 9–11 grains per gallon) leaves scale inside drain pipes that catches grease and hair. Homes in mature neighbourhoods like Highlands, Westmount, Bonnie Doon, Ritchie and Glenora often still have original clay or cast-iron sewer lines, where roots from boulevard trees push in through joints. And newer homes see more toilet clogs from low-flow fixtures and wipes.
If you've had the same drain cleared more than once in a year, we recommend a camera inspection. It's the only way to know whether you're dealing with a clog, roots, a belly (sag) in the pipe or a break that needs repair.
Keeping drains clear
- Wipe greasy pans with paper towel before washing. Never pour grease or fat down the sink, even with hot water.
- Use hair catchers in tubs and showers.
- Flush only toilet paper. "Flushable" wipes don't break down in sewer lines.
- Avoid caustic drain cleaners. They rarely clear a real clog, can damage older pipes, and are dangerous for the plumber who comes next.
- Homes with big trees near the sewer line may need root cutting every 1–2 years until the line is repaired.