What drain cleaning involves
Plungers and store-bought snakes move a clog a little way down the pipe. A proper cleaning removes it. We start at the fixture that is giving trouble, check whether other fixtures are affected, and work out whether the blockage is in a single branch or in the main line that takes everything out to the street.
For most branch drains a cable machine with the right head does the job: a cutter for hair and soap, a spring head for grease, a retrieval tool for objects. Main lines may need a larger machine, and stubborn grease or scale may call for hydro jetting. We run water afterwards to confirm the full flow is back.
One slow drain is a branch problem. Several slow drains at once, especially on the lowest floor, usually means the main line.
Older houses versus newer builds
Homes built in Oshawa before the 1960s often have cast iron stacks, with clay or cast iron under the slab. Cast iron roughens with age, and the rough interior grabs grease and paper. Clay joints can let roots in. These systems clean well but need a gentle hand and sometimes a camera look to check the pipe condition.
Newer subdivisions in the north end were built with plastic drain pipe, which stays smooth inside. Blockages there are more often a single cause, like wipes, a grease plug under the kitchen or a toy in a toilet. Long, flat runs in large basements can also collect sludge where the slope is shallow.
Questions to ask on the phone
- Which fixtures are slow, and did it start suddenly or over weeks?
- Is there a cleanout cap in the basement, and is it reachable?
- Has the line been cleaned before, and how long ago?
- Are there large trees near the sewer path to the street?
Your answers help us bring the right gear the first time.
Aftercare
Keep grease out of the basin, use a hair catcher in showers and flush only toilet paper. If a line clogs again within months, a camera inspection will show whether there is a sag, a break or root intrusion behind the repeat calls. Basements with drainage issues often benefit from a battery backup sump pump as well. Our spring sump pump check is a useful seasonal routine.