Sewer Repair near you

One slow sink usually points to a clog in that fixture's own drain. A problem in the lateral shows up across the whole house, because every fixture shares that last stretch of pipe, and it tends to be worst at the lowest opening, typically the basement floor drain.

A plumber or drain contractor pushes a waterproof camera on a flexible rod into the line, usually through a cleanout on the main drain, and watches a monitor as it travels toward the street. The footage shows roots coming through joints, cracks, broken sections, sags where water sits, offset joints and debris. Many cameras also carry a transmitter in the head, so the operator can trace it from the surface and mark the location and depth of each defect on the lawn or driveway.

A fully blocked line often has to be opened first so the camera can get through. Ask for a copy of the recording, with the distance from the house noted for each defect: it lets you compare quotes on the same information and shows whether the damage is on your side of the property line.

Roots seek out moisture, and a sewer pipe with loose joints or hairline cracks gives off exactly that. The City of Toronto notes that roots from nearby trees can grow into the sewer pipe and cause holes and blockages. Once inside, fine roots form a mat that catches grease, paper and waste, and as they thicken they widen the openings they came through. Cutting them out restores flow for a while, but they generally return until the pipe itself is sealed or replaced.

The camera usually reveals what the lateral is made of, and sometimes shows that the material changes partway along, where an earlier repair was made. That matters for the repair: some methods suit a pipe that is still round and sound between defects, while a line that is flattening or crumbling along its length is generally a candidate for replacement.

The right method depends on how much of the pipe is damaged, its material and shape, how deep it runs and what sits on top of it. Trenchless methods usually spare lawns, driveways and landscaping, but they don't suit every line, and a good contractor explains why one approach fits yours.

Responsibility for the lateral is usually split at the property line. In Toronto, for example, the City owns the sewer line from the main on the street to the property line, and the owner owns the part that runs from the property line into the home. When a backup is reported, Toronto Water checks the nearby sewers and can inspect the service line by camera; if the blockage is on the private side, the owner is responsible for the repair and is advised to call a licensed plumber. Other municipalities may divide it differently, so check with yours before paying for work that could fall on the city's side.

Replacing or digging up a lateral generally calls for a municipal permit, and work on the public side, under the sidewalk or street, is usually done or authorized by the municipality. Buried utilities must be marked first: in Quebec, the Régie du bâtiment du Québec calls on contractors to submit a free Info-Excavation locate request no less than 4 business days before starting, and in Ontario, Ontario One Call locates cost nothing and the law requires them at least 5 business days before digging. Excavation belongs with a qualified contractor, never a do-it-yourself project: trench walls can cave in and a gas line may run close to the sewer.