Drain cleaning in Toronto
Slow, smelly or blocked drains, cleared across Toronto. You get the price before we start.
A drain that gurgles, drains slowly or smells is telling you something is sitting in the pipe. ClearFlow finds what it is, clears it, and shows you the pipe afterwards so you know it's done.
Four things block almost every drain in Toronto
Kitchen sinks
Cooking fat goes down warm and liquid, then cools and sets on the pipe wall like candle wax. Food scraps and coffee grounds stick to it.
Bathroom drains
Hair and soap bind into a rope that catches everything after it.
Toilets
Wipes. "Flushable" on the packet means it fits down the bowl, not that it breaks apart.
Main lines
On older Toronto streets, tree roots find the joints in old clay and cast iron pipe, grow inside, and catch whatever comes down.
A slow drain doesn't fix itself
Water where it shouldn't be
A blocked main backs up into the lowest drain in the house, usually the basement floor drain. Many home insurance plans don't cover sewer backup unless you added it.
Sewage in the house
When the main is blocked, what you flush has nowhere to go but back up. It's a health problem, not just a mess.
A small job turns into a dig
A partial clog cleared today is a cable job. A pipe that cracks under pressure later can mean opening the floor.
Clear pipes, no smell, no chemicals
No more smell
The sour smell from a sink is bacteria living on the build-up. Clear the build-up and the smell goes with it, along with the drain flies that breed in it.
A cheaper year
One visit now costs less than one flooded basement. Regular clears on a problem drain cost less than waiting for it to fail.
No harsh chemicals
We clear drains mechanically, with a cable or a high-pressure water jet. Shop-bought acid can eat through older pipe and burn skin. We don't use it.
Drain cleaning for restaurants, shops and offices
A blocked drain closes a restaurant kitchen or a washroom until it's fixed. ClearFlow works around your hours so the clear doesn't cost you a service.
What happens, and what it costs
1. We look first
For a main line or a drain that keeps coming back, we run a camera down the pipe so you see what's in there.
2. You get the price
Before any work starts. Most single drains get a fixed price on the phone. Main lines and jetting get a written price.
3. We clear it
Cable for most clogs. Water jetting for grease and heavy build-up that a cable only punches a hole through.
4. We show you
Running water, and camera footage on main lines.
Who shows up at your door
Tell us which drain and what it's doing
We'll give you a price on the phone.
Frequently asked questions
Why do you need a drain cleaning service?
Plungers and store-bought liquids only work on soft clogs near the drain opening. Once the block is further down the pipe, or it's grease, roots or a wipe, it needs a cable or a jet to break it up and pull it out.
What is done in drain cleaning service?
We find the clog, then feed a spinning steel cable or a water jet hose down the pipe to break it apart. On main lines we run a camera before and after, so you can see the pipe is open and whether there's damage.
What does drain cleaning cost?
Most single drains get a fixed price on the phone. A main line or jetting job gets a written price once we've looked. You'll have the exact price before we start.
How often should storm drains be cleaned?
Look at them every fall once the leaves are down, and clear them whenever water pools around the grate. If yours floods every spring, book a camera check to see whether something is collapsed inside.
What acid do plumbers use to unclog drains?
Most good plumbers don't use acid at all. Strong drain acids can damage older pipes and fittings and are dangerous to handle. A cable or water jet clears the block without the risk.
How do you keep drain pipes clean?
Wipe greasy pans with paper towel before washing, use a hair catcher in the shower, and only flush toilet paper. Once a week, run hot water down the kitchen sink for a minute.
What stops roots from growing in sewer lines?
A root-killing foam slows them down for a while. The roots come back as long as the pipe has a crack or open joint to get in through. Lining or replacing that section is the lasting fix.