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Drain cleaning and sewer repair in Scarborough

Clay sewer laterals and mature street trees make root intrusion the most common cause of main drain backups in Scarborough's older neighbourhoods. Inside the house, original cast iron stacks rust from the inside and narrow until they block. In newer homes the usual culprits are grease in kitchen lines, hair in tub drains and wipes that should never have been flushed. A camera inspection tells us which it is.

We start with the simplest fix and only go further if the camera shows a reason to. That can mean snaking a single fixture, hydro jetting the main line, or sewer and mainline repair when a pipe is cracked or collapsed. If the same drain keeps blocking, our guide to why your drain keeps clogging explains the usual causes.

Protecting a Scarborough basement from flooding

If your basement has flooded before, the usual fixes are a backwater valve on the main drain, a sump pump, and disconnecting the weeping tiles from the sanitary sewer so storm water stops going into it. The City of Toronto's Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy covers part of the cost of all three for eligible homes, so read its rules before the work starts.

We check how your drains and weeping tiles are connected, recommend only what your home needs, and take care of the plumbing permit. A backwater valve needs a little upkeep to keep working; our guide to sewer backup warning signs covers what to watch for, and sump pump maintenance covers the pump.

Water heater repair and replacement in Scarborough

Scarborough's water comes from Lake Ontario and is only moderately hard, so scale is less of a problem here than in York Region. Age is the bigger issue. Many homes still have a rented tank that has been in the basement for well over a decade, and larger households on a single 40-gallon tank run out of hot water. We check venting, gas supply and space before recommending a replacement.

Not sure whether to repair or replace? Start with the signs your water heater is failing. If you are replacing, our comparison of tankless and tank water heaters covers which one suits a Scarborough household.

Plumbing in older Scarborough homes

Homes from the 1950s and 1960s often still have galvanized steel supply lines, which rust inside and cause low pressure and discoloured water, along with original cast iron drains. The City of Toronto says lead can be found in water service pipes in homes built before the mid-1950s, so the oldest streets in Birch Cliff and Cliffside are worth checking. Its lead in drinking water page explains how to check your pipe and get your water tested.

If you are renovating a kitchen or bathroom, that is the best time to replace old supply lines and drains while the walls are open. Our guide to low water pressure causes explains what to check first.

What a plumber in Scarborough costs

We price by the job, not by the hour. A plumber looks at the problem, tells you what is wrong and gives you a fixed price before any work starts, so the bill for your Scarborough home matches the quote. If you only want a diagnosis, the visit is $70, and that amount is credited to the repair if you go ahead. There is no dispatch fee on jobs we complete on the same visit.

In Scarborough, the jobs that vary most in price are sewer repairs and flood protection, since the depth and condition of the line decide how much work is needed. If we open a wall or floor and find something that changes the job, we stop and re-quote before going further.

Plumbing is a compulsory trade in Ontario, which means anyone doing the work must be registered with Skilled Trades Ontario. Our plumbers are licensed and insured, with WSIB coverage. More answers on pricing and scheduling are in our plumbing FAQ.