Toronto & the GTA

Drain and sewer cleaning

Drains are the core of what Mayan Plumbing does:
kitchen, bathroom, laundry and floor drains, and the main sewer line out to the street. Same-day visits are available, and someone answers 24/7 when water is backing up.

Call (289) 901-4881 Request service
A round metal drain cover stamped “DRAIN” set in asphalt

A slow drain is a nuisance. A backup is a warning.

One slow sink usually means one blocked drain. Water coming up through a basement floor drain is different. It usually means the main sewer line is blocked somewhere between the house and the city sewer, and every fixture in the house is now draining toward that spot.

In older Toronto neighbourhoods, that blockage is very often tree roots. Many houses built before the 1970s still drain to the street through clay or cast-iron pipe, and roots find their way into the joints, then catch grease and paper until the line closes.

We clear the line, run water to confirm it is draining, and tell you plainly what we found. If the same drain keeps clogging, a camera inspection shows why, so you are not paying for the same visit every few months.

Why it happens

How a main sewer line blocks

In older neighbourhoods with big trees, a main-line backup almost always follows the same path.

A house with a finished basement drains through a sloped sewer line under the front yard to the city sewer under the street. A large tree's roots have grown into a joint in the line and blocked it, so water backs up through the basement floor drain first. 1Floor drain backs up first 2Roots get in at the joints 3City sewer under the street 123
Tree roots being pulled out of an old cast-iron drain pipe
Roots pulled from an old cast-iron line. This is what closes a main drain.

  1. The basement floor drain

    It’s the lowest opening in the house, so a blocked main line usually shows up here first, often when the washer empties.

  2. The joints in the line

    Older clay and cast-iron sewer lines are built in short sections. Roots grow in at the joints and catch grease and paper until the pipe closes.

  3. The city sewer

    The line ends at the city sewer under the street. The City’s responsibility starts at the property line.

What we clear

How a visit goes

  1. Call

    The call comes to us. Tell us which drain, what you see, and whether water is backing up.

  2. Same-day visit

    Most drain calls can be seen the same day. Backups are answered 24/7.

  3. Clear and test

    The line is cleared and water is run through it to confirm it drains properly.

  4. A straight answer

    You hear what caused it and whether it’s likely to return. The work area is cleaned up before we leave.

What homeowners say

5.0 from 41 reviews on Google.

Questions homeowners ask

How do I know if it’s the main sewer line or just one drain?

If one fixture is slow, the blockage is usually in that fixture’s drain. If several fixtures are slow at once, or water comes up the basement floor drain when you run water upstairs, the blockage is most likely in the main line.

Why do tree roots get into sewer pipes?

Older clay and cast-iron sewer lines are made of sections joined together. Roots follow moisture to those joints, grow in through small gaps, and then catch everything that flows past. Streets with large, mature trees see this often.

Will the clog come back?

It depends on the cause. A grease or hair clog that is properly cleared usually stays clear for a long time. Roots grow back. A camera inspection shows the condition of the pipe so you can decide what makes sense.

Should I use a chemical drain cleaner first?

Generally no, especially on a full blockage. It rarely clears a main line, it can be hard on older pipes, and it leaves caustic water sitting in the drain for whoever opens it next.

How much does drain cleaning cost?

It depends on which drain, where the blockage is, and access to the line. Call and describe what’s happening, and ask about price on the call.

Where we work

Homes across Toronto, North York and York Region.

Toronto

North York

York Region

All service areas · Based in North York, working across Toronto and the GTA.

Call, or leave a number.

The phone is the fastest way in. For a same-day visit, or a 24/7 emergency, call Mayan Plumbing. If you’d rather we call you, leave a name, a number, and what’s going on.

Phone
(289) 901-4881
Email
mayanplumbers@gmail.com
Service area
Toronto and the GTA, including North York, Thornhill, Vaughan, and Richmond Hill.