Drain Cleaning Ottawa | Repeat Backups Fixed at the Cause

The drains we clear every week

Kitchen sinks blocked with grease
Laundry and laundry-tub drains
Basement floor drains backing up or gurgling
Main drains and building drains, where everything backs up at once
Tub, shower and bathroom sink drains
Stacks in older homes

Least invasive first

We start with the simplest method that will actually solve the problem:

Cabling (snaking). A rotating cable breaks through the blockage. Right for most fixture drains and many main-line clogs.
Camera. If the drain has backed up before, or the cable comes back with roots or pipe fragments, we look inside.
Hydro-jetting. High-pressure water scours grease, scale and fine roots off the pipe walls. We recommend it when the camera shows build-up a cable can't remove, not as a first step.

You'll get the price for each step before we do it. If cabling solves it, that's where we stop.

White horizontal drain pipe turns down to a capped cleanout on a basement wall. — Cleanout on a basement drain line. Good access like this makes clearing faster and cheaper.

When the same drain keeps blocking

A drain that clogs every few weeks is telling you something. The usual causes:

Grease that has coated the pipe and narrowed it
Roots getting into the main line through joints
A sag or offset where waste collects
Corroded cast iron with a rough, scaled inside that catches everything
Poor slope or venting from an old renovation

A cleaning can't fix a broken or sagging pipe. That's when we'll recommend a camera, so you can see the cause and decide what to do. It might be a regular maintenance cleaning, a spot repair, or replacing a section.

Drain blocked again?

We'll clear it and tell you why it keeps happening, with the camera footage to show you.

Get Service (613) 294-0864

Water coming up through the basement floor drain?

Stop running water: no laundry, dishwasher, showers or flushing. Every litre you use upstairs ends up on the basement floor. Then call us. If the City sewer is surcharging after heavy rain, a backwater valve is the long-term fix. If it's a blockage in your line, we'll clear it and check the cause.

What drain cleaning costs

We charge a flat price per job, not by the hour, and you get it before we start. There's a call-out fee to come out and assess, and we'll tell you the amount on the phone before booking. Main-line clearing with a camera inspection often comes to around $700, depending on access and what we find. A simple fixture drain costs less.

Double utility sink against a basement wall with exposed supply and drain pipework. — Basement laundry tub and exposed drain piping, a common spot for repeat clogs

From our drain jobs

Several removed pipe sections laid on paving beside a brick house. — Removed old pipe sections outside house

Open end of an old drain pipe shows dark internal buildup above a gravel floor trench. — Old drain pipe end with internal buildup

Gloved hand holds a dark pipe cross-section with visible buildup around the bore. — Old pipe cross-section held in gloved hand

Heavy corrosion and visible deterioration around the base of a metal drain fitting. — Corroded floor-level drain fitting closeup

Old brown pipe with visible joints lies exposed in a narrow basement floor trench. — Exposed old underground drain closeup

Long old pipe run exposed through a basement floor toward the far masonry wall. — Old basement drain run toward wall

Broken old pipe section exposes dark material within the bore and muddy water nearby. — Broken old drain pipe with obstructed interior

Damaged pipe section with an open upper surface and muddy water in a narrow trench. — Split pipe channel exposed in trench

Broken green pipe segment contains muddy water and loose debris in an excavation. — Broken green pipe with debris and water

Old brown drain run in an open trench beside a vertical stack and covered equipment. — Old underground drain beside vertical stack

See all under-floor drains photos

What customers say about this work

★★★★★

“Had a great experience with The Irish Plumber this week. Called on Tuesday afternoon for a problem with our main drainage stack, Sebastien arrived Wednesday morning and the problem was fixed before lunch.”

★★★★★

“We called The Irish Plumber because our pipes were backing up in the basement. Michael was on time, super friendly, told us exactly what needed to be done, and cleaned up after himself.”

★★★★★

“Problem with blocked main drain in a 100 year-old house. Plumber arrived within an hour and had it cleared within another hour. Good job. You Guys are my all-time favorites!”

Questions Ottawa homeowners ask us

Why does my drain keep clogging after it's been cleared?

Usually because the cause is still there: grease coating the pipe, roots at a joint, a sag, or corroded cast iron. Clearing opens a channel, but the problem builds back. A camera inspection shows which one you have.

Should I use chemical drain cleaner first?

We'd rather you didn't. Chemical cleaners rarely clear a real blockage, can damage older pipes, and are dangerous for whoever works on the drain next. Stop using the drain and call.

Is hydro-jetting better than snaking?

They do different jobs. A cable opens a blockage. Jetting cleans the pipe walls of grease, scale and fine roots. We start with the cable and recommend jetting only when the camera shows it will help.

Why is water coming up through my basement floor drain?

Either your own drain line is blocked, or the City sewer is backing up after heavy rain or snowmelt. Stop using water in the house and call. We'll clear the line and tell you whether a backwater valve makes sense.

How much does drain cleaning cost?

We quote a flat price per job before we start, plus a call-out fee that we explain on the phone. A simple fixture drain costs less. A main line with a camera inspection often comes to around $700, depending on access.

Can you come today?

Often, yes. Call the office and we'll tell you honestly when we can be there.

Drain Cleaning & Repeat Backups in Ottawa

The drains we clear every week

Least invasive first

When the same drain keeps blocking

Drain blocked again?

Water coming up through the basement floor drain?

What drain cleaning costs

From our drain jobs

What customers say about this work

Questions Ottawa homeowners ask us

Get the drain working, and keep it working