Drain Cleaning Burnaby

Typically, local homeowners and commercial property owners book our professional cleaning services for one of two reasons:

• There is an issue with your plumbing
• You’re taking care of your plumbing with preventative maintenance

Clogs are often caused by years of buildup from food scraps, hair, sludge, soap residue, and other debris. If you live in an older home or it’s been more than a year since your last drain cleaning, Burnaby plumbers may find significant buildup in your pipes.

Signs of a blockage start slowly. Your kitchen sink might take a little longer than usual to empty, or you might notice a rotting smell coming out of your garburator. Clogs can sneak up on you if you’re not on top of cleaning your drains. If left alone, buildup in your pipes can back up significantly, requiring serious repairs.

Sometimes, it’s quite obvious that you have a clog. But many of the early signs that your pipes are too congested can be a bit trickier to spot. To know when to call a plumber before a backed-up drain turns into a burst pipe or flooded basement, familiarize yourself with the following warning signs:

• Slow Drainage: Do you find yourself standing in a few centimeters of water while showering? Or perhaps your bathroom sink takes forever to empty? Slow drainage in your shower/tub or sink is a common indication that you have a clog. Since blockages form over time due to excessive buildup, high-use areas like the kitchen and bathroom are most likely to experience backed-up pipes. Food, grease, soap, and hair prevent water from draining out of the sink, tub or shower and entering your pipes. Thus, the water pools and empties very slowly.
• Toilet Won’t Flush: Does your toilet have trouble flushing, or does it back up frequently? If you find yourself constantly reaching for a plunger, then you likely have a clog on your hands. Blocked toilets are generally caused by too much toilet paper or items like baby wipes, hygiene products, and even toys being flushed down the toilet. But sometimes a clogged toilet can indicate a more serious problem deep within your system. When your sewer becomes blocked, it can make the toilet back up and even overflow.
• Pools of Water: Although Burnaby certainly gets its fair share of rain, especially in the winter, if you have pools of water in your backyard, it might not be because of the weather. Sometimes, tree roots can infiltrate your sewer line or main water line, causing flooding in your yard. If the puddles smell like sewage, call one of our emergency plumbers right away. We’ll dispatch one of our experts to get the situation under control as soon as possible.
• Bad Smells: Smelly sinks or showers can be caused by a couple of things. It could be that food waste or hair has become trapped in your drain and is starting to rot. Unfortunately, icky smells will permeate your home until the clog is cleared. On the other hand, if your drains smell like sewage, you either have a blocked sewer line or a dry P-trap. The P-trap is a section of pipe shaped like a “P” below sinks. It’s designed to prevent debris from getting stuck deep within your plumbing. The P-trap also stops harmful sewage gas from entering your home. But, to do so, the P-trap always needs a small amount of water sitting in it. If you smell sewage, pour a little water down your sink. If the smell doesn’t go away, the P-trap is likely working fine, but the issue is likely in your sewer.
• Gurgling Noises: It’s common for Burnaby homeowners to think gurgling noises are a normal part of how their home’s plumbing works. But this is not the case. Plumbing is actually designed not to make gurgling noises. If you hear gurgling or see bubbling water in your toilet, it means there is a clog. Both water and air flow through your pipes. When there is a blockage, the air becomes trapped, struggles to escape, and gurgles.

This depends on how bad the clog is and where it’s located. A build-up that's loose and located near the top of your tub, toilet, or sink can take 5 to 10 minutes to clear with a plunger or plumber’s snake.

However, serious clogs caused by significant build-up or tree roots in your sewer can take a few hours to clear. With our HydroScrub^® jetting technology, the Burnaby drain cleaning process takes about an hour to complete. Often, the cleaning process is followed by a thorough inspection, which might take an additional hour.

When it comes to drain cleaning, Burnaby property owners should schedule annual services to maintain their pipes, prevent clogs, and keep their plumbing in peak condition. That said, if you live in an older home, have a big family, or don’t take very good care of your plumbing (such as pouring grease down the sink), you might need bi-annual appointments. The City of Burnaby recommends annual preventative maintenance to reduce the risk of sewer backups.

The best way to maintain your plumbing is through routine cleaning services. However, there are a couple of other things you can do:

• Clear debris out of your drains and P-traps
• Clean any calcium build-up off your faucet aerators
• Look at your pipes for signs of rust and corrosion
• Look for any leaking pipes
• Examine your toilet tank for wear and tear
• Flush your water heater annually
• Use a water pressure gauge to ensure your water pressure is between 40 and 65 PSI
• Flush toilets and run sinks in bathrooms you don’t often use

You should never pour grease, fat, oil, coffee grounds, or non-flushable items down your drains. Periodically cleaning out your P-trap and aerators can also help your plumbing system run smoothly. Our professionals also recommend using drain catchers to capture hair and debris before they enter your plumbing system. Metro Vancouver data shows that 40% of multi-unit blockages are caused by improper disposal of kitchen oil or wipes. Every season, you should pour hot, not boiling, water down the kitchen drain to help clear minor buildup.

Generally, it is not recommended to use harsh chemical drain cleaners, as they pose a serious risk to your pipelines, health, and the environment. Mechanical drain snakes, hydro jetting, or enzyme-based products are much safer. Metro Vancouver's "I Don't Flush" campaign reports that chemical cleaners are a top cause of household water toxicity and recommends using alternative cleaning methods. If you are using a store-bought product, always verify if it's enzyme-based and safe for septic or local sewer systems.

Are you ready to schedule your next cleaning appointment? If so, we invite you to call our courteous, professional service representatives. We’ll help you book a convenient time for our expert plumbers to spotlessly clean your pipes so you don’t have to worry about clogs, unpleasant smells, or leaks.

Our professionals offer proactive solutions to unblock your drainage and sewer system, restoring its functionality and preventing future clogs. We proudly offer our plumbing services in the Burnaby area. If you have a plumbing problem in Burnaby, we'll be there in a hurry to provide plumbing maintenance, installation, and repair services. You can reach our team for more information or to schedule an appointment for clogged drain cleaning.