A drain that backs up once is a blockage. A drain that backs up every few months is a message. The difference between the two is the difference between an hour of cleaning and a day of excavation, so it is worth knowing which one you have before anyone quotes you.
When clearing is enough
- A single fixture is slow or blocked and the rest of the house drains fine.
- The problem started suddenly, after something went down the drain.
- A camera shows the pipe is intact once the blockage is out.
Mechanical clearing with a cable or a high-pressure jetter removes grease, hair, roots and debris. Done properly it restores the full pipe diameter. We do not use chemical cleaners; they damage older pipe and rarely remove the cause.
When the pipe is the problem
- Several fixtures back up together, especially the lowest ones in the house.
- The same line blocks repeatedly, even after a thorough cleaning.
- The camera shows a bellied section holding water, offset joints, cracks or roots growing back through the pipe wall.
Older Greater Victoria homes often have clay or cast-iron sewer lines, and tree roots find every joint. Clearing roots buys time; it does not stop them growing back.
How a camera inspection settles it
We run a camera down the line and watch the footage with you. You see where the blockage was, what the pipe looks like after cleaning, and exactly where any damage is. That turns the decision into a measured one: a spot repair on a single bad section, a liner inside the existing pipe, or a full replacement if the line is failing along its length.
What we recommend
Clear it first, camera it second, and only replace what the camera shows is broken. If you have had the same drain cleared twice in a year, the inspection is the next step, not a third cleaning.