Blog

Signs You Could Have a Broken Sewer Line

As a homeowner, dealing with systems going awry can be frustrating, especially if it’s sewer problems. You may wake up one day and smell a funky odor in your home. Smelling sewer gas is one of the tell-tale signs of a broken sewer line. Here are some other ways to detect this issue. Slow Drainage …

How Do I Know if My Sewer Line Needs to Be Replaced?

Sewer lines help transport waste from your home into the central sewer disposal system underground. Neglecting to maintain your sewer lines can result in broken pipes, water blockage, awful smells, loud noises, as well as a host of other issues that can ultimately affect your health and quality of living. For these reasons, the professional …

Poly-B Plumbing: Common Issues and Maintenance

Homeowners generally don’t give too much thought about the plumbing system installed behind the walls and underneath the floors of their houses. In most cases, that’s not a big deal, that is unless your home has Poly-B plumbing. This type of plumbing is rarely used anymore but can still be found in many homes across …

Help! How to Thaw Frozen Pipes?

Key Takeaways Why Pipes Freeze Pipes typically freeze when the temperature outside drops into the negatives and when it stays below freezing for multiple days. If your pipes are located in an outside wall, under a sink that is near an outside wall, near outdoor faucets (hose bibs), or in an unheated basement or crawl …

What are Enzyme Drain Cleaners and How Do You Use It?

Clogs are unavoidable sometimes. Food, debris, or old pipes can cause backups in your drain that can lead to costly flooding. Ordinary cleaners aren’t always strong enough to tackle stubborn clogs. That’s why many homeowners reach for an enzyme drain cleaner. These powerful cleaners unblock the toughest clogs and will have water flowing down your …

Why is my toilet making loud noises?

When your toilet is making loud or strange noises, this can be a cause for concern. An odd sound can quickly lead to worrying but fortunately, most toilet noises can be easily resolved. Regardless, it’s still important to understand what each noise can mean. In some cases, it’s best to contact a professional plumber to …

How to Waterproof Your Basement in Ottawa?

No-one likes the surprise of entering their basement and finding water on the floor. Everyone wants to keep their basement dry, but sometimes changes happen as time goes by and your home ages. Keeping your basement dry depends on the integrity of your foundation and measures taken to keep water out of your home. This …

How to Snake a Drain

Clogged drained are common in kitchens and bathrooms, as they are two of the most frequented rooms in the home. Food, grease, and oil are typically the culprits in a kitchen sink while hair and miscellaneous toiletry products are commonly linked to bathroom sink, shower, and bathtub clogs. One of the easiest fixes is to …

How to Remove Lead from Water

House construction has changed over the years to accommodate modern preferences and replace dangerous materials and techniques. Such is the case with lead pipes, which were common in houses built before the 1950s. Many homeowners of these older houses are looking for lead pipe replacement in Ottawa for improved health. Why is Lead Pipe Replacement …

Why Every Home Needs a Backwater Valve

If you have experienced flooding one too many times or live in heavily flooded areas, such as Ottawa, you’ve come to the right place. A backwater valve is one of the many extra waterproofing measures to protect your home from flooding disasters. In this blog, we’ll explore what is a backwater valve and why it …

FAQ

A main sewer line blockage can cause water to backup in random places. For instance, you run your washing machine and notice your sink overflowing – this can be a clear sign that you have a clogged drain line.

If you have ruled out a potential sewer drain clog, you can rinse your sewer drain by flushing it with water. When you flush your lines, try adding a bit of drain cleaner to the water. A great place to flush your sewer line is the toilet – a larger amount of water and drain cleaner can enter your system quickly and easily. Unfortunately, if you do this when you have a clog, it can cause backup and potential flooding – if this is the case, clear the clog first.

You should generally know if your sewer line is blocked with slow drainage. The purpose of the sewer line is to take all the water drainage away from your house via sinks, bathtubs or toilets – if you find that there is slower drainage in one drain then you can essentially clear that yourself using a drain snake or a plunger.

There is confusion regarding when you are responsible for sewer line repair. While some may believe that the homeowner is only responsible for repairing the part of the line that’s on their property, this is not the case. Sewer lines consist of multiple sections, the upper lateral, lower lateral and the main line. The city is only responsible for repairing the main sewer line.

If issues with the main sewer line cause damage to your lower lateral, which is most likely where the damage would generally first start – the city would repair this damage when they work on the main sewer line. Unfortunately, if there is backup and flooding on your property from the main sewer line, then the city would not be responsible. It is best to follow up with the city to see if they will repair any damage in these cases.

Unpleasant smells coming from your drains is indicative of sewer line issues and damage. You should always take these types of smells seriously as it could be toxic fumes slowly releasing from the sewer below into your home.

There are a number of ways to clear a slow drain using products found around the home:

Bent Wire – If you do not have a drain snake, you can try using a stiff wire – like one from a clothes hanger, leaving the hook to enter pipes and pull out any clogs. Try to make sure you don’t push debris further into the pipe.

Homemade Flush – Mixing baking soda and vinegar can dissolve any materials that are potentially clogging your drain pipes. This is a good and much safer alternative to store-bought chemical cleaners.

Toilet Plunger – Like plunging a toilet, you can try using this on your drains. Using a plunger on your drains can help get things moving by using suction. This should be enough to fix any mild blockages.

Aged drain pipes are at risk for corrosion which can lead to breaks. Summit Drain has both the technology and expertise to fix this if necessary.

Yes. Drain pipes are durable, but not meant to last forever. If you live in an older home in Ottawa, most likely the pipes are made from copper and can collapse in this day and age.

When it comes to a collapsed drain, call Summit Drain. We use trenchless technology to replace sewer pipes made from original materials without ruining your property.

Rock salt
Rock salt helps by removing moisture from the roots, which in turn kills them. Two lbs should do the trick, pour 1 down the toilet. Flush until gone. And repeat with the next. Then leave for 12 hours and don’t run any water.

Foaming root killers
Another effective way to treat roots in pipes is with foaming root killers. Pour powder into toilet and flush. It will foam upon contact with water. Not only does it help dissolve current roots, but also helps to protect against future ones.

Copper sulfate
Copper sulfate is another good option. Available at most hardware stores, pour roughly half a cup into toilet and flush until gone. Leave the home and take all pets and family members along. This is a toxic substance and banned in some places.

Should I replace old pipes?
There does come a time where it makes sense to replace your pipes. Over time they crack and corrode. It is recommended to begin routine inspections once your home reaches 50 years in age. For plumbing Services in and around the Ottawa area, nobody does it like Summit Drain.

We accept the following forms of payments: Payment Methods