Drain Repair & Replacement

Your DWV system is all the pipes that carry wastewater, sewage, and greywater out of your house. Every drain connects to a vertical stack that vents through your roof and drains down to your sewer lateral — the underground pipe running from your foundation to the municipal sewer main at the street or property line.

In Ontario, homeowners are responsible for the sewer lateral from the house to the property line (in some cities like Toronto, you own it all the way to the street connection). Most laterals installed before 1975 are clay tile with mortar joints. Tree roots grow into the joints, crack the pipe, or cause bellying where sections sag and collect debris. Cast iron drains inside the house corrode from the inside out — the pipe looks fine on the outside but is paper-thin and full of rust tubercles inside.

A camera inspection sends a waterproof camera on a flexible cable down your drain to see what's blocking it or where it's broken. The camera has a locator beacon so the plumber can mark the exact spot on your lawn or basement floor. You get video footage showing root intrusion, cracks, offset joints, bellied sections, or collapsed pipe.

Backwater valves are one-way check valves installed in your sewer lateral to prevent sewage from flowing backwards into your basement during heavy rain or municipal sewer overload. Toronto, Mississauga, and many other Ontario cities require backwater valves on all new builds and basement renovations. Toronto offers a $1,250 rebate for installing one in an existing home. Mississauga offers up to $1,750.

Trenchless repair methods like pipe lining (CIPP — cured-in-place pipe) let you fix or replace a sewer lateral without digging up your entire yard. The plumber inserts an epoxy-coated liner into the old pipe, inflates it, and cures it with heat or UV light. You get a new pipe inside the old pipe. Trenchless costs 20-40% more than excavation but saves your landscaping, driveway, and sidewalk.