DRAIN REPAIR TORONTO AND GTA

The Top Signs You Need Drain Repair in Toronto, Ontario

When it comes to plumbing and drain issues, your problem will always be less expensive to resolve the sooner you call a professional. Please read on to learn about the top signs that you need drain repair in your Toronto home.

Drain Repair: Unpleasant odors (Bad Odours)

Having strange odors in your kitchen, bathroom or basement is one of the first signs you need drain repair Toronto. There could be several reasons for this.

You may have a clogged main drain that is denying the house it’s outflow of waste to the municipal sewer. The clog results in water backing up within the pipe, causing a buildup of sewage, waste, and water. This is a breeding ground that causes odors to linger in the pipe and travel back into the house. Sometimes the smell comes from sewage leaking, and sometimes it comes from water that has been sitting in a pipe.

How to Tell If Your Home Needs Drain Cleaning

Bad smells related to drain issues may not always be in the home. Even strange smells around your home could be a sign that you have a drain problem. Tree roots, ground shifts, or pipe damage can cause blockages and clogs to form in your plumbing system.  If a sewage pipe is cracked, leaking or collapsed, the contents may be seeping into the yard of your home.

Yard Changes (Lawn Problems)

When you begin to suspect a drain problem, investigate your yard to see if you can spot any changes.  This may sound odd but, if you have a section of your lawn that appears greener or more lush than usual, that could be a sign that your lawn is using sewage water as fertilizer. These spots will look like patches that are greener than other areas of your home. This happens because sewage water contains materials that act as fertilizers. Once these materials are seeping into the soil, it feeds your botanical wildlife. You may see this all over your yard or only patches of improvement in your lawn.

Bugs and rodents

If you have noticed more critters and creepy crawlies in your house, that could also be a sign of needing drain repair. Many types of insects feed on sewage, and correspondingly rodents feed on them. If you notice a bug or rodent infestation happening on your property, your drain and sewer system may be to blame.

Leaks

Leaks within you home can be elusive and destructive. Visible leaks are one thing but there can also be invisible leaks. These invisible leaks effect your home without you being aware of their existence until you see evidence of them.

If you have a visible leak in the home, begin the cleanup process immediately. If possible, always put a container to catch any leaking fluids to prevent damage to your home. Always take “before and after” pictures or video of the leak. Document any corresponding damage near the site of the leak and make sure you move any valuables away from the affected area.

This problem is easier to resolve with early detection. If you have any kind of drain problems in the house, check for your visible pipes for corrosion. If you still hear running water or see water damage, call a plumber as soon as you can. These invisible leaks may require the damaged surface being removed and investigation in the walls of your home. This type of problem will often lead to flooding.

Read also: The first signs of drainage problems (clogged drain, water that is slow to drain, burst pipes, slow draining, Slow Flow or Low Pressure, Flooding, Strange Sounds).

Slow Drains or backups

Sinks, tubs, shower and toilets should drain with ease. If they are backing up, it could be a sign that you need repair. This is different from a normal clog because it may mean that the actual pipe is damaged and will need to be repaired or replaced. A plumber is required to accurately diagnose where the clog is occurring. Often one fixture can operate while another may be clogged. But if a whole room of fixtures are not draining, this is a drain repair issue (problems with either the main drain or the sewer drain) that will need to be addressed.

Corroded Pipes

Many Toronto and GTA houses have metal pipes serving as key parts of the plumbing system within the home. Depending on when the house was built; the type of piping used can greatly vary. But one thing is certain: any kind of metal is corrosive and susceptible to rust. This results in it only being a matter of time before metal will corrode. When the metal is being used to move water from one place to another, such as in a drain, the corrosion process speeds up.

Iron pipes will rust resulting in rough surfaces within the pipe. These rough and flaky surfaces greatly increase the chance of catching debris and allowing for it to build up into a blockage.  Copper pipes will corrode when exposed to chlorine and formaldehyde, both of which are chemicals found in house water. The copper piping often shows discoloration at the points where this is occurring.  As time goes on, corrosion will weaken a pipe resulting in it leaking or even bursting.

Drain Repair: Water Pools

Anytime you see water pooling in or near your home, it is probably due to a drainage problem. Pooling water is not supposed to happen with normal working pipes.  You might see water pooling in your lawns or spots around the basement of your home.  When a sewage line or septic tank leaks, it will result in a water pool. The water will then rise to create more pools around your home. The water will seek the easiest access to the surface and make multiple pools potentially from one major drain issue.

Water Stains

There is never a good time to have extra water in the home. Sometimes, this may show up as a backed-up drain or a water pool, but you may also see water stains in your home. This happens when water backs up, comes out of the pipe and settles upon the surfaces nearby. If there is a slow drain, the fluids drain over time but then the clog forces this cycle to repeat. There is usually an unusual odor attached to these stains and discoloration of the affected surface. Drywall, carpet, hardwood and laminate all will show some form of stain. If you ever notice these types of stains in your basement, it’s time to call a plumber.

Water Bill Changes

You should always pay attention to your water bills and make note of any changes that happen. If your water bill is going up at a steady rate or has doubled over the last month, it is often a sign that you have a water loss problem somewhere in the home. There can be many causes of this problem; could be anything from a waterline repair to a leak somewhere in the pipes. If your water bill suddenly spikes, then you are losing water somewhere in your home.

The problem could be anything from a slow and steady leak to a massive pool somewhere on your property. A sudden water bill change is only one of the many things to look for when troubleshooting plumbing problems at home.

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