TIPS & FAQs

Backflow caused by a blocked pipe can be prevented with regular maintenance and thorough cleaning. Experts can clean your piping system to avoid further problems. Do not use chemicals as they can cause damage. The backflow of city sewers can be prevented by installing a backwater valve that meets the RBQ’s plumbing code.

The best solution is to inspect the sewer with a camera (CCTV). Our technicians will perform on-site diagnosis and suggest solutions.

A Drain-Clair expert will recommend the installation of a FORMADRAIN® liner, which consists of inserting a fibreglass and epoxy liner in an existing drain. This no-dig process is eco-friendly and cost-effective. Plus, no mess!

Cooking grease often ends up in the kitchen sink. While the amount of fat poured into the sink should be minimized, it can be eliminated with cold water. Using hot water will make grease soluble, which will then accumulate and clog your sink.

Mechanical methods should always be used to unclog as chemicals could make older piping fragile enough to break and leak. Also, if the whole line is clogged, chemicals are useless and represent a hazard to our crew.

Both are connected to the kitchen line. There is a blockage downstream, so the water rises in the sink. Our expert technicians can spot the blockage and unclog the line with their specialty tools.

Failure to inspect your sewer can lead to blockages and backups. Root intrusion breaks due to aging and bellies in the pipe; it can cause tremendous damage to your property. Don't wait for the damage to happen: prevent it with a CCTV inspection. If all is good, you’ll gain peace of mind. If there is a problem, Drain-Clair can recommend a cost-effective solution.

Our cameras can inspect pipes as small as 2 inches in diameter and any material available in construction—as long as we have proper access points (cleanouts) to the pipes.

Drain-Clair can locate the lines by running a radio-frequency emitter, equipped camera and a locator to trace your pipes up to 8 feet (2.5 m) deep.

In the same way we locate underground, the radio emitter can be located through wall enclosures and traced.

If other fixtures back up into each other, odds are there is a blockage in the line. If it does not back up but fails to drain (or drains very slowly), the fixture itself is likely blocked in the “P-trap.” Our experts will be able to tell when they get on-site.

Separators and strainers exist that will block hair from going into the P-trap. They are mostly inexpensive and available at the dollar store. It will not stop hair from going into the fixture, but it will delay in time the moment when you need Drain-Clair to help.

Parking catch basin residue is considered hazardous material since it can contain traces of oil and mechanical fluids from the vehicles travelling inside. The challenge here is to dispose of what is pumped. Drain-Clair always disposes of the waste pumped in our state-of-the-art low-profile vacuum trailer in an eco-friendly way and at a certified site.

Drain-Clair can pressure wash the lines that are likely full of dirt and vacuum pump the excess water to ensure no damage to your property.

Do some areas of your home have unpleasant odours? If foul odours escape from your floor even though your basement is dry, a first step would be to pour a cup of water and vegetable oil into the floor drain. The water will fill the P-trap, and the oil will serve as a protective layer to prevent water from evaporating too quickly. If the odour comes from somewhere else, or if the first step doesn’t solve the problem, a vapour test can be performed by Drain-Clair experts to find the source and seal it off.

A vapour test will allow us to make sure that the sewer pipe is not broken. Drain-Clair will inject a non-harmful suspension in the sewer pipe, and if there is an opening in the pipe, it will show inside the house and lead us to the break. A CCTV inspection of the pipe will also be performed. We can then find the leak or ensure there is none.

A Drain-Clair expert will recommend the installation of a FORMADRAIN® liner, which consists of inserting a fibreglass and epoxy pipe in an existing drain. This no-dig process is eco-friendly and cost-effective. Plus, there is no mess!

One must always ensure that their roof drain is in working condition. The basket above must be free of debris such as dead leaves. The downspout must always be unclogged, especially during thawing periods, when a significant amount of water collects on the roof. Drain-Clair can perform video inspection and the cleaning of the roof drain before the first snowfall, preventing damages.

Did the contractor provide a video of your roof drain pipe before and after their work? If not, Drain-Clair recommends you do so. Call us for further details.

Because that will cause water to infiltrate, you will find humidity on the floor. In drier times, white efflorescence can be a sign that there was infiltration in the wet season.

Maybe, maybe not. The first step would be to run a camera through existing accesses (or through a localized excavation if there is no access available) to determine whether the issue is localized or generalized. This investigation could save you tens of thousands of dollars if it's found that not the whole drain needs replacement.

Drain-Clair always tries to do it, but we cannot always make it because the connection is usually in a “T” shape; our equipment might not make the turn. Two chimneys facing each other will be installed on the drain outside to ensure our equipment can go both ways and around the property for proper cleaning.

Iron ochre results from chemotrophic bacteria that derive energy by oxidizing dissolved ferrous iron. It generates a rust-coloured paste that eventually clogs foundation drains. There is no treatment for iron ochre; it will always come back once it's in your drain. However, proper drain maintenance by high-pressure cleaning will ensure it never gets bad enough to block the drain and cause damage to the property.

Electrical thawing is very efficient in thawing frozen pipes. Still, the method relies on the fact that the circuits around the house and the neighbouring ones have absolutely no short circuits. In the presence of a short, consequences can be disastrous, leading even to homes burning down or other utilities being damaged. Risks are to be taken seriously. This is why Drain-Clair uses steam and hot water. Your safety is our top priority.