Drain Maintenance

Drain Maintenance — Prevention & Routine Care

Regular maintenance on your drains is the single most effective measure to prevent problems in your drainage system. Most emergencies — sewer backups, basement floods, completely blocked drains — are the result of gradual buildup that could have been detected and addressed during routine maintenance.

At-Home Maintenance Best Practices

These simple steps, performed regularly, reduce the risk of clogs between professional visits:

• Weekly hot water flush: run hot water down your drains for about 40 seconds once a week to dissolve grease residue clinging to pipe walls.
• Strainers and screens: install mesh strainers on all drains (shower, bathtub, kitchen sink) to catch hair and food particles before they enter the pipes.
• Garbage disposal caution: a disposal is not a trash can. Avoid coffee grounds, bones, fibrous vegetable peels, and cooking grease.
• Floor drain traps: if a basement floor drain is rarely used, the water in the trap evaporates and allows sewer gas to escape. Pour a bucket of water into it every two months.
• Roof vents: blocked vents (leaves, bird nests, ice in winter) prevent the airflow needed for proper drainage. Have them checked during annual maintenance.

When to Call a Professional

Some situations require a plumber with professional equipment:

• Recurring slow drains that don't improve with at-home maintenance
• Persistent odours coming from multiple drains at once
• Gurgling sounds in pipes when fixtures are used
• Occasional backups in the basement shower during heavy rain
• Presence of a building trap that has never been inspected

In all these cases, a camera video inspection provides an accurate diagnosis of your pipes' condition. Our technicians can then perform high-pressure cleaning to remove grease, sediment, and root buildup before a full blockage occurs.

Annual Preventive Maintenance: What We Check

A professional annual maintenance visit with Drain 5 Étoiles includes:

1. Camera inspection of the main drain and secondary collectors to assess overall pipe condition
2. Hydro-jetting of drain lines to remove grease, soap, scale, and mineral deposits
3. Trap inspection (sink, bathtub, floor) and cleaning if needed
4. Roof vent check to ensure they are clear of obstructions
5. Condition report with photos and recommendations if repairs are needed

For properties with mature trees near drain lines, we also recommend an annual root intrusion check, especially in spring after the thaw.

Why Maintenance Costs Less Than Emergency Repairs

A preventive annual cleaning costs on average 3 to 5 times less than an emergency call for a completely blocked drain — not counting potential water damage. Home insurance policies rarely cover damage from sewer backups if drain maintenance has not been performed.