Drain & sewer work
Sewer Line Repair in Burlington
Your sewer lateral, the pipe running from the house out to the municipal main, can crack, shift or collapse. We find the damaged section, show it to you on screen and repair only what needs repair.
- Cable and camera on every truck
- Real-flow test before we leave
- Cleanouts located or added
- Cause shown, not guessed
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Signs it is time for sewer line repair
Floor drains backing up again and again, a sewage smell near the foundation, or a soft patch on the front lawn can each point to a broken lateral. The surest evidence, though, comes from a camera. When our camera inspection shows a crushed section, a joint that has dropped out of line, or roots forcing open a crack, cleaning alone will not hold for long.
Sometimes the line is clear today yet badly damaged. In that case we still describe what we saw, so you can decide whether to act now or watch it.
What's included
- Cable auger with cutting heads
- Push camera with locator
- Closet auger for toilets
- Drop sheets and a wet vac
Our method on site
- Clear the line so the camera can travel its full length.
- Record the footage and mark the depth and position of each defect from the surface with a locator.
- Arrange locates for buried gas, hydro and cable lines before any digging.
- Excavate at the damaged point, cut out the bad section and join new PVC pipe with proper couplings and bedding.
- Run water and camera the repair before backfilling, so you see the finished joint.
Where the break sits under the public road allowance, the City or the Region may be responsible for that portion, and we tell you so before quoting.
Tell-tale signs
- Water standing in a tub or sink after use
- Gurgling from a toilet when another fixture drains
- Basement floor drain wet or smelling of sewage
- The same clog back within weeks
What affects the scope
Depth matters most. A lateral four feet down under grass is a different job from one eight feet below a paved driveway. The material of the old pipe counts too, because clay tile and cast iron each need specific transition couplings. Then there is the length of damage: a single cracked joint can be spot repaired, while a line that is bellied or broken in several places is often better replaced end to end.
| Defect seen on camera | Usual approach |
|---|---|
| Single cracked or offset joint | Spot repair at that point |
| Roots at several joints | Clear, then repair or replace the worst sections |
| Sag (belly) holding water | Re-grade or replace the section |
| Collapse or crushed pipe | Excavate and replace |
Job at a glance
- Work
- Sewer Line Repair
- Trade
- Drain & sewer work
- Where
- Burlington and nearby
- Book
- (365) 464-5184
Burlington homes and this job
Houses built before the 1970s along the older streets of Maple, Roseland and Aldershot commonly have clay tile laterals with joints every few feet, and mature maples and willows send roots into those joints. Some homes also have cast iron that has scaled and thinned. Our article on tree roots in sewers explains why the problem returns after cleaning.
Questions to ask
- Can I keep a copy of the camera recording?
- Is the damage on my side of the property line?
- Does this work need a permit from the City?
- How will the lawn, walkway or driveway be restored?
How the visit runs
- 1
Run water at nearby fixtures to find which branch is blocked.
- 2
Uncap a cleanout, or drop the trap off the sink.
- 3
Feed the cable and cut through the blockage.
- 4
Flush, then camera the line if the clog keeps returning.
Questions we hear
Will I lose the use of my plumbing during a sewer repair?
For part of the day, yes. We tell you when water use needs to stop and keep that window as short as the work allows.
Do I need to replace the whole line?
Not always. If the camera shows one bad section and the rest is sound, a spot repair is often reasonable.
Who pays if the break is under the street?
The portion under the road allowance is usually the municipality's. We show you where the defect sits so you can raise it with them.