Drain & Sewer Cleaning in Ontario
Drain and sewer cleaning covers everything from clearing a slow kitchen sink to snaking a main line that's backing up into a basement floor drain. It includes cable (auger) work for standard clogs, hydro jetting for grease buildup or root intrusion, and camera inspection to find out what's actually going on inside a pipe before anyone starts cutting into a lawn or a basement slab. We've listed 101 companies across Ontario that offer some or all of these services, from small owner-operated outfits to larger crews with dedicated jetting trucks.
What to look for before you hire
Clogs aren't all equal, and neither are the companies that clear them. A business that only owns a hand auger can handle a hair clog in a bathroom sink but has no business quoting a root-choked sewer lateral. Look for a company that can camera-inspect the line, explain what they found in plain language, and give you options rather than jumping straight to a quote for excavation. Ask whether the quote is flat-rate or time-and-materials, whether the camera inspection is included or extra, and whether they warranty the clear (a lot of drain clogs come right back within weeks if the root cause, like a bellied pipe or a tree root, isn't addressed).
How we rank these companies
Our ranked guide to the best drain and sewer cleaning companies in Ontario scores each business on things like equipment on hand (jetting vs. cable-only), responsiveness for emergency calls, transparency around pricing, and how consistently they show up in customer feedback for actually fixing the problem rather than just clearing it temporarily. The full scoring breakdown is on our methodology page if you want to see exactly how we weigh each factor.
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All drain & sewer cleaning, ranked by score and relevance
We found 181 businesses offering drain & sewer cleaning; 100 met the criteria for the scored directory. The order weighs each business's overall score by how much of its reviewed work is drain & sewer cleaning, so a lower-scored specialist can rank above a higher-scored generalist. Filter and sort below, or open the full map view.
When you submit a quote or contact form through this site, your enquiry may be shared with partner providers who can do the work. We may receive a referral fee for these matches, but our rankings and scores are determined solely by our published scoring method and are never influenced by referral fees.
Common questions about drain & sewer cleaning
- How much does drain or sewer cleaning cost in Ontario?
- A basic snaking of a single fixture like a kitchen or bathroom drain typically runs somewhere in the $150-$350 range depending on the region and time of day. Main sewer line clearing costs more, often $300-$700, and jumps higher if hydro jetting or a camera inspection is added. After-hours and weekend emergency calls usually carry a premium on top of the base rate. Get a firm quote before work starts, since some companies quote low then add camera or jetting fees once they're on site.
- How often should a sewer line be cleaned or inspected?
- If you've had no problems and don't have mature trees near the lateral, a camera check every few years is a reasonable precaution. Homes with older clay pipe, known root intrusion, or a history of backups often benefit from an annual jetting to keep the line clear before it fully blocks. Frequent slow drains or gurgling toilets are signs you shouldn't wait for the next scheduled check.
- What should I expect during a drain cleaning visit?
- A technician will usually ask about symptoms first (which fixtures are affected, how often, any recent backups) since that narrows down whether it's a local clog or a main line issue. For simple clogs, they'll run a cable through the cleanout or fixture drain. For main line problems, expect a camera inspection first so they can show you where the blockage or damage is before recommending jetting, cabling, or a repair.
- How can I tell if a drain cleaning company did a good job?
- Water should drain at full speed with no gurgling from other fixtures, and a decent company will run the camera again after clearing the line to confirm it's actually open, not just show you a before shot. Ask for that after-camera footage if it's not offered. A clog that returns within a month usually means the root cause wasn't addressed, which is why it's worth asking upfront what warranty applies to the clear.
Guides to choosing drain & sewer cleaning
- What to expect from a drain cleaning appointment
A walkthrough of a typical drain or sewer cleaning visit in Ontario, from the first questions a plumber asks to how they decide which method to use.