Drain and sewer cleaning covers everything from clearing a slow kitchen sink to snaking a clogged main line running out to the city sewer. In Toronto, a lot of this work is tied to the age of the housing stock: older clay or cast iron sewer laterals in neighborhoods like the Annex, Leslieville, or the Danforth are prone to root intrusion, bellies (sagging sections), and cracks, while newer builds tend to deal more with grease, hair, and debris clogs. We've listed 76 businesses in this category, ranging from small owner-operator outfits to larger crews running full camera and hydro-jetting equipment.
What the service actually involves
A basic call usually starts with a mechanical snake to clear an immediate clog. If that doesn't solve it, or if backups keep recurring, a proper outfit will run a sewer camera down the line to find the actual problem: roots, a collapsed section, misaligned pipe, or a low spot holding water and debris. From there, options include hydro-jetting (high-pressure water to scour the pipe walls), root cutting, or, if the pipe itself is damaged, spot repair or trenchless relining. A company that jumps straight to "you need a full sewer replacement" without ever running a camera is worth a second opinion.
What to look for before you hire
- Camera inspection offered as a diagnostic step, not just an upsell after the fact
- Clear, itemized pricing before work starts, including what happens if the snake alone doesn't clear it
- Licensed and insured, with technicians who can explain what they found on camera in plain terms
- Equipment suited to the job: a hand snake for a bathroom sink is different from jetting equipment needed for a main line
- Availability for emergency calls, since sewer backups rarely happen at a convenient time
Our ranked guide to the best drain and sewer cleaning companies in Toronto scores businesses on review volume and consistency, how they handle pricing transparency, responsiveness, and the range of services they actually offer (camera work, jetting, root treatment) rather than just snaking. The full scoring breakdown is on our methodology page.
