Sewer Line Repair in North Vancouver
It backs up whenever the washing machine runs, or the toilet gurgles when the sink drains.
- Google rating
- 5.0
- Verified reviews
- 104
- Service in
- English
By sending a small camera into the sewer line, the exact location and cause of a blockage or break gets pinpointed before anyone digs — root intrusion, a bellied section, a collapsed joint, or scale buildup narrowing the pipe all look different on camera, and they call for different repairs. A partial or full line replacement follows only once that's established, and every job carries the compliance documentation the permit process actually needs.
Their level of courtesy and professionalism was of the highest standard. And the way they conducted the post job clean up (each day and at the end of the project) left my property looking better than when they started. In sum, I would strongly recommend Modern Drainage to anyone.
Recent work in North Vancouver
Mike Hartman's own photographs, job by job.
Cutting access before the camera goes down
What to check, and what to ask
General guidance for homeowners, not specific to your system — worth knowing before you book anyone, including us.
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A camera goes down the line before anyone digs
Sending a small camera into the line is the only way to see whether the problem is roots, a collapsed section, grease, or something else — and it decides whether the job is a repair or a full replacement. Nothing should be dug until that has been done.
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Which fixture backs up first is real information
The lowest drain in the house (often a basement floor drain or the lowest toilet) tends to back up first when a main line is blocked, before anything upstairs shows a symptom. Note which one, and whether it happens when other fixtures run.
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Roots are a repeat problem on an older clay line, not a one-time fix
Root intrusion on an aging clay or concrete sewer line tends to return unless the section itself is addressed, not just cleared. Ask whether a repeat call is being priced as a full clear or as a temporary opening.
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Permit and compliance paperwork exists for a reason here
Sewer line work that reaches the municipal connection is inspected work in most Lower Mainland municipalities. A contractor who handles the compliance documentation as part of the job is doing paperwork that protects you at resale, not just paperwork for its own sake.
Try these first
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1. Note which fixture backed up first
The lowest drain in the house often shows the problem before anything upstairs does. Which one it was, and whether it happens when another fixture runs, narrows the problem a great deal.
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2. Stop running extra water into the system
Laundry, dishwashers and long showers all add to a blocked line. Holding off until someone can look prevents a slow problem from becoming a backup.
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3. Look at the outside cleanout, without opening it
Most homes have a capped pipe near the foundation or property line. Note whether it is visible and accessible — do not remove the cap, especially if a backup is suspected.
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4. Write down when it started and what changed
A new appliance, a tree that was recently trimmed or removed nearby, heavy rain, or nothing you can think of at all — any of those is useful information.
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5. Check whether neighbours on the same line have the same issue
On some older streets, shared laterals or connections mean one property's problem shows up at another's fixture. Worth a quick ask if it is easy to.
Before you call
- How do you know where to dig before you've seen the pipe?
- The camera goes down the line first. It's the same instrument that tells the difference between a clog that can be cleared and a pipe that's actually broken, and it's what decides where — or whether — anything gets opened up.
Tell Mike Hartman what's going on
604-984-4343Mike Hartman will call you back on the number you left.
- Address
- 165 Amherst Avenue, North Vancouver, BC V7H 1S5
- Service Area
- North Vancouver · Burnaby · Vancouver · Coquitlam
- Hours
- Mon–Fri, from 8am