Clogged drains and drain cleaning: When the plunger stops doing the job
Slow drains tend to get slower. Hair and soap in the bathroom and grease in the kitchen build up along the pipe until water barely gets past, and a plunger only buys you a few days. We clear sinks, tubs and toilets with a drain snake, or with a hydro jetter when the pipe wall is coated, and show you what came out.
- Open 24/7
- Free estimates
- Average arrival about 60 minutes
- Open 24/7 Call or text any time
- Average arrival about 60 minutes Across our service area
- Free estimates You know the cost before work starts
- Licensed & insured For homes and businesses
- 8+ years of experience Local to the Lower Mainland
In short
DrainX Plumbing Ltd. is a 24/7 plumber in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, out to Langley. We clear clogged sinks, tubs and toilets, and hydro jet the drains that keep blocking. Call or text 778-794-1234. Average arrival is about 60 minutes, and estimates are free.
Last updated
What to watch for
Signs it’s time to call
- Water sits in the sink or tub long after you pull the plug
- The toilet bowl fills close to the rim before it slowly goes down
- Gurgling from a drain when the dishwasher or washer empties
- A sour or sewage smell coming up from a drain
- The plunger works for a day or two, then it's slow again
What we do
How we handle it
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Step 1: Work out where the clog is
We ask which drains are slow and when it started. One slow sink points to a clog close by, while several slow drains at once usually means the blockage is in the shared line further down.
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Step 2: Snake the drain
For hair and soap stuck near the fixture, we run a drain auger through the pipe to break up the clog or pull it out.
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Step 3: Clear a blocked toilet
A toilet auger reaches past the bend in the bowl, where wipes and the odd bath toy get stuck. If the clog is further along, we go after it from the drain line.
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Step 4: Hydro jet heavy build-up
When grease or sludge lines the pipe, a snake only punches a hole through the middle. A hydro jetter sprays high-pressure water along the pipe wall and washes that layer out.
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Step 5: Test it before we go
We run water through the fixtures that were giving you trouble and watch them empty. If one is still sluggish, we go back in.
Our work
Photos from our jobs
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Plumber in a DrainX Plumbing shirt kneeling at a drain cleaning machine, a gloved hand on the cable -
Drain cleaning machine running a cable down a floor drain -
Toilet auger hooking a blue object out of a clogged toilet bowl -
Drain cable pulling a clump of roots and debris out of a floor drain
What it costs
There’s no price list, because every job is different. Some jobs are a flat rate and others are quoted after we take a look. Estimates are free, and we explain the cost before any work starts.
Our work is covered by warranty. Coverage depends on the service, and we go over it with you when you book.
Offers on now
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$50 off your first service
Conditions apply. Call for details.
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5% off for seniors
Conditions apply. Call for details.
Mention the offer when you call: 778-794-1234
Before we get there
- Stop using the blocked drain. If other drains in the house are slow too, hold off on laundry and flushing, since they may all empty into the same line.
- If a toilet is close to overflowing, don’t flush again. Turn the small valve on the wall behind it clockwise to stop the tank refilling.
- Skip the chemical drain cleaner. If you’ve already poured some in, don’t plunge, because it can splash back at you. Keep the bottle so you can tell us what’s in the pipe.
- Empty the cabinet under the sink so we can get at the pipe.
Drain cleaning: common questions
What's the difference between snaking a drain and hydro jetting?
A drain snake is a steel cable that breaks up or hooks a clog, and that's often all a hair or soap blockage needs. Hydro jetting uses high-pressure water to scour grease and sludge off the inside of the pipe, so it suits lines that keep clogging. If a snake clears the drain and it stays clear, you don't need the jetter.
Why does my toilet keep clogging?
Most often something is caught in the trap or the pipe just past it, and paper keeps snagging on it. Wipes are a common one, even the kind labelled flushable. If the toilet clogs along with a slow tub or sink nearby, the blockage is probably in the drain they share.
Should I try chemical drain cleaner first?
We'd skip it. Chemical cleaners can be hard on some pipes, and when they don't clear the clog you're left with a sink full of water and harsh chemicals. On a single slow sink or tub, a plunger is the safer thing to try first.
How do you charge for drain cleaning?
We don't publish a price list. Some jobs are flat rate and others are quoted after we've inspected the line. Estimates are free, and we explain the costs before any work starts.
Guides on drain cleaning
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How to choose a plumber in Vancouver: what the City says to check
What the City of Vancouver tells homeowners to check before hiring a plumber or drainage contractor, what a plumber may do on the City's side, and what to ask for.
Updated
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Can you pour grease down the drain? What to do instead
Grease, cooking oil and wipes block drains and sewers. How to dispose of cooking oil in Metro Vancouver and what to do if grease has already gone down.
Updated
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Why does my drain keep clogging?
Grease, hair, wipes and tree roots are behind many repeat drain clogs. Learn what blocks each fixture and when snaking or hydro jetting fixes it.
Updated
Google reviews
What customers say
5.0 out of 5 on Google
From 23 reviews, as of November 2026
What reviewers mention
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Fair prices
Reviewers often say the price was reasonable. A couple say it came in well under what other plumbers had quoted.
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Quick to come out
Several mention the plumbers arriving when they said they would. Others describe a same-evening visit, and a call-out at short notice on a holiday.
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Careful, clear work
The work is described as thorough, tidy and professional. Reviewers mention clear explanations, upfront pricing and no pressure to buy more.
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Fixed what others couldn't
Two reviewers say DrainX solved a problem other trades had not. Several say they would hire DrainX again, and one already has.
A summary, in our own words, of the reviews on our Google profile as of November 1, 2026. The reviews themselves are on Google.
Reviews shown as written on Google.
Service area
Where we do this work
Need a plumber? Call or text us.
Tell us what’s going on and we’ll take it from there.
Open 24/7 · Free estimates · Average arrival about 60 minutes