What to Tell Dispatch When You Phone

Which fixture, which floor

Start with where the problem shows up: the second-floor ensuite shower, the main-floor powder room toilet, the kitchen sink, the basement floor drain. If more than one fixture is involved, say which ones and on which levels. A single slow basin points to a hair clog in the trap or tailpiece. Water rising at the basement floor drain while the upstairs toilet flushes means the blockage sits in the main drain or the sewer lateral. Those two calls need very different equipment on the van.

What the water is doing

• Draining slowly, not draining at all, or coming back up somewhere else.
• Dripping, spraying, seeping at a joint or showing as a stain on a ceiling.
• Hot water running out, coming out rusty or not arriving at all.
• Gurgling, banging or whistling in the pipes when a tap closes.

What you have already tried

Tell us if you used a plunger, a hand snake or a chemical drain opener. Caustic opener sitting in a trap is a burn hazard for whoever opens it, so we bring gloves and eye protection and handle the trap differently. If you already closed the main valve, say so; we will plan to restore pressure and check for further leaks when we arrive.

What the house is like

Give us the build decade of the home and say if a second suite shares the drains. A 1970s Bramalea semi with cast iron under the slab and a newer Mount Pleasant detached with ABS and a backwater valve fail in different places. Tell us if the basement is finished, if the cleanout is behind a wall, and if the water heater is rented. A rental tank usually has to go through the rental company for replacement, though we can diagnose the fault.

Access and parking

Let us know about pets, locked side gates, and whether we can park in the driveway. A sewer camera reel and a sectional cable machine are heavy, so a clear route from the door to the basement stairs saves time on the clock.

Ready when you are. One call, a real plumber, an arrival window.