Locally Owned, Expertly Trained: Call the Plumber Vancouver Trusts

When you call Mr. Rooter Plumbing, you should always expect a licensed, insured plumber when work affects your home's safety, sanitation, and water quality. In Vancouver, plumbing problems involve everything from ageing piping to sewer backups during heavy rain, and proper diagnostics matter.

Before work begins, verify your plumber's license and insurance.

You call us anytime. Plumbing emergencies do not wait for business hours, and we staff 24/7 so you reach a live person and get help moving. The City of Vancouver also notes leaks, floods, and sewer blockages create hazardous conditions, and provides guidance on when to contact 3-1-1 for certain sewer and flooding symptoms. If water is actively leaking or a drain is overflowing, turn off the nearest shutoff valve first, then the main if needed. Then avoid using any plumbing fixtures until a plumber has assessed the source.

Ask our plumbers where the shutoff locations they will use are, including the fixture shutoff and the main water shutoff. If a leak worsens later, knowing exactly where to turn water off prevents major damage while you wait for help.

No. You see the price before any work begins, and we do not add overtime charges because the call happens at night or on a weekend. This matters when you are already dealing with a stressful situation like a burst pipe or sewer backup. Ask your plumber to confirm what the approved price covers, including cleanup, disposal of old parts, and any testing after the repair. A good process includes running water, checking drains, and confirming there are no leaks before we leave.

This depends on what caused the blockage, and Vancouver homeowners should not assume the City is automatically responsible. The City of Vancouver states for sewer blockages or backups, crews look at what caused the blockage, and whatever causes the problem determines responsibility. If no cause is determined, the City says the blockage is assumed to result from an item improperly discharged by the homeowner. If you have repeated backups, a camera inspection shows whether the issue is roots, a sag in the pipe, or a damaged lateral, which helps you take the right next step.

In Vancouver, start by calling 3-1-1 if the problem involves basement fixtures draining slowly or making bubbling sounds. The City of Vancouver specifically lists this symptom as a reason to contact 3-1-1, because the issue points to a sewer connection problem the City needs to investigate. Until the cause is confirmed, avoid running water, doing laundry, or taking long showers. These add flow to the system and turn a warning sign into a backup. If the City confirms the issue is on your private plumbing, we step in quickly to clear the line and help you prevent a repeat.

Treat this as urgent and stop using water right away. This includes telling everyone in the house not to flush toilets, run sinks, or start the dishwasher, because every gallon you add comes back up through the lowest drain. The City of Vancouver notes sewer backups create hazardous conditions and advises calling 3-1-1 for an overflowing basement toilet, floor drain, or shower drain in the basement. While you wait, if you have a basement floor drain actively overflowing, place towels or a bucket around the area to contain the spread, but do not try to plunge or pour chemicals down. This forces sewage deeper into your home or creates a chemical hazard for the crew. If you know where your main cleanout is, usually a white or black capped pipe near the foundation, check whether the cap is loose or whether water is backing up to the cleanout opening. If water is at or above the cleanout, the blockage sits between your home and the City main. Take photos of the water level and any visible damage for your insurance claim. Keep people and pets out of the affected area, and if you have a sump pump in the same room, unplug the unit until the backup is cleared. You do not want the pump trying to move sewage.

Stick to toilet paper and human waste only, and keep grease and flushable wipes out of your drains. The City of Vancouver lists common causes of sewer backups as personal products, paper towels, cat litter, baby wipes, grease, and tree roots, along with pipe issues like misaligned joints or a broken lateral. Wipe greasy pans with a paper towel before washing, and use a sink strainer to catch food scraps. These two habits prevent a lot of recurring kitchen clogs and reduce buildup leading to a main line blockage.

If you are a tenant, contact your landlord first. The City of Vancouver states only the property owner requests a City crew to investigate a water or sewer problem. The City also notes for sewer blockages or backups, telling 3-1-1 if you have a sump or cleanout helps. If you do not, you need to remove a basement toilet to provide access. Locate your cleanout in advance if you have one, and keep the area accessible. Clear access speeds up diagnosis and reduces disruption in your home.

If your home was built or had plumbing replaced up to the late 1990s, Poly-B is worth checking for. A bulletin commonly referenced in BC building and strata risk management notes polybutylene was most commonly used from the 1970s until around 1997, and was removed from the National Plumbing Code of Canada in 2005. The pipe is often identifiable by its light grey-blue colour and crimp fittings, with PB in the printed markings. Do not rely on a quick glance at one exposed section. We recommend inspecting multiple visible areas and discussing replacement planning if the home has Poly-B, especially before a renovation.

Yes. Vancouver is milder than much of BC, but short cold snaps still freeze exposed lines, and the pipes freezing first are predictable: outdoor hose bibs not drained, crawlspace supply lines running along exterior foundation walls, and pipes in exterior wall cavities on the north side of the house where the sun does not reach. Copper and galvanized steel freeze faster than PEX because metal conducts cold more efficiently. The danger is not the freeze alone. When water freezes, the ice expands and cracks the pipe, but you will not see the leak until the ice melts and water starts flowing again. We see a spike in call volume 24 to 48 hours after a cold snap ends. If you turn on a faucet and nothing comes out, or you get a trickle stopping shortly after, assume the line is frozen. Do not use a propane torch, heat gun, or open flame to thaw the pipe. This cracks the pipe, starts a fire, or causes a steam explosion if water is trapped between two frozen sections. Call a plumber. We use controlled heat, warm towels, heat tape, or a pipe-thawing machine, and we open both ends of the line so steam and water escape safely. While you wait, open the cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls to let warm air circulate, and if you safely access your crawlspace, check for frost on visible pipes.

This could be either, so do not guess. The City of Vancouver notes that when part of the water or sewer system breaks down, you see water bubbling up on your lawn or through a crack on the street, and directs residents to contact 3-1-1 so the City can investigate. While you wait, keep everyone away from the bubbling area and avoid driving over the spot. A hidden washout undermines soil and creates a sinkhole risk. If the City determines the issue is on private property piping, we help isolate the line, repair the leak, and confirm everything is sealed and stable before you restore full water use.

If your main line backs up predictably in October or November after the first heavy rains, and we pull out masses of fine, hair-like roots during the cleanout, you have cracks or separated joints in your sewer lateral, and tree roots are growing into the pipe. Older Vancouver homes, especially those built before 1970, often have clay or cast iron sewer laterals. Over decades, the joints shift, crack, or separate due to ground movement, freeze-thaw cycles, and root pressure from nearby trees. Roots are drawn to sewer lines because they sense moisture and nutrients. Once a root finds a crack, the root grows into the pipe, expanding the crack further and creating a net catching toilet paper, wipes, and other debris. In summer, the roots are active, but the flow is usually strong enough to push past them. In fall, when the rains start and trees go dormant, the roots swell with absorbed water and the increased flow from stormwater, especially in combined sewer areas, overwhelms the restricted pipe and causes a backup. The trees causing the most problems in Vancouver are willows, maples, and poplars. These have aggressive, water-seeking root systems and are commonly planted near streets and property lines. When we run a camera inspection after clearing the line, we see exactly where the roots are entering, how severe the intrusion is, and whether the pipe is cracked, offset, or collapsed. If the damage is localized to one section, we do a spot repair or use trenchless pipe lining to seal the cracks without digging up your yard. If the entire lateral is compromised, replacement is the permanent fix, and in many cases, financing is available to spread the cost.

A backwater valve is a one-way valve installed in your sewer lateral allowing wastewater to flow out toward the City main but preventing flow back into your home. In Vancouver, certain neighbourhoods have combined sewer systems where stormwater and sewage travel together in the same pipes. During heavy rain events, especially in November and December, the system becomes overwhelmed. When this happens, sewage backs up through basement floor drains and toilets. The City of Vancouver has been upgrading the system to separate stormwater and sewage, but many older areas still have combined systems. If you live in an area with a combined system, or if your home is on a low-lying street where water pools during storms, a backwater valve is one of the most effective ways to protect your basement from sewer backups. The valve automatically closes when reverse flow is detected, stopping sewage from entering your home. Installation requires excavating your basement floor to access the main drain line, so this is often done during a basement renovation or after a homeowner has experienced a backup. Some municipalities and the City of Vancouver have offered rebate programmes in the past to help cover installation costs, so checking current programmes is worth doing if you are considering one. We recommend backwater valves for any home with a finished basement in a flood-prone or combined sewer area, especially if you have had a backup before or your neighbours have.