Common floor drain complaints
- Sewer smell rising from the grate, often in a little-used laundry room
- Water coming up through the grate during heavy rain or laundry
- A cracked or missing grate letting debris into the trap
- The drain not taking water at all when the water heater relief valve discharges
Why floor drains smell
Every floor drain has a trap that holds water as a seal against sewer gas. In a basement where nothing drains into it for weeks, that water evaporates and the gas comes straight in. Pouring a jug of water into the drain every month fixes most smell complaints. If the seal keeps drying out, fitting a primer or a seal insert on that trap fixes it for good.
Repairs we handle
- Clearing a blocked floor drain and its trap down to the main.
- Replacing broken grates and rusted cast iron drain bodies.
- Installing a trap seal insert or a trap primer line.
- Adding a backwater valve where the drain layout allows.
Brampton basements and floor drains
Many older Brampton homes have the floor drain tied directly into the sanitary sewer, which is why a sewer backup shows up there first. When a basement floor is being opened for a bathroom rough-in or repairs, it is a good moment to deal with the floor drain at the same time.
Tools, access and testing
| Tools we bring | Drum auger, closet auger, 4,000 psi jetter, push camera |
|---|---|
| What we open | Cleanout caps, P-traps, tub shoes, the main stack |
| What we test | Flow with full basins, camera footage on the run |
Where in Brampton we do this
We take floor drain repair calls right across the city, including Credit Valley, Peel Village, Fletcher's Meadow, Professor's Lake and the streets around them.
Questions we get
Is it safe to cover the floor drain to stop the smell?
No. It may be the only place a burst water heater or washing machine hose can drain. Fix the trap seal instead.