Emergency Sewer Backup Service in Edmonton

If sewage is coming up through your floor drain, toilet or shower in Edmonton, stop using water in the house and call Instarooter at (587) 988-7387. We answer 24/7, clear the blockage, and run a camera through the line to find out why it backed up: tree roots, grease, a collapsed pipe, or a city main overloaded by heavy rain.

Sewage Backing Up Into Your Basement?

A sewer backup usually shows up at the lowest drain in the house first. Dirty water rises out of the basement floor drain, the toilet gurgles, or the shower fills up when someone runs the washing machine upstairs. It means wastewater has nowhere to go, so it is coming back the way it came.

It won’t fix itself, and every flush or load of laundry makes it worse. The sooner the line is cleared, the less water ends up on your floor.

At Instarooter, we come out day or night, clear the line, and then run a camera through it so you know what actually caused the backup. That last step matters: clearing the clog stops the flooding, but finding the cause is what stops it from happening again next month.

Instarooter technicians clearing a sewer backup in an Edmonton basement

What to Do Right Now

  • Stop using water: no flushing, showers, laundry or dishwasher
  • Keep children and pets out of the affected area
  • If water is near outlets, a furnace or appliances, stay out and don’t touch anything electrical
  • Don’t pour chemical drain cleaner into a backed-up line
  • Take photos of the water and any damage for your insurance claim
  • Call us at (587) 988-7387

For a longer checklist, read our guide on what to do during a sewer backup in Edmonton.

What Causes Sewer Backups in Edmonton

Most backups we see in Edmonton come from one of four things. Tree roots get into older clay and cast iron sewer lines through cracks and joints, then grow into a mass that traps everything behind it. Grease from the kitchen hardens inside the pipe and narrows it over time. Older lines crack, sag or collapse. And during heavy rain or spring melt, the city main can fill faster than it drains, pushing water back toward homes that don’t have a backwater valve.

The fix is different for each one, which is why we inspect before we recommend anything. Roots need root removal, a damaged line needs sewer line repair, and city-side overloads are what a backwater valve is designed to stop.

Tree roots pulled from a sewer line after a backup in Edmonton

How We Handle a Sewer Backup

Here is what happens when you call.

Fast Response

We answer 24/7 and give you a realistic time for when we can be there.

Clear the Line

We clear the blockage with a drain machine or hydro jetter so water can flow again and the backup stops.

Camera Inspection

We run a camera through the line to find the cause and show you the footage. You keep the recording.

Prevent the Next One

We explain what will stop it from happening again, whether that is root removal, a repair, or a backwater valve.

The camera footage is useful for more than diagnosis. It shows your insurer what happened, and it shows whether the problem is in your line or in the City’s sewer under the street.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you come out at night and on weekends?

Yes. Sewer backups don’t wait for business hours, and neither do we. Call (587) 988-7387 any time, including nights, weekends and holidays.

Is the backup my responsibility or the City’s?
The City of Edmonton maintains the main sewer under the street. The pipe from your house to the property line is the homeowner’s responsibility. If several homes on your block are backing up at once, the problem is likely the city main. If it’s only your house, it’s almost always your line. A camera inspection settles it.
Will my home insurance cover a sewer backup?
Usually not by default. Most Canadian home policies only cover sewer backup with a separate endorsement, and it has to be in place before the backup happens. Call your broker to check. Our camera footage and written findings are the kind of evidence a claim needs.
Can I clean up the sewage myself?
We don’t recommend it. Sewage carries bacteria and other pathogens, and anything porous that it soaked, like drywall, carpet or insulation, usually has to be removed. Keep people out of the area until the line is cleared and the space is properly cleaned.
How do I stop it from happening again?
It depends on the cause. Roots need to be cut and kept in check, a damaged pipe needs repair, and if the city main is the problem, a backwater valve stops sewage from flowing back into your home. EPCOR may cover up to $800 of a backwater valve for eligible homes.

Service Area

We respond to sewer backups in Edmonton, St. Albert, Sherwood Park, Spruce Grove, Leduc, Beaumont, Fort Saskatchewan and nearby communities, 24 hours a day.

Want to know what to do while you wait? Read our sewer backup guide for Edmonton homeowners.

Sewer Backing Up? Call Us Now

If sewage is coming up through your drains, stop using water and call Instarooter now. We answer 24/7.

Call (587) 988-7387 or contact us online.