Scope
What we handle
Camera inspection & locating
We record the line, mark the fault's depth and surface position, and give you the footage.
Root intrusion
Mechanical cutting and jetting, then a plan so the roots do not simply come back.
Spot repairs
Excavating and replacing a single failed section where the rest of the line is sound.
Full lateral replacement
New pipe from the building to the city connection, permitted and inspected.
Backwater valves
Protecting a basement from municipal surcharge during heavy rain.
The short answer
Most Tri-Cities sewer failures come down to three causes: tree roots in old clay or concrete laterals, cast-iron pipe that has scaled and cracked, or a belly where the line has settled. Depex puts a camera down the line first, marks the exact depth and location from the surface, then gives you a written repair option and a replacement option so you can choose.
Signs it's time to call
- Repeat main-line blockages, especially in autumn
- Sewage odour in the yard or a patch of unusually lush grass
- Multiple fixtures backing up at once
- A dip or soft spot appearing in the lawn or driveway
- Slow drainage that returns weeks after being cleared
Live answer 24/7 — no overtime charges.
Local detail
What's different about this job in the Tri-Cities
Sewer laterals in older Tri-Cities and Burnaby neighbourhoods are commonly vitrified clay or concrete, joined every metre or so. Those joints are exactly where fine roots find moisture, and once a root hair is inside it thickens until it becomes a net that catches everything passing by. The pattern is seasonal: the line copes all summer, then the first sustained November rain plus a full house of guests is what finally stops it. If you have had two blockages in the same line, it is not bad luck — it is a defect, and a camera will show you exactly where.
Answers
Sewer Repair & Maintenance: common questions
The questions we get asked on almost every one of these calls.
Am I responsible for the sewer line, or the city?
In most Metro Vancouver municipalities, the property owner owns the lateral from the building to the property line or the city main, depending on local bylaw. We identify where the fault sits relative to that boundary before quoting, because it determines who pays.
Do you have to dig up my whole yard?
Not usually. Once the camera and locator have pinpointed the fault, excavation is often a single targeted pit. Full-length replacement is a bigger job, and we will always show you why it is warranted before recommending it.
Will my insurance cover a sewer backup?
Sometimes, and it often depends on whether a backwater valve was fitted. Keep our camera footage and invoice — documentation of the cause is what claims turn on.
Still stuck? Ask us directly
Book Depex
Get a straight answer and a flat price.
Tell us what's happening and we'll tell you what it takes to fix it — before we pick up a tool.
