5 Warning Signs Your Drain Might Be Clogged — And What You Should Do About It

You probably don’t think about your drains much — until they stop working. A clogged drain can be more than just a minor inconvenience; if left untreated, it can lead to serious damage, unpleasant smells, or even flooding in your basement.

But here’s the good news: your home usually gives you warning signs before things get bad. The key is knowing what to look for.

At UPR, we’ve been solving drain problems in Toronto and the GTA for over 20 years, and we can tell you — most major backups started as small, easy-to-fix clogs. So let’s break down the five most common signs your drain may be blocked, and what you should do if they show up in your home.

1. Gurgling Sounds

Ever flush a toilet or run water and hear a strange gurgling coming from the tub or sink? That noise happens when air gets trapped in your pipes — often due to a partial blockage. It’s your plumbing system’s way of saying, “Something’s not flowing the way it should.”

It’s a sign that water is struggling to move through your drain, and if ignored, it can quickly turn into a full blockage.

2. Slow Drainage

This one’s easy to overlook at first. You’re brushing your teeth or washing dishes and notice the water is just… hanging around a little too long. Over time, soap scum, food particles, and grease can build up in your pipes, narrowing the pathway and slowing down drainage.

In bathrooms, hair and toothpaste are usually the culprits. In kitchens? Grease and food scraps lead the charge.

3. Unpleasant Odours

If you notice a persistent sewage smell near your drains — especially in your basement, kitchen, or laundry room — it could be a warning sign. When waste builds up in your pipes, bacteria grows, and that creates a foul odour that no candle can fix.

Sometimes it’s a dry trap, but often, it’s a partial clog starting to rot.

4. Water Backing Up

This is when things start getting urgent. Water backing up into your sink, tub, floor drain, or toilet means a clog is already forming and blocking the flow. Even worse — when water backs up in one fixture after using another (like flushing the toilet causes water in your tub to rise), it often means there’s a blockage deeper in the main drain.

This is not the time to grab a plunger and hope for the best. You’ll want a professional plumber to take a look before the problem escalates.

5. Frequent Clogs

If your toilet or sink clogs regularly — even when you’re careful about what goes down — you might have a bigger issue hiding below the surface. Roots, broken pipes, or a sag in the line can cause chronic blockages that no amount of snaking will fix long-term.

It’s time for a camera inspection to see what’s really going on.

What Should You Do?

The sooner you take action, the easier the fix. At UPR, we offer fast and clean drain snaking, high-pressure jetting, and camera inspections to find the real cause. We’ve cleared thousands of drains across Toronto, Etobicoke, Scarborough, and beyond — and we’re known for doing it right the first time.

You don’t need to wait for water on the floor to know something’s wrong. Listen to what your home is telling you — and let us take it from there.

Call 647-833-6743
Book a Drain Inspection or Clog Removal
Serving Toronto, the GTA, and surrounding cities