Those fuzzy, moth-like flies on your bathroom walls are breeding inside the slime coating your drain pipes. Our pipe treatment system destroys the biofilm they breed in and stops drain flies at the source.
Drain flies — also called moth flies or sewer gnats — are tiny (about one-eighth inch), fuzzy flies with broad, leaf-shaped wings covered in tiny hairs. They look more like miniature moths than typical flies, and they hold their wings flat over their body when resting.
They are weak fliers that prefer to hop and rest on walls, ceilings, and fixtures near the drains they emerged from. Their larvae live inside the slimy organic biofilm that coats the inside of drain pipes — a mixture of bacteria, soap residue, hair, skin cells, and decomposing organic material. This is why they are so persistent: their entire breeding habitat is hidden inside your plumbing.
Tiny moth-like flies resting on walls, mirrors, or ceilings near sinks, showers, and floor drains — especially in the morning.
Watching tiny flies crawl out of your shower drain, sink drain, or floor drain — especially drains that are used infrequently.
Finding drain flies near basement floor drains, laundry drains, or sump pits — areas where organic material accumulates in standing water.
Drains that are slow, smelly, or have not been used recently — these conditions allow biofilm to thicken, creating ideal breeding habitat.
Drain flies that return within days after you pour bleach or boiling water — surface cleaning cannot reach the deep pipe biofilm.
Drain flies near air conditioning units, condensate lines, or drip pans — these moisture sources can harbor biofilm just like drain pipes.
Drain flies can occur year-round in Michigan homes because they live entirely inside your plumbing system where temperatures stay warm and moist regardless of outdoor weather. However, certain Michigan-specific conditions make drain fly problems more common.
Michigan's older homes often have aging cast iron or clay drain pipes with rough interior surfaces that collect biofilm faster than modern PVC. Basement floor drains — a fixture in nearly every Michigan home — are a prime breeding site because they are used infrequently and the trap water stagnates, allowing thick organic buildup.
The state's humid summers increase indoor moisture levels, while long winters keep homes sealed tight with reduced ventilation. Both conditions accelerate biofilm growth inside pipes. Seasonal homes, vacation properties, and guest bathrooms with drains that sit unused for weeks are especially vulnerable — the standing water and undisturbed biofilm become a drain fly paradise.
We go inside your pipes to destroy the breeding habitat with a biofilm elimination approach that solves the problem where it actually lives.
We inspect all drains in your home — including ones you may not think about like basement floor drains, AC condensate lines, and sump pits — to identify exactly which drains are producing flies.
We apply professional enzymatic and microbial products that penetrate and break down the organic biofilm coating inside your pipes — destroying the breeding habitat that bleach and boiling water cannot reach.
We provide a drain maintenance plan to prevent biofilm from rebuilding — including recommendations for regular flushing, enzymatic treatments, and attention to infrequently used drains that are most vulnerable.
Fully licensed Michigan pest control professionals with comprehensive insurance for your protection.
We treat the cause, not the symptom. Our enzymatic products destroy the pipe biofilm that surface cleaning misses entirely.
We check every drain in your home — including hidden sources like AC pans and basement drains that other services overlook.
Our treatment plus maintenance plan keeps drain flies gone for good — not the temporary fix of bleach that wears off in days.
Drain flies (also called moth flies or sewer gnats) are tiny, fuzzy, moth-like flies about one-eighth inch long with large wings they hold roof-like over their bodies. They breed in the organic slime and biofilm that builds up inside drain pipes, especially in bathrooms. The film in your drain provides both food and a moist breeding surface for their larvae. They are weak fliers and tend to rest on walls near the drains they emerged from.
Drain flies do not bite or sting and are not known to transmit diseases to humans. However, they breed in unsanitary organic buildup inside pipes, and large populations can trigger allergic reactions and asthma in sensitive individuals — the tiny body hairs and wing scales can become airborne irritants. They are primarily a nuisance pest, but their presence indicates unhygienic drain conditions that should be addressed.
Drain flies return because surface cleaning does not remove the organic biofilm deep inside your pipes where they actually breed. Pouring bleach or boiling water down the drain kills some larvae on the surface but does not penetrate the thick slime layer coating the inside of the pipe. Professional drain treatment uses enzymatic products that break down the entire biofilm layer, eliminating the breeding substrate completely.
Yes. While floor drains, shower drains, and sink drains are the most common source, drain flies can breed in any area with organic moisture buildup. This includes air conditioning drip pans, sump pump pits, leaking pipes behind walls, sewage breaks, wet crawl spaces, and even damp lint under washing machines. If drain treatment does not solve the problem, we investigate these secondary sources.
Drain flies and fruit flies are easy to tell apart. Drain flies are fuzzy and moth-like with broad, leaf-shaped wings held flat over their body — they look like tiny moths. Fruit flies are smooth, tan, with prominent red eyes and hold their wings back like a typical fly. Drain flies rest on walls near drains and are weak fliers. Fruit flies hover actively around fruit and food. The location where you see them is also a clue — drain flies near drains, fruit flies near food.
Stop fighting drain flies with bleach that does not work. Call today for a free inspection and professional treatment that destroys their breeding habitat inside your pipes.
Call (734) 436-3017