Trade notes
Plumbing tips for Toronto homeowners
Practical guides for the problems Toronto houses actually have, written to help you decide what to do before you spend any money.
Call now
or dial (365) 363-3352Answered day and night
- Checks you can do yourself, in order
- What to leave alone and why
- Written for Toronto houses and condos
- Call us if it is already leaking
A price before we startNothing cut or opened until you say yes.
- Licensed & insureddetails confirmed on the call
- Phones answered 24/7a person, not a queue
- Price before we startcall-out rate on the phone
- Old Toronto & East Yorkhouses, condos, businesses
Guides
All 11 trade notes
How to keep your pipes from freezing in a Toronto winterA fall checklist and a cold-snap checklist for Toronto homes, plus what to do if a pipe freezes anyway.A homeowner’s guide to Toronto’s basement flooding subsidyHow the City’s basement flooding protection subsidy has worked, what it covers and how to plan the work.Should you repair or replace your water heater?Age, the type of failure and whether it’s a rental decide it.Where Is the Main Water Valve in My House?Toronto houses and condos hide the main water valve in a few usual places.Signs Your Toronto Home Has Lead PipesHow to tell whether your Toronto house has a lead water service, what the City of Toronto has offered for testing and…Basement Flooded? What to Do FirstWater in your Toronto basement? A step-by-step plan for the first hour: safety, finding the source, stopping it,…Sewer Backup vs Groundwater SeepageWater in your Toronto basement? How to tell a sewer backup from groundwater seepage, what to do first, and why the…Keeping Grease Out of Kitchen DrainsWhy cooking grease clogs Toronto kitchen drains, how to dispose of fats and oils safely, and the habits that keep old…Plumbing Checks Before Buying an Older HouseBuying a pre-war Toronto house? The plumbing checks worth making before you firm up: sewer lateral, lead service,…Why Your Drain Smells Like SewageSewer smell from a sink, shower or basement floor drain?Sump Pump Maintenance ChecklistKeep your Toronto sump pump ready for spring melt and summer storms: testing, cleaning the pit, checking the discharge,…
A plumbing calendar for Toronto homes
| Season | What to do |
|---|---|
| Spring | Prove the sump by tipping a pail into its pit, check the backwater valve flap, and turn outdoor taps back on slowly while watching for leaks inside. |
| Summer | Keep floor drains and window wells clear before storm season, and avoid running the washer during a sewer backup warning. |
| Fall | Shut off and drain outdoor taps, insulate exposed pipes, seal drafts near plumbing and check that the main shut-off turns. |
| Winter | Keep the heat steady, open cabinets under sinks on outside walls in cold snaps, and make sure everyone at home can find the main shut-off. |
Three things every Toronto homeowner should know
- The location of the valve that stops all incoming water, and that it still turns.
- What your water service is made of. If the house is older than the mid-1950s, check for lead.
- Whether you have a backwater valve, and where its access cover is. If the basement is finished and you don’t have one, it’s worth a conversation.
When to stop reading and call
Guides are for planning. If water is actively leaking, sewage is coming up through a drain, or a pipe has burst, close the main valve and phone (365) 363-3352. Look for it downstairs on the front foundation wall; in most Toronto houses it sits right beside the meter.
Water where it shouldn’t be? Call now.
A plumber answers day and night, and the call-out rate is quoted before anyone drives over.