Homes and their plumbing age
Residential pockets in this part of the city range from modest postwar houses to more recent builds, with industrial and harbour land close by. Older homes usually carry cast iron or clay drains and a mix of copper and galvanized supply. Newer ones have PVC and ABS drains with copper or PEX supply lines, and often a sump pit built in from the start.
Because the area slopes toward the lake and the Second Marsh, groundwater and drainage come up more often than in higher neighbourhoods to the north.
Water and sewer service
Homes here are served by Durham Region water and sanitary sewer. The harbour-side location means basements can be more exposed to heavy rain and rising groundwater, and older weeping tile connections may still tie into the sanitary system.
Keep the area around your sump pit clear. In a storm you want to reach it quickly, check the float and hear whether the pump runs.
Common repairs
- Sump pumps that fail or cannot keep up
- Running toilets and worn flappers
- Split outdoor taps after a cold snap
- Basement drains slow after storms
A pump that cycles constantly, stalls or hums without moving water is a job for sump pump repair. Toilets that keep running, rock or leak at the bottom go under toilet repair. Outdoor taps exposed to the open wind off the water tend to split; outdoor faucets and hose bibs covers frost-free replacements.
Keeping water out of the basement
Low-lying homes benefit from a layered approach. Keep eavestroughs clean and downspouts extended away from the walls. Make sure the yard slopes away from the house. Try the sump pump before spring and before the fall rains. Consider a battery backup for power failures during storms. Any house that has had sewage rise through a floor drain, a backwater valve deserves serious thought. These measures work together, and a homeowner can handle several of them without calling anyone.
For the ones that need a plumber, we will explain what is involved before any work is booked.
Homes closest to the harbour lands sometimes see heavier groundwater after long rain, and pumps there tend to work harder than the same model a few kilometres north. Plan replacements before a pump shows its age rather than after it quits during a storm, and keep the receipt or model number handy.
A spare float switch on the shelf is also cheap insurance against a flooded rec room.
Calling us
Tell us what is happening and where, and whether the problem showed up during rain. Groundwater and sewer issues often get worse in storms, which helps narrow down the cause. North-east of here, homes in Pinecrest are newer and face a different set of everyday plumbing calls.