In most of the freestanding homes in Toronto and Scarborough, sump pump installations are commonplace. The pump protects your home from rising floodwaters by expelling them before they can reach a level at which they do damage. It’s not helpful to have a pump if it isn’t operating correctly, however, and like all machinery, these … Read more
Finally, in a long-awaited and much-needed move, the province is cracking down on those aggressive salespeople who come to your door insisting on doing an inspection of your hot water heater. A recent article in the Toronto Star reports that the Minister of Consumer Services has announced a plan to help protect consumers from these … Read more
Winter has finally gone and the Spring rains have arrived. The last snow has melted, and at last, you can see the condition of everything that has been hidden for the past few months. This is a good time to consider getting a drain camera inspection, particularly of your outdoor drains, so you know exactly … Read more
Have you ever sat in the dentist’s chair and wondered what happens to the wastewater that goes down the drain? Most commercial plumbing is done by professionals, but in the case of medical and dental practices, it’s even more critical. There’s no point in the clinic itself looking spotlessly clean and germ-free if it’s unsanitary … Read more
A rose by any other name.. whether you call it a French drain, a weeping tile or any one of the several other names for it, this is one of the most versatile designs invented for drains. Made popular in 1859 in Concord, Massachusetts and named after Henry Flagg French, the basic French drain is … Read more
If you live in one of Toronto’s older homes, there’s a good chance you still have an old-style kitchen sink. You know – the single, stainless steel basin that’s half the size you need, with ancient faucets and a kitchen drain that blocks every time you look at it. But when it comes time to … Read more
Water damage claims in Toronto have doubled in number during the past decade and now account for 40% of all home insurance claims compared with 20% ten years earlier. This puts them at number 1 on the claims list, displacing fire which has been pushed down to 37%. All this has caused insurance premiums to … Read more
Spring is here, and with the gradual warm-up in the weather, you can expect to find a number of plumbing problems in a Toronto home. Probably one of the most problematic is leaky pipes in the walls. Whether you live in a new house or an older one, it’s possible that any cracks or gaps … Read more
If you’re relatively handy around the home, or you live in an apartment and don’t want to keep bothering the supervisor to resolve minor residential plumbing problems, you probably want to be able to do basic chores such as unblock a toilet or clear a minor clog in the drain. To do this successfully, you … Read more
We’re into March and that means spring isn’t far away. And if the winter was anything to go by, we may well get a “normalized” spring – which means lots and lots of rain. It’s also traditionally the time to spring clean your home, and it follows that you might as well do some basic … Read more
There are dozens, if not hundreds, of plumbers in Toronto. At least, they call themselves plumbers but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are qualified. And homeowners contract them to do specialized work, pay them good money and then wonder what went wrong when they are left with damages their insurance won’t cover and the “plumbers” … Read more
Replacing sump pumps isn’t the most difficult thing to do. However, you should purchase a new one before your old one gives out, leaving you high and not very dry. The best time to replace a broken sump pump is before the next anticipated big storm. Replacing your sump pump after the next storm could … Read more