Plumbing Service in Cabbagetown

Cabbagetown: the housing stock and its plumbing

Cabbagetown, east of Parliament and south of the Necropolis, is known for its streets of preserved Victorian houses, many of them built for working families in the late 1800s. Lots are narrow, houses are often attached in rows, and basements can be shallow with low ceilings.

Much of the area falls within heritage conservation districts. That mostly affects exteriors, but it is worth knowing if plumbing work touches the front of the house, such as a new water service through the front yard or a vent through the roof that faces the street.

Trouble we run into most often

• Shared walls and shared histories. In row houses, a neighbour's renovation can change the sounds and smells in your own plumbing.
• Cramped mechanical rooms where a water heater, furnace and laundry share a tiny corner.
• Lead and galvanized service pipe in homes that have not had the line replaced.
• Tight bathrooms on upper floors with drains that run a long way to the stack.

A surprising number of calls start with a high water bill. Old toilets with worn flappers and slow, silent leaks are the usual cause. Our essay on a high water bill shows how to use your meter to find out.

Below the floor: drains, sewers and wet basements

Older parts of downtown Toronto were built with combined sewers, carrying both storm runoff and household waste. During a heavy cloudburst, those sewers can surcharge and push water back up into basements. In houses with shallow basements and floor drains close to the sewer level, that risk is real.

A backwater valve on the main drain is the main defence. Disconnecting downspouts from the sewer, where the City allows it, helps too; read our note on downspout disconnection.

Older fixtures worth keeping

Plenty of Cabbagetown owners love their clawfoot tubs and pedestal sinks. Those fixtures can usually stay. Often the drain and supply parts beneath them just need updating, with new traps, supply tubes and stops that fit the period look.

What happens when you ring us

Mention what the water is doing and about when the house was built. Parking around Cabbagetown can be limited, so we may ask about lane access or a nearby spot for a van with equipment. Once in the house, we take care with old floors and trim, use drop cloths on stairs, and explain what we find before touching anything.

Small basements sometimes mean creative solutions: a compact water heater, a re-routed drain, or a slimmer laundry box. We will show you the options and be clear about which ones need a permit.

Nearby we also serve Riverdale, St. Lawrence and the Danforth.