Plumbing Service in Riverdale

Riverdale: the housing stock and its plumbing

Riverdale sits on the east side of the Don Valley, with Broadview Avenue running along the edge of the ravine. Much of the housing went up from the 1880s through the early 1900s: brick semis, row houses and detached Victorians with steep gables and deep basements that were often low and damp to begin with. Many have been renovated more than once, so the plumbing can be a patchwork of eras.

Trouble we run into most often

• Cast iron drain stacks that have rusted thin at the base.
• Galvanized supply mixed with copper, with corrosion at the joints.
• Old drum traps under clawfoot tubs.
• Basement bathrooms added without proper venting.
• Water heaters squeezed into tight spaces with old chimney venting.

Below the floor: drains, sewers and wet basements

Houses on the ravine side of the neighbourhood can see groundwater moving downhill toward the valley, which keeps some basements damp. Clay sewer laterals and big old trees are common, and root problems come with them. A camera inspection on an older lateral is a sensible step before any finished basement project.

What happens when you ring us

Riverdale basements are often finished around old pipes, so we look for an access panel before we reach for a drywall saw. On the ravine side, we ask about water in the spring, since that tells us more about the lateral and weeping tile than any single visit. You get the cause in plain words before a price.