Residential · Pipes, leaks & valves
Repiping in Markham
When pinhole leaks keep appearing in different rooms, patching starts to cost more than the pipes are worth. Repiping draws a line under it.
- Static and flow pressure read at a hose bib
- Leaks traced with meters and thermal camera
- Copper, PEX and poly-b repairs and replacement
- Main shut-off exercised and labelled
- Licensed plumbers (details on request)
- Price agreed before work
- Call-only, no forms
- Tested before we leave
Signs you need repiping
A single leak is a repair. Three leaks in two years, in different parts of the house, is a pattern. Supply pipes age from the inside, so by the time one fails the rest are often close behind. These are the signs that point toward a full or partial repipe:
- Rusty or brown water when a tap first opens, common with old galvanized steel.
- Green stains and pinholes on copper lines, especially near fittings.
- Grey Poly-B tubing with crimp fittings anywhere in the house.
- Pressure that has slowly dropped across every fixture.
Our routine on the day
We map the existing system first, from the main shut-off through to each fixture, and agree on a plan with you before any drywall is touched. PEX is our usual choice for its flexibility and fewer joints inside walls, with copper used where it makes more sense, such as near the water heater or exposed in a mechanical room.
Unfinished basement ceilings make the work quicker, since most main runs live there. To reach upper floors we make small, planned openings in closets and behind fixtures, run new lines, and leave the openings clean and ready for patching. Water is usually back on at the end of every working day, so you are not without a kitchen or bathroom overnight.
Once complete, the new system is pressure-tested, every fixture is flushed, and the old lines are capped or removed where they can be reached.
Markham houses and what shapes this job
Many 1980s and early 90s houses in Milliken Mills, Middlefield and Markville were plumbed with Poly-B, which insurers increasingly ask about; our Poly-B replacement page goes deeper. Older homes in Markham Village and Unionville sometimes still hide galvanized steel behind plaster. The 2000s subdivisions in Box Grove and Cornell were mostly done in copper or PEX and rarely need a whole-home job.
Preparing your home
We will ask you to clear a path to the basement ceiling and any closets where we plan openings. Furniture near work areas gets covered, and floors are protected along our route. Pets do best in a quiet room while the water is off. At the end, you get a sketch of where the new lines run, which helps future renovations and anyone you hire later.
Ring us without delay if
If a pipe has burst, shut the main and see our burst pipe repair page. If you are simply noticing more leaks than you used to, call for an assessment before the next one lands on a finished ceiling.
Once complete, the new system is pressure-tested, every fixture is flushed, and the old lines are capped or removed where they can be reached.
From the job notes of Plumbers in Markham
Job card · Pipes, leaks & valves
On the van for this job
- Pipe cutters, propane torch and press tools for copper
- Gauges for static and flow pressure tests
Signs you need this
- The meter dial turns with every tap off
- Flow that falls off when a second tap opens
What we check before we pack up
- Read static pressure at a hose bib
- Pressure-test new pipe before closing walls
| Pipe | Era | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Galvanized steel | Pre-1960s | Rust narrows the bore |
| Poly-b (grey) | About 1978 to 1995 | Fitting failures, brittle pipe |
How the job runs, start to finish
- 1
On the phone
Explain what the water is doing and where. We ask the age of the house and which valve or breaker to shut while we drive over.
- 2
Drop cloths down
Floors and cabinets get covered, the water or gas is isolated and the work area is lit.
- 3
Find the failed part
We open the trap, cleanout, access panel or wall where the fault is, and show you what we found.
- 4
Quote, then work
We explain what failed and what the fix costs; no cutting starts until you say yes.
- 5
Cut, fit, seal
Old parts come out, new pipe, valves or fixtures go in, and joints are soldered, pressed, crimped or glued.
- 6
Test and ticket
We run water, pressure-test or fire the heater, check for drips, clean up and leave a written ticket of what was done.