Water Line Replacement in Markham

Signs you need water line replacement

Your water service runs underground from the municipal curb stop, typically near the sidewalk or property line, to the meter in your basement. Older services may be copper, galvanized steel or even lead in the oldest homes. Problems tend to look like this:

• A wet patch in the yard or on the driveway that stays wet, even in July.
• Damp foundation concrete at the point the line enters.
• Weak pressure on every tap that started gradually.
• A water bill that jumps with no change in use.

Our routine on the day

Before any digging, utility locates are requested so gas, hydro and cable lines are marked. We also confirm with the City of Markham which part of the service is the homeowner's responsibility and which belongs to the municipality, as the curb stop and anything on the street side is generally theirs.

Depending on the yard, we either open a trench along the old line or use a trenchless method to pull new pipe through. Trenchless options save landscaping and driveways, though not every soil or route suits them. The replacement line, copper or an approved plastic sized for modern demand, is buried below frost depth and brought through the foundation with a proper seal. Indoors, the line ties into a fresh main valve ahead of the meter.

When the line is live, we flush it, check pressure at several fixtures and restore the yard to a tidy, level state.

Markham houses and what shapes this job

Century homes along Main Street in Unionville and Markham Village sometimes still have galvanized or lead services, and those are good candidates for replacement before they fail. In neighbourhoods built from the 1970s on, copper services are common and generally healthy, although clay soil and settling can stress connections. Mature trees in Thornhill and German Mills complicate trenching, which is where trenchless installation shines.

Sizing the new line

Older services were often half-inch or three-quarter-inch pipe, sized for one bathroom. A family home with a lawn sprinkler, two showers and a dishwasher running at once benefits from a larger line. We suggest a size based on your fixtures and plans.

Ring us without delay if

Water coming through the basement wall around the service pipe deserves a visit before nightfall. Close the main shut-off inside if it works; if it does not, see main shut-off valve replacement. A sudden bill spike is another clue worth chasing, and the water bill spike brief shows how to test with your meter.

What we check before we pack up

1. Read static pressure at a hose bib
2. Pressure-test new pipe before closing walls

Markham note. Markham water service lines enter on the street-facing basement wall, and the main shut-off and meter usually sit right there. In older houses that valve is often a rusty multi-turn gate valve left untouched since the house was built.

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