Markham area · 19th and early 20th century
Plumbers in Cornell
Cornell was designed to feel like an old town, with laneway garages and front porches, but under the floors the plumbing is very much of this century.
- Crews familiar with how this neighbourhood was piped
- Main shut-off and pipe material checked on every call
- Price before work, tested before we leave
Homes and pipes in Cornell
Built mostly from the late 1990s onward, Cornell's homes have PEX or copper supply, ABS drains and modern fixtures. Many are townhomes or semi-detached houses that share walls, so a leak in one unit can fast become a problem for the neighbours too. Garages are usually at the back off a laneway, and the main shut-off and water heater are often tucked into a compact mechanical room in the basement.
Near Markham Stouffville Hospital and the Cornell Community Centre, newer stacked townhomes and condos have shared plumbing in places. In those buildings, it pays to know which pipes belong to your unit before work begins.
Calls this corner of town makes
- Rented water heaters nearing the end of their service life.
- Original builder faucets and toilet guts giving up.
- Sump pumps in low-lying lots that need replacing.
- Basement bathroom finishing using existing rough-ins.
Many Cornell homeowners are now finishing basements, and most houses here already have a rough-in. Our basement bathroom rough-in page walks through putting it to use. For water heaters, see rent or buy a water heater.
Through the seasons here
Spring storms can test sump pumps here, since parts of Cornell sit on clay soil near the Rouge. Test your pump in March by tipping a pail of water into the pit. In winter, outdoor taps on laneway garages are easy to forget; remove the hoses before the first frost.
Living with newer plumbing
Newer homes have their own maintenance rhythm. Flush the water heater once a year, test the sump pump each spring, and check under sinks every few months for slow drips at the supply lines. Many Cornell houses have PEX, which is durable but should be kept away from direct sunlight and heat sources, so be careful if you are running new lines in an unfinished space yourself.
It as well helps to have found your main shut-off already. In Cornell townhomes it is often in a tight utility room near the front wall, sometimes behind the furnace. Find it now, check that it turns, and label it so anyone in the house can use it in a hurry.
Getting hold of a plumber
We serve all of Cornell, from Highway 7 up to 16th Avenue, and eastward from Ninth Line to Donald Cousens Parkway. Call (365) 334-6254 and we will walk you through what we find before any work begins.
Laneway parking is narrow, so we park thoughtfully and keep garage access clear for you and your neighbours during the visit. If your street has a visitor parking rule, tell us when you book and we'll plan around it.
Calls this corner of town makes Rented water heaters nearing the end of their service life.
From the job notes of Plumbers in Markham
Local file · Cornell
Under the floors in Cornell
| Item | What we usually find |
|---|---|
| Main era | 19th and early 20th century |
| Supply pipe | Galvanized steel, patched with copper |
| Drains and sewer | Cast iron stack, clay lateral |
| Watch for | Roots in the lateral, undersized water service, lead or galvanized remnants |
A general picture of the housing stock. Renovations change what is behind any one wall.
First checks on a call here
- Where the main shut-off and meter sit, and whether the valve still turns
- Age and type of the water heater and its venting
- Floor drain, cleanout and any backwater valve
- Supply pipe material visible in the basement ceiling