Markham area · 1970s to 1980s
Plumbers in German Mills
German Mills sits along the creek of the same name in southwest Markham, with ravine lots, mature trees and houses mostly built in the 1970s and 1980s.
- 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 German Mills
Houses here are large two-storeys and some bungalows, many on lots that back onto the ravine. The plumbing is typically original copper supply, cast iron or early ABS drain stacks, and laterals that run under big mature trees on the way to the street. Some homes have had kitchens and bathrooms redone two or three times, so we find a modern vanity sitting on top of a fifty year old drain arm.
Big trees are the defining feature. Their roots find the joints in older laterals and grow into them, and the early warning tends to be a burping floor drain whenever the washer pumps out.
Common plumbing calls here
- Root intrusion in sewer laterals, often every year or two.
- Copper pinhole leaks in long runs to the upstairs bathrooms.
- Tub and shower valves that are original and hard to find parts for.
- Sump and backwater work in ravine-backing houses with wet soil.
- Kitchen sink drains with decades of grease inside the horizontal run.
Read tree roots in sewer lines for the background, then sewer line repair for the options once a camera has shown the damage.
Seasonal issues
Ravine lots hold moisture, so the weeping tile and sump get a workout in spring and after big storms. In fall, leaves clog eavestroughs and send water straight down beside the foundation. Clear them before the freeze. Winter brings frozen hose bibs on walls facing the ravine wind.
How to reach us
We serve German Mills from Leslie east toward Bayview and up toward John Street. Call (365) 334-6254. With water rising at the floor drain, hold off on every tap and flush upstairs, and tell us whether you have a cleanout cap near the front wall. We bring a cable machine with root cutters and a camera so we can show you the inside of the line once it is clear.
We run the line with a full tub of water afterward to confirm flow, then clean the floor drain and the work area before we go.
Common plumbing calls here Root intrusion in sewer laterals, often every year or two.
From the job notes of Plumbers in Markham
Local file · German Mills
Under the floors in German Mills
| Item | What we usually find |
|---|---|
| Main era | 1970s to 1980s |
| Supply pipe | Copper, early poly-b |
| Drains and sewer | ABS or cast iron, clay or PVC lateral |
| Watch for | Pinhole leaks, aging stacks, original floor drains with no backwater valve |
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