Lead Pipe Replacement in Etobicoke

Telltale signs: lead pipe replacement

Lead was used for water service pipes in Toronto houses built roughly before the mid-1950s. If your home dates from that period and the pipe entering the basement is dull grey, marks easily under a key and gives only a dull thud when knocked, it may well be lead. A water test with a high lead reading is another clear reason to act.

For a whole-house view of older piping, including galvanized lines inside the walls, see repiping.

On the job: what we open, clear and test

The new copper or approved plastic service runs from the property line to a new main shut-off inside the house. Where possible, trenchless boring is used to pull the new line through with only small pits at each end, saving the lawn and front walk. Otherwise, a narrow trench is opened and restored afterwards.

1. Utility locates are arranged and the path is marked.
2. The private side of the service is replaced and connected inside.
3. A new main valve is installed, and the lines are flushed.
4. The trench or bore pits are backfilled and tidied.

What can change the job

Distance from the street, what lies along the route (driveways, steps, gardens, trees) and the depth of the old line all shape the job. The city side of the service is the City of Toronto's to replace; coordinating both sides at once gives the best result, because a new private line attached to an old lead city pipe still leaves lead in the supply. The City has offered programs to replace its portion when the homeowner replaces theirs; check the current details with the city.

Etobicoke homes and this job

Pre-war homes in Humberwood's older pockets, Swansea, the Kingsway and parts of New Toronto are the likeliest places to find lead services. Many have already been replaced during renovations, while others remain untouched behind finished basement walls. We often find the service hidden behind panelling at the front wall of the house.

Before you call

Have a peek at the pipe coming through the basement floor on the street side, upstream of the meter, and snap a picture for us. If you have had the water tested, keep the results handy. The basement bathroom planning guide is useful if you are thinking about renovating at the same time.

Inside the house afterwards

When the new line is connected, water may run cloudy or slightly discoloured for a short while as air and loosened sediment clear. We flush the lines at the end of the job, and it is wise to remove and rinse faucet aerators over the following days. Testing the water again a few weeks later gives reassurance that lead levels have dropped. Some homeowners choose this moment to replace the meter-area plumbing and add a pressure reducing valve where pressure runs high, both of which we can discuss on site.