Richview houses and their plumbing
Richview takes its name from an early farming settlement near Eglinton Avenue and Islington Avenue. Postwar subdivisions replaced the farms in the 1950s and 1960s, producing streets of brick bungalows, two-storey detached houses and split-levels set back on wide lots under mature trees. Richview Park and the parkland along the hydro corridor give the area a green, settled character, while apartment towers stand along the main arterial roads.
Many of these homes have been remodelled two or three times over, but some of their original plumbing remains, especially underground.
What fails in these pipes
- Basement flooding during heavy storms, where weeping tile connects to older sewers.
- Burst pipes on exterior walls and in crawl spaces during deep cold snaps.
- Clay and cast iron laterals invaded by roots from established front-yard trees.
- Worn shut-off valves and little stop valves under sinks left unturned since the first owners moved in.
Richview homes with additions sometimes have a pipe run through a space that was once outdoors. These runs are often poorly insulated and are the first to freeze.
Jobs we take on here
To reduce flood risk, we install backwater valves and sump pumps, and disconnect downspouts and foundation drains where suitable as part of basement flood prevention. When the cold catches a pipe, burst pipe repair starts with stopping the water and then replacing the damaged section properly. We also replace water heaters, clear drains and handle fixture repairs and renovations throughout the neighbourhood.
If you are planning a renovation, we are happy to look at the existing plumbing first so the scope is clear before walls are opened.
Under the floor: what we open up
Richview bungalows usually run supply along the basement ceiling joists, which makes tracing a leak straightforward once the ceiling tiles come down. We check the stack for hairline cracks at the hubs and replace corroded cleanout plugs. Call (365) 816-2905 and describe what the water is doing at that fixture.