Seasonal care
Freezing pipes in winter, sump pumps before the spring thaw, and getting the house ready before you travel.
When something goes wrong
Step-by-step help for burst pipes, sewer backups and hidden leaks, so the first ten minutes go right.
Water heaters and water quality
How long tanks survive, rental contracts, tankless trade-offs and the scale in Toronto tap water.
Every guide ends with a clear note on at what point a plumber should take over.
Buying, owning and renovating
Home inspection checklists, condo responsibility, permits and basement bathroom planning.
Every guide in the library
- How to Prevent Frozen Pipes in a Toronto Winter, explainedSteps to stop pipes freezing in a North York winter, written in plain language for homeowners, with checklists, local notes and when to call a plumber.
- Water heater lifespan in North York basementsWater heater lifespan and signs a tank is near the end, written in plain language for homeowners, with checklists, local notes and when to call a plumber.
- Lead Pipes in Older Toronto Homes, explainedSpotting a lead water service and what to do about it, written in plain language for homeowners, with checklists, local notes and when to call a plumber.
- Keeping a North York basement drygrading, downspouts, backwater valves, sump pumps and the habits that stop a storm becoming a flood.
- Where the main water shut-off hidesWhere the main water shut-off hides in North York houses, condos and townhouses, how to test it and what to do if it is seized.
- Plumbing to sort before you finish a basementFinishing a North York basement? Sort the cleanouts, backwater valve, drain depth, shut-offs and old pipes before the drywall goes up.
- A sump pump you can trustlift the float, scoop the pit, listen to the check valve and plan for power cuts.
- Tracking down a sewer smellA sewer smell inside a North York home usually comes from a dry trap, a failed wax ring, a blocked vent or a cracked drain.
- Why your pipes bangBanging pipes when a tap or washer valve shuts off is water hammer.
- Plumbing permits in Toronto, plainlyWhich plumbing jobs in North York need a City of Toronto building permit, which do not, and why inspections matter when you sell.
- Condo leaks: who fixes whatA leak in a North York condo can involve your suite, a neighbour and the building.