Plumber in Seaton Village

Housing stock and plumbing in Seaton Village

Built up in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Seaton Village is mainly semi-detached and row houses on long, narrow lots, with laneways behind many of them. Bathrooms are usually stacked in the middle or rear of the house, with a single cast-iron stack carrying everything down to a lateral that runs out under the front yard. A lot of homes now include basement apartments, which adds fixtures to a drain system designed for far fewer.

Common problems we see here

Extra bathrooms and a single original lateral make for predictable trouble:

• Toilets on the lowest floor clogging or backing up first
• Shared drains blocking when two households use them
• Cracked cast-iron near the base of the stack
• Old lead bends under second-floor toilets

A lower-level toilet that keeps clogging is often the first sign of a lateral issue rather than a bad toilet, so our clogged toilet visits always consider what lies downstream.

Basement flooding and sewer laterals

Many lots have mature trees in front or in the yard behind, and clay laterals from this period are prone to root intrusion at their joints. Where a basement unit is occupied, a backup is both a plumbing and a tenancy problem. A camera inspection and, where suitable, a backwater valve give you a clear picture and better protection. Downspout disconnection also eases pressure on the local system during storms.

Water lines, lead and older pipes

Seaton Village homes date from the era when lead service lines were common. A soft, flat-grey pipe coming through the basement wall is a likely lead line. Replacing the private portion is worth pairing with a check of interior galvanized lines that may also remain.

Streets and landmarks we cover

We work across Seaton Village between Bathurst, Christie, Bloor and Dupont, including Barton, Follis and Vermont avenues, and the streets near Christie Pits and the Bloor Street shops. Dufferin Grove to the southwest has similar housing.

Laneway and garden suites

Seaton Village's laneways have made it a natural fit for laneway and garden suites. These new buildings usually need their own water and drain connections running back to the main house or the street. Assessing the existing lateral and service line early helps decide whether they can handle the extra load or need upgrading as part of the project, and avoids an unwelcome surprise once the suite's foundation is already poured.

Older laterals here sometimes pass under a neighbour's walkway or shared side path, so we map the route with the camera before anyone picks up a shovel and keep the people next door informed if their side may be touched.

Common questions