Water lines
Main Water Valve Replacement in Toronto
The main shut-off is the valve you will want most in a crisis. In plenty of Toronto basements it is still a decades-old gate valve that nobody has turned in years. Replacing it is a small job that pays off the day something bursts.
or dial (365) 363-3352Answered day and night
- The handle will not turn, or turns but the water keeps running
- A drip or crust of white and green deposits around the stem
- A round wheel handle (a gate valve) rather than a lever (a ball valve)
- The valve is buried behind drywall or shelving where you cannot reach it
A price before we startNothing cut or opened until you say yes.
- Licensed & insureddetails confirmed on the call
- Phones answered 24/7a person, not a queue
- Price before we startcall-out rate on the phone
- Old Toronto & East Yorkhouses, condos, businesses
Signs you need main water shut-off valve replacement
- The handle will not turn, or turns but the water keeps running
- A drip or crust of white and green deposits around the stem
- A round wheel handle (a gate valve) rather than a lever (a ball valve)
- The valve is buried behind drywall or shelving where you cannot reach it
What causes it in older Toronto homes
Old gate valves have a brass wedge that drops into a seat. Over years of sitting open, minerals build up and the wedge sticks, or the stem breaks when someone finally forces it. Packing around the stem dries out and weeps. In houses with lead or old copper service lines, the valve can also be a mismatched patch from an earlier repair.
What we do on site, in order
- We look at the incoming service and the valve, and check whether the city-side valve at the curb needs to be closed. That valve belongs to Toronto Water, and we coordinate through the city when it does.
- With the supply off, we cut the old valve out and solder or press in a full-port ball valve, which shuts with a quarter turn.
- We add a drain valve on the house side when practical, which makes draining the system for repairs much easier.
- We restore water, check for leaks, and show everyone in the house where the valve is and how to close it.
Label it. Clip a bright tag to the new valve and tell anyone who looks after the house where it is. See our guide to locating the main valve.
What affects the price
The price depends on the pipe material and size either side of the valve, the working space around it, and whether the curb stop needs to be closed by the city. If we find a lead service line while we are there, we will tell you and explain your options.
When to call right away
If the valve is leaking and you cannot stop it, or if you have a burst pipe and the main will not close, call immediately. We carry the parts to replace a failed valve the same visit in most cases.
The job, in four moves
- 1Trace the run
Pipe followed from the meter, material identified at each change.
- 2Isolate the section
Nearest valve closed, line drained at the lowest tap.
- 3Cut and replace
Copper or PEX run in, transitions made with proper fittings.
- 4Gauge it
Pressure gauge on a hose bib, joints watched before walls close.
Common questions
Gate valve or ball valve: what is the difference?
Gate valves close by lowering a wedge and needs many turns; a ball valve has a drilled ball that opens or closes in a quarter turn and is far less prone to seizing.
Can the main be replaced without the city shutting the water off?
Sometimes the existing valve holds well enough or we can freeze the line. If not, the city-side valve must be closed.
Water where it shouldn’t be? Call now.
A plumber answers day and night, and the call-out rate is quoted before anyone drives over.