Whole-House Repiping in Toronto

Signs you need repiping

• Brown or orange water when taps first open, especially hot
• Pressure that is good in the basement and poor on the second floor
• Two or more pinhole leaks in copper in a short span
• Galvanized steel pipe visible in the basement ceiling
• Patchwork of copper, galvanized, PEX and old brass fittings everywhere you look

What causes it in older Toronto homes

Many houses built before the 1950s were plumbed in galvanized steel, which rusts from the inside until the bore is a fraction of its original size. Later owners replaced pieces as they failed, leaving short runs of galvanized hidden in walls. Some early copper was thin-walled and develops pinholes. Every mixed-metal joint is a spot for corrosion.

What we do on site, in order

1. We map every fixture and trace the existing lines from the basement up.
2. We plan routes that use closets, chases and floor joists to keep wall openings small and few.
3. New lines are run in PEX or copper, with a shut-off at each fixture and, where it helps, a manifold in the basement.
4. Fixtures are moved onto the new pipe a zone at a time, keeping water-off periods short.
5. We pressure-test every line and leave tidy, square openings for patching.

What affects the price

The number of bathrooms and fixtures, the number of floors, whether walls and ceilings are finished, and if the basement ceiling is open all affect cost. Plaster walls in pre-war houses take more care to open than drywall. We give you a full written price after a walk-through, and we will say if a partial repipe would do the job.

When to call right away

A burst or spraying pipe needs the main closed and a call right away. Repiping is planned, but the first leak repair is something we can do the same day.

The job, in four moves

1. 1
   Trace the run

   Pipe followed from the meter, material identified at each change.

2. 2
   Isolate the section

   Nearest valve closed, line drained at the lowest tap.

3. 3
   Cut and replace

   Copper or PEX run in, transitions made with proper fittings.

4. 4
   Gauge it

   Pressure gauge on a hose bib, joints watched before walls close.

Common questions