Older homes and cottages around North Bay carry plenty of charm. They also carry plumbing that was put in decades ago, sometimes with materials no plumber would touch today. If you own one of these properties, you already know the worry. A small leak at 2 a.m. in February can turn into a flooded basement before sunrise. Let me share what tends to go wrong with North Bay plumbing, and what you can do before things get expensive.
Old Pipes Hide Problems You Cannot See
In North Bay, most homes built before the 1970s are equipped with galvanized steel pipes that corrode internally with time. Your home will produce rusty water in the morning and less pressure when there are two operating faucets at once. This common North Bay plumbing problem signifies that your pipe is very thin.
The polybutylene pipes used to construct cabins in the 1980s will abruptly stop working. The fittings split. Then the floor floods.
If your home is older than thirty years and has never had a pipe inspection, that is the first thing worth booking. A camera scope takes maybe an hour. The peace of mind lasts years.
Cold Snaps Are the Real Test
Northern Ontario winters do not forgive sloppy insulation. Pipes running through crawl spaces, exterior walls, or unheated cottages freeze fast once temperatures drop below- 20.
Here is what helps:
- Wrap any pipes that are exposed with foam sleeves, not towels or rags.
- Leave a dripping tap at the end point of your home from the shut-off valve during extremely cold weather.
- Open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls so warm air reaches the pipes.
- Find and label your main shutoff before you ever need it.
Cottage owners face a different problem. Pipes left full of water during a cold winter will burst by January. Winterizing involves the draining of all water lines, pressurizing with compressed air, and filling the traps with anti-freeze. Failure to observe any of these steps may bring you trouble.
Dying Water Heater
Your basement water heater is taken for granted until something goes wrong with it. Your old house’s water heater may even be original and have a life expectancy of twenty years.
Signs a tank is on its way out:
- Rust coloured water from the hot tap only
- A popping or rumbling sound during heating
- Pooled water near the base
- Lukewarm showers even on the highest setting
An older tank is about to expire. It will be cheaper to buy a new one before the old one explodes than to clean up the wet basement later. Tankless systems work well for cabins since there’s no water to freeze in the shoulder seasons.
Drains in Older Homes Tell Stories
Cast iron pipe stacks were used until the 1980s. The stack will corrode inside, and eventually, there will be a slow leak. You will either detect a smell coming from behind the wall, or there will be blistering of the paint around a baseboard.
Tree roots will enjoy an old clay sewer line also. Roots will work their way into any small opening within the pipe, continuing to grow until the pipe ultimately bursts. If all of your plumbing fixtures seem to be backing up at once, your main sewer line might be the issue.
When your basement is backed up, getting an inspection with a drain camera looks like overkill. However, most people only get a drain camera inspection done once, but after that, they request it each year.
See also: Expatriate Health Insurance for Retirees: Planning Long-Term Medical Coverage
Cottage Plumbing Has Its Own Rules
Cottages often run on well water and septic systems. Both need attention, as older homes on city services do not.
Wells should be tested yearly for bacteria and nitrates. The Ontario government recommends three samples a year, free through your local public health unit. Iron and sulphur, both abundant in this area of the province, damage bathroom fittings and cause hot water tanks to smell. The house-wide filter system removes most impurities.
Small Leaks, Big Bills
Running silently throughout the night, your toilet would use about 750 litres per day. Your dripping faucet outside in summer could cost you an additional ten dollars per month, while a frozen faucet inside will let you know about it in spring.
Attend to any small leaks as soon as you discover them. Most are cheap. Ignored ones never stay cheap.
When to Call Someone
Plenty of small jobs suit a careful homeowner. Replacing a tap washer, swapping a toilet flapper, or clearing a sink trap are all weekend projects.
Some jobs are not. Anything behind a wall, anything involving the main line, or anything connected to gas should go to a licensed plumber. Insurance claims often get denied when unlicensed work caused the damage.
Providence Plumbing serves North Bay and the surrounding area, including older homes and cottages along the lakes. A quick call costs nothing. A burst pipe in February costs plenty.
Look after the small things. Your home and your wallet will thank you for it.
