Plumbing notes for Bedford Park plumbing services
| Housing | 1920s and 1930s brick detached homes |
|---|---|
| Supply pipe | Galvanized remnants, lead services |
| Drains and lateral | Cast iron stacks |
| Frequent calls | Repiping and lead service replacement |
Houses and pipes in Bedford Park
This is one of the older parts of North York, laid out before the township boomed after the war. The original houses are detached and semi-detached brick homes with shallow basements, many enlarged with second storeys or rear additions, and a growing number replaced outright with new builds.
- Some original water services may still be lead; check at the meter.
- Cast-iron stacks and branch drains, sometimes with galvanized fittings.
- Basements with low ceilings and the floor drain near the stack.
- Clay sewer laterals under small front yards.
Common plumbing calls here
Older houses here generate repiping questions, lead service replacements, and sewer backups. Additions often tie new bathrooms into the old stack, and we sometimes find that the tie-in is poorly vented. Water heater swaps in cramped basements need careful planning; see water heater replacement.
Plumber's tip: If you are underpinning or lowering the basement, have the sewer lateral inspected first. The new floor may sit below the old drain.
Drains, sewers and basements
The streets near Yonge carry older sewers that receive storm flow in heavy rain, so floor drain backups during storms are not unusual. Large trees on Fairlawn, Cranbrooke and nearby streets push roots into clay joints; read tree roots and sewers. Lowering a basement floor here usually means rebuilding the drains beneath it.
Getting a plumber to Bedford Park
We reach Bedford Park from Yonge and Avenue Road, and continue west to Armour Heights. Street parking is tight in places; tell us about permit parking when you call.
Your questions on this one
Should I replace old cast iron during a renovation?
If the walls are open and the cast iron is scaling or cracked, you will never get a cheaper chance.