Plumbing notes for Westminster-Branson plumbing services
| Housing | 1960s to 1970s houses and towers |
|---|---|
| Supply pipe | Copper |
| Drains and lateral | Cast iron and ABS |
| Frequent calls | Condo leaks and toilet repair |
Houses and pipes in Westminster-Branson
The neighbourhood grew mostly in the 1950s through the 1970s. Detached bungalows and side-splits line the streets off Bathurst, with semi-detached houses and townhouse complexes mixed in. Along the main roads stand apartment and condominium towers, many built in the 1960s and 1970s.
In the houses, expect copper supply, cast iron or early ABS drains, and clay or cast iron laterals. Some homes still have galvanized sections, especially where an original basement bathroom was never updated. Inside the towers, the building owns the risers and stacks. Inside your unit, the fixtures and the short branch lines are usually your responsibility, but check your condo declaration.
Common plumbing calls here
- Water heater repairs and replacements in house basements.
- Kitchen and bathroom drain clogs in condo and rental units.
- Frozen pipes in side-splits with plumbing over the garage or on the north wall.
- Leaking shut-off valves under sinks and toilets.
Side-splits deserve a special note. Their stepped layouts often put a bathroom above an unheated garage. When a deep cold snap hits, those lines freeze first. See frozen pipe thawing for how we handle it and what helps prevent it.
Drains, sewers and basements
For the houses, the usual list applies: clay joints that roots can enter, floor drains that back up in heavy storms, and foundation drains tied into the sanitary sewer. A backwater valve deserves a look if the basement is finished.
For condo owners, drain problems in a unit are often a branch line shared with a neighbour above or below. We clear what is inside your unit and tell you if the blockage seems to be in the building stack, so you can report it to management.
Plumber's tip: Condo owners: before any plumbing work, ask management whether the building needs to shut a riser, whether there are booking rules for the service elevator, and whether a certificate of insurance is needed. Our condo plumbing tips leaflet has a short list.
Getting a plumber to Westminster-Branson
Call (365) 517-5705. If you are in a tower, give us the building name, the entrance to use and the unit number, and tell the concierge we are coming. If you are in a house, let us know where the water heater and main shut-off are, if you know.
When a call involves water heaters, it helps to know whether yours is owned or rented. Many households in this area rent tanks. We can repair or replace an owned tank directly. For a rental, the rental company may have to take part; we will tell you what we find either way.
The work order lists what we did and anything worth watching. In mid-century houses that often includes notes about original shut-off valves or the condition of the laundry hoses.
We also serve nearby Bathurst Manor, Newtonbrook and Thornhill.
Your questions on this one
Who fixes a leak in my condo, me or the building?
It depends on where the leak is and on your declaration. Fixtures and the lines just behind them are usually yours; shared risers are usually the corporation's.
Why does my side-split bathroom freeze?
It often sits over a garage or crawlspace with little insulation. Sealing gaps and insulating the space below usually helps.