Plumbing in Cornell

Homes and streets in Cornell

Laid out from about 1998 on, east of Ninth Line, Cornell is known for its traditional-looking streetscapes, laneways and a mix of detached houses, semis and freehold townhouses. Many lots have a coach house or a room over a detached rear garage. Markham Stouffville Hospital sits at its edge.

Plumbing here is generally newer: PEX or copper supply, plastic drains and sump pits in many basements. The challenges come from layout rather than age, especially lines serving rooms over unheated garages.

Plumbing problems we see there

• Frozen lines to coach houses and rooms over rear garages.
• Original pumps now fifteen or twenty seasons old.
• Builder-grade fixtures with cartridges and fill valves wearing out.
• Long hot water waits in houses with the tank at the far end.
• Rented water heaters coming up for decisions about replacement.

Seasonal concerns

Cold snaps are the main concern for lines running to garages and coach houses. Spring brings heavy sump activity across the neighbourhood, and an aging pump often shows its weakness then.

Services most requested

Cornell homeowners most often ask about sump pump repair, battery backups, tankless water heaters and burst pipe repair on garage lines. Nearby Box Grove has similar housing.

Say whether the trouble is in the house itself or out over the garage; they may have separate valves and runs.

Rear lanes and garage plumbing

Because cars park at the back, many Cornell lots have a long run from the front-wall water entry to whatever sits over the garage. That pipe often crosses an unheated ceiling or wall. We look for gaps in insulation, foam the obvious air leaks around the pipe penetration, and fit an accessible valve so the coach-house branch can be drained if a tenant leaves for the winter. The same lane access makes it easy for us to reach the rear of the house with drain machines.

Straight from the phone log