Freeze-ups and older drains in Richmond Hill
The older village core of Richmond Hill has houses with original drains and water lines that have been patched over the years. A kitchen that drains slowly, then a basement shower that backs up the next week, usually means the problem is in the building drain or the lateral, not in one fixture. We run a camera from the cleanout so the repair matches what is actually in the pipe.
Farther north, in Oak Ridges and along Bayview, the houses are newer but the lots are exposed to wind. Hose bibs, garage sinks, and pipes on exterior walls freeze first. A frozen pipe that is still intact can be thawed. A pipe that has already split will leak as soon as it opens. Shut the main before thawing if you can see water staining or hear spraying inside a wall.
Sump pumps are common on the hillier lots. A pump that runs constantly, or never runs during a heavy rain, is a drainage problem as much as a plumbing one. We check the discharge line for a frozen or crushed outlet before replacing a pump that was only blocked. If the backup is sewage rather than groundwater, that is a drain call, and the pump should be left alone until the line is clear.