Homes and their plumbing age
Split-level and backsplit houses have plumbing on several short floors, with drains stepping down from one level to the next. That layout is efficient, but it puts a lot of fittings in a small space. Supply lines in Centennial are mostly copper, often with original soldered joints now forty or more years old. Drains are usually ABS plastic, a big improvement over older cast iron.
Many homes still have the original water heater location beside the furnace, and some still have the original laundry valves and shut-offs, which by now tend to drip or seize.
Water and sewer service
The neighbourhood is on Durham Region water and municipal sewer. Laterals from this era are often plastic or concrete, less prone to roots than clay but still vulnerable at the connection to the city main and where trees have grown close by.
Pinhole leaks in older copper often show up as a small green crust on the pipe before they drip. Look along exposed lines in the basement ceiling.
Common repairs
- Pinhole leaks and weeping joints in original copper
- Tank water heaters approaching replacement
- Tub and shower updates in original bathrooms
- Floor drains slowed by years of laundry lint
For leaks along supply lines, pipe leak repair covers pinholes, joints and fittings. Homes without gas, or owners moving away from it, ask about electric water heater installation. Many bathroom renovations here involve bathtub and shower installation, and the stacked layout means drain work may reach a lower level.
Small checks that pay off
Once or twice a year, walk through the house with a flashlight. Look under each sink for dampness or white crust on the shut-offs. Check behind the toilet and under the washer for drips. In the basement, look along the copper lines in the ceiling for green spots. Peek at the base of the water heater for rust or moisture. None of this takes long, and catching a small leak early is far easier than dealing with water damage across two levels of a split-level house.
Keep a note of what you find so you can tell us about changes over time.
Original laundry valves and hose bibs from the 1970s are also due for replacement in many homes, and they are easy to swap during a visit for something else. It is a small job that removes a common source of slow leaks, and it pairs naturally with a water heater or bathroom visit.
Calling us
Tell us which level the problem is on and which levels sit below it. In a split-level, a leak on one floor can show up two floors down. Neighbours to the south and east in Donevan see a similar mix of calls in slightly older houses.