Most plumbing calls in Toronto homes come down to the same six problems on repeat. Here they are, roughly in order of how often the phone rings about them.
1. The running toilet
The classic. Usually a cheap flapper valve that's warped, or a fill valve that won't shut off. It sounds harmless, but a running toilet wastes a lot of water — you'll see it on your water bill before you hear it at night. This is a quick fix on a regular handyman visit.
2. The slow drain
Bathroom sinks and tubs clog with hair and soap; kitchen sinks clog with grease that someone swore they didn't pour down there. Chemical drain cleaner is a temporary fix that's hard on older pipes — a proper snaking clears the actual blockage. If multiple drains in the house slow down at once, stop and call right away. That pattern points to the main line, and you want that looked at before it backs up.
3. The dripping faucet
Worn cartridge, usually. In Toronto's hard-ish water, faucet cartridges just wear out. The drip itself is annoying; the real damage is what the constant moisture does to the fixture and the sink over time. Ten-minute fix with the right cartridge in hand.
4. The under-sink leak
The one you find by accident, reaching for the dish soap refill. Supply lines and P-traps loosen over time, and the drip rots the cabinet floor quietly for months. Worth a flashlight check under every sink twice a year — it takes two minutes.
5. The dying water heater
Rusty hot water, rumbling sounds, or lukewarm showers that used to be hot. Tank heaters wear out with age. If yours is getting old and acting up, plan the replacement now rather than waiting for the tank to fail — because when tanks fail, they fail onto your basement floor.
6. The frozen or burst pipe
The January special, especially in older homes in Downtown Toronto and Scarborough where pipes run along exterior walls. If a pipe bursts: water off at the main shut-off first (go find yours today — seriously, right now), then call our urgent repair line right away — it genuinely can't wait.
The pattern behind all six
Almost every expensive plumbing disaster we see started as a cheap plumbing annoyance somebody lived with. The small call you put off becomes the big call with drywall damage. If something in your house drips, runs or drains slow, call (365) 360-1416 — most of these are fixed in a single visit.
