Seasonal · Pipes, leaks & valves
Preventing Frozen Pipes in a Markham Winter
Every Markham winter brings a few nights cold enough to freeze a pipe that has sat safely for years. Freezing itself is not the damage; the split that lets go when the ice thaws is.
- A plumber answers when you call
- Clear price before any pipe is cut
- Basements left as clean as we found them
Why it matters in Markham
Ice forms wherever furnace heat never arrives: sillcock lines poking out past the rim board, supply lines in exterior walls under kitchen sinks, plumbing in unheated garages, crawlspaces under additions and laneway garages in newer townhouse areas. Old heritage basements with stone walls are especially exposed. Wind matters too, so a north or west facing wall in an open area freezes sooner than a sheltered one.
Step by step
- Before the cold. Shut the indoor valve feeding every sillcock, crack the outside spout so the leg empties, and coil the hoses away.
- Insulate the risk spots. Foam pipe sleeves on lines along exterior walls and in garages; seal gaps at the rim joist.
- On very cold nights. Swing open the doors of vanities and sink bases set on exterior walls, and leave a pencil-lead stream running at the fixture farthest from the meter.
- If a tap gives nothing. Keep it open, track down the iced stretch, and warm it slowly with a blow dryer starting at the spout and moving toward the supply.
- If water appears. Close the main shut-off at once and call.
Mistakes to avoid
- Turning the heat way down while away for a weekend in January.
- Hoses left screwed onto frost-proof sillcocks; water held in the hose backs up and cracks the long stem.
- Ignoring a tap that slows to a trickle on a cold morning; it is often an early sign of freezing.
- Using a space heater unattended near pipes and stored items.
When to call a plumber
Ring us once the ice cannot be located, when copper has burst, or if the same line freezes every winter. We repair the break, then reroute or insulate the line so it stays warm. See burst pipe repair and outdoor faucet repair.
Call (365) 334-6254. If water is running, shut the main first; our brief on finding your main shut-off shows you where to look.
When to call a plumber Ring us once the ice cannot be located, when copper has burst, or if the same line freezes every winter.
From the job notes of Plumbers in Markham
Guide · Pipes, leaks & valves
Signs to watch for
- Stains on a ceiling below a bathroom
- Flow that falls off when a second tap opens
Call a plumber when
- Water is reaching a ceiling, wall cavity or electrical panel
- Sewage is coming up through a floor drain or toilet
- You smell gas near the water heater: leave and call the gas utility first
- A valve will not close or a fitting keeps weeping after tightening
Markham note. Markham water service lines enter on the street-facing basement wall, and the main shut-off and meter usually sit right there. In older houses that valve is often a rusty multi-turn gate valve left untouched since the house was built.