At a glance
- Place
- Pickering Village
- Setting
- Service area
- Phone
- (365) 363-2754
Homes and plumbing in Pickering Village
Pickering Village grew up along Old Kingston Road and Church Street long before Ajax was a town. Some of its houses date back to the 1800s, with additions from many later decades, and mixed in are postwar bungalows and newer infill homes on lots that were once orchards and back gardens.
In the older homes a patchwork of pipe materials is normal under one roof: a cast-iron stack, galvanized supply lines that were partly replaced with copper, and a clay or cast-iron sewer lateral out to the street. Each repair over the decades left its own layer, and the result can be quirky.
Common problems we see
Age is the main theme here, and most calls come back to it.
- Low water pressure from old galvanized line, its bore choked with rust
- Tree roots in older clay sewer laterals under mature maples
- Cracked cast-iron drains under the basement floor
- Old main shut-off valves that will not close fully
Services most asked for
Homeowners here ask most often for sewer camera inspections and main line clearing, along with repiping to get rid of galvanized lines. Anyone buying in the village should read our page on buying an older home before closing.
Getting to you
The village sits in central Ajax, a short drive from most of town along Kingston Road East or Church Street. We plan visits around the narrow side streets and limited parking near the village shops.
Local tip In heritage-style houses, tell us about plaster walls and original trim when you call. We take extra care opening walls in older homes.
What a visit looks like
Older houses reward patience. We start by finding the main shut-off and checking it actually works, because in many village homes it does not. Then we deal with the problem you called about, and point out anything else that worries us so you can plan rather than react. We do not push work you have not asked for.
Many homeowners here are slowly updating a house room by room. Telling us what is planned for the next few years helps us suggest repairs that will not be undone by the next project.
Nearby areas
Just south of the village, the downtown area has homes of similar age along with newer townhouses and condos. Plumbing calls there often match what we see in the village, especially where older laterals are concerned. See our page on Downtown Ajax.
Wherever you live near the village, the quickest way to get help is to call and describe what you see. A plumber answers, asks a few questions, and tells you plainly whether it can wait or needs attention today.
Questions we hear on the phone
Is my old house likely to need repiping?
If you still have galvanized supply lines, sooner or later the answer is yes. A pressure check and a look at the pipes tells us how urgent it is.
Do older village homes have backwater valves?
Rarely. Most predate them. Whether one makes sense depends on the lateral and the basement layout.
