Plumbing in Salem

Homes and plumbing in Salem

Most homes near Salem Road were built from the 2000s on, with some streets still filling in. Expect two-storey detached houses and townhomes plumbed in PEX and ABS around a sump and a basement waiting to be finished. Many have a main water valve tucked behind the furnace or under the stairs, and a water meter right beside it.

Because the area borders open fields and new construction, the ground around many houses is still settling. Grading shifts, downspouts get moved, and water that once flowed away from the foundation can start pooling against it.

Common problems we see

Water in the basement leads the list. A sump pump that seemed fine for years can start short-cycling once the yard drains differently, or its discharge can end up dumping right back toward the house. We also see hose bibs that crack in winter, washing machine hoses that let go, and kitchen sinks slowed by food waste. A few owners call about noisy pipes that bang when a tap shuts quickly. That is usually water hammer, and our page on noisy pipes explains the cause.

Services most asked for

• Sump pump installation and pump upgrades as the original units wear.
• Battery backup pumps that keep the pit pumping when a storm knocks the hydro out.
• Garbage disposal installation and dishwasher hookups during kitchen updates.
• Water filtration for owners who want better-tasting drinking water.

Starting off right in a newer home

If you bought recently, a few small habits go a long way. Learn where the main shut-off is and test it. Label the shut-offs for the outside taps. Check the sump pit each season. Keep grease out of the kitchen sink, as explained in our page on grease and kitchen drains. None of this takes long, and it heads off most of the calls we get from Salem in the first ten years of a home's life.

Grading, downspouts and the sump

Plumbing and landscaping meet at the sump pump. A new deck, a raised garden bed or a neighbour's new fence can change how water moves across a lot. Downspouts that once emptied onto splash pads may now drain toward the window wells. We cannot regrade your yard, but we can see what the pump is telling us. A pit that fills fast after every shower of rain points to water coming in from outside, and moving the discharge or adding an extension often helps more than a bigger pump. When it does not, we explain what to try next, whether that is a second pump, a larger pit or a talk with a landscaper.

Getting to you

Salem is on our regular run through north and east Ajax. Phone (365) 363-2754. A plumber answers, asks what you are seeing, and books a time that works. On site, we explain the problem first and let you decide on the fix.