Plumbing for Homes, Cottages and Rural Properties
Plumbing around Kawartha Lakes can vary considerably from one property to the next. A home in Lindsay may be connected to municipal water and sewer services, while a rural home or cottage may depend on a well pump, pressure tank, filters and other equipment before water ever reaches the kitchen faucet. Seasonal properties add another consideration because water systems may be shut down for months at a time and then brought back into service every spring.
That is why we do not treat every plumbing problem as though it came from the same type of house. The way the property gets its water, where the piping runs, whether it is occupied through winter and what equipment is connected to the system can all change what needs to be checked.
Our plumbing services include:
- Leak repair
- Drain cleaning
- Frozen pipe repair
- Sewer problems
- Sump pumps
- Backwater valves
- Water heaters
- Well pumps
- Pressure tanks
- Water-treatment plumbing
- Cottage plumbing
- Plumbing winterization
- Toilets
- Faucets and sinks
- Kitchen plumbing
- Bathroom plumbing
- Plumbing renovations
- Water-line repairs
Sometimes the Problem Isn’t Where You Notice It
One of the frustrating things about plumbing is that the visible symptom is not always located beside the actual problem. Water can travel along a pipe or framing before it appears on a ceiling. A slow bathroom drain may be restricted close to the fixture, while several slow drains at once can point to a larger drainage issue farther downstream. Poor water pressure at every faucet can have a completely different cause from weak flow at one kitchen tap.
The same is true on private well systems. Homeowners often assume low pressure means the well pump has failed, but the pump is only one part of the system. Pressure tanks, switches, filters, valves and treatment equipment can all affect how water reaches the house. Looking at the complete system before choosing a replacement usually leads to a better repair and can prevent unnecessary expense.
Cottage Plumbing Needs a Different Approach
Seasonal cottages can be harder on plumbing than a home that stays heated and occupied all year. Water lines may pass through crawl spaces or other cold areas, the private water system may be shut down for winter, and equipment can sit unused for several months before being brought back into service. A fitting that seemed perfectly fine in October may reveal a leak only after the system is pressurized again in May.
Opening and closing the cottage should therefore involve more than simply turning one valve. Pumps, pressure tanks, water heaters, fixtures, traps and outdoor water lines may all require attention depending on how the property is set up. A careful shutdown helps reduce freeze damage, while a controlled spring start-up gives you a chance to spot leaks before they have time to damage floors, cabinets or walls.
Rural Plumbing and Well Water
Private water systems introduce components that many city homeowners never need to think about. The well may be the source of the water, but the pump, pressure tank, pressure switch, filters and household piping determine how that water actually reaches the fixtures. When one part begins behaving differently, the symptoms often show up throughout the house.
Low pressure, rapid pump cycling, air at the faucets or a complete loss of water are all signs worth investigating. They do not automatically mean the pump needs replacement. Sometimes the problem is relatively simple, and looking at how the complete system is behaving can help avoid replacing expensive equipment unnecessarily.
Winter Plumbing Problems
Long cold periods put extra stress on plumbing running through crawl spaces, exterior walls, garages, utility areas and seasonal properties. When a pipe freezes, the immediate symptom may simply be reduced flow or no water at a fixture. The more serious concern is what happens inside the pipe as the water expands.
A pipe can crack while frozen without producing an obvious leak because the ice temporarily blocks the damaged area. Once temperatures rise and the line begins thawing, normal water pressure returns and the leak can suddenly appear. If a line has frozen, it is worth watching the affected area carefully even after the water starts flowing again.
Areas We Serve
Kawartha Plumbing serves homeowners, cottage owners and rural properties throughout Kawartha Lakes and the Peterborough area.
- Lindsay
- Peterborough
- Bobcaygeon
- Fenelon Falls
- Omemee
- Coboconk
- Kirkfield
- Surrounding communities
Not Sure What’s Wrong?
You do not need to diagnose the plumbing before getting in touch. Descriptions such as “the pump keeps switching on,” “the basement drain is backing up,” “the kitchen sink has become really slow,” or “we opened the cottage and have no water” give us useful information about where to start.
Tell us what is happening and we can work from there.