What counts as a plumbing emergency?
Call right away if water is coming out and you can't stop it, sewage is coming up a drain, your basement is flooding or you have no water at all. No heat or hot water during a hard freeze counts too. A dripping tap, a slow sink or a running toilet you can shut off at the valve can usually wait for regular hours.
If you're not sure, call. We'll tell you honestly whether yours can wait, which can save you the after-hours rate.
How much does an emergency plumber cost in Bradford, ON?
Prices depend on the problem, the time of day and the parts. In the GTA, after-hours call-outs typically run from about $100 to over $400, often with the first hour of labour included. The repair adds to that.
A burst pipe repair typically runs $300 to $800, and a sump pump replacement $600 to $1,200. Your plumber explains the full price before any work starts, so nothing is a surprise.
How do I shut off the water to my house?
Find your main shut-off valve. In most Bradford homes, it's on the basement wall at the front of the house, next to the water meter. Turn the handle clockwise until it stops.
If it's a lever, turn it so it sits across the pipe. Then open the lowest tap in the house to drain the lines. On a private well, turn off the breaker for the well pump instead. Learn where your valve is now, before you need it.
A water main broke on my street. Who do I call?
The water main under the street belongs to the Town. Call the Bradford West Gwillimbury Water Division at 905-775-5369 during business hours. After hours, the Town directs water emergencies to the South Simcoe Police non-urgent line at 905-775-3311. If water is getting into your house, call us too.
Is my plumber licensed? How can I check?
In Ontario, plumbing is a compulsory trade (Plumber 306A). To do the work legally, a person must hold a Certificate of Qualification or be a registered apprentice, and their name must appear on the Skilled Trades Ontario Public Register. Ask for the plumber's full name and look them up online. It's free and takes about a minute. We only send licensed plumbers.
How do I keep my pipes from freezing?
Keep the heat on, even when you're away. Put foam sleeves on pipes in exterior walls, the garage and crawl spaces. Unhook garden hoses before the first hard frost, and shut off and drain outdoor taps if they aren't the frost-free kind.
On the coldest nights, open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls and let a tap drip. If a tap only trickles on a cold morning, a pipe may be frozen. Call before it splits.
My new home is under two years old. Who pays for plumbing problems?
Ontario's Tarion two-year warranty covers defects in the plumbing system and water coming in through basement or foundation walls. It starts on the date you took possession. Contact your builder first, and keep a record of every call and email.
You can reach Tarion at 1-877-982-7466. If water is actively leaking, stop it first. Call us for emergency help, then file your warranty claim.
Why is my Bradford tap water discoloured?
About 70% of Bradford's tap water is treated Lake Simcoe water piped in from Innisfil, and the rest comes from town wells. Brown or yellow water for a short time after the Town flushes its water mains is usually a Town issue, not your pipes. Run the cold tap for a few minutes.
If the colour only shows up at one tap, only on the hot side, or it doesn't clear, the problem may be in your home. Call us and we'll take a look.
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