Plumbing in Lansing

Lansing housing and pipes

Much of Lansing was built as modest single-family housing before and just after the Second World War. Lots are narrow, and many original bungalows have since been torn down for larger custom homes. That leaves an odd mix on a single block: a 1940s cottage with its first galvanized supply lines beside a freshly built house plumbed in PEX with a backwater valve.

In the older houses we usually find cast-iron stacks, a clay sewer lateral running out to the street, and copper or galvanized water lines. Galvanized steel rusts from the inside, so pressure fades slowly over the years until a tap barely runs.

Common calls here

• Slow basement floor drains caused by roots entering clay joints. See tree root removal.
• Weak water pressure traced to corroded galvanized pipe, often fixed with repiping.
• Tie-ins and permits during renovations, where the old lateral meets new fixtures.

When a family plans a teardown or a big addition, we suggest a camera look at the lateral first. A cracked line is far cheaper to replace while the yard is already dug up.

Flooding and sewers

Heavy summer storms can overwhelm older municipal sewers, and the floor drain downstairs sits lower than any other opening. Water then comes up rather than going down. A backwater valve lets your drain flow out while blocking a reverse surge.

Observations from Lansing basements

Lansing basements tend to be shallow, with low joists and a floor drain set close to the front wall. Laundry tubs were often plumbed straight into the floor drain decades ago, a shortcut that lets lint collect in the trap. Pulling that lint out solves a surprising number of slow-drain complaints.

Infill construction brings its own pattern. When a new house goes up next door, heavy equipment and excavation can shift soil around an old clay lateral on the neighbouring lot. If your drains started misbehaving soon after a nearby build, mention it; it narrows the search.

Water heaters here are mostly rental tanks tucked beside the furnace. When one leaks, the rental company usually handles the swap, but the shut-off and drain fittings around it are often original and worth replacing at the same visit. Our page on whether to rent or buy a heater sets out both sides without pushing either.

Finally, many Lansing homes still use the original front hose bib. Those old compression faucets freeze if not shut off from inside each autumn, and a split inside the wall can leak unseen until spring.

Getting to Lansing

Lansing is a short drive along Sheppard from the rest of North York, and we work there regularly. Street parking can be tight on the narrow side roads, so tell us if your driveway is shared or blocked by construction. For other neighbourhoods, browse the full list of enclaves.