Service area
Plumbing in Maple
The Maple neighbourhood sits just west of downtown, around Maple Avenue and Joseph Brant Hospital. It blends some of Burlington's oldest houses with apartment towers along the lakeshore.
- A plumber routed to your street in Maple
- Drains, leaks, water heaters and basements
- Familiar with the pipes in these houses
- The plan explained before any work
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The houses of Maple
Detached homes on the side streets near Maple Avenue and Lakeshore Road date largely from the 1920s through the 1950s: brick and frame two-storeys, cottages and postwar bungalows. Closer to Lakeshore and Spencer Smith Park, high-rise condominiums and rental towers house a large share of the residents. Plumbing work here therefore swings between century-old basements and modern condo suites with strict building rules.
Many of the older houses have been renovated in stages over the decades. It is common to open a wall and find copper from one era, galvanized steel from another and a plastic drain from a recent bathroom, all joined together. Part of every visit here is simply working out what is in the house before deciding what to change.
Area at a glance
- Area
- Maple
- Municipality
- City of Burlington
- Water
- Halton Region, lake-supplied
- Call
- (365) 464-5184
Common plumbing problems here
- Older service pipes: some prewar houses still have lead or galvanized water service from the street. See water service line replacement.
- Clay and cast iron drains: laterals under mature street trees collect roots, and cast iron inside the house can crack.
- Low pressure upstairs: narrowed galvanized piping is a frequent cause in houses that were never fully repiped.
- Condo leaks: failed supply hoses, dishwasher leaks and toilet seals that drip into the suite below.
Worth checking here
- Floor drain flows and has a cover
- Sump pump starts when the float lifts
- Water heater age on the rating plate
- Hose bib shut-off closed before frost
Water, drains and basements
Older sewer infrastructure and low elevation near the lake mean basements in this area deserve protection from backups. Houses with original basement floor drains, laundry tubs or a basement toilet benefit most from a backwater valve. Many of these homes were never built with sump pits, so groundwater management depends on grading, downspouts and foundation condition.
Inside, the most common upgrade we see is replacement of remaining galvanized and lead pipe with copper or PEX, done section by section or as a full repipe. Once the old pipe is gone, pressure and flow at upstairs taps usually improve right away. It is also a good moment to replace the main shut-off with a quarter-turn valve that closes fully in an emergency.
Find your main shut-off
In most houses here the water enters at the street-side foundation wall, with the meter and main valve together. Tag that valve before you need it.
Getting us there
Maple is reached from downtown along Lakeshore Road or from the QEW via Brant Street, with the hospital as a landmark. Street parking can be tight near the hospital and the waterfront, especially in summer, so let us know about a driveway or visitor parking when you book. For condo calls, we need the building's service entrance and elevator booking details.
We work across the surrounding downtown and Aldershot areas too. Before repairing pipes in a house of this age, our guide to galvanized pipe is worth reading.
Questions we hear
Is there a quick way to spot a lead water service?
Scratch it lightly with a key: lead is soft and dull grey, turning bright silver where scraped. A magnet will not stick to it.
Can you work in my condo building?
Yes, provided the building allows outside trades. We follow the management's rules on notice, shut-offs and hours.