Burst Pipe Repair in Ajax

Telltales that call for burst pipe repair

• A hiss in the wall and a fast-falling water pressure.
• Water dripping from pot lights or the joint between ceiling and wall.
• A pipe that thawed after a cold night and immediately began spraying.
• A visible bulge or split along a copper line.

How we do the work

First the house is made safe: main valve off, wet circuits off, and taps opened low in the house to drain what remains. Then we find the split and cut back past it to clean, round pipe on both sides. Freeze damage often extends a little beyond the obvious crack, so we check the pipe either side for swelling before choosing where to cut.

Copper gets a new section soldered or pressed in. PEX gets new pipe and crimp or expansion fittings. Where a line runs through a cold exterior wall, we talk about rerouting it inside the insulation rather than replacing it in the same spot that froze.

• Pressure check of the repair before walls close.
• Inspect neighbouring joints the water has been running past.
• Leave the cavity open to dry, with advice on fans and dehumidifiers.

On Ajax streets

Ajax bursts cluster in a few places: lines in garage walls under bedrooms over garages, hose-bib feeds through rim joists on the windward wall, and kitchen sink lines on exterior walls. Lakefront wind on a minus-twenty night can freeze pipes faster than the thermometer suggests.

Price swings on

Where the break is, how much finish has to be opened, and whether more than one split happened during the same freeze.

Worth asking the plumber

• Why did it burst here?
• Should this pipe be moved inside the insulation?
• Are any other lines at risk?