Trustworthy Plumber in Victoria, BC

In most of Greater Victoria, homeowners are responsible for the underground pipes between the house and the property line. The CRD notes an important exception: in Oak Bay, homeowner responsibility extends all the way to the municipal sewer main and stormwater drainage system. If you experience a backup, the CRD advises calling the municipality only after your plumber confirms the source comes from municipally owned pipes. In practice, we typically scope the line or check the flow at the cleanout to determine where the blockage is located. This saves time and avoids delays. Keep your cleanout accessible and not buried under landscaping. When a backup happens, having clear access speeds up diagnosis and reduces the mess inside your home.

First, stop all water use and do not flush toilets, because additional water worsens the overflow. The CRD's guidance for basement flooding includes calling a licensed plumber and taking photos before cleanup if you involve insurance. Protect yourself with gloves and boots, keep children and pets away from the affected area, and ventilate the space if you can do so safely. If you cannot reach a plumber immediately, avoid the affected area, turn off power to any outlets or appliances near standing water, and ventilate the space if you can do so safely.

Sewage contains bacteria and pathogens, so proper protective equipment is essential during cleanup, and extensive backups often require professional restoration services beyond clearing the line. Once the blockage is cleared, ask about an inspection camera evaluation. This shows us whether the backup was caused by a simple clog or a damaged pipe, root intrusion, or joint separation, which can lead to recurring problems. Knowing the condition of the line helps you decide whether to plan for proactive repairs or risk another emergency.

No. Even if the label says flushable, wipes are designed to stay intact when wet, which is the opposite of what you need in a sewer line. The City of Victoria lists wet wipes among the household items reducing sewer capacity, along with grease, hair, sanitary products, and paper towels. On camera inspections, we regularly see intact wipes in the line that have often been there for months. They tend to catch other debris and form a growing mass, eventually restricting flow. This matters even more in older areas where pipes and joints are already stressed by age. We recommend that you treat your toilet like a toilet paper-only system and keep a small covered bin in each bathroom. This simple habit is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of a backup.

An inspection camera lets us see the inside of the pipe in real time, so we identify root intrusion, joint separation, cracks, sagging sections, or heavy buildup before they cause a backup. If your home is older or you have recurring slow drains, it is a smart baseline. The CRD recommends having pipes camera inspected at least every 10 years, and sooner if you notice sewer odours, slow drains, or a damp basement. The inspection costs far less than an excavation, and it gives you the information you need to plan repairs on your timeline, not during a crisis. Ask for a copy of the video and notes. This record helps you track changes, compare repair options, and make better decisions if the issue returns.

Gurgling and sewer odours after heavy rain often mean your drainage system is under stress. In some cases, rainwater and groundwater enter aging pipe systems through cracks, weak joints, or damaged perimeter drains, which adds extra volume to the sewer system and causes backups or overflows. The CRD describes this as inflow and infiltration, and it is a common issue in older neighbourhoods, especially during Victoria's wet season from November through January, when the region receives over half its annual rainfall. On calls like this, we often find the gurgling points to a compromised perimeter drain or sewer main line letting groundwater in. If the issue happens mostly during storms, tell your plumber this detail. It helps us decide whether to prioritize a sewer camera inspection, perimeter drain evaluation, or venting checks, rather than treating it like a routine clog.

Age is one of the biggest risk factors. The CRD notes that most pipes installed before the 1980s have already exceeded their expected design life, unless they have been replaced. In practice, this means we regularly work on homes in neighbourhoods like James Bay, Fairfield, and Oak Bay, where the original clay or concrete sewer lines have been underground for 70 to 100 years.

Over time, joints separate, roots work their way into cracks, and sections shift or sag, which leads to recurring clogs and backups that don't stay resolved with a simple snake. If you are purchasing or currently living in an older home, schedule a proactive camera inspection before you have an emergency. Knowing whether your sewer main is in good shape, is far less stressful than discovering a failing line during a weekend backup.

Cloudy water is often air in the line after maintenance, and it typically clears on its own. For brown or discoloured water, the CRD explains that darker brown water is often caused by disturbances such as construction work, water main valve operations, hydrant use, or main breaks, and it clears by running the bathtub tap for a few minutes. If the discoloured water does not clear after a few minutes, or if it returns frequently, contact the City or your water supplier.

Plumber tip: Check whether only your hot water is discoloured. If cold water runs clear but hot water stays rusty or brown, the issue is usually sediment buildup inside your water heater tank. Over time, minerals settle to the bottom of the tank and are stirred up when hot water is drawn quickly. Flushing the tank or inspecting the anode rod often resolves it, but if the tank is older or the discolouration is severe, it is time for a replacement.

For most homes, lead is not typically a concern, but older plumbing components change the picture. The CRD notes studies show lead is not a typical concern in Greater Victoria residential taps overall, yet older homes, particularly those built before the 1970s, with lead service lines, lead solder on copper pipes, or old brass fixtures, exceed Health Canada's limit of 0.005 mg/L. If you want your tap water tested, the CRD lab does not accept public samples, so you must contact an accredited commercial lab. Local labs provide sampling bottles and instructions.

If testing shows elevated lead, replacing suspect old fixtures, upgrading the service line if it is lead, and using properly maintained certified filtration at the tap are common next steps. Running the tap for 30 seconds before using water for drinking or cooking also helps flush out water sitting in contact with lead components.

Low water pressure in older Victoria homes is often caused by corroded galvanized steel supply lines narrowed from the inside over decades, restricting flow. Other common causes include a failing pressure regulator, a partially closed main shut-off valve, or buildup in fixture aerators. If only one fixture is affected, the issue is usually local to the fixture. If the whole house has low pressure, the problem is typically at the main supply line or regulator.

In neighbourhoods like James Bay, Fairfield, and Oak Bay, where many homes were built before 1970, we regularly find original galvanized lines still in use, and the interior diameter has narrowed significantly from corrosion. If your home was built before 1970 and still has the original galvanized supply lines, repiping with modern materials like PEX restores full pressure and improves reliability for decades.

Poly-B, or polybutylene, is a type of plastic water supply piping commonly installed in BC homes built in the 1980s and early 1990s as a lower-cost alternative to copper. The material reacts poorly to chlorine and other disinfectants in municipal water supplies, and over time, it becomes brittle and develops cracks or leaks, often at fittings.

Victoria's water is treated with chloramines, a combination of chlorine and ammonia, which is gentler than free chlorine but still degrades Poly-B over time. If your home has Poly-B and you are experiencing leaks, or if you are planning a renovation, many homeowners choose to repipe with PEX, which is more durable and not affected by disinfectants. Poly-B is usually grey or beige. If you are not sure what your supply lines are made of, ask a plumber to check during a service call or inspection.

A perimeter drain, also called a foundation drain or weeping tile, is an underground pipe system installed around the base of your home's foundation to drain water away and prevent wet basements and flooding. In Victoria, where the region receives over half its annual rainfall during November, December, and January, perimeter drains are essential for managing groundwater and protecting your foundation. The CRD notes that older perimeter drain systems, especially those installed before the 1990s, using clay tile or corrugated Big O pipe, fail over time due to root intrusion, joint separation, or collapse.

Signs of a failing perimeter drain include a damp or musty basement, water stains on foundation walls, or flooding during heavy rain. If your home is older and you have never had the perimeter drains inspected, a camera inspection shows their condition and helps you decide whether cleaning, repair, or replacement is needed before you face a basement flood.

Upfront, flat-rate pricing means you see the price before work begins, so you are not left guessing what the final bill will be, based on how long the job takes. After we assess the issue, we explain what we found and give you clear options with the total cost for each, then you choose the scope fitting your home and your priorities. For example, if a camera inspection reveals root intrusion, you will see the cost to clear the line, treat the roots, and confirm the repair before we start, not after. Ask what is included in the approved scope and what changes the plan. Knowing this up front helps you make the right decision the first time.

In many cases, a water heater gets repaired, but replacement makes more sense depending on the age of the unit and the type of failure. Most tank water heaters last 8 to 12 years. If the tank is under 5 years old and the issue is a heating element, thermostat, or pressure relief valve, repair is usually cost-effective. If the tank is over 10 years old and leaking, or if you are dealing with repeated failures, replacement is almost always the better choice. Victoria's water supply is soft, with the CRD reporting a median hardness of 17.4 mg/L as CaCO3, which means less mineral scale buildup than in hard-water regions. However, sediment still accumulates over time and should be flushed periodically.

If you notice rust-coloured water on the hot side only, popping or rumbling sounds, water around the base of the tank, or a pressure relief valve frequently discharging, it is time to have it professionally assessed. Do not ignore small leaks or moisture at the base. A failing tank goes from a drip to a flood, so it is better to get a clear diagnosis and options before it becomes an emergency.