Water System Upgrades in Victoria, Saanich and Oak Bay

Older Victoria and Saanich homes and buildings have character. It's a big part of what gives this town its great looks. Unfortunately, character is desirable for the overall look of a home but not for an aging plumbing system. Copper and galvanized plumbing systems have a service life of about 40-60 years, then leaks can start to occur as the pipe walls erode and become thin, eventually creating a leak or burst pipe.

Garden City Plumbing Ltd. Can help plan and replace your aging plumbing system with a focus on preserving the look of the building and minimizing the number of holes necessary to replace the pipes.

Poly Butylene (Poly b)

If your home or building in Victoria was built during the 1970's, 1980's or 1990's your home's water system may be Poly Butylene (Poly B). This grey plastic pipe was banned due to the high numbers of system failures associated with it. We can assess your system make up and come up with a plan to replace and upgrade your system with current reliable and approved materials.

Copper Plumbing

This low maintenance piping has a service life of 50 years and due to the non-reactive nature of copper piping, provides mostly clean pure water, but copper piping can fail due to electrolysis in the wrong conditions. Water flow in the pipe and fittings will eventually erode the pipe causing a failure, especially at elbows.

Another downside to copper plumbing systems is that in days gone by 50/50 and 60/40 lead/tin solders were used to make pipe connections, lead from these solders can leach into drinking water and pose a potential health problem. It could be proactive to have yor water system tested for lead concentrations and replace the piping where possible to reduce lead exposure. Our plumbers in Victoria can make recommendations and come up with a strategy to replace your aging or leaded copper plumbing system.

Galvanized pipe

Galvanized steel pipe used to be the standard in plumbing and predates even copper pipe applications. This piping material, is old and at risk of failure. Water flow in this antique piping is usually severely restricted by corrosion and deposits in the pipe. Have a Plumber inspect your water supply system and replace your galvanized system with a modern approved piping system to protect your home.

Main Shut-off Valves

If your main shut off valve is stuck, leaking or broken, call a plumber to replace your valve with a new ball style valve. These valves have no seats or washers and will provide years of maintenance free service.

High Water Pressure / Low Water Pressure

High water pressure in your plumbing system can be damaging. High water pressure is anything over 80 psi in your plumbing system. High water pressures can wear faucet seats and seals, cause undue stress on pipes and joints and can cause premature failure of your plumbing system.

Our plumbers can measure the pressure in your water system and recommend the corrective measures. A Pressure Reducing Valve can remedy a high water pressure state.

Low water Pressure is any pressure below 40psi. There can be a number of reasons for low water pressure. Debris lodged somewhere in the system, and under or oversized pipes could cause water pressure to be reduced. Call us in Victoria, Saanich, or Oak Bay and have a licensed plumber diagnose your water pressure issues.

Watermain Replacement

If you're not getting the water flow you need, it may be time to upgrade the water supply to your home. Older homes in the Victoria area may be serviced with 1/2” water supply lines. In the old days, homes usually only had one bathroom and one kitchen, and a 1/2” supply pipe was large enough to meet the household water demands, but this is not sufficient for a modern 2, 3, 4 bath home. Additionally, if you're planning a renovation and are adding a bathroom or kitchen – you may be required by the municipality to upgrade your water service / watermain to 3/4” or 1” water service line. That is where a plumber comes in handy, since a permit is required by all municipalities when changing a water service line size.