Question 1

Pipe froze in the exterior wall of my Calgary kitchen, now what?

Accepted Answer

A frozen pipe in an exterior kitchen wall can thaw without bursting, but if the pipe has already split, the repair is billed at the plumber's rate of roughly $85 to $150 an hour plus a call-out fee, and the total rises if the wall has to be opened to reach the damage.

What to do right now

First, find your main water shut-off and know where it is. If the pipe has already burst and water is flowing, close that valve immediately. If the pipe is still frozen but intact, the City of Calgary advise

Question 2

Hissing sound in the wall but no visible leak in Calgary, what is it?

Accepted Answer

A hissing sound inside a wall with no visible leak is worth taking seriously, because the two most common sources are a pressurised water leak and a gas leak, and one of them is a safety emergency.

What the sound is likely telling you

If you smell rotten eggs or a sulphur-like odour alongside the hissing, get everyone out of the house immediately and call emergency services from outside. That combination points to a natural gas leak, which is distributed in Calgary by ATCO Gas. Do not switch

Question 3

Pinhole leaks in copper pipes, what causes them in Calgary homes?

Accepted Answer

Pinhole leaks in copper pipe usually come from corrosion that starts on the inside of the pipe wall, and there is rarely one cause that applies to every house. A plumber works out which of several possibilities fits yours by looking at where the leak is, how old the pipe is and what the failed section looks like.

What a plumber checks

The usual suspects are the water's chemistry, fast-moving water where a pipe is undersized or a valve is partly closed, and leftover soldering flux near joints.

Question 4

Shower leaking into the room below in my Calgary home, source?

Accepted Answer

Shower leaks that show up in the room below are almost always one of four things, and pinning down which one matters before anyone opens a ceiling or wall.

Where the water is actually coming from

The most common source is the shower pan or liner. In a tiled shower, the waterproof liner sits beneath the tile and mortar bed; a crack, a failed seam or a deteriorated drain collar lets water through slowly, and it travels along the subfloor before dripping through to the ceiling below. You may not

Leaks & Repairs

Pipe froze in the exterior wall of my Calgary kitchen, now what?

Hissing sound in the wall but no visible leak in Calgary, what is it?

Pinhole leaks in copper pipes, what causes them in Calgary homes?

Shower leaking into the room below in my Calgary home, source?