Ajax at a glance
- Region
- Durham Region, Ontario
- First things we check
- Main shut-off, floor drain, cleanout, water heater age
- Pipe we usually open
- Copper supply; ABS or cast iron drains; clay or PVC laterals by era
Have these ready
- The main water shut-off, usually by the meter
- A clear path to the floor drain and any cleanout
- The water heater label, for age and size
A town with a wartime start
Ajax grew around a munitions plant built during the Second World War, and some of the earliest houses were modest homes for workers. After the war the town expanded with postwar subdivisions, then larger developments through the 1970s, 1980s and beyond. Newer neighbourhoods in north Ajax date from the 2000s.
Plumbing by era
| Era | Typical plumbing | Common issues |
|---|---|---|
| Wartime and postwar | Galvanized, cast iron, clay laterals | Low pressure, roots, corrosion |
| 1970s and 1980s | Copper, ABS, cast iron in some stacks | Pinholes, aging water heaters |
| 2000s and newer | PEX, ABS, sump pits | Sump failures, fitting leaks |
Common Ajax calls
- Laterals choked by roots on older streets.
- Heater changeovers.
- Sump pumps near the waterfront.
- Faucet and toilet repairs in older homes.
- Repiping galvanized supply lines.
Working across the town line
Ajax has its own permit and inspection office, separate from Whitby. When a job needs a permit, we follow the Town of Ajax's process. Basement flooding programs have also differed between municipalities, so check Ajax's current terms if you are planning a backwater valve.
What to expect from us
We bring the same approach to Ajax homes: find the cause, explain it, then fix it.
Nearby districts
Pickering lies further west, and West Lynde sits just across the Whitby line. See burst pipe repair and repiping.