A neighbourhood hitting middle age
Most Sonoma Heights homes were put up between about 1990 and 2005, which leaves their original water heaters long gone, their sump pumps on a second or third unit, and their toilet and faucet internals at the point where parts wear. Supply is mostly copper, with some later homes using PEX. Drains are ABS.
Most common calls
- Running toilets and worn fill valves
- Shower valve cartridges that drip or stick
- Sump pumps failing during spring melt
- Water heater replacements, often for rentals being bought out
- Hose bibs cracked by frost because the inside valve was left open
Basements and grading
As lots settle, grading near foundations can shift water toward the house. Sump pits then run more often. We check the pump and discharge, and point out where downspouts or grading may be sending water back. A battery backup is standard advice for finished basements.
If your heater is a rental, read our rent or buy guide before the next renewal.
Typical services
Toilet repair, shower valve repair and sump pump repair make up most of our Sonoma Heights work.
Twenty-five-year-old homes
Houses here have reached the age where the original builder-grade parts wear out together. A typical visit might involve a running toilet, a dripping tub spout and a slow vanity drain, all in one house. Bundling small jobs into one visit is sensible, and we are happy to look at a short list when we arrive.
Our basement walk-through in Sonoma Heights
- Main shut-off. We find it, turn it, and tell you if the wheel handle or ball valve still seals.
- Water heater. Read the date off the rating plate, look for rust at the fittings and test the relief valve.
- Floor drain and cleanout. Check the trap holds water and the cleanout cap comes off.
- Sump pit. Fill-test the pump and see where the discharge lands outside.
- Exposed supply. Note copper, PEX, poly-B or galvanized, and any green or white crust at the joints.