Springtime can bring plumbing issues in the best of times but when there are ‘Weather Events’ more problems will certainly occur and almost everyone will be affected. The winter of 2024-25 started with a mega snowstorm in November-December that knocked out power lines, made roads impassable, closed Hwy 11, and stranded cottagers in the cold.
The refrain from one cottager rendered powerless by on-and-off again outages and isolated by impassible roads was, ‘If I’d only known, I’d have got out earlier”. Reopening again in the spring, they discovered a broken sump pump and water cooler.
It was a winter that also impacted numerous homeowners in the Barrie area who hadn’t had any trouble with frozen water lines or drains in years, have a recurrence. Plumbtech Plumbing attributed it to severe wind chills impacting plumbing close to exterior walls.
The Ice Storm of ‘25 capped the winter with extensive damages in Barrie, Simcoe County, and Muskoka. Plumbtech received up to 300 calls because of flooding in basements due to power outages that knocked out sump pumps.
Could a battery backup have helped? Absolutely. If your sump pump didn’t come with a battery backup, consider installing one.
Alternatively, residents who are connected to a municipal water supply can use a syphon jet backup pump. It doesn’t require electricity to operate.
Many have also used a backup generator or portable generator to keep sump pumps running and prevent flooding. A generator may also have the capacity to run an appliance such as a refrigerator during a power outage.
However, during the ice storm, there were several reports of fires ignited by generators in the Barrie area.
When power returned to most accessible areas, some headed north only to find hydro lines to their property cut, which may mean a long delay in powering up for summer cottaging.
Opening the cottage in the spring may reveal more fall-out from the harsh winter. Turning on the water will tell the tale. If your water pump holds a prime, check all water lines and the hot water tank for leaks. If you have a filter system for your water, replace the filters and have the water tested for e-coli and bacteria to make sure the UV light is working properly.
Once everything is fine on the incoming water side, check the outgoing wastewater system. If it isn’t gravity-fed, the septic pump will need to be turned on and tested. If the motor runs but can’t move the wastewater, there’s an issue with the pump. It’s also possible the line to the septic bed is frozen.
Once it’s operational, and the frost is out of the ground, don’t forget to have the septic system professionally pumped out so that you’re ready to go for entertaining friends and family visits this summer.
Spring may also reveal issues for year-round residences that may have forgotten to drain their outside tap and attached hose before winter. If the corresponding interior tap wasn’t turned off, the waterline may split between the inside shutoff and the outside tap, especially on a frost-free hose bibb/tap.
Call Plumbtech Plumbing for all your water needs, cottages, rural or municipal residences, or businesses. Plumbtech takes care of a lot of cottage openings for owners each spring, turning on the water and fixing any plumbing issues so it is ready to go for another season.
The Barrie-based business serves Simcoe County, Muskoka, and Parry Sound areas. There is an emergency service available too.
