Water damage in Toronto: what we see most
Toronto's oldest neighbourhoods were built between the 1880s and the 1940s. Cabbagetown, Riverdale, the Annex, Parkdale, Roncesvalles and the Junction are full of brick semis and rowhouses with rubble or early block foundations, clay weeping tile that has often collapsed, and floor drains tied into combined sewers. Those combined sewers carry both stormwater and sanitary flow in one pipe. When a summer storm overwhelms them, sewage backs up through basement floor drains. Roughly a quarter of the city's sewer network is still combined, almost all of it in the pre-1950s core.
The flood record here is not theoretical. On July 8, 2013, more than 120 mm of rain fell in a few hours, stranding a GO train in the Don Valley and flooding thousands of basements. On August 7, 2018, a fast downtown storm filled Union Station and trapped people in a flooded elevator. On July 16, 2024, close to 100 mm closed the Don Valley Parkway, flooded Union Station again and knocked out power to large parts of the city. Each event produced a spike in basement flooding and sewer backup claims that took weeks to clear.
The city responds with the Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program, which helps pay for a backwater valve, a sump pump and severing the weeping tile from the sanitary sewer. Toronto also runs Basement Flooding Protection Program study areas that rank chronic flooding zones for sewer upgrades. Downtown, the risk looks different: glass condo towers along the waterfront, CityPlace and Yorkville see supply-line failures and stack leaks that travel down through many suites in minutes.
Sewer backup through combined sewers
In the old city, one pipe carries rain and sewage. A heavy storm pushes that mix back up the floor drain in a semi on a street like Logan Avenue or Roncesvalles. The water is contaminated and every porous material it touches has to come out. This is the most common summer call we get in Toronto proper, and it is the reason a backwater valve is the single best upgrade for a pre-1950 house.
Failed clay weeping tile and rubble foundations
Century homes in Riverdale, the Annex and Parkdale were drained by clay tile that has cracked, shifted or filled with roots. When it stops moving water, the hydrostatic pressure pushes through the foundation at the cove joint and through mortar joints. The result is a slow, recurring wet basement that soaks carpet, stored boxes and the bottom of drywall. If the foundation itself is the source, DryFort Waterproofing handles the repair once we have dried the space.
Condo stack and supply-line leaks
Downtown towers pack hundreds of suites onto shared risers. A failed braided hose on a washing machine or a cracked toilet supply line on the 30th floor can wet a dozen units below before anyone notices. Laminate, engineered hardwood and the paper face of drywall swell fast. We work with property management and the condo's insurer to document which suites were affected and to dry the common elements as well as the units.
Frozen pipes in uninsulated exterior walls
Brick homes from the 1920s and 1930s often have plumbing running through exterior walls with no insulation behind the lath and plaster. In a January cold snap, a kitchen supply line at the back of a Beaches semi freezes, splits and then floods when it thaws. The damage usually shows up as a ceiling stain or water running down inside a wall, and the split pipe has to be found before drying can begin.
How fast can you reach Toronto?
Our crews are staged across the GTA, with vehicles positioned to reach the downtown core, the east end and the west end without crossing the whole city. Inside Toronto we run the Gardiner, Lake Shore, Bloor and the DVP when it is open, and our target is to be on site within 60 minutes of your call to the 24/7 emergency line.
Restoration services we provide in Toronto
- Sewer BackupSewer backup cleanup for combined-sewer neighbourhoods from Parkdale to Leslieville, including contaminated material removal and disinfection.
- Emergency Water ExtractionTruck-mounted extraction for flooded basements in Toronto semis and rowhouses, day or night.
- Leak DetectionNon-invasive leak detection in downtown condos so we can find the failed riser or supply line without opening every wall.
- Burst & Frozen PipesBurst pipe response for century homes with plumbing in cold exterior walls, from the Annex to the Beaches.
- Structural Drying & DehumidificationStructural drying for plaster, lath and old-growth joists that hold moisture longer than modern framing.
- Mould PreventionAntimicrobial treatment and moisture verification so a wet Toronto basement does not turn into a mould claim a month later.
Toronto neighbourhoods we serve
Cabbagetown, Riverdale, Leslieville, The Beaches, The Annex, Parkdale, Roncesvalles, High Park, The Junction, Bloor West Village, Rosedale, Yorkville, Liberty Village, CityPlace. If you are just outside these, call anyway: crews cover the whole GTA and the dispatcher will give you a real arrival window.
Questions from Toronto homeowners
Does the City of Toronto help pay for a backwater valve?
Yes. The Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program offers a per-property subsidy toward a backwater valve, a sump pump and disconnecting the weeping tile from the sanitary sewer. The work must be done by a licensed plumber with a permit. It does not cover the restoration after a flood, which is where your home insurance and our direct billing come in.
Is sewer backup covered by home insurance in Toronto?
Usually only if you carry a sewer backup endorsement, which is an optional add-on in Ontario. Many Toronto homeowners in older neighbourhoods do have it because insurers push for it after major storms. Check your policy declarations page for the words sewer backup or water and sewer. We can review the coverage with you when we arrive and bill the insurer directly if it applies.
How fast can you reach a downtown condo?
Our target is to be on site within 60 minutes anywhere in Toronto. For condo losses we ask you to notify the concierge or property manager while we are on the way so we have access to the mechanical room and the suites below. Shutting off the supply at the riser is usually the first step, and building staff can often do that before we arrive.
My 1920s basement leaks every spring. Is that a restoration job or a waterproofing job?
Both, in sequence. We dry the basement, remove any material that cannot be saved and treat it to prevent mould. If the water came through the foundation, our sister company DryFort Waterproofing handles the crack injection, weeping tile or sump pump work so it does not happen again. Rebuild Pro Contracting then puts the finished basement back together.
What should I do while I wait for the crew?
Stay out of standing water if there is any chance it has reached an outlet or the electrical panel. If the source is a burst pipe, close the main shut-off, usually near the water meter at the front of the basement. Move what you can lift to a dry area and take a few photos for the claim. Do not run a shop vacuum on sewage water. Call our 24/7 emergency line and we will walk you through the rest.