Hamilton Plumber With 100 Years of Experience Reveals on CHCH the 6 Things Costing Homeowners Hundreds of Dollars a Year Without Them Knowing
Birnie Plumbing and Drains joins CHCH News to share the free fixes and $5 upgrades that prevent the calls nobody wants to make
Steve Ruddick got tips from Birnie Plumbing and Drains to help prevent plumbing issues around the house.From the kitchen to the exterior, he learned the basics of recognizing issues before the become major repairs, how to avoid water waste and ensuring your home is functioning safely and effectively for spring.
HAMILTON, Ontario, April 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Birnie Plumbing and Drains appeared on CHCH for an extended morning feature, walking viewers through six money-saving checks any homeowner can do today. No tools, no experience required.
A running toilet can waste thousands of litres of water a month. A single washing machine hose failure can flood a basement. A clogged exterior drain can quietly compromise a foundation.
None of them announce themselves. And according to Rob Birnie, whose family has been fixing Hamilton homes for five generations, almost all of them are preventable.
“A $5 fix in March becomes a $5,000 emergency in July,” Birnie told CHCH News during a live segment this spring. “That’s what we wanted homeowners to understand.”
What it costs you if you don’t know:
1. The silent toilet leak — up to $200/year in wasted water Drop food colouring in the tank. Wait 30 minutes. If colour bleeds into the bowl, your toilet is leaking continuously, refilling every time it drains, around the clock. Cost to check: $0.
2. The washing machine hose — a potential $10,000+ flood Most homeowners have never turned off the valves that feed their washing machine. The rubber supply hoses are always under pressure and will eventually fail. Replacement braided steel hoses cost under $30 at any hardware store and are built to last.
3. Drain buildup — the blockage that starts small and gets expensive Slow draining, odours, or bubbling in the kitchen sink when the dishwasher runs are early warning signs of a partial blockage. Caught early, baking soda and vinegar can clear it. Left alone, it becomes a service call.
4. The sink overflow — the source of that mystery bathroom smell That persistent bathroom odour usually isn’t the drain. It’s the overflow port near the top of the basin, which almost nobody cleans. A funnel, some baking soda, and two minutes solves it entirely.
5. The outdoor tap — a repair that pays for itself the first winter Exterior taps that aren’t properly winterized are among the most common sources of preventable pipe damage. A frost-free hose bib, installed once, eliminates the problem permanently. “You never worry about it again,” Birnie said.
6. The window well — the $3 fix that protects your foundation Leaf buildup in exterior drainage areas stops water from reaching the weeping tile, pushing it toward basement windows and walls instead. Scooping it out takes three minutes and costs nothing.
About Birnie Plumbing and Drains Birnie Plumbing and Drains is a Hamilton-based, family-owned plumbing company now in its fifth generation of ownership, with over 100 years of experience in residential and commercial plumbing, drains, and waterproofing. Known for honest advice and lasting workmanship, the company serves Hamilton and surrounding communities.
Media Contact
Lindsay Mcfarland
Birnie Plumbing and Drains
Hamilton, Ontario
(905) 578-4659
390 Lake Ave N Unit 1, Hamilton, ON L8E 3A2
https://www.birnieplumbinganddrains.ca
A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/edbf35a4-9e29-439b-9d3e-a179a9aca5e0
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