Drainage & Plumbing in Burnaby Heights
If you own an older home in Burnaby Heights and you're dealing with a wet basement, slow drains, or pipes that have been in the ground since before World War II, this page is for you.
Burnaby Heights is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Burnaby. The houses north of the Hastings Street commercial strip, on streets like Grosvenor Avenue, Pandora Street, and the blocks running up toward Penzance Drive and Confederation Park, go back to the 1920s and 30s. Most of the drainage infrastructure under these homes has been in the ground for 80 to 100 years and has never been replaced.
That is a different category of problem than what you get in a 1960s bungalow in Brentwood or a 1970s build in Metrotown. Pre-war homes in Burnaby Heights have clay drain tile, galvanized steel supply pipes, and cast iron stacks that are genuinely old. Ryan and the Mamba Drainage Services team work on homes like these all the time. We know what to look for and we camera the line before we quote on anything. Call (778) 961-0824 for same-day service. Zero travel fees anywhere in Burnaby.
What Burnaby Heights Homeowners Are Dealing With
Burnaby Heights has older homes than almost anywhere else in Burnaby. The drainage problems here are not the same as what you find in a newer suburb. Here is what shows up when we camera lines in this neighbourhood:
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Clay perimeter drains that are 80 to 100 years old. The pre-war homes on Grosvenor Avenue, Pandora Street, and the streets between Hastings and Penzance Drive were built with clay drain tile that has been in the ground since the 1920s and 30s. At this point it is cracked, collapsed, or packed with root mass. Groundwater builds up against the foundation and the basement gets wet every fall. A lot of Burnaby Heights homeowners have been living with it for years thinking it is normal.
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Root intrusion from the oldest street trees in Burnaby. The mature trees along Grosvenor Avenue and the residential streets near Confederation Park have been growing for 80 to 100 years. Those root systems go looking for water and they find every crack in the old clay and cast iron pipes underneath. Root blockages are one of the most common things we find on a camera inspection in this neighbourhood.
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Cast iron stacks from the 1930s and 40s corroding from the inside out. The older homes throughout Burnaby Heights have original cast iron drain stacks that have been corroding from the inside for 80 plus years. By the time you notice slow drains on every floor or a sewer smell in the basement, the stack is usually in bad shape. It is not a quick fix at that point.
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Original galvanized steel supply pipes. Some of the oldest homes in Burnaby Heights still have the original galvanized steel supply pipes from when the house was built. These corrode from the inside and restrict flow over decades. Low pressure at every tap in the house, rust-coloured water, and banging pipes are the signs to watch for.
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Poly-B supply pipes in homes renovated in the late 70s and 80s. Some Burnaby Heights properties were updated during the poly-B era. Those pipes are past their reliable lifespan and fail suddenly, often inside a wall or under a cabinet where you won't notice until there is real water damage.
Signs You Should Not Ignore in Burnaby Heights
Whether you own a 1920s character home on Grosvenor Avenue or an early post-war house near the Hastings Street shops, these are the signs worth acting on before they get expensive:
| What You Notice | What It Usually Means |
|---|---|
| Wet basement every fall or after heavy rain | Failed clay perimeter drains |
| Sump pump running constantly | High water table or pump worn out |
| Slow drains throughout the whole house | Root intrusion or main line blockage |
| Gurgling toilet when the sink runs | Partial main line blockage |
| Sewer smell in basement or suite | Corroding cast iron stack or dry floor trap |
| Rust-coloured water from taps | Corroding galvanized supply pipes |
| Low pressure at every tap in the house | Galvanized pipes corroding from the inside |
We camera the line before quoting anything. You see exactly what is in there before any work starts.
Our Services
From a corroded cast iron stack on Grosvenor Avenue to a full perimeter drain replacement near Confederation Park. One call, one crew. Ryan picks up, tells you what is going on, and gives you a firm price after we camera the line. No estimates that change once we start digging.
Drain Cleaning
Root intrusion into old clay and cast iron pipes is extremely common in Burnaby Heights. The trees near Confederation Park and along the older residential streets have been growing for close to a century. We hydro-jet and snake at all depths. Most blockages cleared same day. Call (778) 961-0824.
→Sump Pump Installation & Repair
For homes with failed perimeter drains and groundwater pressure against the foundation. We install quality pumps with battery backup so your basement stays dry even when the power goes out mid-storm.
→Pipe Replacement
Clay perimeter drains, cast iron stacks, galvanized supply lines, poly-B to PEX upgrades. All very common in the pre-war and early post-war homes on Grosvenor, Pandora, and the side streets off Hastings Street.
→Plumbing Repair
Leaking joints, dripping fixtures, failed shut-off valves, corroded connections. We carry parts on the truck and handle most repairs in a single visit.
→Video Camera Inspection
We camera before we quote on anything. You see what is in the pipe on a screen before we recommend any work. Especially important in older homes where you genuinely don't know what is under there until you look.
→Trenchless Water Solutions
Replace cracked sewer laterals without digging up the yard or the driveway. Works well on the older lots throughout Burnaby Heights where full excavation would be disruptive to mature landscaping.
→Why Locals in Burnaby Heights Choose Mamba Drainage Services
Older homes need someone who actually knows what they are looking at. A 1930s drain system is not the same as a 1980s build. Here is why Burnaby Heights homeowners keep coming back and sending their neighbours our way.
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We specialize in older homes. Pre-war cast iron, 90-year-old clay drain tile, galvanized steel supply pipes from the 1930s. Ryan has worked on the older Burnaby Heights housing stock a lot and knows what to expect. You are not the test case.
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Camera before we quote. Firm price, no surprises. We look at what is actually in the pipe before we give you a number. No estimates that jump once we start digging. You see it on a screen first. Call (778) 961-0824.
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Same-day response. A backed-up basement in an older pre-war home can do real damage fast. We give you a real arrival window, not a four-hour range.
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Ryan on most jobs himself. Not a subcontractor seeing a 1920s drain system for the first time. Ryan is on most jobs. He knows what galvanized pipes look like from the inside and what 100-year-old clay tile does when it fails.
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No travel fee for Burnaby. We cover Burnaby Heights, Brentwood, Willingdon Heights, and all of Burnaby with zero travel surcharge. Same pricing as Vancouver.
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4.9 stars on Google from 79 real homeowners. Most of our Burnaby Heights work comes through word of mouth from neighbours on the same street.
"I called Ryan at Mamba Drainage Services for a problem with a backed-up sump and drain tiles. He quoted me a reasonable price and his crew was punctual, hard-working, and did excellent work."
"Ryan is an absolute life saver and has an admirable amount of skill and knowledge in his field. Quick response times and he's been able to help me with flooding and plumbing issues by the next day, every time."
"Ryan was fantastic. He had all the right equipment, did exactly what he said, explained the process from start to finish, and the cost was very reasonable compared to other options."
Frequently Asked Questions
Other Areas We Serve
We cover all of North Burnaby and greater Vancouver. Near Burnaby Heights we also work in these areas regularly.
Our Services
Drainage, plumbing, sump pumps, pipe replacement and more. One crew, no subcontractors, same-day response.
Drainage Problem in Burnaby Heights?
Call now or fill in the contact form. Camera inspection first, firm price before any work starts.