A borough carved out of a township
Shillington became its own borough in 1908 after it separated from Cumru Township. Town Hall dates to 1932. Much of the housing in a borough of this age was built in the early and middle twentieth century.
That era used cast iron drains and, for the supply side, galvanized steel and then copper. Those materials last decades, but they have their own signs of age, and the signs are worth knowing.
What to expect when you call
Describe the problem
Say what you see, hear or smell, and where in the house it is.
Learn the options
Ask the plumber for the likely fix, the alternatives and the cost before you agree to anything.
Approve and proceed
Agree to the scope and cost before work starts, and ask for it in writing for larger jobs.
Kitchens and baths in mid-century houses
Houses built in the early and middle twentieth century often have a single bathroom added to, or a kitchen remodeled, in a later decade. The fixtures may be newer than the pipes behind them, and the shutoff valves under the sink may be original.
Old valves that have not been turned in decades can fail when you try to close them. If a valve will not turn smoothly, replace it before the next emergency. See faucet repair and toilet repair for the common fixture calls.
The first call after a storm
After a heavy rain, the first thing to check in a Shillington basement is the sump pump, then the floor drain, then the walls. Water from each source needs a different fix.
If the water is clear and rising from the floor edge, it is groundwater. If it is dark and coming from a drain, it may be sewage and should be treated with caution. Say which when you call, and a plumber will tell you what to do next.
Pipes from the first half of the last century
| Pipe | What it looks like when it ages | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Galvanized steel supply | Falling pressure, rusty water | Repiping |
| Cast iron drain | Slow drains, scale, roots at joints | Hydro jetting after a camera look |
| Old copper joints | Pinhole leaks and drips at fittings | Leak detection |
None of these mean a house is in trouble. They mean that a camera look or a pressure check is a better first step than another cable or another patch.
Wyomissing Creek on the west edge
Wyomissing Creek borders Shillington on the west. Homes closest to it are more likely to see a damp basement after a long wet spell. A sump pump, a clean discharge line and sealed floor drains do most of the work of keeping that water out.
If water is coming through the floor or the wall, see sump pumps and basement water. If a floor drain is the entry point, the problem is probably downstream, and drain cleaning explains why.
Close to Reading and Mohnton
Shillington is close to the city of Reading and to Mohnton. Say which street you are on and a plumber will confirm availability.