I’ve always loved doing plumbing because it’s a very interesting three-dimensional challenge to install drain, waste and vent piping in a new home or a large remodeling job. Because I was also the ...

Q: I have a remodeling project coming up and I intend to do the plumbing work. I’m good to go on the waterlines, but the drain lines and plumbing vents are my weak spot. Can you give me the executive ...

Have you heard the old saying, “You don’t know what you don’t know”? It’s an axiom homeowners should always keep in mind when thinking about the mechanical and structural systems hidden behind the ...

I’ve been a master plumber since 1981. I’ve always loved doing plumbing because it’s a very interesting three-dimensional challenge to install drain, waste and vent (DWV) piping in a new home or a ...

I recently had a plumbing emergency in my own home. The main drain pipe under the basement floor got clogged with toilet paper. The culprit is a newer low-flush toilet in a basement bathroom. I’ve ...

Things with “French” in the title are usually fancy, right? Poodles, perfume, pastries. But a French drain has a more utilitarian purpose—redirecting standing water away from vulnerable structures or ...

I'm blessed. Not only do I get emails each day from readers like you, but I also get questions on my AsktheBuilder.com website. These questions are never tiring, and it's like Christmas morning when I ...

I recently helped out a homeowner in Pittsburgh. His wife had decided it was time to tear out an outdated platform bathtub. She wanted to replace it with a new, sleek soaking tub shaped like an ...

We Canadians deal with extreme winter challenges each year, and one of the most annoying (and mysterious) happens when rooftop plumbing vent pipes get plugged with frost. This is called “ice capping” ...