Risky DIYs: These Plumbing Mistakes Could Cost You Thousands
Today we’re sitting down with Scott Smolski, owner of Waterman Mechanical, to talk about the top mistakes homeowners in Edmonton make with their plumbing systems. From ignoring early warning signs to risky DIY fixes, Scott is here to share his expert advice straight from the field. If you’re a homeowner in Edmonton, this is the kind of insight that can save you thousands in repairs and a whole lot of stress.
All right, Scott. So we’re going to jump right in with question number one: What is the number one plumbing mistake you see homeowners in Edmonton making again and again?
Disconnect Your Hose Bib
The number one mistake, I would have to say, that causes a lot of issues in the future is not disconnecting your hose bib in the fall.
Okay. What kind of problems does that cause?
So that’s going to cause—even if it’s a non-freeze hose bib. Trevor, they’re only classified as non-freeze if you disconnect your hose bib.
If you disconnect?
Okay. Also, the other caveat to that would be that they have to be graded away from your house, so sometimes that’s hard to tell. But basically, when you shut off your hose bib, it should dribble out a little bit of water. If it doesn’t, you know that it’s sitting back in that stem, and then there’s a good possibility of freezing in the winter. Even if it is a non-freeze hose bib, sometimes they don’t get installed properly and can freeze over winter. Then come springtime they thaw out, they have a burst in your wall, and then leak into your basement.
There you go, folks. So simple as disconnecting your hose in the fall.
Yep. So the biggest issue is not disconnecting those suckers. Don’t be lazy—do it. You’ll thank me later.
Store It, Don’t Pour It
All right. Number two: Why is it risky to pour grease down a kitchen sink, even if you follow it with hot water like some people recommend?
Well, that’s a good question. Even if you follow it with hot water, obviously hot water is going to keep that grease nice and liquid, and so it should flow more freely through a drainage system. But sometimes there are other blockages—other things can build up over time, especially in an older home.
They only started using plastic drainage in the last forty years. Even before that, if it’s before that time, the old metal piping can get corroded and build up a lot of corrosion inside those pipes. Even if you’re flushing it with hot water, that grease can just collect in those pipes, and over time it’s going to create quite the backup. If it is a slow buildup over time, it’s actually more difficult to dislodge than a quick blockage.
Wow. Okay, so don’t put grease down your kitchen sink—store it, don’t pour it, as they say.
That’s right. Put it to the side, let it harden, throw it in the trash later. Great slogan.
Take Care of Slow Drains
Number three: Can ignoring a slow‐draining sink or tub really lead to a major issue down the road? What should homeowners do instead?
Well, I would say if you have something slow draining, you should probably call out a plumber—preferably Waterman Mechanical. We can come and either scope your drain or send the auger right down and clear up the blockage to free up the drainage. The biggest problem we see with drainage blockages is that when it does get to a full blockage, or even a mostly partial blockage, the backup comes out of the sink or the toilet and then creates other water damage. So call a plumber, get that thing yanked out of there—whatever it is—and make sure you take care of it. Don’t ignore it.
Winterize Your Edmonton Home
All right. Number four: How do seasonal changes in Edmonton, like deep freezes in winter, affect plumbing systems if homeowners aren’t prepared?
Well, that leads us back to the hose bib—that can be a big one. You’ve got to disconnect those hose bibs in the fall. It can lead to major damages in the basement, especially in newer homes. Older homes, it doesn’t really matter what age your home is—even if it’s a new home with a new non-freeze hose bib, there can still be faults.
The other thing that we find is that if the renovation has been done poorly, there are water lines that sneak through—even just a little bit—in that wall. Now, with insulation, vapor barrier, drywall all being so good and having such a high R-value, sometimes that cold air will only penetrate into the house a little bit, but the hot air also doesn’t get out to that rim joist space. We see a lot of water lines in a kitchen sink or a shower that is located near an outside wall freeze up in those -30 to -40 days that we still get in Edmonton.
Yeah, one thing that happened with us: it wasn’t the actual water line, it was the drain for the washing machine. The drain for the washing machine was run too far to the outside wall, and they didn’t put it on the warm side or have the vapor barrier in the right location. The water lines were okay, but the drain line froze. We had an issue with the drainage, so we had to call in a plumber. Basically, all he did was take out the drywall, and we just left it like that, let it thaw, and then left it that way because the installation was terrible.
When it reached -30, -35, it froze, and we got an error code on our washing machine saying it was a drainage issue. I checked all of the pipes and all the stuff coming in and out, cleaned the filters, but it was still the issue. I thought I’d run it while I was back there watching it, and then water started pouring out the drain—I’m like, “Oh boy, it’s frozen, that’s what’s going on.” Well, good for you for catching it—most people wouldn’t even go that far.
I’m a little crazy.
Why You Should Avoid Draino and Other Store-Bought Drain Cleaners
All right. We got her done. Question five: What’s your take on store‐bought drain cleaners? Are they doing more harm than good?
Well, any chemical that you put down a drainage system isn’t great for the city’s water drainage system. We pull our water out of the river, and whatever we pull out goes back into the river—we treat it first. I believe EPCOR and the city take care of that. But any chemicals you pour down the drainage system do more harm than good, in our opinion. Most of those drain cleaners you buy over the counter at the big box stores—they’re not going to do very much for those clogs. The best thing to do is get it snaked—augered out.
Yes, augered out. Okay, question number six: You’ve probably seen your fair share of DIY disasters. What’s a repair a homeowner should never attempt without a licensed plumber?
I would say anything to do with gas, Trevor. Definitely anything to do with gas—if you don’t test it properly, if you don’t air test it and then leak test it, you can get a leak on gas. It’s always a safety issue for us. That’s huge—it can cause fire, explosion, bad things.
Exactly. Okay, there you have it: never attempt to do your own gas lines. There’s special training you have to go through, and you must be certified to work with gas. A lot of people might think hooking up a barbecue is quick and simple, but then you hook it up and that barbecue can catch fire. Be careful in a bad way.
Is High Water Pressure Ever a Problem?
All right. Let’s talk water pressure. Some people love it strong, but when does high water pressure become a serious problem?
So in the city, mostly the water pressure is pretty constant—you don’t usually have to worry about it. I think a lot of big misconceptions are water pressure versus water flow. What that means is that when you turn on too many fixtures in your home, or you have some debris in your pipes or in your faucets or shower cartridges, that can build up over time and create less water flow. The pressure is actually still the same, even though it doesn’t seem like it—it’s actually just a flow issue.
Now, if the pressure seems too high, is that even a thing that occurs in the city of Edmonton? Too high of water pressure usually happens in the downtown area or the lower parts of Edmonton—the Rossdale and Rosslyn areas. We have seen on a couple of different types of supply lines that some faucets can blow off. We saw that in the last two years—we had a call for a couple of those. It doesn’t happen often, but it did. Just be careful, and that’s why you call a licensed plumber to make sure everything’s installed correctly to manufacturer specifications.
Do You Really Need a Plumbing Inspection?
There you have it. Now, question number eight: How often should homeowners in Edmonton have their plumbing system inspected and what does that typically involve?
So, plumbing inspection—we can come in and make sure all your valves are working, especially that main water shut‐off valve by your water meter. That’s the most important one in your home. If you don’t exercise your valves regularly—say, once a year or twice a year—you can get buildup from water hardness and they’ll freeze stiff.
Even though you have them under your sink, behind all your fixtures, and by your hot water tank, they’re not really going to work after a few years if you don’t exercise them. We’ll come in, shut them all off and on a few times to exercise them. We’ll check all your fill valves in your toilets, make sure the cartridges and aerators are all cleaned out, and ensure your entire drainage system is working properly.
Is a Spike in Your Water Bill a Problem?
Question nine: If a homeowner suddenly notices a spike in their water bill, what steps should they take before calling a plumber?
If you notice a spike in your water bill, we do get calls for this once in a while. Oftentimes it’ll be a toilet where the water is bypassing the flapper or it’s constantly filling up, and then the toilet actually just naturally flushes itself. They call it a “ghost flush.” That’s the biggest thing you can check. Basically, shut off all the water fixtures in your home—make sure your dishwasher or laundry isn’t running; make sure your sprinkler isn’t running; even turn down the temperature on your furnace so it shuts down momentarily, because that can run your humidifier, which takes water.
Once all those things are shut down, go down to your water meter—usually located near your hot water tank—and just make sure that the needle isn’t spinning anymore or the gauge isn’t going up on your water meter. If it is continually moving and everything is shut down in your home, then you know you have a water leak somewhere. Quite often, it’s a humidifier valve or a toilet.
Yeah, there you go. Those are the culprits to look out for.
All right. I think this is the last question: What’s one small habit every homeowner could adopt today that would extend the life of their plumbing system?
That’s a good question. I just mentioned the valves—I would think exercising your valves is a big one. Those shut‐off valves are important: if you ever have a leak, you can isolate that water so you don’t get further water damage. If you don’t exercise them at least once or twice a year, they can freeze up and harden on you, and then they’re pretty useless. Then you have to shut off your main water and call a plumber.
When You Need a Plumber, Call The Experts at Watermen Mechanical
Exactly. All right, awesome. Thanks so much for sharing all that information with us. Again, guys, if you are in need of a plumber, look to Waterman Mechanical. They are a local Edmonton plumbing and mechanical company, and they’re happy to serve. You’ll talk to this guy over here; he’ll come and give you a fair quote.
That’s right—we have excellent customer service and a quick response time.
Awesome. We’ll see you guys on the next video. Thanks very much!