How do I shut off the water to my house? Like most plumbing companies, especially with winters in Minneapolis and St Paul, this is a common emergency plumbing question we help our customers with at St Paul Pipeworks. There are two basic types of valves around the water meter or water heater. The first is […]
My Toilet is Clogged! What Should I Do? Ask a Plumber
What to do if your toilet is clogged What most people do not know is that the waterway on the inside of a toilet is shaped like a sideways “S” so it has a winding path with many twists and turns. It is a fairly small passageway and the less expensive the toilet, the smaller […]
My Sewer is Backing Up – Help! – Ask a Plumber
Why does my sewer keep backing up? An individual fixture in your home can get backed up, or the main sewer line that goes underneath your basement floor can be backed up. If you are having multiple fixtures in your house backing up at the same time, especially backing up down in the basement floor […]
Low Water Pressure? Here’s what’s wrong and how to fix it
There are few things worse than taking a steamy shower, only to be interrupted by a sudden stream of cold, trickling water when a toilet flushes. Having low water pressure can be highly frustrating. From slow dishwashing cycles to showers that feel more like a sprinkle, low water pressure can disrupt the way your home […]
Why do you need plumbing vents? – Ask a Plumber
What are plumbing vents, and why do you need them? In short, to keep the stink out! The plumbing system in your home is designed to remove waste and wastewater efficiently from your house. It has two different systems, a drainage system and a vent system, that work together to do so. Every plumbing fixture […]
Converting a bathtub to a walk-in shower? Ask a Plumber
St Paul Pipeworks plumbers are experiencing an increase in calls from customers that want to take out a bathtub and put a walk-in shower in its place. As people age they find it becoming more difficult to get in and out of bathtubs. Another good reason is that in general, most people prefer showering over […]