The Avoles family has been in the plumbing business for more than 70 years and during that time they have seen and installed various brands and types of faucets. There are established manufacturing companies that have been around for a long time and there also are many newer companies introducing new faucets to the public. […]
Freezing Pipes: Keep your pipes safe in Minnesota winters
Each year, St Paul Pipeworks receives a call to a house where the metal water pipes have frozen in the house during the winter. These “freeze and break” situations occur when there isn’t enough heat in the house or when there is cold air blowing directly on the pipe and the water inside of the […]
When To Replace A Concrete Laundry Tub: Ask A Plumber
St Paul Pipeworks plumbers are called often to replace outdated laundry tubs. The tubs are most commonly located in the basement of the home. Up until around 1960, these laundry tubs were made of concrete and were very substantial and heavy-duty. In those days, concrete laundry tubs were much less costly. Over many years though, […]
What’s the difference between a Drum Trap and a P-Trap? Ask A Plumber
Up until around 1950, almost every bathtub had something called a drum trap installed beneath it. A drum trap is different than the typical P-trap that is seen under most fixtures today. The modern P-trap is named that because if you turn it on its side, it is shaped like the letter “P”. Drum traps […]
What is a Bidet? Ask A Plumber
What is a Bidet, exactly? Bidets are plumbing fixtures that are not as well known or installed as often in bathrooms in the United States. In a way, bidets are a bit of a luxury because they are installed next to the toilet and allow the user to wash the private areas of the body […]
What’s the difference between an Apprentice, a Journeyman, and a Master Plumber?
The plumbing industry and other construction trades use designations to determine the skill level of employees. Much like the designation titles that were used coming out of the Renaissance, the titles that we are familiar with today are Apprentice, Journeyman, and Master. Let’s explore the difference between these different classifications of plumbers. Apprentices are plumbers […]