Is your plumbing GREEN?

Environmental (GREEN) solutions are all the rage these days.

However, there is a different kind of GREEN that you should be familiar with....

The GREEN sticker from the City of Edmonton Plumbing Inspector.


Why is this important?

If you are creating a new bathroom or moving a fixture (toilet, sink, tub) to another location a plumbing permit is required.  One way to know that you have a "real" plumber doing the job for you is his/her ability to get a City of Edmonton Plumbing Permit.  If they cannot obtain a plumbing permit then they are either not a real plumber or real business.  The permit process (which is governed by the aptly named "Safety Codes Act of Alberta') is there to protect you, the home owner, from overtly dangerous conditions that could arise.  It is also there to protect the water and sewage system as a whole.

The GREEN "pass" sticker (in Edmonton - I am not sure about how they pass plumbing in other jurisdictions) is a visible indication that the plumber/plumbing business, which you have engaged to do the work, has at least passed the minimum standards laid out in the Plumbing Code of Canada (and Alberta).
In other words, your plumber is NOT a quack.  It is too bad they don't have this for other professions.


Thank you,

Jay Bortnik
Journeyman Jay Plumbing
780-266-3939

City of Edmonton AGAINST Kitchen Garburator

We were in our local Rona store (We shop everywhere for parts - because nobody seems to be a one-stop shop) the other week and I picked up a a booklet from their customer service desk:

Edmonton's Green Home Guide

On page 38 it says,

"Try to avoid using a kitchen garburator, since it consumes energy and water every time you flip the switch.  Putting food waste down the sink increases the load on city sewage systems and treatment plants....."

www.edmonton.ca/greenbuilding

I couldn't agree more.

A couple of nights ago we were unclogging a kitchen sink drain that was attached to this kitchen garburator and sure enough it had a tangle of something that should go down the drain.

We are always told not to put too much toilet paper (which disintegrates in water) down the toilet (which is connected to a minimum 3 inch diameter pipe). However, everybody seems to think it is normal to throw garbage down the kitchen sink drain (which is usually only 1.5 inch diameter pipe). Sounds irrational to me. But then again I just made money unclogging a kitchen sink drain which had "garbage" in it. I know some of you will say that you have never had a problem, but one day someone is going to put something they shouldn't down the garburator.

So if you want to remove your kitchen garburator, we would be glad to re-pipe your drainage under your kitchen sink (for a fee, of course).


Thank you,


Jay Bortnik
Journeyman Jay Plumbing
Serving NORTH Edmonton
780-266-3939