Some modern plumbing and sewage system designs enable installation without having to cut through concrete flooring. One example is Saniflo's system which macerates solid waste with high-speed cutting blades in a small chamber behind the toilet so the waste water can be easily conducted out of the room without need for the usual large-gauge sewer pipes. Installing this system is as easy-all you need is to connect to existing pipes to drain wastewater effectively.

This is an example of above-floor plumbing, where the system is installed without burying pipes and other plumbing systems several feet underground. A typical plumber in Port Coquitlam suggests this set-up, mostly because it's cost-friendly and easier to build. But there's another reason for its wide use: most plumbers view cutting through concrete as inappropriate for plumbing jobs.

Some plumbers still install below-floor plumbing; but they take note the "red flags" of engaging in such an activity. As much as possible, they stick to above-floor plumbing when adding an entirely new bathroom to an existing house. They usually choose to cut through concrete as a last resort-if the plumbing job really calls for it. Why?

Peek-a-boo

Many plumbers cannot be sure about what lies beyond a concrete slab when they cut through it. It could be soil, bedrock, or even a room on a lower floor. If it were the third, it will be difficult for the plumber to install new plumbing.

Adding new sewage lines is not advisable in multistory buildings. Instead, plumbers install a soil stack outside the building. The soil stack is a long pipe installed at the side of the house adjacent to the bathroom that drains waste from the toilet to the septic tank. For sinks, tubs, and showers, a smaller pipe called a waste stack can be installed.

High risk of seepage

Even with perfect cuts, cutting through concrete may bring unwanted problems like water and gas seepage. Leaks could spring up all over the place. A New Westminster plumber working for Milani says the repair costs for such problems could be high.

Noise and dust

Cutting through concrete requires heavy machinery that generates a lot of noise and dust during operation. Aside from the hefty cost of such a service (ranging from a few hundred to a thousand dollars per square foot), concrete dust doesn't go away easily.

 

Plumbing-it's a job not for everyone, and certainly not for the faint of heart (or weak of stomach). Between dealing with leaky faucets and clogged drains, a plumber could also be called upon in matters of the lavatory. The subject of dealing with human waste is sure to sap the wills of lesser men, but certainly not the plumbers. One has to hold some special reverence for these brave men for merely handling the refuse of others, figuratively and literally.

Canada seems a likely place for plumbing disasters just waiting to happen. The country is home to many people who live large, having jobs and lifestyles that involve large meals, and do everything else, including their personal hygiene activities, in correspondingly large fashion. It's the job of Vancouver plumbing companies to make sure that the fixtures and plumbing in their homes are up to the task.

A toilet backing up is just about any homeowner's nightmare. It's practically the (twice) dead coming back to life, except that this malodorous situation is far from being imaginary, and therefore much worse than the smell of your average zombie. Such plumbing problems occur often in densely populated urban spaces, such as Vancouver. Plumbers called upon to solve this putrid problem have to work expeditiously to reduce the time the residents have to endure the unpleasantness associated with this situation, and prevent the problem from spreading.

But attending to human waste isn't the only thing a Vancouver plumber has to contend with. He also has to deal with the typical plumber problems of leaky pipes, rusted water tanks, inefficient water systems, and so on. Real-life plumbers certainly put Nintendo's Mario to shame with the amount of waste they have to put up with on a regular basis.

Plumbers, especially those in colder areas, are also tasked with heater-related issues during the winter months. Residents in such areas need to be fastidious with heater maintenance, unless they are prepared to suffer cold baths and frozen piping. Plumbing companies in Canada, such as Milani, repair such systems if they fail, and are prepared to recommend systems that better suit a home's needs.

Plumbing-it's not a job for everyone, and it involves some unsavory tasks. But no matter where you live, you don't have to work on the plumbing yourself. Brave souls have dedicated their lives to this profession.