ShareThisBy ED DEL GRANDE
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Q: Ed, plumbing may be "too narrow a subject" for home improvement questions, how many topics can you possibly cover before you run out of information?
A: That question was asked by a friend when I started working on a national television show and writing a syndicated newspaper column at the same time. The question came up because the subject for both the TV show and the newspaper column was exclusively on the topic of plumbing!
If you're a plumber you know that the question asked would bring a sly smile to your face. And that's just what I did with my friend _ I smiled and politely said, We'll see what happens.
The reason a plumber would smile is that anyone who has spent decades in the business knows that a plumbing system is one of the most complex and important systems in any building. Just about every area in a home or office space depends on something that is plumbing-related. The topics that can be covered, and the questions that homeowners have about their plumbing systems are just about endless. I discovered this over the years because no matter where I went or what the event was, as soon as people found out that I was a Master Plumber the evening turned into a question-and-answer session.
This reached a pinnacle earlier on the "Today Show." I was nervously waiting to go on the air live when a member of the crew stopped me and asked question about his water heater problem. It really happens anywhere and everywhere.
I'm happy to say that I solved his problem and went on to do a fun live interview in the plaza in front of the studio concerning winter freeze-ups.
To get back to the original question, even though I could not answer it back then to my friends satisfaction, I can now confidently say that 100 newspaper columns and 52 television shows later, we have shown just how vast the topic of plumbing can be. And we're still here as a result of the support of and questions from loyal readers and fellow plumbing fans like you.
Literally, hundreds of questions and comments come in each month that keep this column going. Some are funny, like the guy went to the kitchen and copped his wife's measuring cups to figure out how much water his toilet bowl holds. Others are heartbreaking. One that broke my heart was a letter from a Gulf Coast resident who lost everything in hurricane Katrina except for the cement slab his house had sat on. His question was on how he could fix the slab so he could start rebuilding his plumbing system.
Many professional plumbers also read this column and often write in to comment about a question. I have learned a lot from my fellow tradesman; most plumbers have their own little tricks or solutions to a problem and I enjoy seeing their enthusiasm in sharing their secrets with everyone.
Whether you're a homeowner, renter, plumber or even a cranky know-it-all who disagrees with everything, please keep the e-mails and letters pouring in and I'll do my best to continue providing straightforward tips without watering down the plumbing information! Thanks. Sincerely, Ed Del Grande
(Master Plumber Ed Del Grande hosts Ed The Plumber on DIY Network and Contractor stories on HGTVpro.com. Always follow local codes. Visit Ed at eddelgrande.com and send questions to: edtheplumber(at)diynetwork.com.)
