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Stephanie Robins, owner of Robins Plumbing features titled blog "hardware-store-no-nos"

Hardware Store No-No’s

January 23, 2024

Just because the hardware store sells it doesn’t mean it should be used

image of lone p-trap

Hardware stores certainly have their place for those do-it yourself folks. I get it. I am a do-it yourselfer too! But just because hardware stores sell it, doesn’t mean you should use it. It also doesn’t guarantee that it will even be up to plumbing code.

Handyman or DIY repairs are commonly found during home inspections. The bad thing is if it’s caught on a home inspection it’s most likely out of code. This picture of the corrugated drain to the right is sold at all of the major hardware stores. In theory they can seem like a great idea for homeowners and handymen. It seems like the logical thing to use to repair drain lines under kitchen and bathroom sinks. But guess what? This drain line is out of code, and for good reason. The installation of this drain line does makes it easier. For the person looking to not have to worry about measuring and cutting and getting everything connected it’s just right. But to those unknowing, this drain hose is sure to cause you issues in the future. All of those crevices are bad news. Those crevices are storage areas for all the nasty stuff that goes down your drain. It isn’t long before that nasty stuff stuck in those crevices creates pungent odor that fills the room and you can’t quite determine where it is coming from or what it is.

This corrugated drain line is also a common factor in stoppages. Without smooth sides for debris and water to smoothly discharge into your plumbing branch line stoppages are a frequent and costly occurrence with these types of drain pipes.

I can’t say why hardware stores sell items that are out of code or that will only create more problems in the future, but they do. Don’t not use a corrugated drain line in your home. You will only end up doing the project twice. In the long run this will only cost you more money than having a professional plumber do it right the first time.

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