Some Hopefully Helpful Plumbing Tips

[Hostile]

Every now and then I get asked for some repair tips because of my business. Plumbers are ultra expensive and many of the plumbing repairs in your house can be done without you calling one. I thought I'd share a few tips with you in the hope that it may save some of you some wallet stuffing.

First of all let me talk about garbage disposals. The simplest appliance in your house is also the simplest to fix. It is even simple to replace if you have to.

Okay, so lets say your disposal is clogged up. On the bottom of the disposal there is an allen bolt right in the middle. In the picture below it is in the raised portion right in the center.

http://remodeling-sanantonio.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Fix-Garbage-Disposal-Reset-Button.jpg (http://remodeling-sanantonio.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Fix-Garbage-Disposal-Reset-Button.jpg)

Place a 1/4" allen wrench in that bolt and spin it all the way around in both directions. If it will not spin one of two things is wrong. There is something jamming the blades to the sides of the disposal or the disposal is shot.

If it is jammed, you will need a flashlight to look into the disposal around the edges and something with a sharp point to pry whatever is stuck out from between and then something to grab that foreign object and get it out of the disposal.

Hardest ting I ever had to remove from a disposal...aquarium rocks. They are small and wedge perfectly in the sides. Don't clean your aquarium on the disposal side of your kitchen sink.

Once it spins push that red reset button.

That's it. It takes 15 seconds as long as nothing is jammed and a plumber will charge you a minimum of $65.00 to do that. If there is a jam he's going to add 25 to 50 bucks.

If you need to replace the disposal it is easy to do as well. There is only one pipe connected to it and it is cinched in place by 2 screws. Remove the screws then take a hammer and slightly tap the mounting ring attached to the drain. It takes no more than 10 minutes for a complete amateur to remove an old, bad disposal. Tap right to left to take it off.

Place the new disposal in place to the drain and tap the mounting ring to cinch it on the drain. Get it good and tight. Tap left to right to put it on the drain. Attach the drain with the two new screws and plug it in.

You should be able to change a disposal in 25 minutes max and that is if you have never done it before. Cost to change the disposal from a plumber will likely be $150 on top of the cost of the disposal and he can do it in 10 minutes or less if he already has the new disposal. If you have to change one out, 1/3 horsepower is more than enough.

If you have questions, please ask.



EDIT...I forgot one thing. Here's a great tip for your disposals. Get an ice tray. I recommend one that is a different color from your normal ones if you still use ice trays. Fill it with vinegar. Red or white, it doesn't matter. Put it in the freezer. This is why I say pick a different tray color. You wouldn't want vinegar ice in your Coke. Turn on the cold water and turn on your disposal. Throw 3 vinegar ice cubes in it and let the blades chew it up. The ice will sharpen the blades and clean the disposal. The vinegar will disinfect it and deodorize it.

[Hostile]

A word about plungers. These are worthless.

http://coolexcooling.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/cup_plunger.jpg (http://coolexcooling.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/cup_plunger.jpg)

If you have one throw it away and get one of the black ones with the extra bell like this.

http://coolexcooling.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/flange_plunger.jpg (http://coolexcooling.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/flange_plunger.jpg)


Here's a great tip for plunging any drain. Tip the plunger sideways and get as much water in the bell as you can. Plunging it with water pushes harder than just air.

If you are plunging a kitchen sink seal one side of the sink with a drain and hold it in place. Plunge the other side several times. If you do not seal the other side of the sink, when you push down on the plunger the dirty water and gunk clogging your sink will come out of that drain and make a wonderful mess for you.

The more tight you can get that drain the harder the plunger will push the clog.

If you are plunging a bathroom sink place a rag over the drain hole in the side of the sink. Same principle as the other drain, you will spray gunk all over if that drain is not plugged off.

In a bathtub use a rag to cover the overflow drain and plunge as mentioned before.

Plunging a toilet just do it slower because that stuff is nasty.

[CowboyDan]

Great tips, thanks! Keep them coming!

[DMOB]

Cool, thanks for sharing.

[Hostile]

Okay, so the plunger did not work. What next?

In the sinks the next thing to do would be to get a bucket and a channel lock pliers. Put the bucket under the trap pipe under the sink. The ooks like this.

http://www.curbly.com/uploads/photos/0000/0001/0920/ptrap-hookedup_large.jpg

Take that trap off and dump the residue inside it into the bucket. Wash it out real good outside if need be.

Here is a really cheap tool that is handy for clearing clogs.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41YNGTP4VPL._SL500_AA300_.jpg


You can find those for under 10 bucks at almost any hardware store. The way it works takes 2 people though. One to hold the hose and one to turn on the water. Attach that device to the garden hose and push that device as far as you can into the drain.

The middle of that device is a balloon and the water fills it up and it seals all around the sides of the drain. Once that seals the water jets out of the front of that nozzle through 2 small holes. It acts like a water jet to completely unclog and clean your drain. Wonderful, simple little device actually.

It even works in toilets. Oh yeah, when working in or around the toilet always wear disposable rubber gloves.

[Hostile]

Okay, so lets say the plunger did not work in your toilet and you do not have the hose balloon or another person to help you. A closet auger is not that expensive a tool to have in your shed.

http://www.silverbulletplumbing.com/Portals/44630/images/closet-toilet-auger.jpg (http://www.silverbulletplumbing.com/Portals/44630/images/closet-toilet-auger.jpg)


These are fairly simply to use. Wear rubber gloves. Nasty stuff on the ends of these.

Unhook the auger line and pull it through the handle. That auger end will be resting up against the orange part that is curved and the handle with the auger will be about 3 to 4 feet above where it is shown in this picture.

Place the auger end in the drain of the toilet and start augering. You turn the auger clockwise.

Here is what a toilet drain looks like.

http://www.freediyhomeimprovement.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Toilet-Plumbing-Diagram.jpg (http://www.freediyhomeimprovement.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Toilet-Plumbing-Diagram.jpg)


Do you see that area in the water at the bottom of the arrow where it says water seal? That represents the hole you see as the drain in your toilet. 95% of clogs in your toilet are from that point to where the trapway drops down. The other 5% are usually in that bend by the word Weir.

So you rarely need to auger very far at all to clear these clogs.

A plumber will charge you up to 100 bucks for this. The tool will cost you maybe 25 bucks and it can be used dozens of times.

Store it in a shed away from your house. Nasty stuff.

[StanleySpadowski]

You forgot the most basic tip of all......wear a well-fitting pair of pants and a belt.....



Picture not included due to decency.

[Hostile]

Bath tub drains are much harder, but not impossible. 95% of the time hair is what is clogging your tub drain. Many of you might have seen the commercials for this tool.

http://images.drillspot.com/pimages/1403/140303_300.jpg (http://images.drillspot.com/pimages/1403/140303_300.jpg)

Believe it or not, that stupid thing works and is less than 5 bucks.

Push that down your tub drain and twist it around a few times. Now pull it out. Prepare to be grossed out.

Remember your rubber gloves.

These do work in sinks but not toilets. They are not nearly as effective in sinks as tubs though.

[Hostile]

You forgot the most basic tip of all......wear a well-fitting pair of pants and a belt.....



Picture not included due to decency.He is right. Plumber butt crack is indecent and unpleasant.

[ethiostar]

Thanks for the tips.

[Hostile]

Okay, I've covered clogs about as much as we should. Lets move on to other common issues that are easy to solve.

First let's talk about a toilet that does not flush all the way. Or takes 3 flushes to get everything down.

Chances are this toilet is either very old, or you live in a place that has very hard calcium in your water.

Under the rim of the toilet there are dozens of little holes called jets. If you hold a mirror under the rim you will see them.

Here's how a toilet actually works. I am putting the diagram I posted above back.

[/URL][URL="http://www.freediyhomeimprovement.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Toilet-Plumbing-Diagram.jpg"]http://www.freediyhomeimprovement.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Toilet-Plumbing-Diagram.jpg (http://www.freediyhomeimprovement.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Toilet-Plumbing-Diagram.jpg)


You see water in 2 different areas in this picture. The bowl and the tank. Notice the level of the water in the bowl. Once it rises the water will fall down the back of the drain. This is a flush.

So when you flush the toilet what you do is open the drain in the bottom of the tank and the water fills that area called the inlet and it encircles that rim. The water from the tank raises the water level in the bowl and pushes the water over that trapway and down the drain.

If the holes in the rim of the toilet don't let the water through well enough then it does not flush well. If you hold the mirror below that rim and see the jets they should be free of white calcium deposits and obstructions. If those holes are the least bit occluded or blocked, you have an ineffective toilet flush. The water doesn't hit the bowl hard and fast enough to push the water in the bowl and its contents over the trapway.

You know those chlorine tablets that you put in the tank to keep the bowl clean? They often contribute to clogging those jets. So if your toilet is not flushing well, you need to clean those jets out.

The thorough way to do it is scrubbing and cleaning them completely out. This is also time consuming and unpleasant. I recommend you regularly put some CLR in the tank of your toilet.

http://product.expotv.com/1/5/9/159250_150x150.jpg


This stuff eats away calcium that clogs those jets. Pour some in the bowl and use your toilet brush to scrub up underneath the rim as well as pouring some in the tank.

With every flush it will clean those jets a little more each time. If you keep those jets clog free that toilet can last 100 years.

If the jets are too clogged to unclog, you may need a new toilet. I hope not.

[Hostile]

If your toilet continually runs you waste a lot of water. More gallons per day than many folks can even fathom. Money down the drain. There are really only 2 main causes of this.

1. A bad flapper valve.

2. The overflow tube is overflowing.

These two things are connected. Here is what the assembly looks like. There are sometimes slight variations in this look, but for the most part these are all basically the same.

http://www.allproducts.com/manufacture100/haichen/product3.jpg

The flapper is the black rubber valve that shuts off that drain.

The most common cause of a continually running toilet is the degradation of that flapper valve. It lets water down the drain and that causes the tank to constantly fill up.

They are so easy to fix. Most of them simply slip over the arms on the side of the tube. Some snap on those arms. Unhook the chain and the old one is out. Place the new one over those arms and hook up the chain.

The other reason for constantly running toilet is the overflow valve is overflowing. This is real easy to spot. When you take the tank lid off the water level in the tank is over the top of that valve tube. 9 times out of 10 this means your float device is faulty.

The float is designed to shut the water to the tank off when the water level reaches the proper height. If the water rises past this height then the float isn't working. It is really just that simple.

There are two types of common floats, the ball and the slide.

Here is a ball float.

http://www.toiletmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/toilet-float.jpg

These are often "fixed" by bending that metal arm a little more to shut the water off faster. Right where the arm attaches to the float there is also a screw. Tightening that screw has the same effect. If this doesn't work then the float is faulty.

Here is a common slide float.

http://www.wikihow.com/images/c/cc/Toilet-float-clip-detail.JPG

It slides up the pole and the metal arm shuts off the valve at the top.


If the float is bad and needs to be replaced it is not too hard. First turn off the water to the toilet. Next flush the toilet to get as much of the water as you can out of the tank. This cannot be emphasized enough. Hold the flush valve open and let the water drain out as much as you can.

Next remove the fill hose from the bottom of the valve under the toilet tank. I recommend a small bucket or pan be ready. Take off the plastic nut holding the valve to the tank. I recommend you push down on the valve to keep it sealed for as long as you can. Place the pan or bucket under that valve and remove it. Water is going to come out and fast. The less you have to mop the better.

Next simply replace the new valve and put it all back together tightening plastic nut to the bottom of the tank snugly to ensure a seal, and the fill hose to the bottom of the valve to ensure a seal there.

There is only once last thing as it pertain to slide valves. They have a black hose you can see coming off of it and it attaches to the overflow valve. Some of them slide down into the overflow valve. If they do slide into that valve the end of the hose should be kept above the level of the water in the tank. If it isn't it can act like a siphon and waste water for you. Many of the slide floats now have a clip that slips onto the top of the overflow valve to prevent this.

[Hostile]

I should mention that if any of you have specific questions about this stuff to please ask. Also, if anyone has tips to add, please do.

I'll try and add some more tips later.

[KJJ]

Plunging a toilet just do it slower because that stuff is nasty.

A buddy of mine struggled for 2 days trying to unclog his toilet and couldn't do it. He had no idea what was clogging it so he had to call a plumber.

I asked him if he found out what the problem was and he said he's not exactly sure but heard the plumber mention something about a log bass. :o:

[Wimbo]

OK, I got one for you. We are the 2nd owners of our house. One of the showers in our house is a separate, 'standing room only' shower (no tub) It is finished with tile from the floor to about 7' up the wall. It appears that when the installers grouted the tile, they tried to rinse the mud down the drain... there is buildup all around the inside of the drain that resembles limestone... it goes down into the drain pipe as far as I can reach. It make the drain opening smaller than it should be. As a result, the drain clogs up often with hair. I have an auger that attaches to my power drill which clears the hair,but doesn't do anything for the build up. Any suggestions to deal with this issue?

[Hostile]

Okay, thought I'd tackle a new one.

Every now and then when someone is taking a shower there is way too much water still coming out of the spout. Waste of water.

Most showers that are also in tubs have 3 handles. Hot and Cold water and a center handle called a Diverter.

The Diverter is exactly that, a device that diverts water one way or the other. Almost all of them have a screw assembly in the middle of them that force the valve open, or closed.

Here is what a common diverter valve looks like.

http://prudencecorp.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/37.10011330_std.jpg

On the right do you see the white plastic washer? That is what is causing your water to flow down the spout so much while taking a shower.

It is about 15 cents. The whole valve is under 12 bucks.

The trick is to get to that piece.

The first step is to take off the handle. Really old handles will be almost welded on and could break off the tip. If this happens the whole valve needs to be replaced.

Once the handle is off you should see a white plastic thread piece that is covering the shaft of that valve. There is often a silver piece called an escutcheon threaded onto that piece.

It will look like some variation of this.

http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/039166/039166056958lg.jpg

Remove that piece and now you see the exposed diverter valve. Back on the valve picture from left going right you see a threaded nut screwing into the valve housing. This is called a Packing nut. If you ever see water coming out of the middle of one of these valves all you have to do is tighten that packing nut and it should shut it off.

The valve assembly where that packing nut screws into has a place for a wrench or a socket. You see this area right before a second set of threads. If you cannot get a wrench on that area you will need a plumbing socket. They look like this.

http://evergreen-rentals.com/images/Plumbing%20Sockets.jpg

That whole set is about 10 bucks.

Place that socket on the valve and remove the valve from the wall. Really not hard at all.

Once the valve is removed put the handle back on the shaft of the valve and turn it. It will begin to extend out the back of the valve. Take it all the way out. Slide the new plastic washer on and put the shaft back in all the way until it is flush like the picture above shows.

Now use the socket and put the valve back in and then re-assemble your handle.

The whole process if you have the parts should only take you about a half hour as an amateur. If you have to buy the tools and the valve both you still are going to pay less than 30 bucks.

A plumber will charge you at least 75 bucks to do this and you can't keep his tools.

If you have the tools or don't need them and only need to replace that washer. It'll cost you a quarter and the gas money for your trip to the store.

[Hostile]

OK, I got one for you. We are the 2nd owners of our house. One of the showers in our house is a separate, 'standing room only' shower (no tub) It is finished with tile from the floor to about 7' up the wall. It appears that when the installers grouted the tile, they tried to rinse the mud down the drain... there is buildup all around the inside of the drain that resembles limestone... it goes down into the drain pipe as far as I can reach. It make the drain opening smaller than it should be. As a result, the drain clogs up often with hair. I have an auger that attaches to my power drill which clears the hair,but doesn't do anything for the build up. Any suggestions to deal with this issue?Oh that sucks.

You might try that balloon thing I showed above. Perhaps it can power jet that drain clean. The only other solution is a plumber with a scrape auger to clear that crap off, or remove the drain and chisel what you can out with a long flat head screwdriver.

If you feel compelled to send me some pictures of the problem and let me see if I can suggest anything else.

[Hostile]

A buddy of mine struggled for 2 days trying to unclog his toilet and couldn't do it. He had no idea what was clogging it so he had to call a plumber.

I asked him if he found out what the problem was and he said he's not exactly sure but heard the plumber mention something about a log bass. :o:That is slang for a very hard turd. Most likely someone was extremely constipated and finally went. It was basically hard as a log.

[Hostile]

Okay, here's a real simple one that anyone can do.

On a faucet at the end of the spout is a thing called an aerator. They look like this.

http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00FvfQnYVoZgbj/Faucet-Aerator-1001-1002-1003-1004-1005-.jpg

If your water pressure from your faucets is really horrible it could mean the aerator has given up the ghost.

Take a pair of pliers and remove the aerator. Turn on the water. It should come out of the now open faucet really fast.

Simply take the old aerator to the hardware store and buy the correct replacement one. Should be more than 2 bucks at most.

Problem solved.

[KJJ]

That is slang for a very hard turd. Most likely someone was extremely constipated and finally went. It was basically hard as a log.

As soon as I heard the word "log" I knew what it was and suggested either he or someone in his family add more fiber to their diet.

[Hostile]

Drips are different than leaks. A drip is coming out of a spout. A leak is coming out of a pipe.

You may ask, what about if the water coming out of the spout is steady? That is a steady drip or stream. It is still technically not a leak.

So let's say you have water under your sink coming out of the pipes. That is a leak. You have water spraying inside your wall from a ruptured pipe. That is a leak. You have water bubbling up from underground. That is a leak.

Leaks are repaired differently than drips. Leaks required pipes or connections to be repaired. Leaks probably require a plumber.

Any drip can fix a drip with the right tools and parts.

Let me start with an outdoor hose bib. They look like something like this.

http://www.indemandplumbing.com/Pictures/Hose%20Bibs%20Spigots.jpg


This is a typical gate valve hose bib. I hate them, but they work and that is the point.

This particular model has threads that attach it to a pipe that feeds the water. Some may be soldered on.

The first step in any drip repair is to shut off the water. You can do this at the water meter. Often there are shut off valves around the plumbing.

A hose bib like this can really only leak because of one reason. The packing is shot. You see the nut at the top of the valve under the handle? That is a packing nut. Remove it and the whole valve assembly comes right out.

Take that to the hardware store and they will show you the correct packing.

You know how people remove handles, lose them and start turning hose bibs off and on with pliers until they look like hell? You can actually replace that whole valve once you have it out. Simply take it to the store and ask for help.

Once you have the valve and new packing back in the hose bib, turn the water back on. Drip stopped.

Suppose you want to do yourself a really big favor and replace that hose bib with a good one that is worth your money. This is what you want.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41vCcIUcZrL._SL500_AA160_.gif

That is a ball valve hose bib. They never leak. They never die. They're under 10 bucks. When that handle is in that position, inline with the flow of the water, it is 100% open. Turn it 90 degrees and the water is 100% off.

You can look at it and know if it is on or off. There is no question. Did I mention they never leak?

To replace those hose bibs does require some knowledge and effort. You usually need a pipe wrench, a pair of channel locks, and some teflon tape or pipe dope.

The tape or dope is to seal the threads. Your biggest trick is to thread these on properly and tight enough but not too tight. Some need to be soldered on. I am not going to coach you through that in this thread. I can teach people how to solder but by showing, not by typing an explanation.

If you own your home and love it, 1/4 turn ball valves are a must. For every hose bib, water heater valve, or angle stop in your house, they are worth the price.

[Hostile]

Since I brought up outdoor hose bibs first I felt it a good time to offer this advice. Any exposed pipe should have a proper insulation on it in the winter. It is simple foam that you can buy at any hardware store and slip it over the pipes. Keep them from freezing.

Another important trick is to let a faucet somewhere in the house drip a little to keep the water moving. Harder to freeze if it is not sitting still. I had someone tell me one time that they could not stand that idea because they hate wasting water.

Simple, get a 5 gallon bucket, put it under the bath tub spout, let it drip all night. Use the water to water the plants or the animals. No waste.

[Dallas]

I need a good plumber. I want them to come replace all of my faucets in my bathroom w/ new ones I bought.

I hate doing that stuff, because I always mess it up. To bad I can't trade my computer knowledge and time for some Plumbers knowledge and time.

Hrmmm

I also purchased the wrong faucet for my sink in the bathroom. I got a 2 handle faucet and I guess your supposed to stick w/ the single handle fauce that's on it? Why can't I just use the double?

Questions questions questions.

[Hostile]

I need a good plumber. I want them to come replace all of my faucets in my bathroom w/ new ones I bought.

I hate doing that stuff, because I always mess it up. To bad I can't trade my computer knowledge and time for some Plumbers knowledge and time.

Hrmmm

I also purchased the wrong faucet for my sink in the bathroom. I got a 2 handle faucet and I guess your supposed to stick w/ the single handle fauce that's on it? Why can't I just use the double?

Questions questions questions.The only way you can't use the faucet is if the holes do not line up.

For example, if you have a specialty faucet like this.

http://www.unitedfaucets.com/images/Bathroom-Faucets.jpg

It could mean the holes cut in the sink are spaces for only specialty faucets.

As long as the holes are standard, any faucet can be added, even specialty ones like that.

[tupperware]

Hostile do you have a blog?

[Yeagermeister]

You can thank me for being the motivation for this thread. :laugh2:

[Hostile]

You can thank me for being the motivation for this thread. :laugh2:
He is telling the truth. The point is to be able to look up an answer in case I am not online. I hope to cover enough simple plumbing things to help someone. If it helps even one person I will be quite happy.

[Hostile]

Hostile do you have a blog?For handyman or construction stuff? No. Not sure I want one either. Can I ask why?

[tupperware]

For handyman or construction stuff? No. Not sure I want one either. Can I ask why?
Dunno you always have a lot of stories and useful information. Seems to me with which the frequency you always have something useful or interesting to talk about you'd have a blog with frequent viewers that extend outside the Cowboy fan base.

[peplaw06]

Last time I did a round of laundry there was backflow in my hall bathroom (tub and toilet) and in my master bath (shower)... And now the shower in my master bath is slow to drain. Any suggestions?

Edit: I should add that my washing machine is on the opposite end of the house from the bathrooms... Not sure if that helps or not, but thought I'd throw it in there.

[Wimbo]

Drips are different than leaks. A drip is coming out of a spout. A leak is coming out of a pipe.



I thought drips came out of Philly?

[Chief]

Drips are different than leaks. A drip is coming out of a spout. A leak is coming out of a pipe.

You may ask, what about if the water coming out of the spout is steady? That is a steady drip or stream. It is still technically not a leak.

So let's say you have water under your sink coming out of the pipes. That is a leak. You have water spraying inside your wall from a ruptured pipe. That is a leak. You have water bubbling up from underground. That is a leak.

Leaks are repaired differently than drips. Leaks required pipes or connections to be repaired. Leaks probably require a plumber.

Any drip can fix a drip with the right tools and parts.

Let me start with an outdoor hose bib. They look like something like this.

http://www.indemandplumbing.com/Pictures/Hose%20Bibs%20Spigots.jpg


This is a typical gate valve hose bib. I hate them, but they work and that is the point.

This particular model has threads that attach it to a pipe that feeds the water. Some may be soldered on.

The first step in any drip repair is to shut off the water. You can do this at the water meter. Often there are shut off valves around the plumbing.

A hose bib like this can really only leak because of one reason. The packing is shot. You see the nut at the top of the valve under the handle? That is a packing nut. Remove it and the whole valve assembly comes right out.

Take that to the hardware store and they will show you the correct packing.

You know how people remove handles, lose them and start turning hose bibs off and on with pliers until they look like hell? You can actually replace that whole valve once you have it out. Simply take it to the store and ask for help.

Once you have the valve and new packing back in the hose bib, turn the water back on. Drip stopped.

Suppose you want to do yourself a really big favor and replace that hose bib with a good one that is worth your money. This is what you want.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41vCcIUcZrL._SL500_AA160_.gif

That is a ball valve hose bib. They never leak. They never die. They're under 10 bucks. When that handle is in that position, inline with the flow of the water, it is 100% open. Turn it 90 degrees and the water is 100% off.

You can look at it and know if it is on or off. There is no question. Did I mention they never leak?

To replace those hose bibs does require some knowledge and effort. You usually need a pipe wrench, a pair of channel locks, and some teflon tape or pipe dope.

The tape or dope is to seal the threads. Your biggest trick is to thread these on properly and tight enough but not too tight. Some need to be soldered on. I am not going to coach you through that in this thread. I can teach people how to solder but by showing, not by typing an explanation.

If you own your home and love it, 1/4 turn ball valves are a must. For every hose bib, water heater valve, or angle stop in your house, they are worth the price.

This.

Next time you're in Las Cruces, come by and do this for me. I'll pay you back with all you can eat at My Brother's Place.

[Hostile]

Last time I did a round of laundry there was backflow in my hall bathroom (tub and toilet) and in my master bath (shower)... And now the shower in my master bath is slow to drain. Any suggestions?

Edit: I should add that my washing machine is on the opposite end of the house from the bathrooms... Not sure if that helps or not, but thought I'd throw it in there.Let me ask a follow up question before I answer. Does your house have a crawl space underneath it? Or is it directly on the foundation on the ground?

[Hostile]

This.

Next time you're in Las Cruces, come by and do this for me. I'll pay you back with all you can eat at My Brother's Place.Hey, it's a deal. Just let me know if I need to bring my torch if they are soldered. My cousin is moving back to Cruces and I may help him move and unpack. If so, I can do it then before I head back home.

[Hostile]

I thought drips came out of Philly?Those are log bases.

[Faerluna]

Last time I did a round of laundry there was backflow in my hall bathroom (tub and toilet) and in my master bath (shower)... And now the shower in my master bath is slow to drain. Any suggestions?

Edit: I should add that my washing machine is on the opposite end of the house from the bathrooms... Not sure if that helps or not, but thought I'd throw it in there.

We had a slow sink in the master bath and I used that Liquid Plumber foaming pipe snake. Cleared the drain right up. Might just be soap/hair buildup along with whatever else was in the laundry water.

[peplaw06]

Let me ask a follow up question before I answer. Does your house have a crawl space underneath it? Or is it directly on the foundation on the ground?Crawl space.... for most of the house. There's an add-on that's on a slab, but no plumbing in those rooms.

[Hostile]

Crawl space.... for most of the house. There's an add-on that's on a slab, but no plumbing in those rooms.Okay, there are three possible problems that I can think of.

The first one would be that once the plumbing leaves your crawl space it hits ceramic sewer lines that have been invaded by roots. Old ceramic lines had bells that were bigger to allow the connections to be put together using a shovel. The problem was these bells eventually attract roots and the roots find the water and basically invade the line.

Today's black ABS sewer lines are the only way to go and at some point it is possible you may need to dig up the old lines and replace them.

The second possible problem is that a sewer line under the house is sagging in the middle. This would cause a build up of material in the sag. Then once the laundry water hits that area it would back fill until it exits the plumbing you mentioned. I strongly believe this one will be your problem because in crawl space plumbing the fact that the laundry room is so far away from your bathroom that is affected is really irrelevant since the actual sewer line might be closer to the affected bathroom and is coming a long way to find the first possible exit.

The fix is to crawl under the house and get the sag out by bracing underneath the pipe. Once water flow is returned to normal the problem should end.

The last potential problem is similar to the one above. It could be that there is no sag and that there's just something in the sewer line that is catching stuff.

Once again I refer to the balloon device I posted earlier. That thing can work as a hydro-jet for the sewer line. If you have a clean out drain handy in a wall or outside simply take the cap off and shove the hose with the balloon in and turn it on. Let it run for about 20 to 30 minutes and with a little luck it will completely clean your drain lines.

[Hostile]

I'll tell you guys a semi funny plumbing story. Plumbing has vents. You've all seen pipes sticking up out of roofs. These are plumbing vents. These allow the sewer gases to escape so that your house doesn't reek. You want to play a joke on a friend? Go plug up the sewer lines on his roof. In a couple of days he will be cursing like a sailor at the smell in his house.

So I used to have this lady who was a regular customer. She took some advice I offered one time and had dual cooling installed on her house. She already had air conditioning and I said she could save some money adding swamp cooling for when that is sufficient. So she did.

Immediately she said there was something dead in the swamp cooler and it was stinking up her house. Then she said it smelled like crap. I knew exactly what it was and told her to call the cooler people back and have them fix the vent. They put the swamp cooler too close to the vent so it was sucking the sewer gases into her house.

She said that was not the problem and she was sure something had died and could I please come get it out.

I grabbed some ABS pipe and some glue and the sports section of the USA Today. I climbed on her roof and sure enough the vent pipe was 2 feet away from the swamp cooler. I stuck a piece of ABS and a coupler on it to extend it so the gases couldn't get in, sat down and read the football news, charged her 50 bucks for my trip across town and 2 minutes of work.

She was delighted and swore I was a genius.

[Hostile]

Okay, last one unless I get asked for anything.

Drips in sinks and bathtubs.

Every faucet or shower assembly has moving parts that allow the water to flow where it is supposed to and to turn off and on. Each manufacturer is slightly different.

Inside any faucet or shower assembly there are rubber parts. Rubber makes a great seal. Tear in the rubber means weak seal which means a drip.

Let's talk first about the kitchen faucet. Let's say you see water around the base of the spout. This is actually a leak. Remember, a drip is in a spout, a leak is in a pipe. The spout is a pipe. Kitchen faucets have movable spouts so you can fill up either side of a sink. Those movable spouts have a rubber O-ring.

Take a pair of channel locks and remove the spout cinch ring. Now wiggle the spout and it will come out of the well. The O-ring will either be worn or missing. If it if missing it may be down in the well. If you cannot find it no big deal. Take the spout to the hardware store instead of the O-ring. They should be able to match it correctly quite easily.

Now if the water is coming out of the spout this is a drip. This is caused by one of three things. It can even be multiple things.

This is a stem...

http://www.fdsons.com/images/5150198.jpg

This particular one is for a shower. This is one for a faucet...

http://images.orgill.com/200x200/9834128.jpg

On the bottom of all stems are rubber washers. On many, like the tub one above, there is a phillips screw holding it in place. If these washer show any indentation at all they are worn and will begin to drip.

You can replace the entire stem for under 10 bucks most of the time. Or you can replace that washer for a few cents and usually that is enough. If the stem is worn out, replace it. If it looks fairly good, replace the washer.

Now, often there is a piece that wears out these washers that is inside the faucet or the shower assembly. These are called seats.

http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/039166/039166038138xl.jpg

I picked a large picture so you can see the seats.

Notice the square hole in the middle. This is for a special "seat wrench." Looks like this.

http://www.fdsons.com/images/plumbing/s5/5318175.JPG

Or you can get a fancy one with a ratchet wrench. Even the fancy ones are under 15 bucks.

Simply put the seat wrench into the seat and remove it. You might see where it is pitted. This is causing much bigger leaks.

Put the new seat in with the wrench and replace the stem with the new washer and the drip is fixed.

One point about some single lever shower controls. Many of these, particularly Delta brands require you to buy a repair kit. They are very cheap and come with instructions. Replace all of the moving parts with new parts from the kit. It is really very easy to do.

One last reminder from a previous tip. On the shower stem shown above there is a nut at the base of the stem. This is the packing nut. If you see water coming out of your shower handle it means that but is loose.

[DallasCowpoke]

You want to play a joke on a friend? Go plug up the sewer lines on his roof. In a couple of days he will be cursing like a sailor at the smell in his house.

:eek:

I'm sure your "friends" will be ROFL once they get the build-up of toxic sewer gasses and bacteria out of their drywall, carpet, drapes and lungs.

[Hostile]

:eek:

I'm sure your "friends" will be ROFL once they get the build-up of toxic sewer gasses and bacteria out of their drywall, carpet, drapes and lungs.A practical joke never reaches toxic levels, but thank you for your usual over reaction to anything I say.

[peplaw06]

Thanks for the help Hos...

One of my best friend's dad is a plumber and had done some work for me when I moved into my house. When I noticed this problem, I had called him to see if his dad would come out. When I posted last night, I was beginning to think I was going to have to do something on my own. Well today he came out.

He ran the plumbing snake down the main access in the back yard and sure enough, roots came out. We made sure the lines were clear from the inside. We had to plunge some pretty nasty stuff from the drain in the hall bathtub. It's only been used a handful of times since I've lived here, so the prior owners didn't take good care of it. The laundry seems to be working fine now.

But if something else pops up, I'll be sure to go look in the crawl space. Thanks again.

[Hostile]

Thanks for the help Hos...

One of my best friend's dad is a plumber and had done some work for me when I moved into my house. When I noticed this problem, I had called him to see if his dad would come out. When I posted last night, I was beginning to think I was going to have to do something on my own. Well today he came out.

He ran the plumbing snake down the main access in the back yard and sure enough, roots came out. We made sure the lines were clear from the inside. We had to plunge some pretty nasty stuff from the drain in the hall bathtub. It's only been used a handful of times since I've lived here, so the prior owners didn't take good care of it. The laundry seems to be working fine now.

But if something else pops up, I'll be sure to go look in the crawl space. Thanks again.Those old ceramic drains are notorious for it man. About every 2 to 4 years you may have it happen.

The worst part about those line was that they start at the low end where you tie into the city. So the bell is always at the high end of pipe run. You put the next section into the bell and then use a shovel to push it into the bell. If there was a way to do it opposite and start at the high end it would have so much less problems because the roots don't grow upward.

[hutch1254]

Good stuff Hos. And those ball valve hose bibs are rock solid.

Question: Would there be anything other than the jet holes being clogged or built up with calcium that would keep a toilet from having a more powerful flush? My toilet on the first floor flushes with good power. The two toilets on the second both flush weakly. I would guess you lose some pressure going the extra distance up but the faucets and showers on the second floor have plenty of pressure. I'm going to check out the jet holes like your one post mentioned. Just wondering if there is anything else that would cause a weak flush. Thanks.

[Hostile]

Good stuff Hos. And those ball valve hose bibs are rock solid.

Question: Would there be anything other than the jet holes being clogged or built up with calcium that would keep a toilet from having a more powerful flush? My toilet on the first floor flushes with good power. The two toilets on the second both flush weakly. I would guess you lose some pressure going the extra distance up but the faucets and showers on the second floor have plenty of pressure. I'm going to check out the jet holes like your one post mentioned. Just wondering if there is anything else that would cause a weak flush. Thanks.The force of the toilet flush is from the water in the tank and how fast it gets into the bowl. So as long as the toilets upstairs have enough water in the tank, it shouldn't matter.

Here's an experiment anyone can do. Fill a bucket with water and pour it into the bowl. It can be a 5 gallon bucket which is more water than the bowl can hold. It should go down quite easily. If it doesn't, it could mean the toilet is slightly clogged.

As long as that water hits the bowl fairly forcefully it should flush fully. The clogged jets are the #1 reason why it might not.

[Sam I Am]

Here's an experiment anyone can do. Fill a bucket with water and pour it into the bowl. It can be a 5 gallon bucket which is more water than the bowl can hold. It should go down quite easily. If it doesn't, it could mean the toilet is slightly clogged.


My brother visited his ex-wife's family in Mexico once. He said when he went into the bathroom he couldn't figure out why there was a big bucket of water sitting next to the toilet. When he finished and the toilet didn't flush he freaked out. Needless to say, he had to call his wife into the bathroom and she had to instruct him how to use the bucket of water. :laugh2:

[KJJ]

Those are log bases.


I assume you meant log basses? :p:

[casmith07]

What a great thread. This should be a sticky at the least, and compiled into a PDF at most. I'd be willing to put it in a PDF for you, Hos...you could charge $5 a pop for it and make a little bit of money for charity.

[notherbob]

Hos -

I have a question. What is a better way to seal water pipe threads from leaking, teflon tape or a pipe thread sealant? Any recommended sealant?

Our water system has been down for several weeks due to burst pipes and our pump froze and broke - our heat went out due to power failures. There has been so many similar cases from Santa Fe to Atlanta that pipes and pumps have been very hard to find because all stores were sold out. I finally got the supplies I need to repair it but leaks at the joints are now a problem.

[Sam I Am]

Hos -

I have a question. What is a better way to seal water pipe threads from leaking, teflon tape or a pipe thread sealant? Any recommended sealant?

Our water system has been down for several weeks due to burst pipes and our pump froze and broke - our heat went out due to power failures. There has been so many similar cases from Santa Fe to Atlanta that pipes and pumps have been very hard to find because all stores were sold out. I finally got the supplies I need to repair it but leaks at the joints are now a problem.

I'm sure Hos has his own view, but I'm on the pipe thread sealant bandwagon. I find tape quality can come into question at times and you also want to make sure you use the correct tape.

[Hostile]

Hos -

I have a question. What is a better way to seal water pipe threads from leaking, teflon tape or a pipe thread sealant? Any recommended sealant?

Our water system has been down for several weeks due to burst pipes and our pump froze and broke - our heat went out due to power failures. There has been so many similar cases from Santa Fe to Atlanta that pipes and pumps have been very hard to find because all stores were sold out. I finally got the supplies I need to repair it but leaks at the joints are now a problem.I like the pipe dope stuff better. You can brush it all around the threads and when it hardens it not only creates a seal, it strengthens the threads.

There are measures you can do to prevent pipes bursting from freezing. Bury them deep, insulate them, and in a severe freeze keep a little water moving through the pipes.

I recommend putting a bucket under the farthest plumbing fixture in the house and letting the water drip into it. Use that water for irrigation if necessary.

Sorry you're going through all that.

On insulating the pipes. Don't scrimp. It is worth the extra pay to do it Tim Taylor "More Power" style.

[Hostile]

Question, would anyone want a similar thread for any of these subjects?

Electrical repairs
Drywall repairs
door repairs
lock repairs

Or do you have a subject you want me to address? I have a lot of home repair experience.

In fact, let me share one that everyone should know.

Have you ever had a wooden piece of furniture that the screw holes got reamed out and the screws no longer fit? So you go get wider and wider screws. You usually see this with particle board furniture more than real wood.

There is a very simple repair and it keeps the original screws.

Take some Elmer's glue (their wood glue is outstanding) and put a squirt of it in the holes. Then take some wooden matches and stick it in the hole and break it off inside the hole. Now go ahead and screw the screw back in. This gives the screw "new wood" to seal to and makes it strong as brand new.

Costs pennies.

[hutch1254]

I'd be interested in any of those topics.

My dad is a really handy guy. He's put on multiple additions and built a house from scratch, but I never paid attention to that stuff growing up. Was always out playing football, hockey or baseball with my friends.

I regret it now and I'm slowly but surely finding my way in the repair/handyman world.

I stripped down the engine on my lawnmower completely last year and fixed it after it had a broken carb pipe. I am not the handiest person. I never thought I could do that but when I did it was my proudest amateur handyman moment ever. Runs like a champ now. Only problem I have now is that my wife thinks I can fix anything now. Oh Lord what have I done?

[Sam I Am]

Question, would anyone want a similar thread for any of these subjects?

Electrical repairs
Drywall repairs
door repairs
lock repairs

Or do you have a subject you want me to address? I have a lot of home repair experience.

In fact, let me share one that everyone should know.

Have you ever had a wooden piece of furniture that the screw holes got reamed out and the screws no longer fit? So you go get wider and wider screws. You usually see this with particle board furniture more than real wood.

There is a very simple repair and it keeps the original screws.

Take some Elmer's glue (their wood glue is outstanding) and put a squirt of it in the holes. Then take some wooden matches and stick it in the hole and break it off inside the hole. Now go ahead and screw the screw back in. This gives the screw "new wood" to seal to and makes it strong as brand new.

Costs pennies.

Actually, I have some bedding tape starting to peel off in the shower (where the wall and ceiling meet) I know a little about it, but if you have some tips to make it easier, I'm all ears.

[Hostile]

Actually, I have some bedding tape starting to peel off in the shower (where the wall and ceiling meet) I know a little about it, but if you have some tips to make it easier, I'm all ears.By bedding tape do you mean the drywall tape? Just want to make sure before I answer.

[Hostile]

I'd be interested in any of those topics.

My dad is a really handy guy. He's put on multiple additions and built a house from scratch, but I never paid attention to that stuff growing up. Was always out playing football, hockey or baseball with my friends.

I regret it now and I'm slowly but surely finding my way in the repair/handyman world.

I stripped down the engine on my lawnmower completely last year and fixed it after it had a broken carb pipe. I am not the handiest person. I never thought I could do that but when I did it was my proudest amateur handyman moment ever. Runs like a champ now. Only problem I have now is that my wife thinks I can fix anything now. Oh Lord what have I done?Around the house, I can fix anything. But you do not want me touching your car, motorcycle or anything with an engine. It will die a gruesome death. My brother David on the other hand, is an amazing mechanic. He and some friends want to start a Chopper shop here in Tucson called White Buffalo Choppers. The inspiration for the name is an onyx white buffalo he carved for me as a gift and Ted Nugent's song "Great White Buffalo."

[Sam I Am]

By bedding tape do you mean the drywall tape? Just want to make sure before I answer.

Yep. Drywall taping and bedding.

[Hostile]

Yep. Drywall taping and bedding.Okay, are you wanting to remove it and replace it, or cover over it and make it look nice?

Is the wall textured or smooth?

[KJJ]

Okay, last one unless I get asked for anything.

Drips in sinks and bathtubs.

Every faucet or shower assembly has moving parts that allow the water to flow where it is supposed to and to turn off and on. Each manufacturer is slightly different.

Inside any faucet or shower assembly there are rubber parts. Rubber makes a great seal. Tear in the rubber means weak seal which means a drip.

Let's talk first about the kitchen faucet. Let's say you see water around the base of the spout. This is actually a leak. Remember, a drip is in a spout, a leak is in a pipe. The spout is a pipe. Kitchen faucets have movable spouts so you can fill up either side of a sink. Those movable spouts have a rubber O-ring.

Take a pair of channel locks and remove the spout cinch ring. Now wiggle the spout and it will come out of the well. The O-ring will either be worn or missing. If it if missing it may be down in the well. If you cannot find it no big deal. Take the spout to the hardware store instead of the O-ring. They should be able to match it correctly quite easily.

Now if the water is coming out of the spout this is a drip. This is caused by one of three things. It can even be multiple things.

This is a stem...

http://www.fdsons.com/images/5150198.jpg

This particular one is for a shower. This is one for a faucet...

http://images.orgill.com/200x200/9834128.jpg

On the bottom of all stems are rubber washers. On many, like the tub one above, there is a phillips screw holding it in place. If these washer show any indentation at all they are worn and will begin to drip.

You can replace the entire stem for under 10 bucks most of the time. Or you can replace that washer for a few cents and usually that is enough. If the stem is worn out, replace it. If it looks fairly good, replace the washer.

Now, often there is a piece that wears out these washers that is inside the faucet or the shower assembly. These are called seats.

http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/039166/039166038138xl.jpg

I picked a large picture so you can see the seats.

Notice the square hole in the middle. This is for a special "seat wrench." Looks like this.

http://www.fdsons.com/images/plumbing/s5/5318175.JPG

Or you can get a fancy one with a ratchet wrench. Even the fancy ones are under 15 bucks.

Simply put the seat wrench into the seat and remove it. You might see where it is pitted. This is causing much bigger leaks.

Put the new seat in with the wrench and replace the stem with the new washer and the drip is fixed.

One point about some single lever shower controls. Many of these, particularly Delta brands require you to buy a repair kit. They are very cheap and come with instructions. Replace all of the moving parts with new parts from the kit. It is really very easy to do.

One last reminder from a previous tip. On the shower stem shown above there is a nut at the base of the stem. This is the packing nut. If you see water coming out of your shower handle it means that but is loose.

A cousin of mine's shower head was dripping. He said it started off as a drip and gradually got worse to where a small stream of water was pouring from his shower head.

He told me his power bill was increasing every month and he couldn't figure out why. He said his bill was almost double the amount he normally pays per month.

He lives in a condo so he doesn't pay a water bill and was stumped as to what was causing his utility bill to gradually skyrocket. I went over and discovered the water that was streaming out of his shower head was hot.

He was unaware that his water heater was heating the water which is why his power bill kept going up. :rolleyes: It felt like a steam room in his bathroom from the water that was being heated 24/7.

He had a plumber come up and he pulled out that long stem thing you posted and inserted another one. It was a simple fix you just need a certain tool to extract that stem and simply insert a new one.

[MetalHead]

Sticky this thread.
I worked as a plumber helper back in 89.
Learned some things that have saved me lots of cash.

[notherbob]

Hos - Thanks for the tips.

[Hostile]

A cousin of mine's shower head was dripping. He said it started off as a drip and gradually got worse to where a small stream of water was pouring from his shower head.

He told me his power bill was increasing every month and he couldn't figure out why. He said his bill was almost double the amount he normally pays per month.

He lives in a condo so he doesn't pay a water bill and was stumped as to what was causing his utility bill to gradually skyrocket. I went over and discovered the water that was streaming out of his shower head was hot.

He was unaware that his water heater was heating the water which is why his power bill kept going up. :rolleyes: It felt like a steam room in his bathroom from the water that was being heated 24/7.

He had a plumber come up and he pulled out that long stem thing you posted and inserted another one. It was a simple fix you just need a certain tool to extract that stem and simply insert a new one.I bet the plumber charged him over 100 bucks for a 15 dollar repair. Am I right?

[tupperware]

Hostile I want a guide on building a PC :)

http://advancedlifeskills.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/head-scratcher.jpg

[KJJ]

I bet the plumber charged him over 100 bucks for a 15 dollar repair. Am I right?


The first thing I had him do was turn off his hot water heater so his power bill wouldn't keep going up.

Then I told him to call around and explain the problem to see if a plumber would give him an estimate over the phone because most plumbers charge a pretty steep service fee if they come over and you turn them away.

The first plumber he called estimated it would cost about $200. :rolleyes: So naturally he kept shopping around and found a plumber who told him it was a simple fix that he could do himself.

He said he may even be able to locate a video on Youtube that shows how to do it.

He told him the part is $35 and could be found at Home Depot. He said for him to do it, it would cost an additional $60 for the labor.

My cousin not being very handy decided to have the plumber do it because he would have also had to purchase the tool to extract that stem.

Plumbers can be like mechanics just looking for ways to overcharge people especially if you live in a nice home in a wealthy area.

I don't care how much money someone makes no one wants to be screwed.

[Hostile]

The first thing I had him do was turn off his hot water heater so his power bill wouldn't keep going up.

Then I told him to call around and explain the problem to see if a plumber would give him an estimate over the phone because most plumbers charge a pretty steep service fee if they come over and you turn them away.

The first plumber he called estimated it would cost about $200. :rolleyes: So naturally he kept shopping around and found a plumber who told him it was a simple fix that he could do himself.

He said he may even be able to locate a video on Youtube that shows how to do it.

He told him the part is $35 and could be found at Home Depot. He said for him to do it, it would cost an additional $60 for the labor.

My cousin not being very handy decided to have the plumber do it because he would have also had to purchase the tool to extract that stem.

Plumbers can be like mechanics just looking for ways to overcharge people especially if you live in a nice home in a wealthy area.

I don't care how much money someone makes no one wants to be screwed.200 dollars?

He would have been loved without lubrication.

[Hostile]

Hostile I want a guide on building a PC :)

http://advancedlifeskills.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/head-scratcher.jpg (http://advancedlifeskills.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/head-scratcher.jpg)I can build one, but I doubt I could explain how to do it without confusing someone to tears.

[Hostile]

Hos - Thanks for the tips.Are the pipes holding?

[tupperware]

I can build one, but I doubt I could explain how to do it without confusing someone to tears.
lol, almost as bad as twitter I assume?

[KJJ]

200 dollars?

He would have been loved without lubrication.

The plumber that was going to charge him $200 was from a big plumbing company. The one that did the work was part of a family owned business with his 2 sons.

Family businesses are the best because they want to build a good reputation so they can get take business away from the big companies. A lot of their business comes from word of mouth.

[rash]

Hos is DA MAN

[ChldsPlay]

I got one.

How about a floor drain in the basement that has water come up through it when the sink (and subsuquently the dishwasher) is used upstairs in the kitchen.

Taking a shower or doing laundry doesn't cause any problems, just the water from the kitchen.

This is an old house (like 65 years).

[Hostile]

I got one.

How about a floor drain in the basement that has water come up through it when the sink (and subsuquently the dishwasher) is used upstairs in the kitchen.

Taking a shower or doing laundry doesn't cause any problems, just the water from the kitchen.

This is an old house (like 65 years).Same as the one earlier, this is most likely roots in your sewer line. So what happens is the roots partially block the egress of the water and it finds the lowest point to exit. His started in a bathtub, yours the basement drain.

[Sam I Am]

Okay, are you wanting to remove it and replace it, or cover over it and make it look nice?

Is the wall textured or smooth?

Sorry for the delay Hos.

It's smooth. I prefer to fix it right, so if removing and replacing is the best way to do it. I've actually done some taping and bedding before, but I did it by reading off the net. Not always the best way to learn, but it worked. It will already have to be repainted.

I noticed a small crack where the cathedral ceiling comes together in my family room too. That, I probably won't be replacing all the tape. (it's not peeling, just cracked)

[notherbob]

Are the pipes holding?

Yes! Finally. I had to use a combination of the two in order to stop the leaks completely so the pipes should be easier to repair in the future.

We get our water from the creek about 1000' away and so we have one pump in a small well insulated trunk-like box down by the creek to pump water up into a 1200 gallon overhead tank behind the ranch house and a second pump to provide pressure in the 7' x 7' cinder block building the tank sets on. We were able to keep the creek pump safe with long burning votive candles during the power failure but the candles in the drafty building blew out in the high winds overnight and everything froze and burst when the temp dropped to 7 F and stayed in the teens for several days.

We had been hauling water from the creek for almost four weeks.

Thanks again.

Life is good.

[Sam I Am]

Yes! Finally. I had to use a combination of the two in order to stop the leaks completely so the pipes should be easier to repair in the future.

We get our water from the creek about 1000' away and so we have one pump in a small well insulated trunk-like box down by the creek to pump water up into a 1200 gallon overhead tank behind the ranch house and a second pump to provide pressure in the 7' x 7' cinder block building the tank sets on. We were able to keep the creek pump safe with long burning votive candles during the power failure but the candles in the drafty building blew out in the high winds overnight and everything froze and burst when the temp dropped to 7 F and stayed in the teens for several days.

We had been hauling water from the creek for almost four weeks.

Thanks again.

Life is good.

Congrats on getting it fixed Bob.

[hipfake08]

Okay, thought I'd tackle a new one.

Every now and then when someone is taking a shower there is way too much water still coming out of the spout. Waste of water.

Most showers that are also in tubs have 3 handles. Hot and Cold water and a center handle called a Diverter.

Here is what a common diverter valve looks like.

http://prudencecorp.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/37.10011330_std.jpg

If you have the tools or don't need them and only need to replace that washer. It'll cost you a quarter and the gas money for your trip to the store.

My problem is the reverse side of this. The part that the rubber gasket seats into it messed up.
as you would know as you look at it it os a circular top - should be smooth but mine is not.
Middle is square. I tried to use the allen key to try and remove and replace but it seems lockec into place. and is behind the wall and the pipes are holding it in place in the assembly.

Any trick to getting the screw in part out??? to replace it? without killing the pipes?

[Hostile]

Sorry for the delay Hos.

It's smooth. I prefer to fix it right, so if removing and replacing is the best way to do it. I've actually done some taping and bedding before, but I did it by reading off the net. Not always the best way to learn, but it worked. It will already have to be repainted.

I noticed a small crack where the cathedral ceiling comes together in my family room too. That, I probably won't be replacing all the tape. (it's not peeling, just cracked)Okay, there's two kinds of tape, smooth and ribbed. You need the smooth. You will notice it has a line in the middle, this is the bend point.

To start with you want to get all the old tape off and scrap the area smooth. No big bumps. Fold the tape in half and dip it in some water. The bathroom sink is great for this. Just a quick dip.

Put the tape in place half on the wall and half on the ceiling. The water will allow it to stick up there in place.

Now on your drywall mud I recommend the Light or blue box of mud. Scoop some into your mud pan and then add a little water and start mixing it with the taping knife. You want it to be just thicker than a pancake batter.

I like wide taping knives. Get some on the tip of the knife and start applying to the tape in a smooth downward press. Do the same for the ceiling. You want to get mud to cover the tape and be thin on the wall. It takes a little time to feather it all together but it is not hard to do.

Let it dry for 24 hours. Sand the edges smooth and paint. If you feather the mud right there shouldn't be any sign at all that there was a patch applied.

[Hostile]

Yes! Finally. I had to use a combination of the two in order to stop the leaks completely so the pipes should be easier to repair in the future.

We get our water from the creek about 1000' away and so we have one pump in a small well insulated trunk-like box down by the creek to pump water up into a 1200 gallon overhead tank behind the ranch house and a second pump to provide pressure in the 7' x 7' cinder block building the tank sets on. We were able to keep the creek pump safe with long burning votive candles during the power failure but the candles in the drafty building blew out in the high winds overnight and everything froze and burst when the temp dropped to 7 F and stayed in the teens for several days.

We had been hauling water from the creek for almost four weeks.

Thanks again.

Life is good.Do you have the pipes wrapped? You could even wrap them in burlap and it should help a little. A guy I used to work for took old inner tubes and bailing wire and wrapped every joint. He'd stretch that inner tube and then cinch it down with bailing wire. Then he'd wrap the pipes in burlap. It wasn't much for pretty but it was sure stout.

[Hostile]

My problem is the reverse side of this. The part that the rubber gasket seats into it messed up.
as you would know as you look at it it os a circular top - should be smooth but mine is not.
Middle is square. I tried to use the allen key to try and remove and replace but it seems lockec into place. and is behind the wall and the pipes are holding it in place in the assembly.

Any trick to getting the screw in part out??? to replace it? without killing the pipes?Yes, in post #40 (http://cowboyszone.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3854873&postcount=40) of this thread I talked about changing the seats. There's a special tool you can buy that has the square end to get inside that seat. It does not cost much. A few bucks at any Ace or True Value.

Very easy to change once you have that tool.

[ChldsPlay]

Same as the one earlier, this is most likely roots in your sewer line. So what happens is the roots partially block the egress of the water and it finds the lowest point to exit. His started in a bathtub, yours the basement drain.

So what kind of tool would I use? I tried a snake thing I have and came back with nothing.

Is there a reason that only the kitchen would cause the leak and not the bathroom or laundry?

Some more info, this started after a healthy amount of oil was poured down the kitchen sink (I know this is something not to do, but someone got in a hurry getting ready for the Superbowl). There's also a few tube shape clumps that apparently came up the floor drain as well, like clogged material that was pushed through. It's still clogged though.

[hipfake08]

Yes, in post #40 (http://cowboyszone.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3854873&postcount=40) of this thread I talked about changing the seats. There's a special tool you can buy that has the square end to get inside that seat. It does not cost much. A few bucks at any Ace or True Value.

Very easy to change once you have that tool.

I have the tool but the piece does not want to move.
Any suggestions to help loosen the parts?

[Hostile]

I have the tool but the piece does not want to move.
Any suggestions to help loosen the parts?Is it spinning inside it as if stripped, or too stiff?

[Hostile]

So what kind of tool would I use? I tried a snake thing I have and came back with nothing.

Is there a reason that only the kitchen would cause the leak and not the bathroom or laundry?

Some more info, this started after a healthy amount of oil was poured down the kitchen sink (I know this is something not to do, but someone got in a hurry getting ready for the Superbowl). There's also a few tube shape clumps that apparently came up the floor drain as well, like clogged material that was pushed through. It's still clogged though.This is another instance of where that balloon tool might solve this for you. If you can take the plate off the floor drain in the basement and get it into that line it could blast through the clog for you. It sounds to me like the oil congealed. If that doesn't work you need a plumber with an industrial snake.

[Yeagermeister]

My shower is running water after turning off the water again. It looks like I'll be replacing the valve, lack of a better term, again. It was only a couple of yrs ago when I last replaced it. I need to get out of my house before the darn thing just comes falling down on top of us. lol

[Sam I Am]

My shower is running water after turning off the water again. It looks like I'll be replacing the valve, lack of a better term, again. It was only a couple of yrs ago when I last replaced it. I need to get out of my house before the darn thing just comes falling down on top of us. lol

The problem is probably where you are parking it. :muttley:

[Yeagermeister]

The problem is probably where you are parking it. :muttley:

Nah we took the wheels off of it a long time ago and built on to it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/Yeagermeister/redneckresort.jpg

[Hostile]

My shower is running water after turning off the water again. It looks like I'll be replacing the valve, lack of a better term, again. It was only a couple of yrs ago when I last replaced it. I need to get out of my house before the darn thing just comes falling down on top of us. lolWasher and seat is all you need to change most likely. Getting 2 years out of it isn't bad.

[hipfake08]

Is it spinning inside it as if stripped, or too stiff?

Too stiff. I feel like if I keep moving the too it will break or the pipes will dislodge.

[Hostile]

Too stiff. I feel like if I keep moving the too it will break or the pipes will dislodge.Spray it with some WD-40 and instead of applying a lot of force, tap the seat wrench with a hammer to get it moving.

I doubt you could break the pipes applying pressure though.

[5Stars]

The problem that I have with water is pressure. When I take a shower (or anyone else for that matter). if someone flushess a tiolet or turns on the kitchen sink water, I get a loss of either hot or cold water while in the shower!

The pressure is fine until someone else uses water at the same time!

[Hostile]

The problem that I have with water is pressure. When I take a shower (or anyone else for that matter). if someone flushess a tiolet or turns on the kitchen sink water, I get a loss of either hot or cold water while in the shower!

The pressure is fine until someone else uses water at the same time!That is due to old pipes. Most likely cast iron. The only way to fix that is upgrade the pipes.

[5Stars]

That is due to old pipes. Most likely cast iron. The only way to fix that is upgrade the pipes.


My house was built in 1993. I think they are all copper. I watched it get built from the ground up.

And, if they are old pipes, how would someone upgrade them without tearing the whole house apart?

[hipfake08]

Spray it with some WD-40 and instead of applying a lot of force, tap the seat wrench with a hammer to get it moving.

I doubt you could break the pipes applying pressure though.

Got it - Thanks.

[Hostile]

My house was built in 1993. I think they are all copper. I watched it get built from the ground up.

And, if they are old pipes, how would someone upgrade them without tearing the whole house apart?If they are copper it shouldn't be doing that unless the pipes are too small. I can't believe that would have passed inspection.

Is the gate valve at your meter all the way open?