For questions about the supply and removal of water and liquid waste.
4
votes
1answer
283 views
How far can I move my bath tub trap from the vent?
I am remodeling the master bath and I need to relocate the bath tub. I will be extending the trap about 3-4' from where it is now. I'm wondering if I need to relocate the vent pipe as well. How far ...
4
votes
2answers
2k views
Proper way to attach tapered, threaded connections?
I've been ripping out the PB water line throughout my house and replacing with PEX and a bit of copper piping. However, the few threaded fittings each have very slow leaks.
Above the water tank I ...
4
votes
1answer
2k views
How to fix a bathtub faucet that leaks only when the shower runs?
I just moved into an apartment and the faucet in the tub is fine when all of the water is off. It leaks when I turn on the water and switch it to the shower head. What could be the problem?
It's a ...
4
votes
3answers
650 views
Should I test the water in my house for contamination?
I live in a house that was built in the 1930's. I'm paranoid that the old pipes for hot and cold water(for the kitchen, shower, etc..) are contaminating the water. Is this something I should be ...
4
votes
2answers
6k views
Why is my new hot water heater making a clicking noise?
I have a relatively new water heater (installed by previous owner). I've only been in the house a few months and did not notice this noise until after being there a few weeks. What happens is after ...
4
votes
1answer
510 views
Should I use 1/2“ or 3/4” fixtures for a new shower?
I am having a new shower built along with a new bathroom altogether...
I selected Grohe hardware and wanted to know if I should go with the 1/2" or 3/4" since I will have a rain shower, hand held ...
4
votes
1answer
2k views
How does one know if a well pump is “Short Cycling” or pressure tank is water logged?
Is there any calculation that can be performed to estimate the amount of water a well water pressure tank should output between pump cycles? E.g.- I have a 40 gallon pressure tank (non bladder) with ...
4
votes
1answer
443 views
How should I use a plumber's snake?
How should I use a plumber's snake if my kitchen sink drain got clogged? Are there any suggestions on when this device is applicable and how to use it?
4
votes
1answer
410 views
Can I grind a shallow channel in my basement concrete to correct the height of a shower drain pipe?
Long story short - the people who finished the basement bathroom did so without a permit, and they made full use of the fact that their work wasn't about to be inspected or subject to building codes. ...
4
votes
1answer
162 views
Why is water only coming through the handheld hose?
I have a hose at my kitchen sink, installed alongside the cold water faucet. Every once in awhile when I press the hose trigger, it becomes stuck and will not return to the off position ...
4
votes
1answer
102 views
How can I prevent a faucet retaining nut from freezing to a steel washer?
My real question, after several hours spent removing the old faucet (progressing from tapping the basin wrench with a mallet, to an overnight soak in penetrating oil, to cutting it off with an air ...
4
votes
2answers
778 views
Why does my kitchen faucet suddenly have too much water pressure?
I have a single lever Kohler kitchen faucet. The water comes out with so much pressure that if I am trying to rinse anything it makes water spray everywhere. The faucet has not always done this. Is ...
4
votes
1answer
171 views
How do I turn off this sprinkler valve?
We just purchased our home this summer, so I've never gone through the process of turning off the sprinklers for the winter (we're in Utah, so hard freezes are possible). The stop-and-waste valve is ...
4
votes
3answers
284 views
Is it legal to connect a combi expansion pipe to a drainpipe?
Is it legal to install a combi boiler in a cupboard in a bedroom and connect the expansion pipe to a cast iron drainpipe? The person who has done it ownes one of the four flats in our house. Recently ...
4
votes
1answer
432 views
Do I need to install the grounding clamp on a water softener if both input and output are PEX?
We are installing a Whirlpool water softener in a new home with PEX water lines. The installation manual says to place the supplied ground clamp over both inlet and outlet water lines. As I mentioned ...
4
votes
2answers
826 views
Is it possible to buy just the fins or the copper pipe with fins for baseboard radiator?
I have a project to build and I want to use finned tubing (like in baseboard radiators) but I am unable to find the tubing without buying the enclosure as well.
(This is for a hobby project - I want ...
4
votes
2answers
178 views
How can I replace this unusual kitchen sink drain pipe?
I'm trying to replace a broken 1-1/2 inch L-shaped brass pipe under my kitchen sink, as in this picture:
At one end, it's connected to the sink drain, which if I'm understanding the terminology ...
4
votes
2answers
260 views
Do I need a vent on this emergency drain?
Code allows the use of a wet vent for the bathroom group which in my case is a sink, toilet, and shower drain. About 10-15 feet down stream of this group I have a washing machine drain with its own ...
4
votes
2answers
378 views
Should we install an overhead tank or cistern tank?
We are building our home (a 2-storey house) and a cistern tank was suggested by our architect for aesthetics. We asked around the neighborhood and one person has a cistern and an overhead tank but ...
4
votes
1answer
1k views
Are galvanised steel pipes suitable for supplying hot water?
I am living in an old building where the old galvanized steel pipes are still in use indoors.
Rather than upgrading to copper pipes, can I reuse these galvanized steel pipes for hot water (from a ...
4
votes
3answers
5k views
How tight should threaded brass pipe fittings be?
I'm working with 3/4" brass fittings, which seem pretty robust.
Some plumbing fittings should be only finger-tight. My friend said I should use 2 wrenches to make these as tight as I can, and then ...
4
votes
1answer
593 views
Is there a shower drain pipe in this picture?
I'm certain the 3" pipe on the left is the toilet drain (it is about 12" form the wall and has a rounded cap on it). I'm guessing the shorter 2" capped pipe on the right, up against the wall, is the ...
4
votes
1answer
484 views
Should central heating pipes through internal brickwork have insulation?
My house has old (large diameter) steel central heating pipes. These travel through the basement before passing up through the house. My concern is that when they pass through internal walls they are ...
4
votes
3answers
2k views
What would cause a slight thumping noise in water pipes on toilet and washer?
Everyone once in a while, some of the pipes in our house make some noise, mainly only when you flush a the one toilet, or use the washer. When using the sinks, hoses, or shower, the noise is not ...
4
votes
1answer
289 views
where can I buy a new trim for my bath plughole?
My bath plughole needs replacing. I don't need the whole unit for the overflow. The problem is that when I fill the bath, half the water has drained away within 15mins. I think the plug doesn't fit ...
4
votes
0answers
135 views
What would cause water to flow around the toilet flange where the concrete is? [closed]
My toilet was leaking around the bottom so I assumed that it needed a wax ring. However when I removed the toilet, after emptying the water, I noticed that water keeps coming up around the flange.
...
4
votes
2answers
177 views
Does polybutylene plumbing require lower pressure?
I've just purchased a new home (new to me; the house was built in 1994), and I've noticed that the water pressure is pretty low. Not low enough to be a serious impediment (it passed inspection), but ...
3
votes
3answers
125 views
What should I check for before turning on an OLD dish washer for the first time?
We recently purchased a house with a REALLY old dishwasher. The inspection report says that it "appears to be in working condition" but I'm paranoid of having a plumbing mess if we start using it. ...
3
votes
3answers
994 views
3
votes
1answer
589 views
Why is there green stuff on my heater pipe?
No, really the baseboard heat is made of copper and is constructed of a series of pipes with fins. they look like heat sinks, or dissipation helpers. Well, was cleaning the carpet by the baseboard ...
3
votes
3answers
240 views
What options do I have for quick disconnects for copper/plumbing?
(Related to this question) but I think that may be too specific in that I already had an idea of how to solve the problem - perhaps the better way is to pose the problem and ask for the best ...
3
votes
1answer
114 views
Can you identify this seal?
I have a slow-filling cistern and, having disassembled all the pipes inside I've identified a ripped seal. Assuming that I didn't cause that myself just a moment ago, I'm hopeful that replacing it ...
3
votes
2answers
357 views
Is it wise to cut a long trench in concrete slab foundation?
I've got a two-car garage (4-inch concrete slab on grade) that I'm turning into living space. I want to put a bathroom out there but I need to get plumbing through the floor. I didn't think it was ...
3
votes
2answers
194 views
Which parts of a Moentrol transfer valve need to be exposed?
I am going to be finishing the shower wall over a new Moentrol transfer valve (3320)
This obviously requires penetrations for the two control levers, but it also has three of what appear to be ...
3
votes
1answer
194 views
Cleaning film out of plastic drain pipe
The drain pipe and trap on my bathroom sink are made of plastic, and every four to six months I find that it slows down. When I disassemble it, the pipe walls are coated with maybe 1/8" of disgusting ...
3
votes
3answers
7k views
Why are there bubbles in my bathroom toilet and sink?
I have had a lot of really odd things happen in my bathroom this weekend and I want to make sure it is nothing too serious.
Ok so when I was taking a shower I heard the toilet bubble up. A few ...
3
votes
4answers
716 views
Product recommendations for clearing a drain connected to a septic system?
Our shower drain appears to be clogged and is draining slowly. What product can I use to safely clear the drain without damaging our septic system?
According to Drano's site ...
3
votes
3answers
138 views
Is it a problem that my toilet flange is 3/8" below the surrounding tile?
My tile setter had to elevate the tiles around the toilet hole in order to make up for some unevennesses. As a result, the toilet flange is approx. 3/8" below the surrounding tile. Can that be ...
3
votes
2answers
241 views
How can I add an ice maker water line?
I have the following setup with a T with a valve to an above sink water filter.
The line from the T has one steel braided 3/8” line and goes up to the sink as 3/8”. The other is a thin PVC line ...
3
votes
3answers
452 views
How can I remove this valve?
I am trying to replace the valve connecting the water line to the sink in my bathroom. The piping and sink were installed in 1975. I'm stuck trying to remove the valve under the sink (see picture ...
3
votes
2answers
897 views
How to patch this PVC elbow connection?
I bought a home about 3 months back, and recently discovered a slow leak under a wall in my utility room.
I ended up removing that part of the wall to get to it, and the leak is coming from the feed ...
3
votes
2answers
2k views
Is it safe to use heat tape on a drain line (p-trap)?
Background/Problem:
The p-trap for a drainage line (PVC) from one of my showers happens to be outside the house in an area that isn't protected from the cold/wind (yeah, I know) so when it freezes ...
3
votes
2answers
212 views
How can I avoid marking up a toilet with a toilet auger?
For the sake of this question, assume that:
There is a clogged toilet that cannot be unclogged with a plunger
A toilet auger magically appears in the bathroom
It seems that the auger could leave a ...
3
votes
3answers
2k views
When should pipe dope vs thread tape be used?
For threaded plumbing connections, you typically use pipe dope or thread tape (aka teflon tape). Are there situations when one is preferred over another? Does the size of the pipe, type of pipe, part ...
3
votes
3answers
699 views
Is temporarily reducing the water supply line an option when installing a water softener?
I am installing a water softener in my house. Currently we're getting the water supply from 1" PEX that has a service loop in the garage.
I built my own 1" PVC bypass system for a GE water softener ...
3
votes
3answers
2k views
How do I replace a broken bathtub drain?
I am trying to replace my bathtub drain however the cross bars have broken off so I am unable to unscrew it from the tub.
How can I unscrew it?
EDIT:
This is approximately the product I am trying ...
3
votes
2answers
737 views
How do I fix a leaky spigot on a rain barrel?
I created a rain barrel using an old plastic 55 gallon barrel and a brass spigot. I drilled a half-inch hole in the side of the barrel for the spigot, wrapped some plumbers tape around the threads, ...
3
votes
1answer
639 views
Why is my third floor hot water pressure so low?
The hot water pressure in our 3rd floor shower is very low. The 2nd floor shower however, has very good pressure. The problem is not the shower head, which actually produces great pressure when ...
3
votes
2answers
106 views
Can/Should I Move These Pipes?
I need to fix a broken ball valve (luckily the valve doesn't leak until I turn it on) that runs to an outside faucet. Also, all of these pipes are CPVC.
When I looked at replacing it, they seemed to ...
3
votes
3answers
1k views
How to remove rusted remains of kitchen sink tailpiece?
While taking out an rusted tailpeice it broke and you can see what was left in the pvc pipe.
How can I remove the rest of the tailpiece?
Update: Also how would I know which tailpiece size to replace ...
