Questions tagged [water]

For questions relating to the water system of a home or other building, including plumbing and fixtures, water heating, water filtering and treatment, and irrigation/sprinkler systems. Questions regarding swimming pools and spas should have the additional tags "pool" or "spa".

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139 votes
11 answers
117k views

How to prevent heavy rainwater from jumping the gutter?

During heavy rain, the water collects from my second floor roof and runs onto the first floor roof as it should. The problem is that since all this water is now concentrated from the second floor ...
Ryan's user avatar
  • 1,373
3 votes
5 answers
763 views

How much energy/electricity does a Tankless OR tank-based water heater consume?

Incoming cold water temperature: 11 Celsius (constant for the example). Indoor temperature: 20 Celsius (constant for the example). Let us have two choices: Tank-based water heater solution: has to ...
pintereric's user avatar
17 votes
2 answers
150k views

How do I fix a leaky toilet that only leaks from underneath?

I am noticing some water spots on my concrete in my (unfinished) basement. When I look up for the cause of the water I can see water dripping around the hole that is used for the sewer pipe for the ...
Vaccano's user avatar
  • 425
23 votes
6 answers
559k views

Should a gas water heater be shut down if the water main has to be turned off?

I have a brand new AO Smith 50gal gas water heater. Today there was a burst pipe from the cold spell we're having currently, so I had to turn off the water main to the house until the plumbers get ...
Chris W.'s user avatar
  • 626
23 votes
5 answers
107k views

Why does the shower get cold when I flush, and how can I prevent it?

When the shower is running and someone flushes a toilet, why does the shower get cold (or sometimes hot) in some houses, but not others? More importantly, would fixing that require replacing the ...
BlueRaja - Danny Pflughoeft's user avatar
6 votes
4 answers
116k views

Effect of changing the size of a pipe

I've had a couple questions above the sizing of a pipe, but I'm still a little confused and can't find an easy answer. I'll use this image to get a representation of what I'm looking to have answered....
TFK's user avatar
  • 3,714
5 votes
3 answers
51k views

How can I prevent water from getting behind the gutter?

A friend of mine is having a water problem; the water is coming down behind the gutter. It turns out the drip edge isn't covering up the gutter completely on the one side for a considerable length of ...
Brian Mains's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
478 views

Can I feed water coming from a water softener into a water heater?

I'm trying to decide where to place my water softener. I originally planned to put it in the utility closet where city water comes in, but this plan had a variety of issues. My current plan is to re-...
T.D. Smith's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
2k views

How can I refurbish this cabinet with water damage?

I finally determined the source of the leak (How to start investigating the source of this leak in the bathroom), but now I am stuck with dealing with the water damage. It turns out that the water ...
derNincompoop's user avatar
26 votes
12 answers
224k views

Is it bad to turn off the water while on vacation?

I'm a little OCD when it comes to traveling. I have learned from experience that when I am away, I constantly have visions that a pipe in the wall had burst and that the water is slowly filling the ...
T James's user avatar
  • 377
24 votes
3 answers
9k views

Sudden Sulfur Smell from well water

We recently (about 8 months ago) had a 475 foot well dug drilled on our property. We are building a home slowly and are only just putting in a hot water heater this week, so we know it’s not an issue ...
RTown's user avatar
  • 241
10 votes
5 answers
83k views

Did the plumber hook up my water heater backwards?

I just had a plumber install a new 50 gallon water heater, but the cold water pipe is installed to the hot side (the left pipe when facing the front of the heater) and the hot water pipe is installed ...
James's user avatar
  • 101
10 votes
1 answer
3k views

Bathtub impersonating waterbed?

Just bought a new house - new to me, but it's from '52. My bathtub looks like it's relatively new, and at first use was great. When we recently used it for a bath, however, it felt like there was ...
user112697's user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
31k views

How do I disconnect (and reconnect) the tubing from this fitting?

The plastic tubing supplying filtered water to our refrigerator currently runs below a suspended ceiling. I want to reroute it above. How do I disconnect it without damage from either the union or tee,...
Embry's user avatar
  • 73
6 votes
2 answers
55k views

Connect 1/2" supply line to 3/8" outer diameter faucet line

I bought from Home Depot a Glacier faucet that comes with 3/8 inch O.D. supply tubes. The supply lines from the wall have an outer diameter of 1/2 inches though. How do I connect the two? This seems ...
Dan Dascalescu's user avatar
5 votes
4 answers
11k views

How can I turn off the power to an outlet if a water alarm is triggered?

I'm installing a dishwasher on a second floor, and after having 3x dishwashers leak during their run cycle during my life, I'm understandably hesitant. I will definitely be installing a water alarm. ...
David Pfeffer's user avatar
5 votes
6 answers
63k views

What could be causing my water heater inlet pipe to corrode?

There is corrosion forming on the inlet and TP valve connections to my water heater; the outlet seems to be fine. More specifically, the nipples are what is corroding. I have read the copper pipe ...
Evil Elf's user avatar
  • 3,809
5 votes
3 answers
2k views

Can this water damage be explained by lack of gutters and grading issues?

We are currently midway through a major renovation to an old house. Part of the renovation was digging out a new basement and adding a new foundation around it. The basement has a ceiling height of ...
flyingL123's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
35k views

Water Still Dripping From Sink Even After Cut Off Valve Off

I want to change the faucet on my vanity, so I was cutting the water off at the valves under the sink (image below) - cold works fine, but the hot, even when the valve is as tight as I can get it ...
Stanley Jones's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
10k views

How can I repair water damage under the kitchen sink?

I found out that our kitchen water connection had somehow loosened up and was leaking water on the floor underneath the sink. Now the particle board cabinet floor is warped quite a bit. I was thinking ...
TornadoKnight's user avatar
3 votes
5 answers
35k views

O-Rings vs. Washers for Garden Hoses?

Hose sealers seem to be typically sold in a combo pack with two types. When are garden-hose washers used and when are the O-rings appropriate? I've been kind of winging it with my own hoses, ...
glenviewjeff's user avatar
  • 1,450
2 votes
3 answers
431 views

High water pressure when gauge is not observed

I just installed a new water pressure regulator as documented in Water Pressure Regulator not regulating after rebuild. I left the pressure gauge attached to a hose bib with the faucet turned on so I ...
SDSHuge2.0's user avatar
2 votes
4 answers
761 views

Keeping water away from house

I just bought a place. The basement was waterproofed by the last owner - a french drain installed under the basement floor around the perimeter, leading to a sump pump (done professionally, but no ...
conman's user avatar
  • 766
2 votes
2 answers
14k views

How to tell if water pipes are grounded?

This answer indicates that the water pipes should bonded to the electrical ground even if a grounding rod is used. How would one normally tell if that is the case? Is that bonding required to be ...
mmathis's user avatar
  • 8,863
1 vote
3 answers
14k views

Can wind force rain into the soffits?

There is 1 and only 1 leak (thank God) that is driving me crazy. When the wind blows from the south and hits the house from that side, there is a drip that develops and comes from above the top of the ...
Larry's user avatar
  • 19
1 vote
0 answers
451 views

opening water pipe/tap has hissing noise throughout the house [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: How to eliminate the “whooshing” sound of water running though pipes. I have a 3 story townhouse. Any time when I open a tap, even very slowly that water is just ...
coder net's user avatar
  • 501
1 vote
2 answers
517 views

Will the InSinkErator Evolution Compact garbage disposal fit under this sink without modifying the plumbing?

I'm trying to help out an elderly friend with a plumbing issue. He doesn't know anything about plumbing, and I don't consider myself very knowledgeable in the field. His sink currently has an ...
End Anti-Semitic Hate's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
2k views

Is it possible to remove fluoride from drinking water?

I've been looking for a residential water filtering system (preferably under sink), that can filter fluoride from drinking water. It seems that none of the systems I've looked at boast the ability to ...
Tester101's user avatar
  • 131k
1 vote
3 answers
1k views

Installing expansion tank at washing machine valve?

I own a condo with a terribly cramped water heater closet (it sits underneath the air handler with about 6 inches of clearance). I need an expansion tank, but it really will not fit in that closet (...
K4KFH's user avatar
  • 345
1 vote
2 answers
3k views

Why would a gas water heater discharge water in the winter?

Bradford White gas water heater discharges about an inch of water into a five gallon bucket over 3 to 4 days. It is less than a year old. Is it working properly, or does it need repair already?
jackson's user avatar
  • 11
1 vote
3 answers
3k views

How do I get acceptable water pressure when using two faucets on my 1/2" water main?

I have a 1/2" water main entry, and if I open water in 2-3 places in the house, the water pressure is very low. How can I fix this?
Olga's user avatar
  • 11
1 vote
1 answer
7k views

No water coming out of kitchen faucet!

Yesterday, our kitchen faucet suddenly stopped working. Water pressure has always been fine, but now there is only a trickle. It's a single handle faucet and both the hot and cold will not work. I ...
Alex T.'s user avatar
  • 11
1 vote
2 answers
159 views

Why do I have low water pressure at the house from a tank located 100 feet up?

I have a new 1000 gallon tank at 100 feet above my house. There is about 300 feet of 2 inch hose from the tank to my house. I have a small creek filling the tank about 600 feet away. The flow into the ...
John Blenkhorn's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
125 views

Are water and vertical cracks normal for full height crawl space? [closed]

I am thinking about purchasing a home that is set on top of a crawl space (see image). The crawl space has the full height of a basement, windows and a door leading outside in the back. It has French ...
user2725919's user avatar
28 votes
4 answers
4k views

How can I get roof rain runoff into pond with an aboveground wall?

I'd like to collect rain water and have it run through a filter and then into a pond. The problem is, I can't simply run a pipe underground. \\ |\\ <-- house roof | \\ | | ...
Village's user avatar
  • 1,055
16 votes
5 answers
119k views

How much water do water softeners waste?

I'm considering buying a water softener, but I heard that they waste a lot of water, and I don't really want my water bill to skyrocket. I haven't been able to find any clear indication of how much ...
Eric's user avatar
  • 439
15 votes
5 answers
4k views

How to patch underwater power line

We're rural and the house plumbing is from a lake-draw system with a submersible pump. We just noticed that the power wire out to the pump had its sheath damaged in the spring time by either the ice ...
Mike Ounsworth's user avatar
14 votes
4 answers
126k views

What would cause the water pressure to be too high for just a second?

Lately when I turn on any faucet in my house the water comes rushing out at about twice the normal pressure for about half a second and then drops to normal pressure. I am worried the pressure is ...
Ken's user avatar
  • 141
14 votes
6 answers
66k views

How can I prevent spillage from my bathtub?

Let's set the scene: The horizontal surfaces of the bathtub in my apartment are flat. We have a double shower curtain (with the waterproof bit that hangs on the inside of the tub and the fabric bit ...
hairboat's user avatar
  • 294
12 votes
5 answers
30k views

Is this plastic pipe connecting city water to the main line dangerous?

I bought a whole house water filter to hook up to the main water line. The plumber who came in said that he won't be able to install it because the pipe that comes from the ground hooked up to the ...
coder net's user avatar
  • 501
12 votes
6 answers
3k views

What are my gutter guard options?

As I mentioned in a prior post, I'm planning to add some gutters to my house. I see that there's wide variety of gutter guards available and was curious which ones are better? As far as I can tell,...
Mike B's user avatar
  • 8,083
11 votes
6 answers
50k views

How can I prevent water from pooling in the street in front of my house?

I have a problem with water pooling in front of my house. Between my Sprinklers and the rain there is always a puddle where my lawn meets the street. What do you think is the best way to stop this ...
James Hackett's user avatar
10 votes
4 answers
10k views

What sort of things should one look for in a water-softener?

Hard water (from a well) at the house, and I was wondering what to look for in terms of getting a water-softener, or things to avoid.
caseyboardman's user avatar
10 votes
4 answers
20k views

Are hot water returns worth putting in?

Once I saw on an episode of This Old House that they were putting in hot water return lines: pipes that recirculate idle hot water back to the heater so you get hot water right away, instead of ...
Daniel A. White's user avatar
10 votes
8 answers
122k views

Is there a way to trace water pipes through walls?

I recently purchased my house and I am trying to find my internal valve to turn on my external faucet. Unfortunately the previous owner put in a bathroom in over where the water line enters the house ...
Biff MaGriff's user avatar
  • 1,129
10 votes
4 answers
79k views

Why do I have blue water coming out of the faucets?

We have an upstairs bathroom that we've gutted and are having some contractors remodel. The toilet is the only thing that hasn't been touched. We had a plumber come and redo all of the source and ...
Javid Jamae's user avatar
10 votes
5 answers
12k views

Is it possible to collect rain water from a roof for drinking use?

For a re-roofing or new build, I was pondering the possibility of capturing and purifying water for drinking use. Are there good examples of this? What roofing materials should be used or avoided? ...
BrianCooksey's user avatar
9 votes
6 answers
136k views

Why will my pilot light on the gas water heater not stay lit for more than 15 minutes?

The pilot light went out on my gas water heater. I followed the instructions and had it lit three times now for about 15 minutes each time but it wont stay lit. Not sure what to do at this point?
Crystal McKinnon's user avatar
9 votes
5 answers
195k views

Water from bathroom faucet smells like rotten eggs

The sink is in the powder room on the main floor of our house. When I turn the water on it is fine for a few seconds then it smells horribly for about 3-4 more seconds then it is back to normal. It is ...
Robert's user avatar
  • 91
7 votes
3 answers
25k views

How do I remove (food) oil stain from a wood table?

Spilled some oily salad dressing on a wood table that was not varnished or sealed in any way. Not sure the type of wood - it almost looks like teak, but I don't believe it is. We used water on the ...
3rdparty's user avatar
  • 291