27
votes
Accepted
Why would a P-Trap be required before an air gap for a refrigerator drain?
It's preventing air movement through the drain pipe. Without it, cold air from the refrigerated space will constantly flow out the pipe, and warm air from outside will constantly leak in - wasting ...
- 136k
23
votes
How do I open this sink trap?
That bottom piece should unscrew by turning it counter clockwise. They usually come with a tool to unscrew it. You can use a steel washer and a pair of pliers or a large screwdriver. You don't want to ...
- 55.1k
22
votes
How do I open this sink trap?
Apparently it is called a bottle trap.
To clean it in-place
Use a large coin to unscrew this part:
Here is a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_sUB9PlTw8
To remove it:
Unscrew this part to ...
- 221
22
votes
Accepted
French Drain: Why do I need 3" of rock bedding beneath the pipe?
If you put the pipe right on the fabric, you'll end up filtering the inflow through the 1/2" circles of fabric pressed up against the holes in the pipe, as opposed to filtering through all the ...
- 136k
17
votes
French Drain: Why do I need 3" of rock bedding beneath the pipe?
The water will still flow through the rocks with the pipe assuming your ditch slopes as well. If any sediment makes its way through or around the fabric, the extra 3" will help prevent the ...
- 753
14
votes
Is my p-trap installed correctly?
Didn't know about trimming tailpices to fit, leading to odd
arrangement with more pipe than needed.
And more critical; that's an S trap now. The pair of vertical elbows at the wall entrance is a ...
- 136k
13
votes
Accepted
Connecting a p-trap via bending the drain stem vs the trap arm?
It's standard practice to use one or more horizontal bends on the drain stub (trap arm) to gain alignment. In this case, a single 45° elbow toward the camera should do nicely. You'll swing the trap ...
- 106k
11
votes
French Drain: Why do I need 3" of rock bedding beneath the pipe?
I'm doing similar right now,at my home.
The problem is twofold.
Silt and sediment will flow with the water and ultimately, may either clog the geotextile, or bypass it (through it if its a broad ...
- 610
11
votes
Accepted
Yard floods - will replacing a floway drain with a rainwater drain resolve this
You can always dig up and replace plumbing, install catch basins, etc. if you want to spend money, but if this was your bathroom sink drain that was clogging up instead of the yard drain, the first ...
- 30k
9
votes
Accepted
Why can't I find a cleanout plug to fit my drain pipe?
If you can't find a 2-1/2" cleanout adapter, but can find a 2", then consider this option instead:
a 2-1/2" to 2" reducer coupling
Example from Supply House
followed by a short (...
- 5,082
6
votes
Accepted
How to screw in tub draine when pipe keeps getting pushed down?
What I've done in the past is to loop a thin wire down under the drain pipe with both ends coming up through the hole in the tub on either side. Use the wire to pull upward on the drain pipe until you ...
- 7,589
6
votes
Is my p-trap installed correctly?
@Ecnerwal hit several of the big issues here but there may be more.
There is definitely a venting problem. A good rule of thumb on venting with a P trap is if the P trap can't "see" the ...
- 7,589
6
votes
Why can't I find a cleanout plug to fit my drain pipe?
If you have both sizes in hand and neither fits the pipe, then it's not an issue of measuring...
You don't indicate what brick and mortar stores you've looked at. I'm presuming you when to the local ...
- 30k
5
votes
Accepted
Shower drain not level, water collects to one side of it. How can I level it without having to reinstall it?
I'd definitely stay away from trying to reinstall it. If it's not leaking, don't tempt fate. 1/8" of water in the drain pan would evaporate fairly fast so it wouldn't cause any long term problems ...
- 55.1k
5
votes
Can chemicals soak into a steel sink and cause health issues?
Former chemist here. Stainless steel is great! Not much can eat through it, and we love it almost as much as glass. Based on that alone I'd be comfortable saying a consumer cleaner is unlikely to do ...
- 151
5
votes
I recently moved into a house and it looks like a chemical has been used on the stainless steel drain and left marks. Is it possible to clean it off?
Unfortunately that looks like they used an acid that stripped the chrome finish off. No good way to get that back on.
- 51
5
votes
Is there any filter or material that let only water through not dirt
You can get "drain tile sock" or drain tiles with "sock" installed at just about any place that sells building materials.
These are used where you want to allow the water to pass ...
- 20.5k
5
votes
Why is the slip nut to the left in the picture needed?
The slip nut on the horizontal run lets you adjust the length of that section. The trap can rotate to meet it.
- 19k
4
votes
Does the plumbers putty applied around shower drain need to dry up?
The entire point of plumbers putty is that it does not harden or dry.
You can keep beating on your drain connection until you break something, or stop - your choice.
- 136k
4
votes
Accepted
Struggles replacing bathtub drain
Access panel is good. As usual, your call on "I need a plumber now" or "I can tackle this myself."
I [expletive redacted] hate glued in tub drains, as they have to be exactly ...
- 136k
4
votes
Wall drain too high for p trap
As noted in a comment, I would suggest looking for a shorter tail piece without the fancy, tall nut (which, I'm sure, works very nicely for hand-tightening).
Normally the nut would be less than an ...
- 30k
4
votes
Accepted
What is the purpose of the higher pipe in my bathroom sink drain?
Most likely, this is not a vent, or more precisely, this tube will not work as a vent.
F.e., this tube will not prevent that the siphon/trap will lose its water if a low pressure sets in downstream ...
- 2,358
4
votes
Accepted
How to frame wall for a long drain plumbing
Double stud wall with space in the middle (lose a lot of space just to hide a pipe)
1a. - don't hide the pipe in the wall - run it on the surface, exposed. Put it on the warehouse side surface if you'...
- 136k
4
votes
Accepted
What is this coming off the drainpipe near the p trap?
Possibly an alternative form of "trap primer" for a floor drain (or other rarely used device with a trap) that is being kept from drying out.
Each time you use this sink, a little bit of ...
- 136k
3
votes
Accepted
Does the plumbers putty applied around shower drain need to dry up?
It does not need to dry up, and you need to use a suitable tool to tighten it fully. The excess putty creates some play in the fit between the drain and the shower, so your mallet method cannot work. ...
- 17.7k
3
votes
Accepted
How to remove old 1-3/8" drain strainer from a bathtub?
I went through the exact same series of attempts as you. A succession of drain wrenches, each stronger than the previous one, each of which eventually broke when enough force was applied.
Followed ...
- 17.7k
3
votes
Temporarily prevent a full toilet bowl from draining
I know this is an old post but it seems to have a lot of recent views... so I hope by adding my experience it will help someone.
I use a heavy-duty (freezer or thicker) gallon ziploc bag and stuff a ...
- 31
3
votes
How to repair cracks around drain
I'm no cement guy, but it would seem to me that if you made a dam around the existing drain (cut some plywood a few inches high into a level box and nail it or glue it etc. together) and pour some new ...
- 91
3
votes
Accepted
How to repair cracks around drain
In the quick fix column, I'd get a bucket of concrete waterproofer or roofing sealant and slather it over the entire inside of that receptacle. You could fill the largest cracks with some vinyl cement ...
- 106k
3
votes
Can chemicals soak into a steel sink and cause health issues?
No. According to the website you cited in your question it will not "poison" your sink.
Scrub the sink good and rinse it down the drain.
- 3,488
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible