Don’t say I didn’t warn you, disconnect your garden hose and shut off the faucet and drain the supply pipe. NOW!
Every year people forget this little procedure and end up with a broken pipe and flood house. After the first frost you should definitely disconnect the garden hose or the water will freeze in the hose and the faucet and pipe. When water freezes it expands and the pipe will burst. There are two types of valves on the outside of the home the newer ones are called frost proof but can be shut off from the outside without danger of bursting. The older lawn faucet valves should be left open and shut off from inside the house. When you locate the valve on the inside there should be a little cap on the side of the valve to back drain the pipe. Make sure you do that.
It can be a real pain when the dishwasher won’t drain!
There are many problems you may encounter when owning a home but one that really grinds things to a halt is when the dishwasher will not drain properly.
If your dishwasher is not draining properly, the drain hose may be stopped up. To check, remove all the water from tub. A Wet-Vac works well for this. After the water is gone remove the drain hose (even though you removed the water you will still have water in the pump so be ready) from the house plumbing and the dishwasher. Check for obstructions and remove. If you just installed new garbage disposal check that the metal knockout was removed. Check the air gap and make sure it is not clogged with debris or the high loop, if this is not right your dishwasher will siphon water back into it.
What are the 10 worst things to put down your garbage disposal
The next three months your garbage disposal will have a big workout so what shouldn't you put down your disposal.
1.Avoid dropping down paper such as coffee filters. 2. Coffee grounds Coffee grounds in excess causes the clogging up of both the blades and the pipes. 3. Egg shells. 4. Shells from shellfish or bones Bones from items like chicken, or shells from shellfish can break off and get caught in the blades. 5. Vegetable peelings. The peels in excess can gum up on the blades and in the pipes, backing up the system. 6. Fruit pits and seeds– any type of fruit that has a hard, middle seed or pumpkin seeds are killers. 7. Celery stalks Celery is string-fibrous and can produce the same affect as vegetable peelings.
8. Fats and grease Fats and grease will adhere to the pipes over time 9. Pasta Starchy substances will stick to both the blades and the pipes. In excess, pasta can quickly cause backups. 10. Rice Rice is similar to pasta,
The water stain on the ceiling is always a concern when the bathroom is right above the water stain. There are many possible sources for the water from the toilet to the shower area. Always check around the base of the toilet in case it is a bad seal. If that area is dry there is a good chance that the water is coming from the shower area. We all seem to focus on the drain or supply pipes but rarely are the case. The main culprit is usually lack of caulk or kids that have been splashing water all over the place. The first place to check is the plates behind the faucet handles, if this is not caulked it well could be your problem. The number one area is actually just outside the tub. It is where the tub and the floor meet. Vinyl flooring is rarely caulked tight against the tub and causes the water stain.
If your toilet has a black film along the water line it is probably caused by the rubber flapper or ball in the toilet closet. Check and see if this is the cause of the problem by shutting off the water to the toilet and flushing the toilet. This will empty most of the water out of the closet. Now grab the flapper or ball and see if you have a black substance on your hand. If that is the case replace the flapper or ball. To clean the residue along the water line in the toilet I recommend Bar Keepers friend. This nonabrasive cleaner is an oxalic base cleaner and will easily remove the stain without damaging the porcelain finish on the toilet.
The other night I was asked if I had ever heard of pin holes in copper pipe? The answer of course was yes and was a big surprise to the person that asked the question. The next question was not so easy to answer. The question was what causes the pin holes in copper. The quick answer is electrolysis. This is an electric charge that is carried through the pipe by the very water in the pipe. See electrolysis is caused by mixed metals like steel, copper, and zinc. Some of these metals are embedded in the copper to give it strength. The trace metals are sometimes in the water supply. Connections made of mixed metals also cause the problem. We see more and more people switching to plastic pipe because of the cost but it might be a good idea to use plastic pipe if several homes in the neighborhood have developed this problem.
Many of us will tackle small plumbing project around the house and here are a few of the most common mistakes.
Connecting copper pipe fittings to galvanized pipe. If you do this it will cause electrolyze which is a mild electric current which will cause corrosion and even pin holes in the copper pipe. If you must make this connection you should install a dielectric fitting between the two metals. Whenever you thread two pieces of threaded pipe together you must use Teflon tape or a pipe joint compound otherwise they will leak.
Another common problem I see homeowners makes is when using compression fittings they do not properly align the tubing with the fitting which will give them a bad connection.
You should also always install shut off valves under a cabinet when installing a faucet if there are none.
Water is your home’s #1 enemy, so here are some problems and what to do about it.
Leaky faucet - has a worn washer that needs to be replaced. Leaky copper pipe joint, can be fixed with cutting the joint and replacing with a Shark Bite Fitting (no torch needed).
Dripping pipes - Warm moist air condenses when it strikes a cold pipes, insulate the pipes.
Whistling - when water flows into the toilet tank can be solved by increasing the flow of water into the tank.
Hammering - in pipes when faucet is turned off to fast can be fixed by installing shock absorbers on the pipe. Shock absorbers are air filled chamber that extend off the pipe.
Toilet tank constantly running or flushing itself - a new flapper should be installed.
A big area of waste of water in your home is still the toilet. Every flush is 1.6 gallons of water and it used to be 5 to 7 gallons of water but there is still a way to cut down on water usage when it comes to using the toilet. There are a number of new water savings valves but nothing as easy as the One2flush product.
A One2flush dual flush valve transforms any 1.6gpf toilet into a more efficient water-saving toilet.. You choose the amount of water needed to flush the accumulated wastes. 1.6 gallons for a full flush or less than 1.1 gallons for a partial flush.
You do not have to chance out the valve. You first remove the flapper and then install the One 2flush by simply tightening the screw that is a attached to a toggle bolt assembly. This product will regulate how far the new flapper opens and help you eliminate wasted water.
I found a really cool tool this week that I want to share with you—it is called a V pump. This is a non electric submersible pump. This pump cost under $20 bucks and is perfect for pumping out flooded basements, boats, emptying pipe trenches or pumping the excess water off a pool cover. This pump fits in your back pocket and can pump up to 1200 GPH.This pump runs on water that is connected by hose and can pump up to 40 ft with 1 part water in and 10 parts water out. There is no motor to oil or propeller to break. The V pump utilizes the extreme water pressure to suck mud and water from any job. The pump has no screened inlet so mud and leaves pass through with no problem. It’s a pretty handy tool to have around the house.
To solder a copper pipe connection the water needs to be out of the pipe and the joint should be dry. Prepare the inside of the fitting with wire fitting brush. The outside of the pipe should be clean and prepared with a piece of emery cloth. Apply a thin coating of flux to the end of the pipe using a brush and not your finger. Unwind the solder from the spool till you have apiece about 8” long. Now slide the fitting onto the pipe and with a propane torch heat the fitting. Gently touch the solder to the joint and if it melts you are ready to go.Remove the flame from the joint and allow the solder to melt around the joint. The joint will draw the solder into the fitting creating a soldered joint. Never use the flame of the torch on the solder itself. A properly soldered joint will have a thin bead of solder on the joint. Wipe away any excess solder with a rag.
If the faucet in your kitchen is over twenty years old (there are many) and is leaking probably a good idea to replace the faucet instead of repairing it.See older faucets have several sets of washers and seats and they are all different.So part of that project is going to be to track down the right parts.Replacing the faucet gives you a chance to modernize the look of your sink plus in most cases add shut off valves beneath the sink.The two handle or single handle faucets will fit into the appropriate holes on the sink so that should not be a problem.Cutting the copper supply lines and installing valves is not difficult if they use a compression fitting.No soldier is need with those valves just tighten the nut till it seals onto the copper pipe. Add burst proof supply lines and you are up to speed.
An experienced plumber can often diagnose these problems quite quickly since s/he is more familiar with plumbing problems than most homeowners. But if you want to do some drain sound detective work yourself here are some steps that might help.
Identify the fixture: Identify which fixtures are producing the sound: is it all fixtures in the building? If so we suspect a system drain problem or that the building has only a single inadequate vent system or no venting at all. If the sound occurs only at a specific fixture, we suspect a blockage or vent problem local to that bath, kitchen, or laundry area and its vent or drain piping.
Flush the toilets: Blocked or inadequate vents can produce slow drains as well as noise. But if none of the drains are slow, but you hear gurgling at a nearby sink when the toilet is flushed, take a look underneath the sink. If the trap is shaped like an "S" over on its side, the sink is probably not vented and the flushing toilet is trying to draw air into the drain line from the nearby sink when the toilet is flushed.
If the trap is shaped like a "P" over on its side, with its horizontal outlet running into the wall, we can't see if the sink is really vented or not, but the style of plumbing is more modern and it might be vented. If the trap is some crazy combination of multiple bends and parts, call a professional plumber to unsnarl the installation since such jury-rigged plumbing traps are likely to be problematic.
Look in the attic for a plumbing drain line that passes vertically up from the floors below and out through the roof. If you can't find one, the building may not have proper plumbing vents.
Look outside for plumbing vent pipes poking up through the roof in one or more areas. If you see a plumbing vent at one far end of the building where baths are located, but no plumbing vent stack pipe over the end of the building where a kitchen or laundry are located, those rooms may have been built without proper plumbing venting.
Check out the septic system: for signs of backup, blockage, or odors outside. Effluent breaking out to the surface, muddy or soggy areas
Frozen pipes can mean broken pipes and trying to solder a pipe with a little dampness in it can be impossible.Or maybe you’re the person that just wants no part of making a plumbing connection on copper pipe with a torch.If that is the case here is the perfect plumbing part for you during your next project.It is called a shark bite fittings. Like all plumbing fittings they are made in couplings, elbows, and adapters and they work on all types of pipes from copper to pvc to pex.To install cut the pipe square and remove any burrs on the pipe pull back the sleeve on the shark Bite fittings and insert the tube. The connection is perfect and water tight. No glues, primers, flux, solder or torches.Little more expensive but a real time saver.
The next time the valve in your toilet needs to be replaced or you have an interest in saving water, you might consider a dual flush valve.You don’t need as much water to eliminate liquid and paper from the toilet as you to remove solids.The averages person flushes 5 times a day and 4 of those flushes are strictly for liquids. All major hardware store offer dual flush mechanisms.They install just like a regular toilet valve but limit the amount of water that goes from closet to bowl.The new valve controls how far the flapper actually opens.On the flush handle you press ….you got it! #1 or #2.There are dual flush toilets that run around $200 to $600 but a Hydro Right valve for an existing toilet only about $30.
If all the drains in the home are slow to empty, it is a good chance that the main sewer line has a blockage.The blockage is usually caused by tree roots growing in the main sewer line. The roots themselves did not crack the pipe but the earth drying out and then wet again causes movement which can separate the joints in the pipe.These pipes also crack and collapse if the condition is severe enough.When pipes separate or crack the tree roots grow in the pipe and clog it.The remedy is to remove the roots mechanically and the use copper sulfate every 6 months.This is applied as a preventer, 3 lbs. every six months should be flushed down the toilet.
I never recommend using acid based drain cleaners because of their caustic nature but if you are going to use them take precautions: Pour the drain cleaner carefully making sure it does not come in contact with your skin. Never pour acid in to standing water or an eruption will occur causing acid to go flying. If the drain cleaner does not work NEVER use a plunger on the drain. If the cleaner does not work and you decide to remove the trap, remember the acisd which is heavier then water is sitting in the trap.Beware Always read the directions and wear protective clothing and goggles to protect your eyes.
In the shower area you may have a towel bar.In older homes the brackets for the towel bar are mortared in place and in most cases the bar it self is porcelain.If you that bar ever gets broken you maybe perplexed on how to get a new bar into the brackets.In fact several people I know have tried to remove the brackets from the tile wall.There is no need to take that extreme position.Leave the brackets in place and head off to the hardware store to pick up a spring loaded towel rod.These will come in clear Lucite or brass or chrome.This towel rod works like the toilet paper roller. If you are looking for a solid bar you can find several sizes that can be cut down to size.The ends pull out of the bar and are spring loaded.
Changing out the kitchen faucet is not as difficult as you might think.In most cases there is no soldering and actually very few tools needed.Of course step 1 is to turn off the water and open the faucet to drain the water from the line. The hot and cold water lines are usually connected with nuts.In fact changing out that line is also easy. Simply loosen the nuts at the valve under the cabinet and then the two nuts on the underside of the bowl will disconnect the faucet from the bowl.The new faucet simply bolts in the same area as the old faucet.The new supply lines are connected to the faucet and then to the valves. In some cases just finger tightening will work.
According to the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)*, flooding can sometimes cause sewage from sanitary sewer lines to back up into houses through drainpipes. These backups not only cause damage that is difficult and costly to repair, but they also create health hazards. A good way to protect against sewage backups is to install backflow valves, which are designed to block flow into the house. Many municipal Building Codes require you to have a backwater valve if your plumbing fixtures are below the top of the first upstream manhole on your street. A properly operating backwater valve allows flow to only go in one direction (out), preventing wastewater from entering your building during regular sewer system maintenance or accidental sewer system backups. To find out if you have or need a backwater valve, check your plumbing plans or consult with your builder or a professional plumber the following should be kept in mind when installing backflow valves. Local codes and ordinances regarding backflow valves must be carefully checked to avoid having to tear out and replace with an approved valve.
If you have drain pipes that exit water into a sloping yard, creek or swale make sure it is properly draining.These pipes are usually installed around a foundation to take the water away from the home.They are also connected to downspouts that move the water away from the foundation.In order for these to drain properly they need to have a slope of about ¼” per 10 feet.They also need to be free of debris so that they can properly exit the water.If these pipes become clogged with mud or become disconnected under ground they can cause water issue in and around your home.I recommend getting an umbrella out during a rain and go to the exit pipe to make sure everything is working the way it should be working.
Some parts of the country have experience a lot of wet ground due to melting snow and rains.Many people report that their sump pump runs all the time.This may be caused by an exceptionally high water table.It may also be caused by a faulty check valve.A check valve is located in the discharge pipe inside the home.As the water passes up the pipe and is discharged outside the remaining water in the pipe is blocked by the check valve from entering back into the well...If that check valve is faulty the water simply recirculates from the well to the pipe to the well... Causing the pump to run all the time.Replacing t the check valve is easy by cutting the discharge pipe and gluing a new valve in the line of the pipe.
Crawl spaces like basements need to be dry or bad things can happen to your home.Puddling on the ground floor of a crawl space can be a haven for mold and critters. The water that settles on the floor of the crawl space is likely coming from the surrounding terrain of the area.Make sure that the soil slopes away from the area could solve the moisture problem.Also make sure downspouts are taking the water away from the foundation and all depressions in the soil are filled with dirt. Other causes of puddling on the crawl space floor could be a high water table.If that is the cases a sump well and pump should be installed to lower the water table to beneath the floors surface.Cover the floor with 8 mil plastic and over lapping the seams will minimize water vapor.
1. Do you often hear "drip, drip" or the continuous sound of water when nothing is turned on? 2. Do your walls or floors have wet, spongy, moist, or discolored areas or hot spots when nothing has been spilled? 3. Does your water meter reading change or move when you aren't using any water? 4. Do you lose 1/8" of water or more in your pool in a 24-hour period?
If you have answered "yes" to any of these questions, your home may be suffering from a water pipe leak.
These issue can arise if you have a leak in your home.
* Floor buckling. You may have a leak if you notice that your floor is warping and/or buckling.
* Flooding. Many leaks can be found simply by looking on the floors of your property, because drips lead to puddles.
* Mold exposure. Water pipe leaks are common culprits of undetected mold.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, if your family's water bill exceeds 12,000 gallons per month, chances are you have a leak
I am here to dispel the report that during halftime of the Super Bowl many people use the toilet and has caused serious damage to municipal sewage systems.I have heard this story for years and I am hear to report it is an urban legend.The rumor is based on an unfounded assumption that millions of people will sit through two hours of football and at that point everyone heads off to the bathroom.There is an increase in sewage water during halftime of the game but nothing the municipal sewage system can’t handle. The rumor started with the breaking of a 16” water main in Salt Lake City on Super Bowl Sunday in 1986. The cities sewage infrastructure was quite old and had been failing for some time.The 16” water break started the Super Bowl Flush Rumor.
It is never too late to protect your pipes from freezing so here are a few preventive tips.Make sure all you’re out door faucets are shut off from the inside of the home and opened and drained. Check around the house for areas where water supply lines are located and are in unheated areas. Places to look include basements, crawl spaces attics, garages and under kitchen and bathroom cabinets that are along exterior walls. Both hot and cold lines should be insulated. Foam insulated pipe sleeves do an excellent job of keeping the water from freezing. When the outside temperatures approach zero allow the water to drip from a problem faucet.Also open the cabinet doors to allow warm air to circulate round the plumbing.If you are leaving your home for an extended period do not set the thermostat lower then 55 degrees.
Letting a faucet drip during extreme cold weather can prevent a pipe from bursting. It's not that a small flow of water prevents freezing; this helps, but water can freeze even with a slow flow. Rather, opening a faucet will provide relief from the excessive pressure that builds between the faucet and the ice blockage when freezing occurs. If there is no excessive water pressure, there is no burst pipe, even if the water inside the pipe freezes. A dripping faucet wastes some water, so only pipes vulnerable to freezing (ones that run through an unheated or unprotected space) should be left with the water flowing. The drip can be very slight. Even the slowest drip at normal pressure will provide pressure relief when needed. Where both hot and cold lines serve a spigot, make sure each one contributes to the drip, since both are subjected to freezing.
You can reduce your water heating costs by simply lowering the thermostat setting on your water heater. For each 10ºF reduction in water temperature, you can save between 3%–5% in energy costs.Although some manufacturers set water heater thermostats at 140ºF, most households usually only require them set at 120ºF. Water heated at 140ºF also poses a safety hazard—scalding. However, if you have a dishwasher without a booster heater, it may require a water temperature within a range of 130ºF to 140ºF for optimum cleaning.Reducing your water temperature to 120ºF also slows mineral buildup and corrosion in your water heater and pipes. This helps your water heater last longer and operate at its maximum efficiency.
Occasionally we'll run into a problem with a pipe that has a pin hole in it or it's leaking and you need to take care of it. Of course the proper way to take care of that is to shut off the water, get the water out of the pipe and solder it. But there are a couple of products out there that are great for emergency repair. By the way if you're doing a solder job there's also a coupling, an elbow fittings that have the solder inside the fitting, so all you have to do is heat it up, so that makes it a little bit easier. First thing thing I want to show you is emergency tape for plumbing fixtures. Whether it's a supply line or a drainage line, it's an emergency repair tape. It's not an adhesive. It literally bonds to itself. And it'll hold about 70 pounds of pressure. And it's just wrapped tightly around the copper pipe. So if you have a pin hole, this will do a nice job of taking care of the problem. Another thing, you're plumber is not going to like you, but this will do the job if you have a small problem like leaking around the threads or a pin hole. This is an epoxy glue, or an epoxy cement, and it's a moldable type of material that can be applied to a damp surface and actually molded around where the leak is. One other thing I want to show you is the old fashioned clamp. Again an emergency repair. It just bolts together, there's a rubber gasket on the inside, puts pressure where the problem is. This would have to be used in the middle of a copper pipe run. But certainly will do the job.
You might want to take a walk around the home, especially if you're seeing a little moisture down in the basement. Remember, the land itself, the ground, needs to slope away from the basement, away from the foundation. Adding mud this time of year is not out of the question, if you do have land sloping toward the foundation. And when it does snow, don't pile the snow up against the foundation or you're going to have problems. Another thing is the downspouts. This pipe is buried, goes to a drainage system around the foundation. And it's very important to follow it and find out where it's depositing the water. In this case, we have a pipe in the back yard, and it is free flowing. But sometimes debris does stuck in that, putting moisture up against the foundation, causing the basement to leak. If your downspouts don't go underground, you could exit it on a pile of rocks or also can get little splash trays like this. Again, you're just trying to keep the water away from the foundation, keep the water out of the basement. Any roof problems, you can get to the hardware store, get some patch. This here is a roof cement that is able to be applied to a wet surface, it's just called wet roof cement. This is an elastomeric, also able to be applied to a wet surface. Elastomeric means it's got some stretch to it.
If you have a front load washer an odor may be driving you crazy. It seems the new washers do not discharge all of the water after they complete the cycle. When the door of the washer is left closed it produces a stagnate odor. In some older washers this is also an occasional problem because hard water, detergents and lime build up on the inside of the tub, pump and hoses. I found a product that will help eliminate the odor and clean the washer tub at the same time. Washer Magic is used once a month and will freshen and clean your washer
While your working on the washer don’t forget to change those hoses every couple of years. They are under pressure unless you turn off the water valve and who does that after each wash. If those hoses burst you got a problem.
Chances are you've got these little guys all over the house and you don't pay much attention to them. What they are, they're the water valve that brings water to the sink, to the vanity, to the toilet. Of course, the only time you have to fuss with this valve is when you have a leak, because you're going to have to shut off the water here to work on the valve on top. Here's where the problem comes in, in most cases. You probably haven't turned that valve on or off for ten to fifteen years. A little maintenance tip, not that you're going to do it or anything, to go ahead, around the house, just tighten and loosen, tighten and loosen, make sure they're free flowing, maybe put a little liquid wrench on them. But most people aren't going to do that, and neither do I. So, if you have a leak, you're going to have to shut this off and there's probably a good deal of corrosion around that valve.Step one is I would get a product like a Liquid Wrench. This is a penetrating oil that can be sprayed right underneath the handle into the bonnet, which is going to take a couple of hours to work, but but it'll really penetrate and possibly loosen this up. Where people get in trouble is they get a pump pliers on there and they bend the stem. Here's a very cool tool that I've found. This is designed to loosen that handle of that valve. You can see that it just kind of fits over like a socket It gives you good, even pressure and a lot of torque.
I'll tell you if you have a home, you've had a clogged drain in the past. And trying to get that unclogged, that's the challenge. Heard me say many times I'm not a fan of the acids you just pour down the drain, because in a lot of cases they liquify the blockage and move down the drain and re-harden. The real only way to clean out a drain is to snake it. Now, snakes are a pain. You know they type that coil and you're twisting and it's jumping. I found a new, modern type that works fantastically. Look at this, it's nice and compact. It isn't a giant spring. It does have a nice little head on it to snag the hair and break up the blockage. But what it is, is it's like and old fashioned fish tape that they used to use to pull wires up through walls. In fact, this particular device can be used to do just that. But this a very easy tape that you can use. You can literally fold it down the drain. As you can see, it'll bend around elbows very, very easily. And then just simply reel it back in. There's a good chance that you're going to have a blockage on the end of that tip.
Everybody probably has their problem drain in their home. It seems to always get clogged up with gunk and hair and usually about every two months I have to attack the problem. I found a couple of products that work great. First of all is this little guy. In a lot of cases, snaking a drain out is the best way to unclog it. But in this particular drain you've got one of those pop-up drain plugs, and I know a lot of you don't necessarily disconnect it to snake it out, so. What this little zip strip does, it's got little barbs on the end of it, you just take it and funnel it down into the drain. And those barbs will connect onto tissue and hair and pull it straight up. Now the reason you're not seeing a whole lot is I just snaked this out last night. It was once again a problem. Also, not a big fan of drain cleaners, but I have to tell you, these new gel drain cleaners work great. I'm about four for four with them with hair clogs in the drain. It's a gel, you pour it into the drain, let it sit about ten minutes. Like I said, four for four isn't a bad batting average.
If you're tired of cold showers every morning, I've got a device that's going to solve that problem. It's right there. Now let's just think about it. We've got the water heater on one side of the house, the shower is way on the other side of the house. All the hot water sits in the pipe overnight, you wake up, it's cold. You've got to run all of that cold water out of the line before you get hot water.So, this little device, it goes on the hot water side, directly above the water heater. You can set it, it's a pump. You can set it for when you want it to turn on, when you want it to turn off, several times a day if you'd like. Underneath the vanity, or the faucet that's the furthest away from the water heater is this little mixing valve. And what this valve does, is you take the supply lines, you run it in one end of the valve and then up to the faucet, the other end of the valve up to the faucet. And when this pump turns on, say at five o'clock in the morning, it pushes all the water that's in the hot water line back into the cold water line and back into the water heater, replacing it with hot water. When you wake up in the morning, you get a nice hot shower.Now this whole arrangement runs about 300 dollars if you install it yourself, a plumber about 500 bucks. So you might want to check it out, very, very nice.
Draining a little bit of water out of your hot water heater about twice a year, can certainly improve the efficiency of the hot water heater. Now, to do that, you're going to shut off the power, you're going to shut off the water, and then you're going to find the valve down here. Now, this is a regular hose bib attachment, it can be attached with a regular garden hose and maybe pulled out to a floor drain. And, just go ahead and open up the valve, you release the water, and I'd let it run until the sediment clears, in other words, the water's clear once again. It may only be a gallon, it may be five gallons, it depends. Now, the valve on a water heater is really an inexpensive valve, usually about four bucks. It's a nylon valve like you see here. The problem is, after you drain your heater once or twice, you're going to end up replacing the valve. My recommendation is get to the hardware store, there's usually a three quarter inch pipe, as you thread the old one out, get what they call a ball valve. And a ball valve can be threaded back into the tank. And then as you open it, you can see there's stainless steel ball. And that's going to shut off the water supply, and that's going to last you many, many years. And again, that water should be drawn about every six months.
We have had a cool wet summer in many parts of the country this year, especially in the northeast and Midwest. Many older homes that are unkempt and not properly insulated have problems with water entering the home which eventually means mold growing in the home.Poor caulking, rusted flashing, missing shingles all contribute to this problem. Water leaks often occur in areas that are hard to detect, like behind walls and ceilings. When fall arrives, we close up the home and people with allergies begin to suffer.If mold is found in the home remember to clean with an enzyme cleaner and stay away from bleach. To control this problem try to keep your home humidity below 50%.Without moisture mold can’t grow.If you find a leak, fix it NOW.
If the icemaker seems to be in good physical condition, but the ice mold is still empty, you may have a frozen icemaker fill tube or a bad water inlet valve. A hair dryer on low can be used to thaw a frozen fill tube, and if you determine the tube to be clear, a new inlet valve may do the trick.
If your icemaker leaks or the ice cubes are hollow, it may be a water flow problem due to a bad water inlet valve. Another source may be the self-tapping shutoff valves that are commonly used on house supply pipes for the icemaker water line. Replacing the self-tapping valve with a drill-style like this: Non-self piercing water valve can solve and prevent many icemakers issues.
If you notice that the ice mold is in bad shape, and the non-stick coating is peeling and corroded, it’s probably time for a new icemaker. In most cases, it’s more economical to replace the complete icemaker assembly than to replace a major component like the mold.
I recently had a problem with a toilet as the ceiling below was becoming wet.I figured it was the wax seal and began the repair. I shut of the water, disconnected the supply line and loosen the nuts on the commode bolts and then removed the toilet from the spud.Sure enough the wax ring was destroyed and needed to be replaced but the flange was rusty and a mess. Rather then replacing the flange I cleaned it up and sanded the top of the flange, got some Loctite epoxy and glued a new PVC on top of the old metal flange. It worked perfectly as I installed the bolts and remounted the toilet with a brand new wax ring. No errors and no drips.
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