J Wakefield asked:




Within the last decade, do-it-yourself home improvement projects have become more and more popular, as people have realized they do not always need professionals to complete a job for them. One area where this is especially true is with plumbing installation of drains in your home, particularly with sinks.
Most sinks in your home can be found in either your bathroom or your kitchen, thus you will most likely be installing sink drains in one of these two areas. If you are doing drain plumbing installation in the kitchen you will use a 1-1/2″ drain, while in a bathroom you will most likely use 1-1/4″. Usually the drain will be made from PVC plastic, but some older drains are brass and chrome.
Besides determining what size of drain you need, you will also need to determine what type of pipe you need. Sinks in homes can either drain vertically or horizontally, with most horizontal drains being found in homes built in the last ten years. For a horizontal drain you should purchase a P-trap, while vertical drains should use an S-trap. You probably also will have to purchase additional straight pipe if the sink is far from the floor or wall. In addition, if your kitchen or bathroom has two sinks that need to drain, you will need to purchase a T-junction to allow both sinks to empty water into the same drain.
Once you have the pieces of pipes you need for your specific drain, the plumbing installation is a breeze. You simply need to connect your pipes together, and then utilize washers and bolts to connect the pipes between the sink and the floor or wall drain. You can also utilize pipe thread compound when putting PVC drain pipes together. It acts as a lubricant initially and helps you to fit the pipes together. It then turns into a seal and prevent erosion of the pipe from all the water.
Of course when buying your pipe and doing the plumbing installation, it is important that you invest in good pipe and quality workmanship. The pipe should be strong enough to withstand pressure from water and not burst, and it should be strong enough to not break when getting bumped or kicked due to its location under the sink. In addition, you should take the time to ensure that you have properly and securely connected all pieces to prevent any water leaks.
While plumbing used to be something you called a professional for, more and more individuals are finding they can do it themselves, and you can too by learning a little bit about it. One of the best places to start learning is through plumbing installation of drains or water lines in your home. These are relatively easy to complete, especially if you know what type and size of pipe to purchase. Once you’ve mastered a project like this, you can move on to bigger and better things such as installing a new bathtub or shower.

Henry S James asked:




Many homes, even brand new homes, can have plumbing problems. However, instead of getting a plumber involved, it is possible to fix many of these plumbing problems without professional help. Here are seven common plumbing problems, as well as how to fix them:

Lack of hot water

Plumbing problems related to water temperature always lead to your water heater. You might be able to turn up the thermostat on your water heater. However, your water heater may be clogged with calcium deposits, which limits the amount of hot water it can produce. In this event, it is possible to remove these deposits from most water heaters. Replacing the heating elements is can also restore hot water to your home. Another possibility is that the water heater is beyond repair and must be replaced.

Leaky faucet

A leaky faucet is one of the easiest plumbing problems to fix. The source of the leak is usually a bad seal in the faucet handle. Simply disassemble the faucet, replace the worn out part (usually a rubber gasket), and put it back together.

Clogged Toilet

A clogged toilet is among the list of common but easily solved, plumbing problems. Most clogged toilets can be fixed by plunging. However, if plunging the toilet does not alleviate the clog, serious plumbing problems could be the cause.

Toilet Does Not Flush Everything

If your toilet is not clogged, but does not flush everything, there may not be enough water to carry everything away. In the tank behind the toilet bowl, there is a float that controls how much water is used. Making the float sit higher so that more water is used should cure plumbing problems related to a weak flush.

Slow Draining Sinks

Most home remedies for slow draining sinks involve pouring some kind of solution down the drain to loosen deposits that slow the flow of water. Remedies for these plumbing problems include solutions from store bought drain cleaners to bleach or hot vinegar. Another way to solve and prevent these types of plumbing problems is to fill all the sinks with water and drain them all at once. The pressure caused by this volume of water can help push deposits out of your pipes.

Pipes under the Sink Leak

Before you tackle these plumbing problems, make sure the fixture with the leak is not clogged. If there is no clog, find the source of the leak. In the event that the leak is coming from the juncture of two pipes, try to tighten it. If this does not work, take the leaky section apart and check for stripped or damaged threads. Replacing a damaged part may be necessary, but wrapping the threads with Teflon tape will eliminate most leaky joints. However, if there is a crack in a pipe or appliance component, replacement is usually the only option.

Toilet Leaks from the Base

A toilet leak, if it is in fact coming from the base, can usually be fixed by replacing the wax ring that fits between the toilet and the floor. This can be relatively simply to do, unless the floor is uneven or something else prevents solid contact between the toilet and the wax ring.

Dealing with Common Plumbing Problems

Although fixing plumbing problems is not usually fun, you can save yourself a lot of money by not calling a plumber. Even if you do decide to get a plumber involved, diagnosing the problem can shorten the process and ensure that a plumber does not try to fix anything that is not broken.

Chuck Lunsford asked:




Most homeowners are unaware that the majority of water heaters have a magnesium bar called an anode rod installed in their heater. It can be identified by looking at the top of the water heater for a hexagonal fitting. This rod is designed to help keep the tank from corroding by simply beating it to the punch and corroding first. However, when the bar finally corrodes and falls apart, your tank is the next target for corrosion. Believe it or not, you can increase the life of your water heater substantially by making sure that this anode rod is replaced before it disappears. A rule of thumb is to replace the rod every three to four years depending on the corrosiveness of your water. If you don’t have this hexagonal fitting on the top of your water heater, make sure that the next water heater does because it can potentially double the useful life of your water heater saving you a lot of cash.

The replacement of the anode rod is fairly simple and straightforward. Turn off the cold water supply to your water heater first. Next, turn off the gas line or the circuit breaker. Using a standard garden hose attached to the drain at the bottom of the heater, remove several gallons of water. Remove the anode rod with a pipe wrench or similar tool. Sometimes a long handled tool is necessary to get enough leverage to loosen the fitting.

Purchase a comparable anode rod at your local hardware store, home center or plumbing supply house. If a bendable rod is available, consider purchasing it to make installation easier if you have little headroom to work with. Remember, the old rod will probably be only a fragment of its original length and won’t give you a true idea of the room you need to install its replacement. Before installing the new anode rod, wrap the threads with Teflon tape to create a better seal. Make a note of when you made the replacement on or near the water heater (my wife recently asked me when the I replaced the air filter on our furnace – I said it was just a few weeks ago – actually it was seven weeks earlier – time does have a habit of getting away from us).

Another problem that homeowners face with water heaters are occasional bumps and other strange sounds coming from their water heater. These noises are a result of steam that is being generated inside the water heater. This steam results from the flame heating accumulated junk resting on the bottom of the heater. The water lodged inside the junk becomes hot enough to create steam bubbles, which eventually rise and turn back into hot water. When these steam bubbles burst, they create those unpleasant sounds.

Unfortunately, if you have hard water, this junk in the form of scale and sediment form fairly quickly and need to be drained every few weeks. You need to put this task on the calendar (you do have a calendar?) so time doesn’t slip away. Nearly all hot water heaters have a drain near the bottom of the tank. Using a standard garden hoe, drain off several gallons of water that should be loaded with the aforementioned junk. When you eventually replace the water heater, look for a model that has a device built-in that reduces the volume of sediment that builds up.

Lime buildup is common in toilet bowls. The fix is easy. First, shut off the valve that supplies water to the toilet and then flush the toilet several times until it is empty. Soak paper towels with distilled white vinegar and lay them over the lime deposits letting them soak for a few hours. After removing the towels, use a scrub brush to remove any remaining lime sediment.

For the ambitious, you can keep your house drains open by using a recipe of a cup of baking soda, a cup of regular salt and a fourth of a cup of cream of tartar powder. You only need about a quarter of a cup of this solution per drain, adding a few cups of boiling water as a chaser.

Ah, the caulking between the tub and the wall. It seems that no matter who does the job or what they use, cracks will eventually appear. Before making repairs, fill the tub with water, which will weigh it down slightly. Roll up your pants (or whatever) and apply the caulk. When you drain the tub, it moves upward slightly, compressing the caulk and eliminating the possibility of ending up with new cracks the first time you use the bathtub.

William Samson asked:




Yes, you can fix-it plumbing yourself. Repairing your plumbing is not a tough task as soon as the problem is simple. If there is a complicated repairing need, you are strongly recommended to take the services of a professional plumber.

Equipments required You need certain equipment to fix-it plumbing yourself. This equipment include hand plumbers tape, small gas torch, solder, flux, plumbing sandpaper, pipe cutter, gas tape (to seal gas line), and maybe some pipe glue.

Procedure Follow the procedure as mentioned below in order to fix-it plumbing yourself.

The very first thing you need to do is that as soon as you realize that the old water heater has to go, start draining it, turn off the main water valve, and open up all of the faucets to eliminate any pressure. Always remember that it can take several hours to drain. If the unit is a gas unit, you should turn off the main gas line in the house; f it is electric, turn off the breaker. While you fix-it plumbing yourself, you should try to purchase the same unit in order to prevent yourself from adding pipe and new valves. Now, size up the job and disconnect the tank from the water pipes, gas line, or the electrical connection. If it is gas, you should disconnect the flue as well. Make sure that you save all parts in order to match them up when you purchase your supplies. Once you have disconnected the tank, remove it from your workspace.

Thus, here we see how easy it is to fix-it plumbing you.

Dhana Sekar asked:




Plumbing system is to a building, what circulatory system is to the human body. Any fault in the system is sure to throw your life helter-skelter and make your life awful. While putting in place a good well-conceived and well-done plumbing system is important, maintenance and preventive measures taken to keep the system in good shape is even more important.

Clogged Drains

Case one

Your sinks tubs connected to particular branch line drains slowly than normal.

Reasons

Dumping food solid materials into your kitchen Bathroom drains.

Pouring greasy Sticky materials into your kitchen sink.

Pouring chemicals paints into the drains.

Improper Inadequate venting.

Solution

Use a plunger to de clog your drain. This will work for clogs of smaller size. If it still persists, call an expert. Home made solutions do not work for bigger clogs.

Clogs can be removed using various techniques. While a cable can be used to remove solid clogs and break through roots, High pressure water jetting is more effective for clogs due to sticky greasy materials.

Before using water jetting as option, It is important to determine the quality of the plumbing materials used, for, the high pressure used in the process will rip your pipes apart if they are of a inferior quality.

Check the vents provided for any visible blocks. Find out whether the venting is adequate for the fixture it serves. An expert could help you out in this area. If the venting is absent or inadequate, provide upgrade to surmount the problem.

Preventive Measures

Respect your toilet and kitchen sinks. Use them only for the purpose intended. Avoid unmindful dumping of solid wastes, Food materials, Greasy substances and paints chemicals into the sinks.

Use filters over the drains in your toilet and kitchen to trap hair and solid objects.

Ensure that air vents are provided in adequate numbers and sizes for all fixtures.

Case two

All the drainage lines of the building drain slowly and there is a backing of the drain water from the main drainage line.

Reasons

A block in the main drainage line. or

A block in the inlet outlet of the septic tank. or

A block in the distribution box. or

A block in the percolation pipes. or

The septic tank has frozen due to an abnormal low weather.

Solution

Use a snake or water jetting to de clog the main drain line. This is the work of an expert. He could, through his expertise, say whether the clog is due to solid waste or greasy substances or roots and use a suitable technique to de clog the same.

Check the inlet and the outlet of the septic tank for any blockage due to solid wastes, scum and so on. Remove the block and check for easy flow.

Check the distribution box located between the septic tank and the percolators. Remove blocks, if any.

Check the area around the percolators. See whether it is moist, swampy and stinky. It means that the percolation is not proper. In other works the soil is not absorbing the drain water at the rate of discharge. It could be either because you usage of water has increased of late due to more guests or the soil has become saturated due to moisture from other sources such as rainfall more than normal etc. Immediately enlist an expert, the problem requires instant care.

If the septic tank has frozen due to bad weather seek the help of an expert immediately. If an expert and the equipment needed are hard to find, use the septic tank as a storage tank till such time the tank haws by itself. Judicious use of water will help you hold on for some time. To avoid freezing of the septic tank in the future, winterize before the next winter.

Preventive Measures

Respect your Septic tank. It is designed for the disposal of organic wastes only. Avoid dumping inorganic and non bio degradable wastes. They are sure to block the normal functioning of the septic tank and spoil it beyond redemption.

Use filters over the drains in your toilet and kitchen to trap hair and solid objects.

Winterize the septic tank to prevent it from freezing in winter. Do the following

Insulate the Septic tank, distribution tank, percolators and all out door lines by spreading a layer f hay, grass, dry leaves etc.

During winter, resort to more than normal usage of water. Warmer the water, the better.

Empty the tank, if you are planning for a long outing.

Get expert help. Winterization is location, weather specific. A small investment here will save you from all hardships during the winter.

Leaks

Symptoms

Leaks in your plumbing system are not just unsanitary but is a tremendous loss of a scarce resource. More often than not leaks are detected much later than they had started and after much damage had already been done.

Try this test out to determine whether there is a leak in your plumbing system. Before you go to bed in the night, close the Main valve at the primary inlet of your plumbing system. Note the water meter reading. In the dawn, before you start using water, note the reading. If the reading has changed then, there is a leak in the system.

To locate the leak, repeat the procedure by keeping the main valve open and all but one of your ancillary line valves closed. If the reading shows a change, then the leak is in that particular branch line. Inspect the faucets for visible leaks and path of the lines for subtle hints of invisible leaks behind the plastered walls. If you still can not detect the leak. Contact us for expert care.

Reasons

While visible are due to faulty faucets fixtures, Invisible leaks can be due to cracks in your plumbing lines. The cracks happen due to a. Ageing lines giving off or b. Faulty winterization of you plumbing system.

Solution

Replace the faulty fixtures faucets.

If the leak is due to faulty line, replace the line. If your plumbing system is considerably old, you can think of replacing the lines in stages without waiting for the system to call for your attention and doing much damage to your cherished home.

Preventive Measures

Make proper use and take proper care of your faucets and other movable water outlets. Install only good quality faucets that will stand the wear and tear. Do not compromise on quality for price. Remember, a compromise on quality is a compromise on peace of mind.

Properly winterize your plumbing system.

Winterization.

What

Acclimatizing your plumbing system to withstand the test of hard winter is winterization.

Why

Plumbing systems are primarily intended to transport water to the locations of need from a centralized water storage facility. In the winter, as the temperature dips to appreciable lows, water freezes. The density of ice is more than that of water. Hence to accommodate water turned into ice, your plumbing system expands. When this expansion is beyond its elastic limit, it cracks wreaking havoc on your entire plumbing system.

Solution

Prepare for the winter ahead by properly acclimatizing your plumbing system. Do the following.

Insulate the drains outside your home.

Open the cabinets under sinks to facilitate circulation of warm air to avoid freezing.

In the temperature is harsh, allow water to flow through the lines in a trickle, when not in use, to avoid freezing.

If you are going out and if the plumbing system will not be in use for a long time close the main valve and drain all water form the system, to ensure that there is no water to be frozen.

Remember, winter is a testing time for your plumbing system. Take preventive measures or you may have to spend a fortune to restore the system back to normalcy. If you need more information, feel free to avail our expert care.