| Subject | Date Asked |
|
| leak repair | 11/20/2009 |
Q: In the crawlspace of my house where the drain pipe goes out to the septic there is cast iron pipe ...
A: Marty, You can use a cement fix, however, keep in mind that it is only temporary and the area will ...
|
| Frozen pipes & Overflow | 11/20/2009 |
Q: We moved into a new construction home 4 years ago. We live in Iowa so the winters are cold. I have ...
A: Jodi, It might be that the p-trap is getting frozen causing the water to slow. I would check the ...
|
| hot water at sink | 11/20/2009 |
Q: We have to run water for four or five min. to get hot water at kitchen sink. Is there any way to ...
A: Erbie, Depending upon the size of your water heater and the distance from the kitchen, you may ...
|
| water tank leak | 11/20/2009 |
Q: I have a duron censible state water heater. There are two spots on the top of the water heater where ...
A: Mark, You may be able to fix this if it is a leak at the threads of a nipple, otherwise, you may ...
|
| tub/shower balance valve | 11/20/2009 |
Q: I have what i believe to be a Sigma 300 series tub and shower faucet. I believe it has a balance ...
A: Joe, Thank you Joe for the recognition. It is indeed my honor to be part of AllExperts.com I ...
|
| Water Heater | 11/19/2009 |
Q: Anthony, I was recently checking out a water heater for a friends mother. She complained she wasn't ...
A: Hey John, My guess is your friend's mom may want more than the current system can deliver. I hear ...
|
| removing ceiling to do plumbing work | 11/19/2009 |
Q: I'm having work done to fix a leaking pipe that runs from my tub. The plumber will have to go ...
A: AJ, It all depends upon what you agreed to when you asked the plumber to work in your home. If you ...
|
| washing machine backing up | 11/19/2009 |
Q: I hope you can help me - any advice would be greatly appreciated. I removed a shower in my laundry ...
A: Carolyn, Your problem stems from the fact you are ignoring the obvious. The drain system has been ...
|
| Foul Odor at sink s | 11/18/2009 |
Q: I ran a small Spa business in a strip mall. The place gets a foul odor as if there was a dead rat ...
A: Victor, Sounds like a problem I run into all too often. In the bathrooms, the most neglected part ...
|
| Urinal flushing issue | 11/18/2009 |
Q: I have an older urinal with a Sloan valve. It stops flushing, as soon as you release the handle. ...
A: Matt, You probably need a valve rebuild kit for the Sloan valve. If you've never tried this repair ...
|
| Shower handle set screw | 11/6/2009 |
Q: This is kind of strange, but I'm trying to help out my local YMCA chapter. They installed a new ...
A: Kirk, Helping others in need is definitely a noble enterprise. It seems whenever a person plans to ...
|
| remove&install newshower | 11/6/2009 |
Q: i have a shower now 32x32 with the drain 15.5 from the wall, i would like to replace it with a new ...
A: Dave, There is no doubt you will have to move the p-trap to accommodate the new drain position. To ...
|
| switch an outdoor toilet for washing machine | 11/6/2009 |
Q: Bascially I have an outdoor building with a toilet inside and I am looking to swap it for a washing ...
A: Adrian, It seems to me that if the pipe carrying the toilet wastes is in good condition, there ...
|
| Changing existing gas line location | 11/6/2009 |
Q: I don't expect you to know our local codes :) I will be getting with my city for all applicable ...
A: Anna Lee, Thank you for this question. Whenever a repair or remodel needs to be completed for ...
|
| Water Hammer | 11/5/2009 |
Q: We have a 3 handle tub and shower faucet. Replaced all parts in hot and cold -- leak better, but ...
A: Shirley, It's possible you have some debris stuck in the valve and causing the sounds you're ...
|
| champion water system | 11/5/2009 |
Q: system made a large bang when i set it up(new tank with precharged system about 15 years ago).seems ...
A: Dave, Sounds to me like you may not have properly primed the system before putting it in service. ...
|
| Sewer Odor in Bathroom Vanity/ Sink | 11/5/2009 |
Q: When I run the water in the bathroom sink there is a sewer odor that comes up and will go away after ...
A: Cora, The smell could be coming from the overflow or hole in the front of the sink. I would pour ...
|
| toilet tank | 11/5/2009 |
Q: I have a hairline crack in my toilet tank. Is there any way to seal it? I think it is probably a ...
A: Jan, Yes, you can use marine epoxy which you can find at the local home improvement store. Let me ...
|
| drain for humidifier | 11/5/2009 |
Q: I just had a new furnace installed with a humidifier. They taped into a pvd pipe attached to my ...
A: Sean, Yes, both solutions are okay providing they repair the pvc pipe properly and tie into a ...
|
| Lost Ring - Amazing experience! | 11/4/2009 |
Q: We (group of friends) rented a vacation home just a few days back Here is what happened. Before ...
A: Viral Dalal, Wow! What a story! Thank you so much for sharing this story. My wife had a similar ...
|
| faulty toilet flush | 11/4/2009 |
Q: when I flush my toilet the water in the bowl rotates in a circular pattern and doesn't flush the ...
A: Rod, Check the jet (the hole in the base of the toilet). Sometimes, if it gets blocked, it will ...
|
| plumbing/faucet | 11/4/2009 |
Q: I have a single lever shower faucet, one round acrylic knobs controls both temperature and flow. ...
A: Judy, This sounds like a Moen shower valve. It's possible that you have some debris blocking the ...
|
| Water line vibration | 11/4/2009 |
Q: I have a vibration in the water line that occurs in an upstairs bathroom when the toilet is flushed, ...
A: Brett, You might try flushing the line of debris which could cause this condition. You can also ...
|
| Routing a vent | 10/30/2009 |
Q: I am remodeling a bathroom and would like to install a mirror above a sink. The mirror hides a ...
A: William, Yes you can re-route the vent, however, it requires doing a proper offset. According to ...
|
| Plumbing | 10/30/2009 |
Q: when the washing machine drains, sometimes the down stairs toilet bubbles then the water is suck ...
A: Emmett, Clearing the vertical riser between floors is good, but snaking the vents is usually not ...
|
| Farm well pressure issues | 10/30/2009 |
Q: We have a well that is 100 feet down hill from our home. The system works fine as it is, but we ...
A: Lisa, Thanks for the clarification. It's possible the pressure tank may be failing to maintain ...
|
| water heater rattling noises | 10/30/2009 |
Q: when I turn on a hot water tap, the water heater in my garage starts clanking and rattling. I ...
A: Lora, Clanking, rattling or other noises at a water heater could be caused by an excess build up of ...
|
| Winterize outdoor faucet | 10/30/2009 |
Q: I just want to double check the correct way to winterize outdoor faucet. I turned off the indoor ...
A: Debbie, I agree with most of what you've written about this situation, however, I would not leave ...
|
| 3" PVC for Toilet Cutting Horizontally (perpendicular) Across 10" Joists | 10/30/2009 |
Q: I want to remodel my master bath and make a small neo-angle shower into a larger rectangle. To do ...
A: John, Yes, the plumbing setup is fine because the joists were not notched, which would weaken them ...
|
| Is the water softner rough in correct ? | 10/30/2009 |
Q: I am having trouble with limited soft water and rusty water. A couple questions: 1. Is the water ...
A: Keith, I've reviewed the picture of your piping and I'm a bit confused. It appears to me that you ...
|
| Farm well pressure issues | 10/29/2009 |
Q: We have a well that is 100 feet down hill from our home. The system works fine as it is, but we ...
A: Lisa, If I read this right, it seems to me that you are moving the pump and switch 200 feet below ...
|
| Water Softener | 10/29/2009 |
Q: I live in rural central Texas, and have a well. My water softener has worked fine for years, but now ...
A: Art, I've heard of this occurring in some units. A friend of mine has a softener whose ...
|
| shower pressure | 10/29/2009 |
Q: I have 3 showers in my house the shower that is on the far end of the house has great water pressure ...
A: Dan, It's possible that you have debris stuck in the valves at the showers. I would first flush ...
|
| Tub and Shower faucet | 10/29/2009 |
Q: I just installed a Pegusus tub and shower faucet. When I open the faucet to fill the tub water comes ...
A: David, You may have some debris stuck in the valve. I would remove the valve stem(s) and then ...
|
| outdoor club house plumbing | 10/29/2009 |
Q: We are building a small outdoor clubhouse with sink and shower. It isn't a residence or business and ...
A: Alison, One thing to keep in mind about open-ended piping is that rodents and other vermin can ...
|
| Plumbing | 10/29/2009 |
Q: when the washing machine drains, sometimes the down stairs toilet bubbles then the water is suck ...
A: Emmett, I believe you have a drain problem that has recently gotten serious. The clue is that now ...
|
| Well water is discolored | 10/29/2009 |
Q: We had rain about 2 days ago and now all water running in house is discolored not sure why could you ...
A: Christy, Are you on well water or city water? If you are on well water, then your ground water ...
|
| water pressure drop and whistle | 10/29/2009 |
Q: My kitchen faucet has recently started whistling and is accompanied by a noticeable drop in water ...
A: Moe, Usually, these4 type of problems are caused by debris inside the valve to the faucet. I would ...
|
| Toilet draining very slowly | 10/25/2009 |
Q: Anthony. Recently, I noticed that my toilet drains extremely slow. When I flush the toilet, the ...
A: Peter, Usually when this happens, something is stuck in the base of the toilet. I would suggest ...
|
| Leaking hose on handheld shower | 10/25/2009 |
Q: My question is about the HOSE on a handheld shower. The attachment area is solid and dry, no leaks. ...
A: Rena, My wife and I have experienced this many times. You will have to purchase a replacement from ...
|
| water softener | 10/25/2009 |
Q: I am looking into getting a water softener and plan to DIY it. Is a cabinet style of a two tank ...
A: Landon, These days, there are a number of choices when it comes to water softeners. However, to ...
|
| Bosch tankless water heater making high pitched squealing noise | 10/24/2009 |
Q: I have a Bosch 2400 E LP tankless water heater and it wouldn't work the other morning. I followed ...
A: David, You could have debris in the water line or if you used teflon tape on the threads of the ...
|
| Shower runs when the tap as on. | 10/24/2009 |
Q: When I turn on the faucet to run a bath, the shower head runs even though I don't pull up the knob ...
A: Karen, Sorry for the tardy answer. Yes, you can check this out yourself. Sounds like some debris ...
|
| No Smell Basement Vent pipe | 10/24/2009 |
Q: I have no sewer smell coming from a 2" vent pipe in basement (clean out 1' about floor). I took off ...
A: Ted, I'm not understanding why you are looking for a strong smell from the waste system. If there ...
|
| Groehe "Talia" widespread faucet leak | 10/24/2009 |
Q: We had faucets installed with new addition 4 years ago. The cold water is leaking. Ive always done ...
A: Susan, The newer model faucets are typically ceramic disc or some variation of that. When they ...
|
| overhead shower | 10/24/2009 |
Q: Have an overhead shower that does not drain immediately. If you use it, it will drain sporadically ...
A: Bob, Depending upon the model, you may have to change the entire diverter valve to stop the water ...
|
| No hot water in house period | 10/24/2009 |
Q: I have noticed a slowing down of my hot water in the house. Today I wake up and now there is NO hot ...
A: Mike, Sorry for the tardy answer. Sounds like you have an older water system. It might be time ...
|
| Drainage | 10/24/2009 |
Q: I live in a manufactured home and we have a double bay kitchen sink. When I drain one sink side it ...
A: Terry, Sorry for the tardy answer. Sounds to me like you have a stoppage in the tee that ties the ...
|
| BACKED UP TOILET AND BATHTUB | 10/22/2009 |
Q: 2 weeks ago my toilet and bathtub was stopped up. Sewage and toilet water was in both my bathrooms ...
A: Twanfran, Sorry for the tardy answer. In answer to your first question, installing an exterior ...
|
| pressure tank pump | 10/21/2009 |
Q: Lately my pump on the pressure tank has been running quite long. Today it won't kick out when it ...
A: Tim, Sorry for the tardy answer. You probably have a high/low pressure switch that needs to be ...
|
| WellXtrol Model WX202 | 10/21/2009 |
Q: Subject tank is over 37 years old, in very good condition, but lately have noticed that when it ...
A: Joe, Sorry for the tardy answer. It's possible that the air valve may have a leak in it. You ...
|
| Moaning Pipes | 10/21/2009 |
Q: I have a 4 year old house. Whenever a faucet or shower is turned off (or a toilet finishes filling), ...
A: Jim, Sorry for the tardy answer. The moaning you are hearing is due to debris stuck in the pipe ...
|
| Water Pressure Regulator | 10/14/2009 |
Q: I had the Water Dept come out to check our pressure they said we need to adjust pressure regulator ...
A: Denise, No, you do not need to have a plumber do this type of job. However, a word of caution... ...
|
| location of main line vent | 10/14/2009 |
Q: i had a fully blocked cesspool main line. called a large chain plumbing company and got poor results ...
A: Bob, I'm sorry the "big box" plumbing company gave you a bad experience. As a rule, I never ...
|
| am I asking for the wrong thing? | 10/14/2009 |
Q: I am having a killer time trying to find a new faucet for our sink and I just need to know what to ...
A: Jon, This sink is an oldie but goodie! There is a couple of ways you can go about this, depending ...
|
| bath tub/shower | 10/14/2009 |
Q: I am trying to find out if this is something I can fix or if I need to call a plumber. When you go ...
A: Kerrie, I would suggest removing the valve stems and first replacing the washers and seats at each ...
|
| Bathtub is moving? | 10/14/2009 |
Q: My bathrm was renovated in 2007. I noticed cracks in the grout around the tub--"settling" my son ...
A: Kathy, Unfortunately, I've seen too many of these "home projects" that go awry. You will probably ...
|
| Water heater installation | 10/14/2009 |
Q: i am replacing my water heater and would like to use pex tubing. i saw two products at Lowes for ...
A: David, I'm familiar with both of the products you want to use. Both are fine to use, the ...
|
| water in tile grout lines | 10/14/2009 |
Q: We've notice white deposits that collect on some of the grout lines in our living room floor. After ...
A: Alan, Here's another thought. Is your FAU (furnace) in the attic of your townhome? If so, then ...
|
| tub replacement | 10/14/2009 |
Q: I would like to replace my tub.The bathroom is 5'x 7' and the tub fits 5' stud to stud.Seems like ...
A: Tom, Yes. You may have to remove the toilet though. In some cases, I may have had to remove a ...
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| bath tub | 10/14/2009 |
Q: I just purchased a house and doing renovations. After removing a bath tub, we discovered that the ...
A: Robby, Yes. You will need to shore up the joist. Moist floor joists are 2" x 10" or 2" x 12", ...
|
| sewer holding tank | 10/14/2009 |
Q: I live below town sewer line. My sewage has to go to a holding tank in my basement then it is pumped ...
A: Ray, If you replace your tank, you should also replace the pump. I'm not sure where you're ...
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| tub replacement | 10/14/2009 |
Q: I would like to replace my tub.The bathroom is 5'x 7' and the tub fits 5' stud to stud.Seems like ...
A: Tom, It all depends upon what the old tub is made of. If it's cast iron, then, you'll need lots of ...
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| water leak? | 10/13/2009 |
Q: .. We have wood floors all over our house. Over several ares the wood has started to curl and in one ...
A: Regina, A few years ago, a friend asked me to find the source of a problem at his home when he had ...
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| water pipe "bang" | 10/13/2009 |
Q: When I first turn on one of my faucets or flush the toilet, I hear a "one time" bang within ...
A: Joe, You may have debris stuck in the water system, in which case I would suggest flushing out the ...
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| toilet back flushing | 10/13/2009 |
Q: Anthony. I have a Gerber Sloan Flushmate series 503 toilet that's only about 1-2 years old. Model # ...
A: Phil, Pressure-assisted flush technology like this can be a bit problematic. However, I have found ...
|
| Smelly water, bad taste | 10/13/2009 |
Q: We have a problem with water that smells mildewy and tastes terrible. The problem is most prevalent ...
A: Mark, Depending upon how old your piping system is (especially if it's galvanized), you could be ...
|
| Plumbing process and materials | 10/13/2009 |
Q: I wanted to know about the common processes and materials used during the different plumbing stages. ...
A: Vineeth Dharmapalan, I am honored that you would request such an answer from me, however, this ...
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| Leak from shower/bath onto main level | 10/13/2009 |
Q: I have a mystery leak! I just pulled down the wet sheet rock off the ceiling below the tub/shower ...
A: Ryan, After running the water in the tub, splashing the walls of the shower with water and making ...
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| Low water pressure after sprinkler repair | 10/13/2009 |
Q: We had an early freeze prior to draining our sprinkler system. Suddenly one afternoon I heard a ...
A: Marsha, Sorry for the tardy answer. This has nothing to do with your irrigation system. It's ...
|
| Question on Septic tank | 10/13/2009 |
Q: I am buying a house and the seller told me that a new septic tank was put in 2005. The house was ...
A: David, Congratulations on the purchase of your new home! Sorry for the tardy answer. Depending ...
|
| J bend | 10/12/2009 |
Q: I had a dripping J bend which I removed. I bought a corresponding 1 1/4 metal piece I am unable to ...
A: Bob, If you have a good plumbing supply company near you, Home Depot or Lowe's, you can use banded ...
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| Jacuzzi rattling my pipes | 10/12/2009 |
Q: Anthony: Our house is only 12 years old and when I turn the cold water on to my Jacuzzi the pipes ...
A: Dom, Sorry for the tardy answer. Perhaps he's right, but I don't think so. You are experiencing ...
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| burst pipes, water and heat | 10/12/2009 |
Q: A few years back a pipe burst in an empty house. The water was shut off at the street and I don't ...
A: G - Anything can be fixed... Whether there are future pipe breaks or not, depends on the age of ...
|
| Water Heater | 10/12/2009 |
Q: My gas water heater 10yrs old(Rheem) is making noise, like water is continually running inside the ...
A: Dominick, Sorry for the tardy answer. There may not be a problem with the water heater. The fact ...
|
| remove my garbage disposal | 10/12/2009 |
Q: My current garbage disposal is a badger 1 and I am trying to replace it with another badger 1. I am ...
A: Nikki, Sorry for the tardy answer. The first thing you must do is remove the disposer from its' ...
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| no hot water | 10/12/2009 |
Q: I have no hot water coming from any of my taps...the cold is working
A: Jennifer, The reason you have no hot water could be because your water heater is broken down, but ...
|
| Main Line Obstruction | 10/12/2009 |
Q: We just had a plumbing company send a camera through what they called the "main line" and discovered ...
A: Matthew, On occasions I have recommended in this forum for people to have their waste system ...
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| Toilet only flushes sometimes | 10/11/2009 |
Q: I had read a response concerning cleaning the holes around the top edge to increase the swishing to ...
A: Kevin, If your toilet does not have this "jet", then perhaps you have a 1.0 gpf toilet. In any ...
|
| help | 10/11/2009 |
Q: I live in a building and in the building next the water pump in enclose in a room with a ...
A: Auripol, I agree you should let the other building management know about the noise in the pump, ...
|
| boiler/water heater 2 in 1? | 10/11/2009 |
Q: My home currently has a very old boiler and a getting old water heater. is there such a single ...
A: Curt, Yes, you can upgrade your water heater (perhaps to a 50 or 75 gallon unit), and install a ...
|
| Plumbing | 10/11/2009 |
Q: The washing machine tub has a musty/stale water smell. We have a 2" drainpipe (PVC), the drainpipe ...
A: Derek, I am not an expert on appliances, however, you may be experiencing bad water, perhaps a ...
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| toilet | 10/11/2009 |
Q: My toilet wont flush properly all the time, had a professional auger used found ...
A: Desperato, Sorry for the tardy response. The seal will not affect the flush of the toilet unless ...
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| Toilet replacement | 10/11/2009 |
Q: Good evening Anthony, I have just purchased a 1950’s house in Houston, Texas. I want to replace a ...
A: Ismar, I think the answer to your question lies in the fact that you have a limited budget - So ...
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| cottage toilet | 10/11/2009 |
Q: we have a 30 year old plastic toilet in our cottage. It has performed well all these years.( drains ...
A: Carol, No guarantees here, but if you can send me a digital photo of the inside of the tank and ...
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| Pocket Gasket Pipe | 10/11/2009 |
Q: I am laying 2000 feet of 2 inch pocket gasket pipe to my property for a future house, I have ...
A: Robert, "Dirt", will not keep the pipe from bursting. It sounds to me like you didn't follow the ...
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| sudden hot water pressure loss | 10/10/2009 |
Q: MyI have an electric hot water heater in the basement. The hot water lines comes up and splits. On ...
A: Mark, It's possible you have debris in the water feeds. I would first disconnect the fixture and ...
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| toilet backs up in rainstorm | 10/9/2009 |
Q: Last night we had a rainstorm, about 4 inches through the night. One toilet filled up with water, ...
A: Valan, Sorry for the tardy answer. Usually, the toilets are directly connected to the main waste ...
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| water faucet probelm | 10/9/2009 |
Q: I live in Hawaii and I am a renter of my property. This house is like a duplex with on on top the ...
A: Brandon, Sounds to me like you took at good stab at resolving this issue. It's a bit tough judging ...
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| Galvanized Plumbing | 10/9/2009 |
Q: Is Galvanized plumbing still used in housing developements today? I am looking to buy a house and ...
A: Jackie, Galvanized piping is still approved by the plumbing code. In homes where they have this ...
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| sump pit | 10/9/2009 |
Q: I have two sump pits next to each other, not sure why. but there is an odor coming out of the one ...
A: Jason, Anytime you have waste system gases coming into your home, it's time to call in a ...
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| AO Smith Water Heater | 10/9/2009 |
Q: I have an AO Smith water heater that was installed 11/2004. It was built 09/02/2004, Serial # ...
A: Bob, Sorry for the tardy answer. Your thermocouple is probably bad. If you have the new style ...
|
| basement | 10/8/2009 |
Q: I walked down to my basement to do laundry and found it flooded. This is not the first time. When ...
A: Chi, Sorry for the tardy answer. Yes, you might get a plumber to clear out your basement drain ...
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| water in tile grout lines | 10/8/2009 |
Q: We've notice white deposits that collect on some of the grout lines in our living room floor. After ...
A: Alan, Sorry for tardy answer. I'm curious - Is your townhome on the end of the complex near a ...
|
| Dutch Boy Sump System | 10/8/2009 |
Q: My home has the subject system which was installed by previous owner approx. 16 plus years ago. The ...
A: Bob, Sorry for the tardy answer. You can possibly backflush the system from the entry point of ...
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| bath tub/shower | 10/8/2009 |
Q: I am trying to find out if this is something I can fix or if I need to call a plumber. When you go ...
A: Kerrie, Sorry for the tardy answer. First off, what type of tub/shower valve do you have? Do you ...
|
| Bathroom sewer question. | 10/8/2009 |
Q: We are adding a bathroom to our garage and I had a question about the sewer line vent. Does the vent ...
A: Hethoe, Sorry for the tardy answer. Actually, you can pipe a portion of a vent horizontally and ...
|
| copper pipe elbows | 10/7/2009 |
Q: does there have to be an elbow above a hot water heater for both water pipes in and out?
A: Joanna, Sorry for the tardy answer. No. There are a variety of configurations one can use to tie ...
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| replacing tub drain shoe | 10/7/2009 |
Q: While replacing my old drain basket with a new one, I stripped the threads of the shoe. Now, I am ...
A: Matt, Sorry for the tardy answer. To remove the shoe, you must take out the drain inside the tub. ...
|
| a bradford white gas hot water tank clicks on and off about every three seconds | 10/7/2009 |
Q: I hope you can help. I have a bradford white gas hot water tank that started to click on and off and ...
A: Bob, Sorry for the tardy answer. Clicking on and off repeatedly is not good for your ignitor and ...
|
| energy conversion | 10/7/2009 |
Q: I'm a Canadian in Northeastern Ontario, and I'm in a home heated by hot water. Our hot water system ...
A: Adam, Sorry for the tardy answer. Interesting application you propose. I would connect your ...
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| Mixet shower valve | 10/7/2009 |
Q: It won't mix. It stays hot or cold no matter where you turn the lever. It has never worked correctly ...
A: Tom, Sorry for the tardy answer. I would try to find the troubleshooting guide for your model of ...
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| residential well pressure | 10/7/2009 |
Q: I have a home that has a well pressure issue. The water comes in, goes through a check valve,to a ...
A: Steve, Sorry for the tardy answer. I would check the pressure on the tank first. You can do this ...
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| pedestal sink | 10/3/2009 |
Q: I just replaced my pedestal sink with another one. I had a clog, cleared it with a plunger but water ...
A: Dave, If water is coming back up through the overflow, then you have a plug in the line, either in ...
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| water heater, expansion tank & water pressure regulator valve | 10/3/2009 |
Q: I live in a condo which is about 22 years old. Recently our condo assn. told us that we should have ...
A: Connie, An expansion tank is designed to prevent thermal expansion in a piping system. Here is a ...
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| No water | 10/3/2009 |
Q: I am in the process of buy a house and have recently had inspections done on the well.By a ...
A: Joe, You may have a problem in the foot valve at the base of the well. However, given that this ...
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| Knocking from new faucet | 10/3/2009 |
Q: My husband just installed a new faucet (and shower combo) for our old clawfoot tub. Everything is ...
A: Karen, The knocking could be because of the water pressure as it fills the supply lines to the ...
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| cast to abs | 10/2/2009 |
Q: Do they make a 4 inch abs fitting to connect to the inside of a 4 inch cast iron hub thanks
A: Garry, What you're looking for is called a donut or bushing and is made of hard rubber. Here is a ...
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| shower | 10/2/2009 |
Q: My hot water will not stop running after I turn the handle I've already replaced the valve stem, ...
A: Manuel, No offense, but if you find a good plumber that can resolve your issue, the price you pay ...
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| stuck plug in cast iron stack | 10/2/2009 |
Q: It looks like a copper plug screwed in a cast iron T as part of one of stacks in the basement from ...
A: Kevin, I have tried heating up the fitting in order to remove the plug. However, if you can't get ...
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| Waste Pipe Problem | 10/2/2009 |
Q: See attached Picture of my sons recently purchased home. The waste pipe exits the house and runs ...
A: John, Yes, you can box it in. Here in California, from time to time, additions to homes and ...
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| Installing a backflush toilet | 10/2/2009 |
Q: Is there a special kind of collar that goes on the wall for the wax seal? I'm not sure how to ...
A: Joe, There are a variety of models in this type of toilet. May I suggest looking up your make and ...
|
| changing a grundfos recirculating pump on a closed-loop geo-thermal heat system | 10/2/2009 |
Q: My system has one pump labeled "from loop" and another labeled "to loop". One of the pumps was ...
A: Steve, Each pump has two isolating valves allowing the easy removal and installation of the pump. ...
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| Make a shower from a sink and toilet | 10/2/2009 |
Q: I live in a small office. It has a sink and a toilet, but no bath or shower. I want to make a ...
A: Abraham, I'm sorry, I've never watched "That 70's Show", so I don't know what you're looking at. ...
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| Shallow water well pump not completely filling the tank | 10/2/2009 |
Q: I have a shallow well with the pump in the well. Air bladder tank in basement. This evening I came ...
A: David, Have you checked the pressure in the pressure tank? If the pressure is below 40 psi, then ...
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| bathrooom sink drain | 10/2/2009 |
Q: I must have caused the problem when I installed a new sink and drain in my bathroom which drains to ...
A: Joe, Oftentimes, the smell comes from the overflow part of the sink. When you installed the drain, ...
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| toilet flush valve issue | 10/2/2009 |
Q: I have a Mansfield toilet stamp-dated April 9, 2001 with a No. 160 (model#?). There are sounds of ...
A: Jennifer, Probably, the reason why your toilet is making these sounds is because it is leaking and ...
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| Problem with new toilet. | 10/1/2009 |
Q: we just bought a newly built home with all new fixtures etc... One of our toilets does not flush ...
A: Nick, These flush valves can be problematic. Apparently, it is closing too quickly and this ...
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| Shower valve | 10/1/2009 |
Q: I have a nine year old shower that no longer provides hot water, only warm. All other fixtures are ...
A: Doug, There is an adjustment ring on most of the newer shower valves that you turn to increase hot ...
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| No hot water flow | 10/1/2009 |
Q: Periodically diminished or no water flow from hot side of any fixture; sinks, tub, washer, etc. Cold ...
A: Tom, You should remove all tub/shower valves and flush the lines out. It's possible you have ...
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| Air Gap for Dishwasher | 10/1/2009 |
Q: I am installing a new dishwasher and like all dishwashers i have installed, it is optional to ...
A: Thomas, According to the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) and most other codes in the U.S., the purpose ...
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| Artesian Well Repair | 10/1/2009 |
Q: My Dad's house has a 30 year old+ artesian well in Central Florida. Steel pipe that is the supply ...
A: Pat, You may want to try using an epoxy application to make the repair and guarantee the line is ...
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| water heaters | 10/1/2009 |
Q: We are reworking a bathroom that is a long way from the main water heater. We have ruled out ...
A: Milt, How far is the water heater from the bathroom? I would suggest a different approach. If you ...
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| lead waste pipe to plastic S trap | 9/30/2009 |
Q: The lead waste pipe I need to connect to is slightly less than 2.5 inches in EXTERNAL diameter and ...
A: Ken, In this situation, you should use an all rubber coupling that has two bands. This makes a ...
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| Septic | 9/30/2009 |
Q: I live in northern MN and am having my septic pumped tommorow. It was last pumped 6/06 when it was ...
A: Nick, Having your tank pumped every couple of years as PM is not a bad thing, however, the care of ...
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| Thermal Expansion | 9/30/2009 |
Q: I put in a new water heater and the t&p valve keeps releasing. I think it's thermal expansion ...
A: Nick, I see that you've tried resolving the pressure issue, but since the T&P valve opens is the ...
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| septic | 9/30/2009 |
Q: I have been living in my home for 2 years in the that time I have had to call rotor rooter to come ...
A: Kimanne, A septic system is not like any other waste system and thus needs to be handled ...
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| Water Pressure/Volume (after installing a new water heater) | 9/30/2009 |
Q: I just replaced my water heater and after getting it working the water pressure/volume has dropped ...
A: Mark, Many times this happens when people turn the water on too fast after the installation. You ...
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| water heater | 9/29/2009 |
Q: House, new construction, 6 months old. We have a gas water heater which vents outside the house ...
A: Kathy, Sorry for the tardy answer. The fact that the water heater vent is 4 feet away from a ...
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| hot shower/cool bath | 9/29/2009 |
Q: My problem: there's enough hot water for a shower, but when filling the tub, after a minute or two ...
A: Cheryl, Sorry for the tardy answer. If all of your hot water comes through the tankless, then, ...
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| Water Storage Tank for Fire and Irrigation | 9/29/2009 |
Q: Not sure if this would be your area of expertise but you can let me know. I already asked the ...
A: Bob, Thank you for asking this question. Placement of the tank for firefighting purposes, means ...
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| new sink smells bad | 9/29/2009 |
Q: I recently bought a new sink and faucet when having new countertops installed. Ever since there has ...
A: Donna, Sorry for the tardy answer. Each manufacturer uses a polymer type paint for sound proofing. ...
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| Shower valve | 9/26/2009 |
Q: I have a nine year old shower that no longer provides hot water, only warm. All other fixtures are ...
A: Doug, Remove the valve stem and check if the cold and hot individually are flowing the same. If ...
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| deep well system | 9/25/2009 |
Q: my son has bought a house upon using water pump quits it has power it is a self priming pump with ...
A: Ronnie, If the system has been online for any amount of time, there is not telling where ...
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| Expansion tank installation? | 9/25/2009 |
Q: My daughter just had two new 50 gal gas fired hotwater heaters installed as replacements for two 10 ...
A: Richard, Yes, it does make a difference. They need to correct the situation. Tell them I said "Do ...
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| Main waterline hookup | 9/25/2009 |
Q: Looking for best way to hook up main waterline to run 230' up a 45 degree hill to my shop %26 house. ...
A: Jon, I don't think you can do what you are suggesting. 230 feet up a hill is a long way for water ...
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| Stopping Sewer Backup at Toilet Drain? | 9/25/2009 |
Q: My home was flooded earlier this week from the massive rain we had in Atlanta. The flooding was due ...
A: Rick, Unfortunately, no. However, I do not understand the issue about installing a backwater valve ...
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| hot water heater | 9/25/2009 |
Q: I am leaving my home in las vegas, nevada for at least 4 months. I was wondering if I should lay up ...
A: Doug, I definitely would suggest you drain the water heater, gas, etc. Everything can be ...
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| Kitchen faucet | 9/25/2009 |
Q: my kitchen sink has a fixture on it where the sprayer from the faucet usually goes. I looked under ...
A: David, I hate to be a bother, but could you send me a digital picture of the area(s) in question? ...
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| Screw broke deep in stem | 9/25/2009 |
Q: I was replacing my tub faucet knobs And the screw broke deep in stem. Is there a way of getting it ...
A: Fred, Yes, you would have to purchase an drill bit small enough to drill out the original screw and ...
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| Shower pressure | 9/25/2009 |
Q: A number of years ago I had an en-suite bathroom built onto the main bedroom. The shower works fine ...
A: Paul, Unfortunately nothing inexpensive will clear this up. Obviously, part of your piping system ...
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| Sillcock handle removal | 9/25/2009 |
Q: I have to start a new thread because only 3 questions are allowed in a thread. I removed the nut ...
A: Anup, Thanks for the photo. I would carefully cut the handle off and replace it would a universal ...
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| Sump pump running after shower or toilet flush | 9/24/2009 |
Q: I live in an old house with a septic tank. We had a drainage system with 2 sump pumps installed ...
A: Briam, I re-read your original post and there is an outside chance of effluent from the leach lines ...
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| Venting Methods | 9/24/2009 |
Q: we are installing a mother-in-law kitchenette. We were told we don't need permits because of the ...
A: Carri, Your plumber is referring to an "air admittance valve". If it is customary to install them ...
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| Water dripping into basement from toilet? | 9/24/2009 |
Q: just recently we discovered water dripping into our basement from the ceiling overhead. The ceiling ...
A: Christie, It could never hurt to remove the toilet and examine the condition of the wax seal. My ...
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| mold smell in water pipes | 9/24/2009 |
Q: When we run the shower or the hot water in any sink in our townhouse,there is strong smell of mold. ...
A: Jane, I'm not thinking mold in the same way you're thinking. The moldy smell can actually come ...
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| help! | 9/24/2009 |
Q: all my toilets have dirty water in them and don't seem to be flushing right and one of the bathroom ...
A: Judy, Is the dirty water also in a tub or shower? It's possible you may have a major back up about ...
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| WATER HEATER | 9/23/2009 |
Q: EVERYTIME IT TURNS ON IT MAKES THIS LOUD RUMBLING NOISE. IT HAS BEEN DOING IT EVER SINCE I ...
A: Omar, When the unit turns on, have you gone to the area where the heater is to determine where the ...
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| winterize home | 9/23/2009 |
Q: I have a home in Massachusetts that I want to winterize and go to Florida. I have a forced hot water ...
A: Jim, Yes, and make sure all exposed piping are properly insulated for your area. You can check ...
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| new vanity plumbing | 9/23/2009 |
Q: My plumber is on vacation until next week. I am having a very small bathroom tiled and decided to ...
A: Barb, A good construction job is like a marriage, communication is key! I don't think the plumber ...
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| Toilet Bubbling | 9/23/2009 |
Q: The other night I noticed the toilet bubbling after using the washing machine and the bathtub. This ...
A: John, Sorry for the tardy response. Yes, I would definitely get the tank pumped out. Fortunately, ...
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| weak flow from new showerhead | 9/23/2009 |
Q: We just installed a new bathroom in our home using PEX. We have a large flat shower head in the ...
A: Dawn, Sorry for the tardy response. Have you removed the flow restrictor inside the shower head? ...
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| gray water back up | 9/22/2009 |
Q: We are looking to purchase a house and just found out that there is a gray water situation where ...
A: Nancy, Sorry for the tardy response. Depending upon how far the many waste line is that feeds your ...
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| Removing Shower and Installing Jacuzzi tub | 9/22/2009 |
Q: Our home is about 17 years old and the master bathroom has a composite shower unit installed. we ...
A: Roqhelle, It is certainly difficult to do bathroom and kitchen remodeling as a professional and ...
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| Tankless recirc pump | 9/22/2009 |
Q: I just installed a new tankless water heater. We are on a septic system so on my old tank system, I ...
A: Rich, I've modified your diagram a bit to give you an idea of what I was talking about. The recirc ...
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| sediment in well water | 9/22/2009 |
Q: My well is down 156 feet. It is 11 years old. I have 2- 45 gallon blatter tanks. The water then goes ...
A: Jim, Have you checked to make sure the red material is coming from the well and not the softener? ...
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| Running Toilet | 9/22/2009 |
Q: I have a FILL PRO mechanism in my toilet. The water started running all the time today. I turned it ...
A: Pat, I am not a big fan of these fill valves. It sounds to me like the unit is no longer ...
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| shower pressure | 9/21/2009 |
Q: my groundfloor shower seems to have no water pressure, some days the water flows and some days the ...
A: Mary, The first thing I would do is to remove the shower head and make sure all the openings are ...
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| Water "hammering", low pressure in kitchen sink and rotten egg smell in dishwasher | 9/21/2009 |
Q: We are currently renting a home, and our landlord lives out of state so he is unable to help in this ...
A: Andrea, The low water pressure you're experiencing may be because of old piping. This type of ...
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| moving a toilet --vent stack?? | 9/21/2009 |
Q: we are renovating our bathroom and would like to move the toilet approx. 10 feet from it's current ...
A: Kirsten, Unfortunately, extending the drain line 10 feet will not work. According to the UPC, a ...
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| Shower water flow | 9/21/2009 |
Q: My tub faucet has two separate knobs and the hot water is barely flowing when on although the flow ...
A: Tolits, You may have some debris trapped in the hot water supply. I would remove the valve stem ...
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| mold smell in water pipes | 9/21/2009 |
Q: When we run the shower or the hot water in any sink in our townhouse,there is strong smell of mold. ...
A: Jane, What you are possibly smelling is the water itself. Have you considered a whole-house water ...
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| undermount sink separated from countertop | 9/20/2009 |
Q: I have a corian countertop with an undermounted sink. Apparently someone stood in the sink, causing ...
A: Barbara, This situation would not be possible if the counter top was resting on 3/4 inch plywood. ...
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| cold and hot water wont mix | 9/20/2009 |
Q: I have ripped out my bathtub and put a freestanding shower in my bathroom. I also put a new hot ...
A: Beverly, Did you install a single handled shower valve? If so, then the installation instructions ...
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| Trying to Create a Custom Tub Surround - Materials Question | 9/20/2009 |
Q: I am in the process of remodeling my bathroom. The old tub surround was great, and after some ...
A: Amanda, You can find what you're looking for at your local Home Depot or Lowe's. The have the ...
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| water pump | 9/20/2009 |
Q: I have well water and the indoor pump seems to be leaking from a small cross pipe with about a ...
A: Sharron, This may be a pressure relief valve. If you can send me a digital picture of the unit, it ...
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| Pressure Problem? | 9/20/2009 |
Q: recently noticed washer leaking and changed hoses since old but still leaks both from connection on ...
A: CJ, Did you check to make sure you put the hoses on correctly? Sometimes the hoses come with one ...
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| escutcheons | 9/20/2009 |
Q: do they make an escutcheon for the shower head pipe that comes out the wall to just fit around the ...
A: Brandon, Yes they do. Typically, the excutcheons or cover plates are 5/8 inch iron pipe sized ...
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| Glacier bay cartridge removal | 9/20/2009 |
Q: I am in an effort to replace a glacier bay cartridge 3S-11C by Danco. The experts at the hardware ...
A: Shenny, This operation does not involve a new set of tools. Basically, once you remove the hold ...
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| whistling electric hot water heater | 9/19/2009 |
Q: We, too, have a whistling electric hot water heater. The elements were changed out a week ago with ...
A: Jo, Humming, whistling and other noises in piping systems are symptomatic of debris lodged in the ...
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| Well Problem | 9/19/2009 |
Q: We have a well that is probably as old as the house (1985) and last year our water pressure ...
A: Julie, This could your foot pump not working and creating the prime the pump needs to run properly. ...
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| hooking up portable washing machine | 9/19/2009 |
Q: The Avanti Portable is supposed to hook up easily to a bathroom faucet so that you can roll it in, ...
A: Lisa, Are you sure you put the adapter on the correct way and it's not upside down? Does the hose ...
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| air in water lines | 9/18/2009 |
Q: We recently replaced our 25 yr old deep well pump (175 ft) that died. I replaced the pressure switch ...
A: Chris, I'm surprised that the plumber wouldn't want to verify if the tank is the problem without ...
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| gas smell coming from under my sink | 9/18/2009 |
Q: I have noticed a stinky gas smell coming from under my kitchen sink for about the last 2 weeks. It ...
A: Julie, You might have a cleanout that is not probably sealed and is pouring bad air into the ...
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| Tankless recirc pump | 9/18/2009 |
Q: I just installed a new tankless water heater. We are on a septic system so on my old tank system, I ...
A: Rich, A recirculation line and pump typically is installed with one hot water line teed off from ...
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| Leak under my kitchen sink | 9/18/2009 |
Q: I need help trying to trace where the leak is coming from and how to fix it. This leak has now ...
A: Robbin, Is your house built on a slab or does it have a raised foundation? I would suggest getting ...
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| noise | 9/18/2009 |
Q: we replaced the cartridge in our shower but now we get a noise like when there is an air lock. this ...
A: Carole, You probably have some debris in the lines. I would suggest removing the shower valve stem ...
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| Sump pump running after shower or toilet flush | 9/18/2009 |
Q: I live in an old house with a septic tank. We had a drainage system with 2 sump pumps installed ...
A: Brian, Great question. It's possible that the check valves in the sumps may not be pushing enough ...
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| Tub backs up | 9/17/2009 |
Q: I own a 2nd floor Florida condo located in a 22 story bldg. We've noticed that sporadically, grey ...
A: Laura, Sounds like you live on the first or second floor of this building. That being the case, ...
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| Sulfur Smell in Basement | 9/17/2009 |
Q: We live in a 3-story townhome and every time we shower there is a very strong sulfur smell in our ...
A: Christine, A heavy sulfur smell could mean an inherent problem underground. Do you live near a ...
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| verticle spa | 9/16/2009 |
Q: where can i find a plumbing diagram for a vertical spa in our shower. we would like to have an ...
A: Ward, I recommend Moen, Kohler, Grohe or Hans Grohe for this application. You should find what ...
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| hot water heater | 9/16/2009 |
Q: I just bought a newly constructed home. Why is my hot water heater is upstairs in the attic and is ...
A: Rena, Depending upon the builder and local codes, sometimes the water heater is placed in an attic ...
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| No hot water from one faucet | 9/16/2009 |
Q: Our kitchen faucet is 8 months old. It's the type with a flexible pot-filler hose/nozzle and a ...
A: Mary, These type of faucets get stuck quickly with debris. I would remove the hot water supply ...
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| Removing handle on a sillcock | 9/16/2009 |
Q: I have a freeze-proof sillcock that leaks. My home plumbing book tells me how to repair it, however ...
A: Anup, Then it sounds like you have a commercial unit. If you have copper piping in your home, you ...
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| new bathroom vessel sink vanity | 9/16/2009 |
Q: I replaced our guest bath vanity with a vessel sink vanity. The first time you run water in the sink ...
A: Terry, You mentioned the vessel sink has no stopper. Some of them have a built-in stopper in the ...
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| Singing Water Heater | 9/16/2009 |
Q: I have two year old water heater. It "sings" (piercing noise) for a long time after any shower in ...
A: Dita, Flushing out the valves, sinks and tubs requires the following for maximum effect: 1) At the ...
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| Dishwasher Overflow | 9/15/2009 |
Q: I just moved into a house two weeks ago. The weekend I was moving in the owner replaced the garbage ...
A: Kim, No problem. First, you should remove the large hose that runs from the airgap to the ...
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| air in water lines | 9/15/2009 |
Q: We recently replaced our 25 yr old deep well pump (175 ft) that died. I replaced the pressure switch ...
A: Chris, If the well pump is under warranty, you might want to have the company check the flow of ...
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| Dishwasher Overflow | 9/15/2009 |
Q: I just moved into a house two weeks ago. The weekend I was moving in the owner replaced the garbage ...
A: Kim, A common mistake in changing disposers is not removing the plug in the disposer that allows ...
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| Toilet not flushing completely and garbage smell | 9/15/2009 |
Q: A couple weeks ago my toilet started not to flush completely. It flushes mostly but doesn't have ...
A: Tanya, It's possible you may have a crack in your waste line. If that is true, then every time you ...
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| Pressure loss in community well | 9/15/2009 |
Q: we are the end home of a community well system that has 7 homes on it. We have low water pressure ...
A: Mark, I'm not sure if adding a pump and pressure tank would affect your neighbors at all. A pump ...
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| home well | 9/15/2009 |
Q: my brother in law has a well and just put in a new water heater and now he can,t get water . does he ...
A: Chuck, No, he shouldn't have to add water to the system. Check for proper pressure from a hose ...
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| Problem with ballcock valve | 9/15/2009 |
Q: I have a ballcock valve that fills the tank all the way to the refill tube and not past that (I ...
A: Richard, I would not spend this much time on an old fill valve. Get yourself a Fluidmaster fill ...
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| shallow well problems | 9/14/2009 |
Q: i have a shallow well that runs good but needs reprimed after it sets for a hour! The water seems to ...
A: Jim, You're getting "air" because you're losing prime. Have a professional well person check your ...
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| Water Heater with Panel | 9/14/2009 |
Q: I am seeking an electric replacement water heater for my vacation home in NJ. I want one that has an ...
A: Anthony, May I suggest Bradford-White, American Standard or the tankless units such as Rinnai Let ...
|
| Drainage Slab leak | 9/14/2009 |
Q: There is enough water leaking intermittently from somewhere in the kitchen and laundry room to lift ...
A: Gerard, If your home is built on a slab, you would do well to hire a plumber with leak detection ...
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| leaking Showerhead | 9/14/2009 |
Q: I live in a 3 yr.old ranch-style home. For the past few months I've noticed that the showerhead in ...
A: Marilyn, Thanks for the info. I checked your model's parts here: http://budurl.com/DeltaMonitor ...
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| Relocatiing Hot Water Heater | 9/13/2009 |
Q: I live in eastern North Carolina, and in a singlewide mobile home. Recently, my hot water heater ...
A: Jennifer, Bravo to you for taking on such a project! Running the cold water to the location has to ...
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| Removing handle on a sillcock | 9/13/2009 |
Q: I have a freeze-proof sillcock that leaks. My home plumbing book tells me how to repair it, however ...
A: Anup, Some freeze-proof sill cocks have a bonnet nut below the handle. Back off this nut and ...
|
| not enough fall | 9/13/2009 |
Q: we have a problem where gravity is not on our side or the city. we re-did the pipes a year ago. we ...
A: Vanessa, Unless your line is much lower than the City's, perhaps your plumber should consider ...
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| Should we be replacing the toilet? | 9/13/2009 |
Q: My parents' toilet was leaking and running, and my dad replaced the flap, the float and the lockoff ...
A: Cheryl, Have your dad check the jet in the bowl. This is the little hole at the base of the bowl ...
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| Singing Water Heater | 9/13/2009 |
Q: I have two year old water heater. It "sings" (piercing noise) for a long time after any shower in ...
A: Dita, You may have an obstruction in the piping leading from the heater or at a fixture that uses ...
|
| new bathroom vessel sink vanity | 9/13/2009 |
Q: I replaced our guest bath vanity with a vessel sink vanity. The first time you run water in the sink ...
A: Terry, I would suggest you try running water into the sink without the pop-up stopper to see if ...
|
| thumping noise and water pulsating | 9/12/2009 |
Q: When we take a shower in the master bath the water pulsates and we hear a thumping noise al lover ...
A: Young, You have water hammer that could be caused by debris in the water lines, or undersized ...
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| Sludge | 9/12/2009 |
Q: I have lots and lots of sludge built up in my kitchen pipes. Theother day I was looking in the ...
A: Debbie, Sorry for the tardy answer. Unfortunately, you will have to remove all the piping and ...
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| bathroom sink drain | 9/12/2009 |
Q: The cold water will drain free flowing down the sink. The hot water will not drain down the sink. ...
A: Janet, Sorry for the tardy answer. Did you try running the hot water with out the pop-up drain in ...
|
| well pump | 9/12/2009 |
Q: We have lived here for 8 1/2 years and we have a well. The only thing we have done to the water ...
A: Heather, Surging water may mean you have an issue with the booster pump or the pressure tank. ...
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| drip in wall after running faucets in sink & flushing toilet | 9/12/2009 |
Q: it is def. a drip not pipe expansion..comes a little after i use the sink or flush toilet. it stop ...
A: Joe, Sorry for the tardy answer. The problem could be in the connection between the sink and ...
|
| concrete shower floor | 9/12/2009 |
Q: I replaced a existing shower floor wood was rotted under the concrete. I replaced the wood and ...
A: Dwayne, Sorry for the late answer. You should use the brand Oatey for your shower pan liner and ...
|
| isolation valve under sink | 9/11/2009 |
Q: I have to remove a mixer tap and the two copper pipes running under the tap to the isolation valves ...
A: Scott, Sorry for the late answer. Yes, if you turn the water off at the "isolation valves", there ...
|
| pipe noises | 9/11/2009 |
Q: My bathroom pipes are making a low pitched noise; Kind of sounds like feedback from a amplifier or a ...
A: Jean, You may some debris trapped in the water line. Try removing the supply hoses from the sink ...
|
| Ceiling Leak | 9/11/2009 |
Q: When my daughter turns on the water to her upstairs bathtub, water drips from downstairs ceiling and ...
A: Don, A waste and overflow is the assembly that ties the tub drain to the p-trap. It also has a ...
|
| adding a basement sink drain | 9/11/2009 |
Q: Planning on adding a drain for a bar sink, going to bust up the concrete floor to the main sewer ...
A: Stef, You should start at the main. First, open the floor and find out how deep the line is, then ...
|
| toilet not flushing properly | 9/11/2009 |
Q: our toilet is standard American Standard model. When its flushed, the tank water empites, but the ...
A: Renee, Glad it was just the flapper. However, with American Standard, you should be able to adjust ...
|
| water well system at cabin | 9/11/2009 |
Q: We've owned the property about 2 years, but have been going there 5 years. It never had the greatest ...
A: Linda, If you are not getting the prime to stabilize, you may have a frozen foot valve. Prior to ...
|
| hard water deposits | 9/10/2009 |
Q: I live an area that has very hard water. my hot water has plenty of pressure but the cold water has ...
A: Patti, Over the years there have been many products that have claimed to do this job, however, in ...
|
| water pressure | 9/10/2009 |
Q: I have no water pressure in kitchen or bathroom faucets or shower but water pressure is fine in the ...
A: Sheila, If you have a pressure regulator, then it's possible that it may have shut down. This is ...
|
| adding a basement sink drain | 9/10/2009 |
Q: Planning on adding a drain for a bar sink, going to bust up the concrete floor to the main sewer ...
A: Stef, The slope for any drain is 1/4 inch drop per foot of length. If your line starts off below ...
|
| Well | 9/10/2009 |
Q: I need to run water to my poll barn my well is located between the house and barn the barn is ...
A: Mark, You can tee off from the main line AFTER it leaves the pump house, that way you will get ...
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| toilet flush | 9/10/2009 |
Q: Anthony My problem is that when I flush my toilet it sometimes doesn't stop filling. this problem ...
A: Bob, Your fill valve needs to be changed. The fact that it is constantly running, suggests the ...
|
| water well. Only 1/2 of the house has water. | 9/9/2009 |
Q: I just moved into a modular home. It has been sitting vacant almost a year. The well was repaired ...
A: Marianne, A housing sitting dormant for 2 years is a long time. Possibly you may have mineral ...
|
| Kitchen Garbage disposal | 9/9/2009 |
Q: I just bought a remodeled condo. The brand new garbage disposal is draining into a plastic tub I ...
A: Ana, What? Isn't this covered under you sales agreement for purchase? What happened to the ...
|
| Plastic Garbage Disposal Flange for a Corian Sink | 9/9/2009 |
Q: Several years ago, I had a corian kitchen counter installed with a seamless sink. The garbage ...
A: Rick, Yes, you will have to remove the entire garbage disposer, but this is an easy job. ...
|
| Bathroom shower low pressure | 9/9/2009 |
Q: While we were recently gone for a couple of days, we turned off the valve for the main water source ...
A: Ramon, It is always best to open tubs and sinks when you are turning water back on so that you ...
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| Downstairs Toilet Bubbles When Upstairs Is Flushed | 9/9/2009 |
Q: I hope you can help me...! About 8 weeks ago, I had flooding in my den (ground level, no basement) ...
A: Linda, I don't believe you have vent problems. Typically, a vent is vertical and sometimes they ...
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| wall mount toilets | 9/9/2009 |
Q: client has case 3000 toilets, hates them, want's glenwall. looks like carrier, P.N. 32178 on back, ...
A: Don, I believe you can try to interchange the two different carriers into one, however, I've never ...
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| toilet not flushing properly | 9/9/2009 |
Q: our toilet is standard American Standard model. When its flushed, the tank water empites, but the ...
A: Renee, I believe you have something lodged in the bowl. If you have children or have entertained ...
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| Downstairs Toilet Bubbles When Upstairs Is Flushed | 9/8/2009 |
Q: I hope you can help me...! About 8 weeks ago, I had flooding in my den (ground level, no basement) ...
A: Linda, Your problem is more serious than either of you think. Tree roots DO NOT grow back that ...
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| potential tub leak - apt. below | 9/7/2009 |
Q: "I was wondering if you could tell me how my tub might be causing a serious leak to not the floor ...
A: Simon, It may be possible for your plumbing system to cause this leak if all the piping is in a ...
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| pressure bladder | 9/7/2009 |
Q: i had the bladder recharged 2 yrs ago and now its kicking on and off rapidly once again. if there is ...
A: Rigg, Non-use is the biggest killer of water equipment. If you have a hole in the unit, it's ...
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| Well pump | 9/7/2009 |
Q: My kids accidently turned off the switch for my well pump, not it turns on every 1-2 minutes to pull ...
A: James, Did you prime your booster pump when you restarted the system? You should shut down the ...
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| remove handle from Kohler Fairfax kitchen faucet | 9/7/2009 |
Q: I need to replace the valve on my Kohler Fairfax kitchen faucet, but once I remove the cap and the ...
A: Art, This type of Kohler faucet is a little tricky. To remove the handle, you have to use a flat ...
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| leaking Showerhead | 9/7/2009 |
Q: I live in a 3 yr.old ranch-style home. For the past few months I've noticed that the showerhead in ...
A: Marilyn, I am going to presume that you have a thermostatic control in your shower. I'm curious. ...
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| Dark Blue Water | 9/7/2009 |
Q: Yesterday i turned on the tap in the kitchen sink and the water was dark blue. I then turned on the ...
A: Andy, I have never had an occasion to have water turn this color. I would IMMEDIATELY stop using ...
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| Removing old flange | 9/6/2009 |
Q: Toilet was wobbling so I removed it to replace closet bolt which I thought had broken. Found out ...
A: Roy, Sorry for the tardy answer. I usually cut off the top of the fitting to the floor and then ...
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| Leaking DWV pipe | 9/6/2009 |
Q: DWV (black) pipe draining kitchen sink and dishwasher. Leaking at seal where 90 elbow meets ...
A: Mark, Sorry for the tardy answer. It is possible the plumber didn't use enough ABS cement in the ...
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| water drainage prob | 9/6/2009 |
Q: .at home, the kitchen sink and washing machine water go out the same dran. if you run water down the ...
A: James, Sorry for the tardy answer. In the old days, it wasn't a problem hooking up the laundry to ...
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| drain field | 9/6/2009 |
Q: have water standing on top of drain field and have order. septic is twenty plus years old.
A: Tom, Sorry for the tardy answer. By now you must realize you need to get your septic tank ...
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| bathroom plumbing | 9/6/2009 |
Q: when I flush toilet water drains from bottom of toilet and when I take a shower water drains from ...
A: Felecia, This means you have a main waste line problem. It's an early warning for you to take care ...
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| Terra Cotta Piping | 9/5/2009 |
Q: My house was built in 1956 - my washer is on the other side of my sink (wall between), when my ...
A: Cindy, Sorry for the tardy answer. For houses built in the 1950's, drainage piping INSIDE the ...
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| Cast iron piping? | 9/5/2009 |
Q: I have some cast iron piping (home built in 1975, with main drain pipes cast iron)that seems to be ...
A: Pietro, Sorry for the late answer. You may have a cracked pipe allowing dirt and debris into the ...
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| basement drain | 9/5/2009 |
Q: I have an old home (1943) with a basement bathroom. When I purchased the home 13 years ago, I did ...
A: Phil, Sorry for the tardy answer. Since this line has not been in use, I would invest the time and ...
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| clogged toilet & tub | 9/4/2009 |
Q: when i wash dishes the water run in the tub, i flush the toilet and the water overflow and sometimes ...
A: Bridget, Sorry for the tardy response. You are experiencing an early warning signal from your main ...
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| pressure relief valve on solar panels | 9/4/2009 |
Q: I have 8 solar panels on my roof which I use to heat my pool. they are about 7 yrs old. For the last ...
A: Steve, Sorry for the tardy response. A pressure relief valve is always a good idea on a closed ...
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| Ceiling Leak | 9/4/2009 |
Q: When my daughter turns on the water to her upstairs bathtub, water drips from downstairs ceiling and ...
A: Don, Sorry for the tardy answer. In order to discover the exact cause of the leak, you WILL have ...
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| back flow of well | 9/4/2009 |
Q: I replaced my sub. well pump 4 months ago. And within the past week noticed a loud water hammer when ...
A: Benjamin, Sorry for the tardy answer. I hate long weekends because it throws off my rhythm. ...
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| Water Line to a Barn | 9/4/2009 |
Q: Anthony, Just bought a home built in (1971) and intend to run a water line to a adjacent barn. The ...
A: Mick, Increasing the pipe size from the meter to the house could help a bit in transferring ...
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| Leak from Shower Faucet | 9/3/2009 |
Q: I recently had a plumber come out and replace the washers and seals for my bath/shower (American ...
A: Sofie, Please DO NOT PAY $1,000 for this type of repair. The "plumber" you spoke to is taking ...
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| Hamming at water softener | 9/3/2009 |
Q: For the past week when the softener regenerate there is a hamming at the water softener, what could ...
A: Brian, This could be pressure from your main water line or perhaps the by-pass is not fully open. ...
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| sewer gas/leaking vent | 9/3/2009 |
Q: Our house is 20+ years old and we've lived here 8 years. We renovated the inside when we bought the ...
A: John, Sorry for the tardy follow up. At this point, you have done nothing wrong. Obviously, there ...
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| Kitchen plumbing | 9/3/2009 |
Q: I have a double sink with one drain out to sewage line so the plumbing enters one pipe from each ...
A: Joyce, When sinks are configured like yours sometimes they are plumbed wrong. Do you have a p-trap ...
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| blockage | 9/2/2009 |
Q: the house was built in 1981 and still has the same bathroom (the toilet is dated) within the past ...
A: Kayleigh, Your have a multiple problem. I would say most of your drains are blocked because of ...
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| bladder tank | 9/2/2009 |
Q: I have a champion prechared water systems tank model# 33922990 2 weeks ago my water in the house ...
A: Tonya, These type of tanks can be a bit tricky, so I have enlisted the help of a couple of ...
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| Problem with shower and sink working at the same time | 9/2/2009 |
Q: I just bought a 10 year old town house. It has got 2 and a half bathrooms. I realised problem while ...
A: Shah, Unfortunately, this is a structural problem with your piping system. It means that the main ...
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| Toilet whistles | 9/2/2009 |
Q: When the toilet is flushed and the bowl begins to fill the toilet whistles. Never when the actual ...
A: Iver, Moaning, whining, whistling and other noises coming from the water system usually means one ...
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| Shower/tub leak | 9/2/2009 |
Q: My newly installed tub spout is shooting water backwards to the new drywall whenever the shower ...
A: Cheryl, I've had to replace many of these type of spouts and honestly, they are not worth the money ...
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| Toilet Sound After Flushing | 9/2/2009 |
Q: Anthony, One of our toilets is making a sound that sounds like a "moan" at the end of the flush ...
A: Leesa, Moaning, whining and other noises coming from the water system usually means one thing - ...
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| Toilet NOISE! | 9/1/2009 |
Q: One of our toilets is doing something very strange...every so often (occasionally it is after each ...
A: Peg, This is water hammer. It usually occurs if there is an obstruction in the water piping or if ...
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| sewer gas/leaking vent | 9/1/2009 |
Q: Our house is 20+ years old and we've lived here 8 years. We renovated the inside when we bought the ...
A: John, Your A/C vents and the plumbing vents DO NOT touch one another. However, it is possible that ...
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| Deep Well Pump and Foot Valve | 9/1/2009 |
Q: I'm a well novice. Bought a cottage with a deep well pump (water ace rc10). The pump, etc works, ...
A: Paul, It's always best to replace like for like with these type of pumps. The reason is that the ...
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| water pressure | 9/1/2009 |
Q: I have a water filter system wich I change the filter in each month. After the last time my water ...
A: Melissa, Pressure reduction on a well system unfortunately is a way of life, and the more systems ...
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| water vein | 8/31/2009 |
Q: In the basement, there's a iron cast pipe (very thick about 4-5 in diameter) the size of an ...
A: Michael, The best stuff I've found for these type of fixes is marine epoxy. You can usually find ...
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| Pressuriser System | 8/31/2009 |
Q: I recently bought a new house and since it sits very high up on a hill there is an Amtrol RP-25HP ...
A: Brian, All of these type of boosters work differently, however, I did some research and found the ...
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| lift station pump | 8/31/2009 |
Q: About six months ago we had our lift station pump rebuilt as it had not been being used for years ...
A: Kristina, If the pump is working (discharging water), then it seems to me that you need to secure ...
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| follow up #2 | 8/31/2009 |
Q: We live in a colonial built about 3 years ago. Our upstairs MBR has a separate Jacuzzi tub and ...
A: No problem Dave. The cartridge I am referring to is also called a valve stem and is the unit that ...
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| well pressure system | 8/31/2009 |
Q: Our pressure tank for the well recycles about every 30 seconds going from a pressure of 60 down to ...
A: Bill, I think the problem is not tank related, since you are getting readings at the extremes of ...
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| water pressue in residential home | 8/31/2009 |
Q: I measured the water pressure at an outside faucet using a water pressure guage. It was only 30 lbs ...
A: Don, To increase line pressure through a pressure regulator, turn the adjusting screw clockwise. ...
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| Toilet / sewer backflow | 8/30/2009 |
Q: I was searching for the same problem and ran into your response to David. What is the best fix for ...
A: Bill, I prefer a backwater valve when it is installed properly. Usually, these valves are ...
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| Patio drainage | 8/30/2009 |
Q: I have a newly installed stone patio next to my house. A base of sand was used and each of the ...
A: Sam, These are all viable solutions, however, how much is all of this going to cost and how much ...
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| Squealing from two-handle sink | 8/30/2009 |
Q: my kitchen faucet squeals loudly when I have the hot or cold water running above a very slow draw ...
A: Amanda, Remove the valve stems and check to see if there is debris blocking the opening to the ...
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| Hot water recirculating pump | 8/30/2009 |
Q: I recently moved into a house and found that the electrical costs were very high so I'm trying to ...
A: Catherine, You should not have to do anything once you unplug the pump. Just curious - Have you ...
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| follow up | 8/30/2009 |
Q: We live in a colonial built about 3 years ago. Our upstairs MBR has a separate Jacuzzi tub and ...
A: Dave, I meant to also say that you could have some debris preventing the valve stem from closing ...
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| loud humming hot water heater | 8/29/2009 |
Q: Our hot water heater started humming loudly and hasn't stopped yet.It is only 2 yrs.old. We haven't ...
A: Debi, I'm curious - Is this an electric water heater? If it is, then I think your controls or ...
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| DU-ALL™ Dual Drain Washing Machine Outlet Box › | 8/29/2009 |
Q: The one drain is connected to my washing machine via a black tube. The second drain is catching ...
A: Julie, If you get a chance, send me a digital picture of this box. However, I believe the second ...
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| "occasional" water drip at the far end of the house | 8/29/2009 |
Q: We live in a colonial built about 3 years ago. Our upstairs MBR has a separate Jacuzzi tub and ...
A: Dave, The reason you're experiencing this phenomenom is due to pressure differentials. Once the ...
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| Shower pressure | 8/29/2009 |
Q: I have a problem with the shower pressure in the master bathroom. The pressure is low there and I ...
A: Ed, One of the simplest things to do in these situations is to remove the flow restrictor inside ...
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| hot water pressure | 8/29/2009 |
Q: We recently installed a waterheater, its a basic gas heater. the heater seems to be working fine but ...
A: Shawnte, When a home has an old piping system (like galvanized piping), you must be very careful ...
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| water pressue in residential home | 8/29/2009 |
Q: I measured the water pressure at an outside faucet using a water pressure guage. It was only 30 lbs ...
A: Donald, If possible, see if you can measure your neighbor's water pressure as a guideline to what ...
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| water line into the house | 8/29/2009 |
Q: I am building a new retaining wall, and moved the dirt back about 13 feet. That exposed my main ...
A: Al, Protecting your water lines from freezing IS very important. Since you live in Canada, and I'm ...
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| water leak | 8/28/2009 |
Q: When I put my shower on there's a water leak on the other back side of the shower.I have another ...
A: Debbie, You can try checking the base of your shower for cracks or fissures? If your shower is a ...
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| Bypassing water softner for outdoor plumbing | 8/28/2009 |
Q: I am attempting to put in a by-pass from the water softer to the outside hose so that I don't have ...
A: Keith, There is always a bit of water left in the bypass, so I wouldn't worry about that. However, ...
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| garbage disposal | 8/28/2009 |
Q: Can you pour left over rubbing alcohol down the garbage disposal?
A: Laurie, Yes, you can but you would do better by pouring it down the toilet. Hope this helps. ...
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| Rattling pipes in bathroom sink | 8/28/2009 |
Q: I have a 2-story, 3 bath home. One of the bathroom sinks rattles loudly when turned on. This only ...
A: Mary, You might have water hammer. You might also have debris stuck in the line. Try flushing the ...
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| Standing brown water in tub & bubbling toilet | 8/28/2009 |
Q: Good Morning, I woke up this morning to brown fecal smelling standing water in one tub and both ...
A: Alisa, You have a major sewer back up, call a plumber immediately. Regards, Anthony PS - If my ...
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| Washer drain relocation | 8/28/2009 |
Q: I'm doing some remodeling and pulled out a whirlpool tub and will be turning the area into a new ...
A: Darrin, A clotheswasher is a suds producing fixture. That being said, the UPC requires a distance ...
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| lift station pump | 8/27/2009 |
Q: About six months ago we had our lift station pump rebuilt as it had not been being used for years ...
A: Kristina, The problem could be your pump. The fact that you haven't had this station in use for ...
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| leaking standpipe in kohler 2 y/o toilet | 8/27/2009 |
Q: the toilet keeps filling from the front of the bowl....was told the standpipe is leaking from the ...
A: Deidre, Kohler is one of the most challenging and frustrating fixtures to repair. I believe your ...
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| Bath tub pop drain | 8/27/2009 |
Q: My kid's bathroom tub pop up drain would not stay in the open position. I removed the overflow plate ...
A: Anthony, This is a common problem that occurs in older waste and overflow assemblies. Yes, this ...
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| Mixing valve | 8/26/2009 |
Q: Anthony, I have a shower that has a lever mixing valve. The water either comes out too hot or too ...
A: Mike, Many of these valves have a built-in adjustment dial. What type of valve is it? Moen? ...
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| kitchen sprayer | 8/26/2009 |
Q: the sprayer on my kitchen water faucet broke in half at the base, the decorative portion that shows ...
A: Aaron, I hope this is a separate spray. If it is, then you should be able to find a replacement ...
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| water lines | 8/26/2009 |
Q: I'm getting a very fine sandy substance coming through the cold water line that goes to my washing ...
A: Nan, Yes, that is possible. Have a plumber come out and flush your tank for you. Let me know what ...
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| Hot water shut-off leaking | 8/25/2009 |
Q: Yesterday I replaced our kitchet faucet, which overall went quite well. However, after turning the ...
A: Lynne, Congratulations for taking on such a project! Check the stem behind the shut off valve ...
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| installing new shower arm | 8/25/2009 |
Q: Anthony. I've recently remodeled our master bathroom. The last item to be installed is the new ...
A: Anne, Turning off the water to your home and opening the valve will remove the pressure on the ...
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| combustion air for gas water heater | 8/25/2009 |
Q: i need to install combustion air in a closet that houses the hot water heater...i know it needs a ...
A: Charity, You're question is two fold. First, the door to the closet must have an upper and lower ...
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| Hot water lines | 8/25/2009 |
Q: This is a new construction ran from a well that has a pump. All flex pipe run through the ceiling. ...
A: Brooke, Did you check to see if the water heater actually turns itself off during the demand for ...
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| washer drain- pipe reducing | 8/25/2009 |
Q: Question about washer drainage pipes and possible overflow. If I reduce pvc pipe from 2'' to 1 3\4'' ...
A: John, The orange pipe is made of clay. To remove it requires taking out the lead and oakum inside ...
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| winter faucet leaking | 8/25/2009 |
Q: Anthony I live in South Carolina and we have winter faucets here. If I shut it off, it's OK, but ...
A: Don, These faucets can be tricky. May I suggest opening the valve and replacing the diaphagm? Let ...
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| toilet/roots | 8/25/2009 |
Q: I have a toilet (1 of 3) that recently has been backing up (about every 2-3 months. The last time ...
A: Crispin, Very likely it could be a serious root problem. By the time you see roots in your system, ...
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| washing machine water drain | 8/24/2009 |
Q: I live in a town with septic systems. Most washing machines are connected to septic systems, but my ...
A: Dianne, If you know the water table is high, why tempt the situation and make it worse? Sorry, I ...
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| Graywater(blackwater) tank | 8/24/2009 |
Q: My family lives in New Jersey and essentially all of our wastewater drains into two holding tanks ...
A: Brian, You might consider a septic tank with a seepage pit. Here is a link to get you started. ...
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| diverter value | 8/24/2009 |
Q: Anthony: We spoke on 8/14 & 8/17 about my diverter value. On 8/17 you told me "that when I installed ...
A: Bob, Yes, sometimes the valve can be turned so that the opening that allows water into the tub or ...
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| toilet wax ring | 8/24/2009 |
Q: I need to replace the wax ring on my toilet. The last time i changed it (which sits in tile floor) I ...
A: Rick, If you are bolting the toilet to an ABS or PVC drainage system chances are the toilet flange ...
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| toilet runs sporadicallly | 8/24/2009 |
Q: I have recently noticed that my toilet will "run" for a few seconds several times a day/night. Best ...
A: Hey Meg! Here is an answer to a similar question I received earlier. Although, you may have a ...
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| Hammering pipes | 8/24/2009 |
Q: We have tried turning all the water on in the house and flushing all the toilets in the house. It ...
A: Pam, Did you try removing each fixtures supply hoses, flowing the water, (hot & cold) into a ...
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| water lines | 8/24/2009 |
Q: I want to run a water line from my house to a pole barn installing a frost proof faucet. Will a 1 ...
A: Robert, Please explain to me what you mean by "flexible water lines"? If you mean PVC only, yes, ...
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| sand in bath water | 8/23/2009 |
Q: Good evening We have notice as of late that there is more and more sand in the household water. I ...
A: Liz, If you live in a house, the easiest solution would be to install a whole house filtration ...
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| septic pump? | 8/23/2009 |
Q: my wife has a dog grooming shop in our basement. The tub is off the floor about 15" she had a ...
A: Dennis, Unfortunately, there are a lot of manufacturers of these systems. Here is a site where you ...
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| Pressure Switch | 8/23/2009 |
Q: I am always loosing water and have to reset the pressure switch. The switch is new and I am not sure ...
A: Jean, When was the last time you had the entire system checked? This could be any one of a number ...
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| tripping well pump | 8/23/2009 |
Q: Have a deep water sumbmersible well pump for my homes water source. Have already changed out the ...
A: Samantha, Sounds to me like you have a short in the wiring or the pump itself. You might have to ...
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| Gerber stems | 8/23/2009 |
Q: I decided to replace both the hot and cold stems (Gerber 11B/1Hc) in my shower along w/ the ...
A: Chris, I love older plumbing valve and the like, however, as we move further into the future, ...
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| washer drain- pipe reducing | 8/23/2009 |
Q: Question about washer drainage pipes and possible overflow. If I reduce pvc pipe from 2'' to 1 3\4'' ...
A: John, Great pictures! If you can run your waste into the hub below and tie it in with a donut, ...
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| How to cap sewer pipe opening | 8/23/2009 |
Q: we hired a plumber to reroute downstair bathroom drainage pipes. He cut out sewer pipe and use ...
A: Felecia, I agree with you, it doesn't sound right and any plumber I know would NEVER make a ...
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| toilet | 8/23/2009 |
Q: My toilet has started to make a sound like it does when it is flushed except there is nobody in the ...
A: Ann, The most common problem with a toilet is the flapper. That's the little thingy that lifts up ...
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| stuck shower faucet | 8/23/2009 |
Q: the single-handle pull-out faucet in my shower is extremely difficult to pull out. It feels like ...
A: Mark, It sounds like it's time for a new shower valve cartridge. Yes, you can do it! What do you ...
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| Unknown water | 8/23/2009 |
Q: We live on a sloped street: however, not the lowest house. We have water coming up from the ground ...
A: Mary Jo, Pardon me if I become a rehash of previous inspections of this problem. The last time a ...
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| bathtub/shower combo faucet leaks | 8/23/2009 |
Q: Our tub/shower combo is leaking steadly. It has a hot faucet and a cold faucet. No matter how hard ...
A: Lindy, You probably have a Price Pfister two-handle shower valve set. If you do, you will need to ...
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| Rotten egg smell | 8/22/2009 |
Q: I have a rotten egg smell coming from 1 of the 2 faucets in my master bathroom sink. The smell last ...
A: Sheila, If your water smells like rotten eggs, then it's possible your water source may be ...
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| bathroom sink drain | 8/22/2009 |
Q: Couple of comments and the question. I live in Canada in an unorganized area which does not require ...
A: Keith, Regardless of the vertical waste line drop from the sink, the p-trap MUST be connected under ...
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| TPR Valve | 8/22/2009 |
Q: I have a gas water heater that was installed by a professional plumber about two months ago. It has ...
A: Cameron, If GE can send out a tech, that would be great, however, I think they will only send you a ...
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| pipes make funny sound | 8/22/2009 |
Q: i put a pressure gage on outside cutoff for rv campers.when water is not being used pipes make a ...
A: Kevin, I'm curious, why did you put a pressure gauge on the water main? Were you having problems ...
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| Smell from Vent | 8/22/2009 |
Q: I have a vent on the side of my home that is giving off a foul odor.The PVC pipe which the vent is ...
A: Ralph, It is unusual to have an uncovered pipe tied into the waste system like this. Several ...
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| Restoring water pressure | 8/21/2009 |
Q: How can I restore my water pressure? I recently renovated a 1/2 bath which included replacing old ...
A: Roland, When you say you "shut off the main power supply", did you mean water or electricity? If ...
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| Air bubbles in basement toilet | 8/21/2009 |
Q: I have a basement bathroom that the sink, shower, toilet, and utility tub (other side of the wall) ...
A: Dave, Since this basement toilet is connected to a sump system, have you checked the sump to see if ...
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| Hot water heater problem-Water coming out from a pipe: | 8/21/2009 |
Q: Hot water heater problem-Water coming out from a pipe: Out hot water heater has a problem: there is ...
A: Makoto, The device located at the top of the water heater and has this pipe extending to the ground ...
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| washer drain- pipe reducing | 8/21/2009 |
Q: Question about washer drainage pipes and possible overflow. If I reduce pvc pipe from 2'' to 1 3\4'' ...
A: John, It is not possible or practical to reduce PVC piping from 2 inch to 1 1/3 inches. Part of ...
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| New toilet install on concrete slab | 8/21/2009 |
Q: Anthony, Here is my situation. I am finishing out a roughed-in bathroom. Toilet 3" stub out ...
A: David, There are toilet flanges that glue on the inside of the stub out. You will probably find ...
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| Heavy person / broken toilet | 8/21/2009 |
Q: Is a really overweight person a liability for a toilet? If a toilet is even slightly loose at the ...
A: David, Unfortunately, you can't fortify a toilet more than it's been manufactured. Yes, a very ...
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| TPR Valve | 8/21/2009 |
Q: I have a gas water heater that was installed by a professional plumber about two months ago. It has ...
A: Cameron, You only need to turn the gas valve to pilot until you're finished working on the heater. ...
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| shaking, rattling, vibrating pipe | 8/21/2009 |
Q: Every time I turn on the cold water to my tub, that one single pipe in my house shakes like mad. ...
A: Nathan, "Shake, Rattle & Roll", was a great tune to groove to, but having this type of problem is ...
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| 10 year old well upgrade | 8/21/2009 |
Q: I have a ten year old well 240' deep with a Franklin submersible pump. It has a Well Rite 140 OLC ...
A: BJ, Bravo to you for taking on such a monumental task! The plan looks sound with the exception ...
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| Roofing tar in the plumbing | 8/20/2009 |
Q: I have a very particular problem, I'll try to keep it short and sweet. Last week workers came to ...
A: Andrea, It seems your landlord hired a bunch of addle-brained oafs. Unfortunately, once the roof ...
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| streaming hot water faucet in tub | 8/20/2009 |
Q: help, i have 2 bathtubs, in 1 i guess my hot water knob is striiped. it is steadily running hot ...
A: Pam, Shut down your water heater cold water inlet while you do not need hot water. This will stop ...
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| rubber undeground water main | 8/20/2009 |
Q: The water main to our house is rubber about 1in. is this a good idea, I never heard of such a thing ...
A: David, I have never heard of a rubber water main. Drinking water that has passed through a ...
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| Basements | 8/20/2009 |
Q: I have just bought a new home that has a septic system. I would like to add a bathroom to the ...
A: Jason, The rule of thumb regarding tie-ins for sewage ejectors is to place them in close proximity ...
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| Smell from Vent | 8/20/2009 |
Q: I have a vent on the side of my home that is giving off a foul odor.The PVC pipe which the vent is ...
A: Ralph, I don't think this is a vent. If this pipe ties into your sewer main, then this is a ...
|
| Difference Between PVC and CPVC | 8/19/2009 |
Q: I am installing all new water lines from the meter in. I am changing over to plastic. I know that ...
A: Michael, CPVC is designed for hot and cold water applications. PVC piping will have leaks because ...
|
| toilet making sucking noise | 8/19/2009 |
Q: My upstairs toilet is making a sound like it's sucking in air. When I flushed the toilet everything ...
A: Ramiro, Sounds like you need to change the fill vale to your toilet. The sucking sound is water ...
|
| Fizzy Water | 8/19/2009 |
Q: I recently installed 2 Glacier Bay faucets. Strange thing happens when I turn on either the hot or ...
A: Natalie, The "fizziness" you're experiencing is probably due to air. Sometimes it comes from the ...
|
| Well system loses pressure | 8/19/2009 |
Q: My captive air tank/well system (80gal; 40-60psi) loses pressure. It cycles when no water was ...
A: Byron, I would start by isolating the well system from the house to determine if pressure is lost ...
|
| backflow preventer | 8/19/2009 |
Q: I own a small apartment building (9 studios/1 B.R.) in upstate NY and the basement apts overflow ...
A: Gregory, A back water valve should only be used a the main connection to the building. The reason ...
|
| bathroom sink drain | 8/19/2009 |
Q: Couple of comments and the question. I live in Canada in an unorganized area which does not require ...
A: Keith, You can drop the vertical waste line down, but the p-trap should be directly connected to ...
|
| Drip After Flushing | 8/19/2009 |
Q: I do not have a toilet w/a tank. I have the one w/the handle you pull like in some public bathrooms. ...
A: Ann, You have a Sloan Flushometer that powers the flush to your toilet. It's possible that the ...
|
| mystery leak in bathroom | 8/19/2009 |
Q: I have bi-level home. Therefore the bathroom with the leak is over the garage. I noticed the leak ...
A: Fred, Since the problem starts at the tub spout, is it possible that water that drains from the ...
|
| Bathroom Plumbing | 8/19/2009 |
Q: We are installing a new bathroom sink with a wallmount fixture and I would like to know the distance ...
A: David, Typically, the end of the faucet spout should be minimum 1 inch from the flood level rim or ...
|
| No water | 8/19/2009 |
Q: I have no water to kitchen sink hot or cold, however the spray works and my dishwasher works--Do I ...
A: Karen, Sounds like you have something stuck in the housing of the faucet. If the faucet has been ...
|
| Putting a shower in an existing bathtub | 8/19/2009 |
Q: What would be the best method to use to put a shower in an existing bathtub? Small bathroom no other ...
A: Sheryl - One of the easiest ways to do this is to install a kit that uses the tub spout as a ...
|
| 6" Centerset Faucet | 8/18/2009 |
Q: I currently have a small sink in a back room with a 6" centerset faucet with a the neck area that ...
A: Brian, Unfortunately, no you cannot use a 4 inch in a 6 inch situation. May I suggest looking for ...
|
| plumbing | 8/18/2009 |
Q: simple method to remove air blocks in plumbing lines
A: Sampath, The simplest method I know is to install a water hammer device at sink on the hot and cold ...
|
| pressure switch leak | 8/18/2009 |
Q: My house has a well,pressure tank,and an old Dura(Little Giant)pump with a Square D pressure ...
A: Phil, If the switch has a leak, I would suggest replacing the unit. The time you would spend ...
|
| diverter value | 8/17/2009 |
Q: Anthony:Spoke on 8/14/09 about my new diverter value leaking.It is a Gerber three handle set up.You ...
A: Bob, You should not have to damage your walls to make this repair. The fact that water is being ...
|
| Stopped Toilet | 8/17/2009 |
Q: My toilet has been stopped up for a while. Ive tried a plunger and Drain-O. Do you have any other ...
A: Nick, This is an unhealthy situation. Please call a professional plumber immediately. Regards, ...
|
| Finding a leak | 8/17/2009 |
Q: Yesterday my wife and I were getting ready for work (shower, teeth brush etc). We live in a two ...
A: Alex, Did you check to see if water leaks from the valve when you activate the shower by means of ...
|
| no hot water pressure | 8/16/2009 |
Q: About 2 weeks ago the hot water spigot in the shower on the south side of the house suddenly had no ...
A: Teresa, Did you remove the valve stem and flow the hot water to see if you are getting water ...
|
| Moen single lever shower. | 8/16/2009 |
Q: I have installed two Moen single lever controls and have the same problem on both of them that the ...
A: Ben, Sometimes the valve stem is upside down. Remove the handle and turn the valve stem 180 ...
|
| plumbing | 8/16/2009 |
Q: plumbing inspector wants me to use a fitting to connect 4 in. cast iron to 4 in. pvc that clamps to ...
A: Ernest, I'm curious: What state and city are you in? I've never had an inspector ask this before. ...
|
| toilet flange | 8/16/2009 |
Q: I am doing a bathroom upgrade and I have PVC for the drain system. The metal flange is rusty and I ...
A: Brad, It is much better to remove the old closet flange and replace it with new. It's a little ...
|
| Removal of lead toilet drain closet bend | 8/16/2009 |
Q: Anthony. I am replacing my upstairs toilet and floor in the alcove due to some rot. (Old Home). ...
A: Ken, You can do this, however, if the idea of working with lead scares you, find an older plumber ...
|
| gas (LP) tankless H2O htr install | 8/16/2009 |
Q: I am not sure if this should go to the HVAC folks or plumbing as it is somewhat in between but: 1. ...
A: Don, One thing I have learned about tankless water heaters is this: "DON'T DO ANYTHING THAT CAN ...
|
| supply line | 8/16/2009 |
Q: Okay I hope I can make sense enough for you to understand me. I am a building contractor. But not ...
A: Daniel, UPC code-wise, PVC is an approved material used to run water mains from the meter to the ...
|
| Bassement Drain Overflow | 8/16/2009 |
Q: My basement floor drain has a pvc 1" input pipe at floor level that carries the condesate water from ...
A: Larry, It's obvious to me that the connection between the floor drain and the sanitary pit is ...
|
| leaky bathtub | 8/16/2009 |
Q: i have a leak of unkown origin,my bathroom runs a little downhill & everytime we take a shower it ...
A: Mary, I've thought about your issue, and it's possible that because the bathroom is reverse graded, ...
|
| bathroom: sink drain suggestions/cost | 8/16/2009 |
Q: I have two questions; if you don't mind. I would like to install a sink vanity/'cabinet' with ...
A: Kendra, Thank you for you kind comments. Indeed, this is a great place for "plain folks" to get ...
|
| Leaking Faucet | 8/16/2009 |
Q: I have a Price Pfister WL2-23 bathroom faucet (2 handles). The cold water was leaking out of the ...
A: BD, I have repaired and installed many PP faucets and I'm sorry, offhand I'm not sure how to guide ...
|
| Dishwasher Plumbing | 8/15/2009 |
Q: I'm looking for 5/8" i.d. bulk hose to connect each of two dishwashers needing longer than a typical ...
A: Chris, You might want to try a good local plumbing supply store. I personally like to use Ferguson ...
|
| well h2o tank pressure | 8/15/2009 |
Q: !!! the tank bladder must be presured to 38 psi dry, ( which it is ) however the cut-off switch is ...
A: Pete, The air in the tank compresses the water passing through the tank. You only reading air ...
|
| leaking bathtub faucet | 8/15/2009 |
Q: i have a three stems faucet, gerber stems fits. i replaced stems and seats in hot water and diverter ...
A: Nelson, If you feel comfortable doing this, try using a Mapp Gas torch (or propane) and heat up ...
|
| plumbing vent | 8/15/2009 |
Q: The toilet just recently started making a gurgling sound when flushed and an air bubble comes up. ...
A: Jim, You can possibly run water down the vent at the roof and if water starts to back up the vent, ...
|
| Shower head - no pressure | 8/15/2009 |
Q: About 6 months ago we remodeled the bathroom & installed a new tub faucet & shower head. Within the ...
A: Karen, Common problem and repair depends upon your set up. If you have a single handle valve, with ...
|
| Dirty well water | 8/14/2009 |
Q: Yesterday I watered my yard a little to long. Now my water is dirty and cloudy. My well is 3 years ...
A: Jason, Yes, it will clear up and No, I do not know how long it could take. At 280 feet, my guess ...
|
| diverter value | 8/14/2009 |
Q: Anthony:In my tub area,I have three handles,cold,hot,diverter value.When the shower was running, ...
A: Bob, When you worked on the diverter valve, did you use thread sealant? Also, did you make sure ...
|
| pressure switch leak | 8/14/2009 |
Q: My house has a well,pressure tank,and an old Dura(Little Giant)pump with a Square D pressure ...
A: Phil, I think you may have nailed the answer to your own question. Yes, you should use a small ...
|
| outdoor reset control | 8/14/2009 |
Q: I am installing a Tekmar 256 boiler outdoor reset controller on my Weil McClain CGA-4 nat gas hot ...
A: Robert, I've looked over the schematics for the Tekmar controller and the boiler and honestly, I'm ...
|
| Grohe shower valve | 8/14/2009 |
Q: I have a Grohe shower valve, #A122.18.1M. I tried doing a minor adjustment on it, and now it won't ...
A: Jon, I've installed quite a number of Grohe valves and believe me, I know you're pain. Grohe is ...
|
| GAS WATER HEATER | 8/14/2009 |
Q: Your question was MY RUUD GAS WATER HEATER IS 16 YEARS OLD, MY HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1993. IT STILL ...
A: Mike, If you water heater is operating fine, then treat it like an expensive car - do all the ...
|
| PVC to CPVC | 8/14/2009 |
Q: I am installing all new water lines from the meter in. I am changing over to plastic. I know that ...
A: Michael, You can use PVC for the main line, but for the inside of your home, you should use CPVC or ...
|
| Copper or brass elbows/termination point | 8/14/2009 |
Q: I'm installing a shower head, body sprays and hand spray (Kohler)... Where the copper pipe ...
A: Willy M, Yes, there is a preference. You should always use a bronze winged elbow for this ...
|
| Slow bathroom sink drain | 8/13/2009 |
Q: Since we moved into our house the drain in our main bathroom sink has been slow. Sometimes it will ...
A: Bryce, Just wondering, have you taken the p-trap apart and run a snake directly down the drain? If ...
|
| washing machine plumbing | 8/13/2009 |
Q: our washing machine drain keeps backing up and we can't figure out why. the vent is clear, we dug up ...
A: John, You most likely have a blockage from lint and soap in the p-trap in the wall or the waste ...
|
| leaking toilet | 8/12/2009 |
Q: My home is 40+ years old. I lived in it for over 20 years, and have never addressed any plumbing ...
A: Nikki, To save money today, your best bet would be to remove the toilet and replace the wax seal ...
|
| leaky bathtub | 8/12/2009 |
Q: i have a leak of unkown origin,my bathroom runs a little downhill & everytime we take a shower it ...
A: Mary, Have you checked the sweep at the shower door? Many times it is worn out. If you have a ...
|
| Sump pump | 8/12/2009 |
Q: All of a sudden my sump pump has started making the loudest bang I've ever heard it make. House is ...
A: Marv, It's possible if the sump pump has been under constant use, it needs to be changed. It could ...
|
| bathroom: sink drain suggestions/cost | 8/12/2009 |
Q: I have two questions; if you don't mind. I would like to install a sink vanity/'cabinet' with ...
A: Kendra, I don't mind questions and I'm glad you asked yours today. It is possible to turn the ...
|
| Water Softner rough-in | 8/12/2009 |
Q: My daughter and her husband are building a house and paid $600 for a water softner rough-in. During ...
A: Bob, Whomever does the finish on this softener should know how to connect it so that the entire ...
|
| Well System | 8/12/2009 |
Q: We have a private well in our Wisconsin home. the pressure switch turns the pump on at 40 psi and ...
A: Duane, It's good that you lowered the cut on pressure to 20 psi, but the cut off pressure should ...
|
| water coming from shower rain head | 8/11/2009 |
Q: I am a plumber and was called out on a new construction job. The home has a thermostatic mixing ...
A: Joe, I believe there is a pressure reduction caused when the water heater is shut down. I think ...
|
| External Residential Water Addition | 8/11/2009 |
Q: I would like to run an additional water line from a spigot/line at the front of my house, about 100 ...
A: Greg, This is a project you can do yourself, however, rather than pick up the water from the hose ...
|
| Old plumbing joint in old house | 8/11/2009 |
Q: We are interested in buying an old house. Under the main floor toilet is a plumbing joint that ...
A: Katherine, HUGE RED FLAGS ARE FLYING HERE... PEOPLE ARE RUNNING & SCREAMING! You nailed it. Since ...
|
| plumbing job in 1967 home | 8/11/2009 |
Q: We are contemplating moving a 1967 home to a piece of property. The work done to the house includes ...
A: Esther, Moving houses to vacant land are cost effective, but, must be completed just as if you were ...
|
| water coming from shower rain head | 8/11/2009 |
Q: I am a plumber and was called out on a new construction job. The home has a thermostatic mixing ...
A: Joe, I've dealt with this problem several times. The problem lies with the thermostatic mixing ...
|
| repiping | 8/11/2009 |
Q: i am going to repipe my house. i was wondering if i could run the main water supply straight up the ...
A: Sam, Yes, you can run the piping along the side of the house, however, please use the proper ...
|
| Water Softner rough-in | 8/11/2009 |
Q: My daughter and her husband are building a house and paid $600 for a water softner rough-in. During ...
A: Bob, Try to get your daughter and son-in-law to follow up with the builder to have him put in the ...
|
| hot water heater help! | 8/11/2009 |
Q: Just noticed water leaking out of my hot water heater. What's my next step without calling a ...
A: Mica, Tankless water heaters are okay, but the venting requirements drive the base cost up over ...
|
| New Single Valve Shower Install - Pegasus | 8/11/2009 |
Q: Problem - The shower valve will not shut off or control the water. This problem developed while I ...
A: Charlie, Glad you contacted the manufacturer about this also, most will try to maintain customer ...
|
| pressure tank | 8/11/2009 |
Q: my existing pressure only reach 35psi,i have to increase pressure but that only pressure i get,is ...
A: Pedro, The pressure is a function of your pump and its' capacity for output. If you have an old ...
|
| Leaky Pipe | 8/10/2009 |
Q: I recently bought a home and found water damage in one of my upper kitchen cabinets. When I removed ...
A: Michelle, Don't trade a bad fix for possibly bad information. You want to fix this properly. If ...
|
| Vibrating hot water pipes? | 8/10/2009 |
Q: We have been trying to isolate our particular problem, which has been difficult. My husband has ...
A: Barbara, The connection to the lift stations are clear - I agree with you. However, the problem ...
|
| hot water heater help! | 8/10/2009 |
Q: Just noticed water leaking out of my hot water heater. What's my next step without calling a ...
A: Mica, Where is the water leaking from your water heater? Is it coming from inside or from the ...
|
| well | 8/10/2009 |
Q: I was going to put bleach down my well today and the outside pipe had water in it. so I had my wife ...
A: Pat, Is is possible the submersible pump may have a problem? You've got me stumped on this one. I ...
|
| Toilet Flushing Problem | 8/10/2009 |
Q: I have recently purchased a new 3.5gpf American Standard Cadet toilet. Although this is now a ...
A: Gerard, You mentioned there is lots of water pressure. If the water pressure is too high, it's ...
|
| Cast Iron Kitchen Sink | 8/9/2009 |
Q: How can I enlarge the hole in a cast iron sink in order to install a soap dispenser where a RO ...
A: Marneice, You will need to drill the hole with an 1 3/8 inch bit(probably with graphite edges). ...
|
| rusty water | 8/9/2009 |
Q: i live in a mobile home that has 2 bathrooms...it is on a well with septic system...sometimes the ...
A: Donna, Your best bet is to install a whole house water filter. Mobile home parks often run ...
|
| Loss of water volume | 8/9/2009 |
Q: We have a water well with a galvanized pressure tank. We had a hurricane about a year ago and our ...
A: Jim, The pressure tank has a two-fold job: 1) Ensure the system maintains pressure until the pump ...
|
| lost pressure in 20% of home's water outlets | 8/9/2009 |
Q: I have a rural property and my home can get water via submerged pumps at either a shallow well or a ...
A: Rick, Thank you for being so thorough. You may have accidentally jammed some debris in the piping ...
|
| Sewer line | 8/9/2009 |
Q: We are having sewage back up in the basement. We snaked the downstairs toilet and found that we are ...
A: Sara, I am so sorry for your dilemma, however, in order to find the line quickly, you may have to ...
|
| Groaning pipes and water pressure loss | 8/9/2009 |
Q: About a month ago we went on vacation for 3 weeks. When we came home the kitchen sink started ...
A: Michelle, This may be progress. You might have dislodged some material into the hot side of the ...
|
| pressure tank | 8/9/2009 |
Q: At our cabin when we shower about every 20-30 seconds there is a surge of cold water for about 3-5 ...
A: Ken, Sounds like your pressure tank is out of whack and not keeping pressure on the system. Have ...
|
| Only Hot water from shower | 8/9/2009 |
Q: I think a question similar to this was asked before, but I have a couple more issues that I found ...
A: Derek, Looks like you have a pressure-balanced valve. If so, then likely, the cartridge in the ...
|
| plumbing/toilet sqeeling | 8/9/2009 |
Q: Recently our toilet has started to make a really odd high pitched sqeel that won't go away until we ...
A: Sonya, It's possible there is debris lodged in the fill valve. You will have to remove the head of ...
|
| dual dishwasher drain | 8/9/2009 |
Q: I plan to install two dishwashers in my home's kitchen remodel in WA state. Both drain runs are ...
A: Chris, I'm thinking Kitchenaid's connection may have some sort of backflow preventer so that liquid ...
|
| Main clean out clog and associated problem. | 8/9/2009 |
Q: First, our kitchen sink drains down through the basement and through a very large main clean out. ...
A: Jeff, When you discover you have a main waste line problem, it's time to break out the big guns! ...
|
| Water Softner rough-in | 8/8/2009 |
Q: My daughter and her husband are building a house and paid $600 for a water softner rough-in. During ...
A: Bob, Unfortunately, your daughter and her husband were not explicit in their discussion and ...
|
| Main line backing up | 8/8/2009 |
Q: I have an older home. The washing machine drain tends to back up but simply putting some drain ...
A: Cindy, Pouring caustic acids into your waste piping without knowing its' composition is not good. ...
|
| mansfield toilet tank | 8/8/2009 |
Q: I just installed a new mansfield toilet. It flushes great, but after a day I noticed that the tank ...
A: John, Here's a little trick I learned in a pinch: Take a 3/4 inch PVC coupling and place it on top ...
|
| New Single Valve Shower Install - Pegasus | 8/8/2009 |
Q: Problem - The shower valve will not shut off or control the water. This problem developed while I ...
A: Charlie, My guess is you didn't put it in correctly or there could be debris stuck in the ...
|
| Trouble with Grohe Alira faucet | 8/8/2009 |
Q: After several years my spray hose pulls out hard and will not slide back into the faucet. ...
A: John, If you're up to the challenge, you can do this repair. Sounds like your faucet needs a lube ...
|
| toilet drains | 8/8/2009 |
Q: Toilet on the first floor drains completely at times, meaning there is no standing water. I don't ...
A: Thomas, You are experiencing some sort of massive suction of the water in your toilet. This can ...
|
| in ground sewage vertical pump | 8/7/2009 |
Q: I have a basement bathroom and have gutted it. I now want to relocate my toilet from one wall to ...
A: Lorraine, This all depends upon how your sewage pit was originally set up. Your feed pipe into the ...
|
| Bathtub Valve | 8/7/2009 |
Q: I replaced my bathtub water valve with a Gerber, Safetemp II, Pressure Balance Valve. The valve now ...
A: Ray, The reason for the hammer arrestor is to manage pressure differentials, so, yes I think you ...
|
| bladder | 8/7/2009 |
Q: Tom, a day ago we had no water pressure after I watered the garden....like the water had been shut ...
A: Randy, Sounds like the pump is fine, but the pressure tank needs changing. Hope this helps. ...
|
| Toilet noise | 8/7/2009 |
Q: My question is when my toilet bowl is not in use every few minutes it will make a sucking noise ...
A: Ed, A couple of questions. 1) Is the water level at our above the tube in the center of the ...
|
| Well System | 8/7/2009 |
Q: We have a private well in our Wisconsin home. the pressure switch turns the pump on at 40 psi and ...
A: Duane, I think you may need to lower the "low" cut in pressure to 20 or 25psi. What's happening is ...
|
| Relocating an electric hot water heater | 8/7/2009 |
Q: I just purchased a second floor 1 bed, 1 bath shore condo in North Wildwood NJ. It is to be used as ...
A: Anthony, Good plan. May I make one suggestion: Pipe your pan line to the nearest bathroom sink. ...
|
| NO HOT WATER | 8/7/2009 |
Q: About 6 months ago I purchased a new water heater. It works great. All of a sudden one day, all my ...
A: Carl, I would start at the water heater. Remove the outlet piping on the heater, attach a 3/4 inch ...
|
| washer vent problem? | 8/6/2009 |
Q: We have recently discovered a possible venting problem with our washer. It has started backing up ...
A: Barb, The main problem with laundry waste lines is most everyone looks at the vent and not the real ...
|
| Toilet does'nt flush | 8/6/2009 |
Q: The tank is full. The water flows slowly but it does not flush the contents. There seems to be no ...
A: Fred, You could have a problem with the flapper not staying open long enough to run water into the ...
|
| Toilet back flow | 8/6/2009 |
Q: Anthony, are there on the market Toilet back flow preventers? A back flow preventer that can be ...
A: David, There are "backwater valves" that can be used in this capacity, but ordinarily are used at ...
|
| new plumbing in shower remodel | 8/6/2009 |
Q: we had the shower in master bath remodeled and the pipes installed were new but now they keep ...
A: Terrie, I don't like pointing fingers, but, when this sad situation occurs, my first guess is that ...
|
| overflow? | 8/5/2009 |
Q: my overflow pipe situated in the roof is leaking water, ive been in the loft/roof of the house and ...
A: Ben, Honestly, I'm not familiar with this type of plumbing set up, however, it seems that you need ...
|
| water under flooring in kitchen | 8/5/2009 |
Q: We have been experiencing water under the kitchen flooring for about 2 months and could not figure ...
A: Angela, The good and bad thing about water is it will always find a way to let you know it's ...
|
| Cold Water is not cold | 8/5/2009 |
Q: I noticed that the cold water tap in my kitchen no longer gives me cold water. The water is cool ...
A: Diana, How does your water come into your home? By well or City services? If your water comes in ...
|
| bathtub drain | 8/5/2009 |
Q: Tony, our bathtub does'nt have a p-trap.If I install a p-trap lower than the waste line will it ...
A: Rich, Installing a p-trap in this manner will not work. Unfortunately, if you do not have a ...
|
| "Hammering" Sounds by water softener | 8/5/2009 |
Q: I am no longer using my water softener and have the valve turned off. A few weeks ago I noticed a ...
A: Mike, Most often, I get these type of questions because the water softener is one of those "home" ...
|
| hot water blockage | 8/4/2009 |
Q: I replaced the union for the hot water side of water heater. Had some sediment in all the faucets, ...
A: Kevin, I believe you're on the right track with this problem. The shower probably has debris stuck ...
|
| Relocating an electric hot water heater | 8/4/2009 |
Q: I just purchased a second floor 1 bed, 1 bath shore condo in North Wildwood NJ. It is to be used as ...
A: Anthony, Essentially, your plan is sound, however, I have two concerns: 1) If you place the water ...
|
| Pressure Regulator Valve | 8/4/2009 |
Q: Replaced a pressure regulator valve on the main water line today(since the old one was shot and the ...
A: Michael, You probably got some debris caught in the regulator. You may have to remove it and flush ...
|
| well storage tank 7 pressure | 8/4/2009 |
Q: How do you drain water storage tank on well system. We were having some pressure problems so I ...
A: Eileen, Draining a storage tank is a slow process. Usually, the main line running to the booster ...
|
| Bathtub Valve "Water Hammer" | 8/4/2009 |
Q: I replaced my bathtub water valve with a Gerber, Safetemp II, Pressure Balance Valve. The valve now ...
A: Ray, One thought I have is that sometimes Gerber, Kohler and other highend valve systems require a ...
|
| Groaning pipes and water pressure loss | 8/3/2009 |
Q: About a month ago we went on vacation for 3 weeks. When we came home the kitchen sink started ...
A: Michelle, You can probably fix this yourself. Odds are, with the water not being used, some debris ...
|
| Price Pfister shower valve leaking from spout | 8/3/2009 |
Q: Howdy! Oh how many times we have had to deal with this ancient and yet basic shower valve! It is a ...
A: Kelly, If you're stripping out valve seats, perhaps you're using the wrong tool? While I use a ...
|
| water leak | 8/3/2009 |
Q: My water bill has been exremely high these past few months. I used the blue dye method to test ...
A: JY, You may have a leak in your water main. The easiest way to test? Turn off the water directly ...
|
| dual dishwasher drain | 8/3/2009 |
Q: I plan to install two dishwashers in my home's kitchen remodel in WA state. Both drain runs are ...
A: Chris, Even in the great state of Washington, the UPC doesn't allow (legally) for installation of ...
|
| Garage Faucet | 8/3/2009 |
Q: My question is in regards to the water faucet in my garage. I have a hose connected to this faucet. ...
A: Nick, Sounds to me like you have some sort of pressure vacuum breaker attached to the faucet. Can ...
|
| Air is pipes | 8/3/2009 |
Q: We have a private, point well and recently had a new pressure tank and pump installed a few months ...
A: Dave, Obviously the installer was incorrect in his assessment of the situation. I hope the job is ...
|
| leak around septic pipe | 8/3/2009 |
Q: My Maryland home is abut 20 years old. There is a white plastic pipe going through the poured ...
A: Tom, It's possible this plastic piping may not have been properly glue together or maybe not glued ...
|
| well problem | 8/2/2009 |
Q: when I turn my water on the water will run, then water stops until the pump kicks on. do you know ...
A: Margaret, You are losing pressure on the system. It could be the booster pump, high/low cutoff ...
|
| tfe (pipe dope) | 8/2/2009 |
Q: there is pipe dope on the pvc kitchen drain pipes in my house. when i take the drain apart is there ...
A: Ed, Just wipe the joint compound off with hot soap and water. Hope this helps. Regards, ...
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| waterpressure | 8/2/2009 |
Q: I just bought my first home.When it was inspected the cold water was checked for pressure and works ...
A: John, Do your due diligence first and check the water pressure at all the hot water supply lines in ...
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| plumbing | 8/2/2009 |
Q: AM my pump runs constantly and I have 20 psi on my gauge and good water pressure the only way to get ...
A: Steven, You might have a high/low cutoff switch issue, contact a local plumber who specializes in ...
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| Submersible Water pump system | 8/2/2009 |
Q: I have a cabin with a submersible water pump. The pump and well are about 4 years old. This year ...
A: Jim, Anytime you are getting hot and cold water mixed as you have, then the problem is not with ...
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| Tapping into Existing Gas Line | 8/2/2009 |
Q: I need to tap into my existing gas line to run a new line to a fireplace insert. I know a far amount ...
A: Tony, A few things about this project. 1) NEVER use a union in a crawlspace or attic since you ...
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| Bathroom rough in move | 8/1/2009 |
Q: Can you please answer this question for me. This is about venting, and I'm as green as they come, ...
A: Bill, If you mean running the vent BELOW the fixtures, NO, you cannot. However, you can use a vent ...
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| drain and vent | 8/1/2009 |
Q: Would a kitchen sink drain with p trap, that is not hooked to a sewer line or septic tank, need a ...
A: Leigh, In your case, if you were to run a line as you mentioned, no, you would not need a vent. ...
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| sewer back up and backflow prevention valve | 8/1/2009 |
Q: I have experienced several sewage backups in the past year and my plumber has recommended a backflow ...
A: Ken, Yes, if the city main backs up, then you will have flow stopped in your house. But, since you ...
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| unions | 8/1/2009 |
Q: do I use thread sealant on a union?
A: Roy, Sorry for the late reply - Yes you should use a thread sealant on any threading. It helps for ...
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| Rattling noise | 8/1/2009 |
Q: My half bath is near the kitchen. When the 1/2 bath toilet tank fills up, and the water stops ...
A: Rick, Many times this occurs when the piping is not secured properly. I would not worry about it ...
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| smell after using bathroom tap | 8/1/2009 |
Q: lately I've noticed that when I turn on my bathroom sink tap (located upstairs) and then go ...
A: Lou, This problem occurs the world over. When you use water in the upstairs sink, it is disturbing ...
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| basement bathroom installation | 7/31/2009 |
Q: My sister and I are finally putting in a bathroom using the roughed in plumbing that had been ...
A: Melissa, To install the toilet flange, may I suggest using a grinder with a cutoff wheel? It's a ...
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| pipe noise | 7/31/2009 |
Q: When we turn on the water (cold) and sometimes when our water pump comes on (we have a cistern and ...
A: Mary, You could have debris in your system causing the noise. I would flush the entire system ...
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| Water Heater Electric Usuage | 7/31/2009 |
Q: My electric bill has skyrocketed and we have eliminated everything but the 40 gallon (American) ...
A: Jim, I think you may be close to the solution to this mystery. The fact that the electric line is ...
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| kitchen remodel - moving water and gas lines | 7/31/2009 |
Q: I would like to upgrade a 35 year old house which has a tiny, horrible kitchen. To enlarge the ...
A: Hanna, Although I would love to give you numbers, I couldn't even give you a ballpark without a ...
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| Water Heater Expansion Tank Replacement | 7/31/2009 |
Q: My gas water heater's expansion tank has a rust spot about halfway down on the side about the ...
A: Steve, Yes this is a good step-by-step list, however, after #2, I would drain a bit of water from ...
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| water main | 7/30/2009 |
Q: i have a mother/daughter house built in the 1930's just finished dormering it and added a second ...
A: Matthew, I need to understand what the $3,000 is for. Is it for the main only or for a partial ...
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| waterpressure | 7/30/2009 |
Q: I just bought my first home.When it was inspected the cold water was checked for pressure and works ...
A: John, The answer depends upon the piping in your home. If the piping is galvanized steel, you will ...
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| Tub Faucet | 7/30/2009 |
Q: I have recently replaced a Tub spout with a new one becuase when the diverter kmob was pulled up to ...
A: Greg, I understand the need to save water with teens in the house. I had my own worries years ago ...
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| Excessive Noise | 7/30/2009 |
Q: I have been bothered for over 9 months with a nightly noise and vibration in my bedroom. I live in ...
A: Christine, You are being plagued by 'water hammer' in all its' glory! This occurs when debris is ...
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| artesian well - 'brown' water | 7/29/2009 |
Q: Good afternoon Anthony Thank you for taking my question! I have a residential drilled well, recently ...
A: Anna, The trouble with having a 'natural' source of water is that is will always bend to nature's ...
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| whirlpool washer will not spin | 7/29/2009 |
Q: I have a whirl pool washer,model # LLR6144ANO,serial # CC3413691.It will agitate and drain but will ...
A: Rex, I'm not an appliance repair person, however, I do have some experience with my own washer ...
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| basement sewage pits | 7/29/2009 |
Q: Should basement sewage pits ever be pumped? When the basement toilet is used for solid waste the ...
A: Martha, It's possible your pump is not working properly, in which case you may need a new pump. Or ...
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| Backwards shower knob | 7/29/2009 |
Q: We had someone come to clean our carpets yesterday and they hooked up to our water I suppose because ...
A: Tara, A single handle tub/shower valve can sometimes rotate. All the tech will have to do is ...
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| broken snake | 7/29/2009 |
Q: last night I was using 3/8 in cable snake when the adapter or tip of cable broke off from cable.so ...
A: Javier, This situation occurs all the time at equipment rental yards. I would contact the ...
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| gap-a-flo inline air gap | 7/29/2009 |
Q: I am in the process of installing new kitchen counter tops, and was told I could install a in line ...
A: Jeff, In the U.S., many states and local city building departments have adopting the UPC (Uniform ...
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| plumbing something lower than the septic | 7/28/2009 |
Q: I am building a new house on property with an existing septic system. Currently there is a mobile ...
A: Sandi, On the surface your idea to pump into the lagoon sounds like a plausible one, here is my ...
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| Well Chlorination | 7/28/2009 |
Q: I want to chlorinate my well and need to remove my well cap to do so... but don't want to lose any ...
A: Gary, Bravo to you for tackling such a project! Honestly, I've never had to chlorinate a well, so ...
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| Bathroom Facuet | 7/28/2009 |
Q: The cold water works fine. The hot water trickles out. I removed the cap/screen where the water ...
A: Jeff, Did you look INSIDE the valve stem? Sometimes junk gets stuck in the inlet of the valve stem ...
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| septic vs. plumbing | 7/28/2009 |
Q: I had my septic tank pumped about 4 months ago, Drain field is about 3 yrs old, and I had the house ...
A: Kemya, It's possible that when the line was snaked, the connection to the inlet of the septic may ...
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| Loud Toilet When Flushin | 7/27/2009 |
Q: Our toilets are making VERY LOUD noises (in the tank) after flushing / when refilling. It's getting ...
A: Aaron, This is an all-too-common problem. Here is an answer to another question I received about ...
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| Toilet Water Level and Mold | 7/27/2009 |
Q: I have two toilets in my home. Both of them have a problem developing mold under the lip which ...
A: Kyle, Mold develops in areas that are always damp and possibly, your toilet could be leaking ...
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| slow water pressure | 7/27/2009 |
Q: my home has a well, the water pressure is low. There is a gauge after the pressure tank that reads ...
A: Ted, It might be that you may have to call in a professional. My experience in these matters tells ...
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| basement bathroom | 7/27/2009 |
Q: I am planning on putting in a new basement bathroom. I only have one main stack, with access to an ...
A: John, Depending upon the part of the country you're in and whether they use the UPC or some other ...
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| Kitchen Faucet | 7/27/2009 |
Q: How do you remove the cover to get to the first screw in a Moen faucet? The cover I am talking ...
A: Charles, I like to use something thin and flat like a small putty knife to slide under the cap's ...
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| toilet issue (maybe) | 7/26/2009 |
Q: I was installing a new toilet in my bathroom, and in a moment of clumsiness dropped one of the caps ...
A: Tarpan, In this instance, it will be better for you to remove this object. You will have to ...
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| outside sillcock water pressure | 7/26/2009 |
Q: My house is 13 years old & in Oregon. I have two sillcocks, the backyard works great, the one in ...
A: Austin, Bravo to you for taking on such a project. Yes, you can do this one if you have the ...
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| metal or plastic nut | 7/26/2009 |
Q: when you are installing a 1 1/2 in.x6 in. pvc tailpiece to a kitchen sink strainer basket do you ...
A: Ed, The metal slip joint nut is designed to fit the threads on the basket strainer tightly. Using ...
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| ants in our well | 7/26/2009 |
Q: We have been noticing that our water pressure is low in different areas, one after the other. The ...
A: Kathy, If you are getting debris in your water, odds are, it's not from ants, it's from your well, ...
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| side outlet diverter sout | 7/26/2009 |
Q: I wish to install a diverter spout in my bathtub so that I can attach a hand shower. The problem is ...
A: Simon, In order to avoid a major operation, I would solder and extension and a 1/2 inch male ...
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| No hot water from hot tap | 7/25/2009 |
Q: The water coming out of my hot tap is running cold. There was hot water yesterday. What could the ...
A: Sarah, Have you checked to see if your water heater is working? Keep me posted about this. ...
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| Toilet Cistern Noise | 7/25/2009 |
Q: When flushing my toilet I get a loud 'horn' type of noise. When I look inside the cistern when ...
A: Craig, I think you're closer to the answer than you think. Noises like the one you heard come from ...
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| disposal leak | 7/25/2009 |
Q: I am replacing my garbage disposal and the new one leaks whenever the dishwasher runs/discharges ...
A: Kurt, If you are getting water backing up in your sink, then there a more serious problem than you ...
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| washer/dryer added to room next to a bathroom | 7/25/2009 |
Q: We'd like to bring my parent's washer/dryer up to the main floor from the basement. There's a spare ...
A: Kathy, As for moving drainage lines and water lines in a basement setting, it's always going to be ...
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| toilet | 7/25/2009 |
Q: i have read ur previous post but was unable to find the link related to my problem- my issue is HOW ...
A: Huma, Whenever you remove a toilet from the floor, you should ALWAYS remove the old wax seal and ...
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| bathtub faucet leaks | 7/25/2009 |
Q: Do you know what would be causing the bath tub faucet to drip? It’s dripping where the screw ...
A: Ian, I am totally stumped. Is it possible to send me a digital picture of said "clear water line"? ...
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| banging and suction | 7/24/2009 |
Q: we just built a new home. The A/C guys put them in the attic with drains going into the respective ...
A: Roxanne, I've had many complaints over the years about "A/C guys' methods of installation. ...
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| toilet | 7/24/2009 |
Q: i have read ur previous post but was unable to find the link related to my problem- my issue is HOW ...
A: Huma, Did you check to see if you are getting water jet from the base of the bowl? Also, are you ...
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| Hot water tank check valves | 7/24/2009 |
Q: Anthony, Our four story four apartment brownstone has 2 50 gallon water heaters tee'd to a common ...
A: Timothy, Water hammer problems are always difficult to diagnose and correct. Many times the ...
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| tankless water heater problems | 7/24/2009 |
Q: We just installed a Excel automatic tankless gas water heater. 3.2 gal per minute. The problem is ...
A: Benny, I am wondering, "Is there a pressure adjustment on this type of heater?" If there is, you ...
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| septic tank repair | 7/24/2009 |
Q: If the side of my septic tank has a crack in it is there anyway to repair it or do I need to replace ...
A: Shawno, If you have a concrete "cast-in-place" septic tank, you can evacuate the tank, patch the ...
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| Running water lines near waste lines | 7/23/2009 |
Q: I was wondering if there are any problems or code violations with running a hot or cold water line ...
A: Mike, No, there are no code issues here, but if the line is a hot water line or copper pipe, I ...
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| waterwell hammering | 7/23/2009 |
Q: Our home is about 5yrs old and recently there has been a hammering when the pump turns off and it ...
A: Larry, It's possible you may have debris in the pump impeller or inadequately balanced pressure ...
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| sewer odor in home | 7/23/2009 |
Q: sewer oder is coming up the drains in the restroom sink and bathtub drains. Also from the kitchen ...
A: Janie, Sounds to me like you may have a break in your waste lines creating the smells. If your ...
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| remodeling | 7/23/2009 |
Q: I have a small condo apt. and need to remodel the kitchen area. At the present, it's a narrow area ...
A: Lauri, This part of a project is always the most fun to me - "Where to start?" The biggest ...
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| water surges in pipes...early morning. | 7/23/2009 |
Q: We have a well, hard water. About once a week, when we use the sink, shower, toilet in the early ...
A: Barbara, You will need to start at your underground pump. You will need to flow water from this ...
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| bathtub faucet leaks | 7/23/2009 |
Q: Do you know what would be causing the bath tub faucet to drip? It’s dripping where the screw ...
A: Ian, Very astute observations on your part. The fact that the spout is leaking in the rear area, ...
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| moen tub/shower | 7/22/2009 |
Q: i have a shower cartridge i can't get out pulled the c clip out and lost that put the handle back on ...
A: Tim, I have had these problems with older Moen cartridges too. I just used two Channel lock pliers ...
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| Water Pump | 7/22/2009 |
Q: This question is in regards to my water pump for my well water. Lately, I have it where I will be ...
A: Patty, Intermittent on/off problems like this could be due to a variety of issues. You could be ...
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| bathroom faucet | 7/22/2009 |
Q: I had a new sink and wall mount faucet installed. The faucet is at the recommended 5 or 6 inch ...
A: Neera, It sounds to me that the pressure is abnormally high, meaning that you should have your ...
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| Water Pump | 7/22/2009 |
Q: My Goulds home water pump works when I turn the water on but once the tap is turned of, it keeps on ...
A: Francis, Sounds to me like an electrical issue. Find someone who the manufacturer suggests to ...
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| Can't remove shower diverter | 7/22/2009 |
Q: I have recently taken over an apartment complex and have been scurrying about trying to catch up on ...
A: Michael, Unfortunately, No. I have had trouble with valve stems like this in the past and have ...
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| With water heater off, cold water is hot | 7/21/2009 |
Q: Living in the desert, in a suburb of Phoenix, Arizona, I usually turn my water heater off from ...
A: Kat, Thank you for the clarification. No. I think you DEFINITELY have a cross connection in your ...
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| Question about the valves for the washing machine. | 7/21/2009 |
Q: I just want to warn you that I have absolutely no knowledge of plumbing so if this doesn't make a ...
A: Claudette, Sorry for confusing you. I meant that when you turn on the water main, you should ...
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| hot water heater install license requirement | 7/21/2009 |
Q: austin texas in the state of texas, I have worked in electrical engineering labs for over 20 years. ...
A: Ron, Given your background and knowledge of electricity (please tell me they don't call you ...
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| water softener | 7/21/2009 |
Q: I am thinking of getting a water softener and have looked at the waterboss. Have you had any ...
A: Landon, Truth be told, I have never installed a WaterBoss, so looked it up and it appears to have ...
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| hot water is shower has no pressure after new water heater installed | 7/21/2009 |
Q: i had a new water heater installed hot water is hot but i have no hot water pressure in other words ...
A: Tim, Thanks for the info. Probably what's happened is you've gotten some debris stuck inside the ...
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| Tankless water heaters in tandem | 7/21/2009 |
Q: need more volume, should I hook from outlet on #1 heater to inlet on #2 heater and have one ...
A: Daniel, When you say 'Need more volume', do you mean that you want greater pressure or a longer ...
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| Septic System | 7/21/2009 |
Q: How deep in the ground is the average tile bed in a septic system. I am planning to build a raised ...
A: Ron, Most septic tanks and associated piping are anywhere from 18 inches to 4 ft below the ground ...
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| hot water is shower has no pressure after new water heater installed | 7/21/2009 |
Q: i had a new water heater installed hot water is hot but i have no hot water pressure in other words ...
A: Timothy, Seems to me your shower valve needs adjusting. Without knowing the make, model and what ...
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| Question about the valves for the washing machine. | 7/20/2009 |
Q: I just want to warn you that I have absolutely no knowledge of plumbing so if this doesn't make a ...
A: Claudette, Thank you for explaining the issue in such detail. Firstly, when you turn on the water ...
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| AAV | 7/20/2009 |
Q: We recently remodeled our kitchen which involved installing an AAV. Our sink drains extremely slow. ...
A: Susan, If you installed the AAV in the proper manner, then it should work fine, unless you have a ...
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| loss of pressure | 7/20/2009 |
Q: we have just moved to a house with a pumped well.Last night we had a power cut which didn't return ...
A: Bill, With the pump off for that long, you may have lost your water prime from the well pump. You ...
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| With water heater off, cold water is hot | 7/20/2009 |
Q: Living in the desert, in a suburb of Phoenix, Arizona, I usually turn my water heater off from ...
A: Kat, You initially described your cold water as coming out cold at first, then turning scalding ...
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| cut through threads on bibb | 7/20/2009 |
Q: The hose was corroded onto the bibb so I used a mini hack-saw to cut it off. Went too far and cut ...
A: Gerle, We all live and learn. In your case, you may have to use teflon tape to wrap around the ...
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| water pressure tank | 7/19/2009 |
Q: I'm in the process of replacing my 20 year old water heater. the salesman at lowes says i also need ...
A: Richard, The plumbing codes have changed over the years to ensure everything from clean potable ...
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| Pressure | 7/19/2009 |
Q: What could cause pressure to build up in the hot water line from a water heater, fed by a ...
A: Michael, Ic could be that the system is not balanced. Have your plumber take care of this as it's ...
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| Changing faucets in a clawfoot tub | 7/19/2009 |
Q: I have just bought a house that has a clawfoot tub. The faucet is not my style (lots of brass ...
A: Maever, What you are looking for are called 'drain cocks' or 'drain plugs', depending upon the ...
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| Toilet tank | 7/19/2009 |
Q: I replaced the flapper in my toilet tank. When I flush, I have to hold down the handle to make sure ...
A: Don, Most times - Yes! Shorten the chain, without making it taught and you should experience a ...
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| Toilet | 7/18/2009 |
Q: I have an American Standard toilet that I installed about 10 yrs ago, lately it doesn't have a ...
A: Rich, Look lower. Oftentimes, the reason toilets lose their 'swirl', is because the jet at the ...
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| water pressure / irrigation | 7/18/2009 |
Q: I have lived in the same home 15yrs. This past winter I had my bladder tank - 84 gallon hydropro - ...
A: Rich, When you replaced the pressure tank, did the tech work on balancing the system starting at ...
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| kitchen faucet loses pressure and whines | 7/18/2009 |
Q: My kitchen faucet loses pressure as I increase the flow, then the water stops flowing and it whines. ...
A: Susan, You probably have debris stuck in the housing of the faucet. I would suggest removing the ...
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| Cast iron joint leak | 7/18/2009 |
Q: The joint for our toilet waste line has a small leak. I noticed the leak is from the joint between ...
A: Ron, Please review my answer to Desngr on 7/20/09 to his similar question. Let me know how the ...
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| well water aerotor tank overfloes | 7/18/2009 |
Q: my children were playing around the well system and pulled out the the eletric swith on the pipe ...
A: Daniel, A well water system is very delicate and even something as innocent as accidentally ...
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| toilet drain | 7/18/2009 |
Q: I have a basement toilet, and when you flush the upstairs toilet or have any other large drain ...
A: J - Are you familiar with this saying: "Where there's smoke, there's fire"? The fact that you got ...
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| New drain pipe | 7/17/2009 |
Q: I have a laundry tub that i want to replace the Drain pipe but it goes into a lead drain in the ...
A: Desgnr, This is probably not going to win me any popularity contests, but, DO NOT MESS WITH LEAD! ...
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| replacing a drain line | 7/17/2009 |
Q: I am finishing a basement in my home and am adding a full bath (the basement plumbing is not roughed ...
A: Karen, This sounds about right. The reason is that according to the UPC, Chapter 7, Table 7-5, ...
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| Residential pressure bladder tank | 7/17/2009 |
Q: Anthony, I just had a new pressure tank installed when my well pump was replaced. The old tank was ...
A: Mike, You are very astute. Except for the possibility of freezing in winter (and even then I would ...
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| bath drain | 7/17/2009 |
Q: im installing bath drain with over flow.. my new one is bass but the connection under the house is ...
A: James, You will need to use a metal to PVC pipe adapter to make this work. Let me know how the ...
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| Don't really know the type of Plumbing Problem | 7/17/2009 |
Q: my name is Steven, as you may have already figured out. I have a problem with my plumbing. The ...
A: Steven, My guess is your system is unbalanced. You will need someone to adjust the high/low cut ...
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| natural gas line burial | 7/16/2009 |
Q: I am installing a new patio - 2 1/2" thick pavers over roadbase. We have a natural gas firepit to be ...
A: Charlie, You should NEVER, EVER use black pipe in an exterior or underground gas application. I ...
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| toilet will not flush properly | 7/16/2009 |
Q: Anthony, I am having problems with a toilet. Sometimes it flushes ok and other times the water just ...
A: Kevin, One of the most common toilet problems in this regard is lack of water jet. In the base of ...
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| trap in laundry room | 7/15/2009 |
Q: when we bought the home the home inspector stated we should snake it to see if it has a trap or not. ...
A: Kimberly, A p-trap can be setup above ground, however, the biggest concern I have is "how is this ...
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| Septic Sump Failure | 7/15/2009 |
Q: We have water bubbling up around the tank and pump. Our drain field is a hump~ We believe the pump ...
A: Tracey, It's possible that the manhole runs to a deep septic that pumps the effluent to a leach ...
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| high pitch noise when running water | 7/15/2009 |
Q: We have a house that is 3 years old. A few months ago, when ever we run water from any spigot in ...
A: Tom, Sometimes debris gets caught in fixtures like this so it might be a good idea to remove the ...
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| Plumbing | 7/15/2009 |
Q: I live in a 1 story, 1 and 1/2 bathroom house. The 1/2 bathroom in the master bedrooms hot water ...
A: Chris, It appears to me that you have either under-sized lines in your master or the lines feeding ...
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| Home plumbing | 7/15/2009 |
Q: I know there is a lot of grim and build up in the copper piping in my basement. How can that be ...
A: Brian, Short of using chemicals to clean the pipes (I don't recommend this) I would install a ...
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| Tub/shower diverter | 7/15/2009 |
Q: I am in the process of renovating my bathroom. I have a 3 valve tub/shower diverter and I have a ...
A: Rhonda, Sounds to me like you have a Price Pfister valve to me. If you are having problems with ...
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| Hot water heater not working? | 7/15/2009 |
Q: We have no hot water in the house. We have an electric water heater, any ideas?
A: Robin, Yes, your element in the heater may be burned out. Have a professional plumber install a ...
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| Hot Water Not working | 7/14/2009 |
Q: I recently bought a home and when we did the home inspection the cold water in the house works great ...
A: Walt, Sounds to me like the water heater got past you. Depending upon the size, a water heater ...
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| hot water faucet | 7/14/2009 |
Q: Several weeks ago I had the leaky hose to the hot water faucet in my kitchen replaced. The new one ...
A: Angela, Many of the new faucets and tub/shower valves are temperature and/or pressure-balanced. ...
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| ice maker line water displacement | 7/14/2009 |
Q: I recently had a 1/4" ice maker line to my refrigerator break on the wall side of the filter. ...
A: Terry, This would depend upon use. However, for arguments sake, let's say you and your buds ...
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| Leaking shower/tub feed pipe | 7/14/2009 |
Q: We noticed a ceiling stain in our downstairs bedroom below the shower. After removing some damaged ...
A: Michael, Your tub and shower are fed by the same piping system, so the fact that there is a leak ...
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| flush valve leak | 7/14/2009 |
Q: I have a real head-scratcher. I've replaced the flapper on my girl friend's toilet twice and it ...
A: Jim, I have a couple of thoughts about this... Firstly, the chain for the flapper SHOULD have ...
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| water leaking through kitchen ceiling below | 7/13/2009 |
Q: 3 months ago i had a new tub/shower installed, with new tile on walls and ceiling. 3 weeks ago we ...
A: Lynn, I had one of these recently at a customer's rental home. The leak came from the tub spout ...
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| bathroom remodal | 7/13/2009 |
Q: I am moving a double vanity sink to the other side of the bathroom next to the shower, can I just ...
A: Kurt, This is always a tough question to answer without more information. Do you have a diagram of ...
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| dishwasher | 7/13/2009 |
Q: I am getting a new counter top and sink and want to get rid of the ugly dishwasher overflow thing ...
A: Robin, The 'ugly dishwasher overflow thing', called an airgap is a safety device that protects ...
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| plumbing | 7/10/2009 |
Q: I am plumbing our new house . we have a cistern and need to know how big a pump, pressure tank, and ...
A: Karen, In order to assist you better, I would need a diagram of the proposed work in order to help ...
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| plumbing - sewer backup | 7/9/2009 |
Q: basement drains (2) backing up when someone showers and/or flushes. It isn't blackwater, but it ...
A: Sandi, Please call a drain specialist as it seems you have: 1) A broken line or 2) A line overrun ...
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| Replacing very old faucets | 7/9/2009 |
Q: I live in a hundred year old building. I have the original sink in the kitchen: a porcelain ...
A: Marie, Sorry to have been a bit vague. A 14 inch spread for a faucet of this type is typically no ...
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| Leaky toilet causing watermarks in ceiling below. | 7/9/2009 |
Q: I noticed watermarks on the ceiling in my first floor bathroom, which directly above is the second ...
A: Michelina, This problem is usually due to a worn out wax ring. Remove the toilet, install a new ...
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| Plumbing question | 7/9/2009 |
Q: Anthony, The question that I will put forth to you is: I have an old septic system in the rear of ...
A: Vince, Thanks for providing me with a decent picture of your situation. Why are you still using a ...
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| Faucet shuts down | 7/9/2009 |
Q: Faucet shuts down when I increase flow (It feel like a quick vacuum forms) I replaced the faucet, ...
A: Mike, If this is some sort of pressure balanced valve, then this will occur every time. My guess ...
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| water softener | 7/9/2009 |
Q: My home and water softener(SA-PRO-E 70)are only two years old. Everytime the water softener cycle is ...
A: Ruben, Sounds like an obstruction in the piping feeding the tank or the pressure may be a bit high ...
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| shower drain | 7/8/2009 |
Q: The shower floor is concrete approx 3inch diameter hole in it, from which i took out the old drain. ...
A: Tom, You will need to properly execute this operation. This means opening up the concrete 12" x ...
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| Claw Foot Tub Faucet Supply Leaking | 7/8/2009 |
Q: they used double offset faucet supplies from the floor to the tub. Unfortunately, they didn't ...
A: Becky, Yes you can replace them with braided stainless steel supplies matched to the same or ...
|
| Disposal and Dishwasher | 7/8/2009 |
Q: Recently I have had trouble getting the disposal to turn on - I had to push the switch all the way ...
A: Jennifer, Sounds to me like your disposer and dishwasher are on the same circuit. I would check ...
|
| Bathroom sink drain pipe doesn't line up | 7/8/2009 |
Q: I am installing a new bathroom sink and the drain location is about 4-5 inches off from the trap ...
A: Scott, I have usually used a p-trap assembly for these tight fits that slide into the pipe coming ...
|
| Septic pump not automatically running? | 7/8/2009 |
Q: my house has a septic system that when I turn on the pump manually (Trip the switch to "Hand"), the ...
A: John, It seems to me that your system has an electrical malfunction or may need a new pump ...
|
| Hot Water Heater/ Pressure Release Valve Leak? | 7/8/2009 |
Q: I drained my hot water heater yesterday and when I finished I thought everything was fine but ...
A: mrblond, The reason your temperature & pressure relief valve opened is the reason why it exists - ...
|
| clay pipe connections | 7/8/2009 |
Q: I am renovating my bath room and need to run the new PVC pipe work into the old clay pipes, what is ...
A: Liz, You need to locate a plumbing supply warehouse in your region that will carry "transition ...
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| plumbing | 7/7/2009 |
Q: i have a well and pressure tank system, i have 70# of pressure in my tank with new fixtures but i ...
A: Bill, The first place I would check is the pump. How long does it stay on when there is a load ...
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| Silicone | 7/7/2009 |
Q: we just put in a new cast iron kitchen sink and used silicon to seal it. However, there is quite a ...
A: Cathy, Yes, there are silicone removers, however, you must be cautious since it can remove the seal ...
|
| kohler shower repair | 7/7/2009 |
Q: bought new valve as supplier didn't have parts--installed parts from new valve in old body--valve ...
A: Jim, With high-end plumbing fixture manufacturers like Kohler, sometimes the newer parts WILL NOT ...
|
| sandpoint well | 7/6/2009 |
Q: When someone is in the shower or if the washing machine is on, i cannot get a drop of water out of ...
A: Yes Danna, it is possible the well pump may be plugged. The only way to test this is to open up the ...
|
| leaking relief valve | 7/6/2009 |
Q: On top of my oil furnance their is a relief valve that is leaking, I replaced the valve and also ...
A: Jack, If you used a temperature and pressure relief valve, then chances are the valve is doing ...
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| leaking tub faucet | 7/6/2009 |
Q: I live in a condo. The neighbor directly below me has water damage on her ceiling in the room ...
A: Ed, First of all, you live in a condo. Have you talked to a representative of the HOA? They ...
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| Well losing pressure | 7/5/2009 |
Q: I have 120' well in a 60' casing (at least that is what is stamped on the label on the side of the ...
A: Bob, Sounds to me like your pump or hi/lo cut off switch is not working correctly. I would have ...
|
| wall mount tub and shower diverter | 7/5/2009 |
Q: I have a 30 year old Emco or Waltec tub shower and pull out diverter unit. They are combined in one ...
A: Tom, These type of valves can rarely be fixed. May I suggest replacing the valve assembly with a ...
|
| how to clean hot water pipe from water heater to washing machine | 7/5/2009 |
Q: How can I clean the supply line leading from the hot water heater to the washing machine or does it ...
A: Becky, The best answer for you is to replace the line. Find several reputable, licensed plumbers ...
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| Water pressure | 7/5/2009 |
Q: We have a cold water and a hot water pipe going to the second floor apartment. The water pressure ...
A: Andre, This could very well be a problem in the wall. Depending upon the material your water ...
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| No hot water in one shower | 7/5/2009 |
Q: Recently had my hot water heater replaced, did not discover until I had guests(about a month later) ...
A: Melinda, A good rule of thumb after a repair on your plumbing system (especially the water part), ...
|
| no cold water in bathroom sink | 7/4/2009 |
Q: Hey, A little while ago, the sink in my bathroom stopped giving cold water. the hot water works ...
A: Audrey, You may have a plugged line either at the shut off valve or the water supply line feeding ...
|
| Pressure Balance Tub and Shower Faucet. | 7/4/2009 |
Q: "I have a Glacier Bay 3-Handle Pressure Balance Tub and Shower Faucet (left handle for water supply, ...
A: Ron, Many of these type of valves can be adjusted to not only pressure balance the system, but to ...
|
| Irrigation plumbing from the meter | 7/4/2009 |
Q: The man that installed my Irrigation system has since left the business. A question arose about the ...
A: Ted, An irrigation system should ALWAYS be teed off the main water line and separately valved for ...
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| Completing construction | 7/4/2009 |
Q: My child is putting a bid in on a stilt house in FL that is 99% complete. House is concrete ...
A: Robin, I have no idea what this is. Given the fact that the house is on stilts, could this be some ...
|
| modifying a china sink | 7/4/2009 |
Q: I recently purchased a kohler china sink for a bathroom remodeling project. It is a 3 hole sink. In ...
A: Scott, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you right away. I have been waaaay too busy. I ...
|
| shallow well to bladder pressure tank hook-up | 7/4/2009 |
Q: We have a shallow well which provides good water volume. We plan on using one pump near the well to ...
A: David, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you right away. I have been waaaay too busy. The ...
|
| 4 zone hot water baseboard gas heating system | 7/1/2009 |
Q: I spend my winter in warmer climates I would like to use home heating anti freeze so as not to have ...
A: Louis, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you right away. I have been waaaay too busy. I ...
|
| bathroom bowl sink drain | 7/1/2009 |
Q: I have a bowl sink with an opening for the drain of 1.7/8" in diameter. Can a drain that is 1.1/2" ...
A: Elaine, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you right away. I have been waaaay too busy. ...
|
| drilling a small hole in a cast iron pipe | 6/30/2009 |
Q: I have a heavy duty drill and have used an sds tungsten carbide bit and also a cobalt drill bit ...
A: Paul, Why are you drilling a hole in cast iron pipe? Please elaborate. It's possible you may have ...
|
| Low water pressure | 6/30/2009 |
Q: I own a home that was built in 1983. I have owned the house for 10 years and have always had issues ...
A: Mark, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you right away. I have been waaaay too busy. The ...
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| Replacing very old faucets | 6/30/2009 |
Q: I live in a hundred year old building. I have the original sink in the kitchen: a porcelain ...
A: Marie, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you right away. I was waaaay too busy. These are ...
|
| silt in water system | 6/30/2009 |
Q: Not long after we bought our house which has it's own well, we been noticing silt in our water. ...
A: Keith, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you right away. I was waaaay too busy. Hope you ...
|
| Toilet | 6/30/2009 |
Q: Ok - I don't know how to describe the noise my powder room toilet is making, but I'll try. It's ...
A: LeAnn, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you. I was waaaay too busy. Hope you got the ...
|
| toilet wax ring - MUST replace? | 6/25/2009 |
Q: I have a contractor who claims to be able to do "everything", and has done great work on remodeling ...
A: Vince, The short answer is yes. However, Fluidmaster does make a waxless ring assembly that I have ...
|
| odor | 6/25/2009 |
Q: I live in a 2 story house with a basement and for the last month have had a bad sewer smell in my ...
A: Serenity, I doubt this problem has anything to do with your neighbors waste system unless you both ...
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| knocking pipes | 6/25/2009 |
Q: I have a 30yr old house with copper plumbing. When we turn the hot water on in our bath tub the ...
A: Brent, You are experiencing "water hammer". This occurs when piping in a system is incorrectly ...
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| HELP! | 6/25/2009 |
Q: My septic tank is backed-up I guess and I really need to know do you think it's a huge problem or a ...
A: Carrissa, Anytime a septic system or other type of waste system backs up, it IS a huge problem and ...
|
| cold water forcet | 6/24/2009 |
Q: When turning on cold water faucet,it's more like an osculating submachine gun. ...
A: Paul, You're experiencing "cavitation" and its' usually pressure related. Check your water ...
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| sewage backup | 6/24/2009 |
Q: I am having a problem in my bathroom. The toilet burps and goes so far as to back up into the ...
A: Andrea, It's possible the stack could be clogged - but not likely, otherwise, you would have waste ...
|
| Rusty water | 6/24/2009 |
Q: We seem to be having a problem with rusty water. We are on a well. The water in the toilets is ...
A: Tony, If you are getting discolored, nasty tasting water, then by all means the culprit is the ...
|
| backed up drain in basement | 6/24/2009 |
Q: My basement drain is having issues. The other day I noticed it was over flowing with water. I ...
A: Nisa, Pouring Drano down a basement drain is NOT a good idea! This sounds like a serious problem ...
|
| Whining pipes | 6/24/2009 |
Q: When I turn on the knobs to adjust the temp in the shower,I get a loud whining sound and the water ...
A: Angie, Sounds like you have a few issues. First, as for the whining, it could be debris trapped ...
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| High pitched noise in pipes | 6/24/2009 |
Q: Whenever we use any water source in the home, i.e. toilet,shower, washer, or sinks there is 10-15 ...
A: D, You have debris trapped at one of the fixtures causing this distrssing situation. May I ...
|
| Sewer and Water | 6/23/2009 |
Q: I am looking to put a house on an un-serviced lot. The town sold the lot to me for a dollar in ...
A: Colin, This is an intriguing project. Please provide the following details: 1) Is the water main ...
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| Outdoor Water Faucet | 6/23/2009 |
Q: My wife just called me at work and is telling me that the outdoor water faucet will not turn off. ...
A: Fred, The problem at your hose bibb is a worn out washer. You will have to shut down the main ...
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| plumbing shavings in valve | 6/23/2009 |
Q: We have recently replaced the shower valve due to failure (water running from spigot) and have ...
A: Karen, Anytime you make modifications to a plumbing system, there are always situations like this ...
|
| Dirt in the Water | 6/23/2009 |
Q: Our telephone company sent out a 3rd party company to lay new phone lines in our front yard. This ...
A: Laura, Yes to question #1, no to question #2 and maybe to question #3. I think it's time to ...
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| Mobile home kitchen sink clog | 6/23/2009 |
Q: We've tried Drano, snaking the drain below the trap, a water blow-out tube down the pipe, and hosing ...
A: Ami & Eric, Did you check all the piping under the sink? Sometimes the blockage is in the tee that ...
|
| frozen/stuck cutoff valve | 6/23/2009 |
Q: I recently bought a condominium and inherited a frozen cut-off valve under one of my sinks. I just ...
A: Lisa, You can try a product called "Liquid Wrench" and douse the valve handle with it. If this ...
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| running water | 6/22/2009 |
Q: Within the last week, I have heard water running in my house even when no one is using the water. I ...
A: Al, Anytime you hear water running, I would first check all toilets and also look for signs of ...
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| plumbing vent | 6/22/2009 |
Q: A plumber we've consulted wants to replace an old cast iron vent pipe (that currently vents 2 ...
A: Carrie, It's okay to use DWV PVC, however, all plastic piping will degrade over time. I would not ...
|
| outside water pump | 6/22/2009 |
Q: we had a outside water pump that was installed when the first owner built the house. Its purpose ...
A: Charles, It seems to me that you may be placing too much on this type of pump. Usually in these ...
|
| Delta faucet | 6/22/2009 |
Q: I have a single lever Delta faucet that has developed a leak. Problem is I cant figure out what kind ...
A: John, The Delta shower valve you describe requires a few minor tools to change the valve stem (it ...
|
| HOT WATER HEATER EXPANSION TANK | 6/22/2009 |
Q: A plumber installed my expansion tank "sideways", i.e. the tank does not hang downwards. ...
A: Richard, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you. I was waaaay too busy. Hope you got the ...
|
| air in water supply | 6/22/2009 |
Q: My home is 4 years old, I have a problem with air in my water supply. When you turn on the water if ...
A: Ron, Sounds like you may have a problem with not only the pressure tank but also with your pump. I ...
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| Bathtub hot water leak | 6/21/2009 |
Q: We replaced the washer on the stem and it worked but the washer keeps getting torn up and the leak ...
A: Heather, Sounds like this is a Price Pfister shower valve set. You should not change the washer on ...
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| Pump not pressuring up | 6/21/2009 |
Q: We Have installed a 4" submersible deep well pump. It is a 3/4 hp flow tech 3 wire, 1"1/4 schedule ...
A: Bryan, First of all your home is undersized. With a 1" main water line, home should be piped in ...
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| Foul smell under sink | 6/21/2009 |
Q: I live in a high rise condo building and this afternoon, opened the cabinet under the sink and whoa, ...
A: Gail, No doubt you are getting waste water under your cabinet. You probably need to have your ...
|
| Water leak - mold | 6/20/2009 |
Q: A pipe leaked in my bathroom and the water went down the drywall before it seaped out (then I ...
A: Anita, When you have a leak such as this, you should NEVER wait to get it fixed or have flood ...
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| Master Bath Toilet/Shower Chronic Problems | 6/20/2009 |
Q: Are these separate problems or indications the pipes were installed improperly? We bought a house ...
A: Kirsten, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you. I was waaaay too busy. Hope you got the ...
|
| in floor heating source | 6/19/2009 |
Q: first time on site! Planning to build a home in Canada - with an 80,000 BTU wood stove will be used ...
A: Andrew, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you. I was waaaay too busy. Hope you got the ...
|
| moen kitchen faucet | 6/19/2009 |
Q: I I have a leaky hot water faucet in my kitchen faucet,I ci have to replace the cartridge dont see a ...
A: Art, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you. I was waaaay too busy. Hope you got the ...
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| water leaking | 6/19/2009 |
Q: please pardon me as this question pertains to the first house i've ever owned and i have absolutely ...
A: Mrs. Jefferson, No question is a stupid question. Thanks for asking. This is a common problem. ...
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| sandpoint well | 6/19/2009 |
Q: When someone is in the shower or if the washing machine is on, i cannot get a drop of water out of ...
A: Danna, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you. I was waaaay too busy. Hope you got the ...
|
| water heater | 6/18/2009 |
Q: I have an Amtrol 40 gal. water heater,which is supplied by my furnace, I need to change a bad cold ...
A: Rich, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you. I was waaaay too busy. Hope you got the ...
|
| toilet | 6/18/2009 |
Q: I live in the lower level of what you would call a duplex. The problem that I have, is when the ...
A: Dave, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you. I was waaaay too busy. Hope you got the ...
|
| removing old pipe dope | 6/17/2009 |
Q: I replaced the hand-shower hose in our Roman tub, but it leaks around the inlet connection, under ...
A: Keith, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you. I was waaaay too busy. Hope you got the ...
|
| Rusty pipes | 6/17/2009 |
Q: My house is over 50 years old. The drain pipe under the kitchen sink has rusted thru. The drain ...
A: Pete, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you. I was waaaay too busy. Hope you got the ...
|
| Water pipe howling | 6/17/2009 |
Q: My pipes just started to make a howling sound, whenever water is shut off. Not a knocking like a ...
A: Steve, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you. I was waaaay too busy. Hope you got the ...
|
| shower replacement | 6/17/2009 |
Q: I am planning a bathroom remodeling 9not DIY) involving replacing a bath tub and a shower (32”X48”). ...
A: Alex, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you. I was waaaay too busy. Hope you got the ...
|
| hot water heater | 6/17/2009 |
Q: I currently have a 32 gallon oil fired hot water heater that needs replacement. I also have gas ...
A: Bill, These days, you can expect to pay upwards of $900 to $1800 for a water heater installation. ...
|
| bladder/ diaphragm pressure | 6/17/2009 |
Q: Last winter I had a broken water pipe at the main valve in the house. I disconnected the well pump ...
A: Chas, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you. I was waaaay too busy. Hope you got the ...
|
| Loose screw | 6/16/2009 |
Q: the screw that holds the knob on both the hot and cold shower handles won't stay tight. I am using ...
A: Suzanne, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you. I was waaaay too busy. Hope you got the ...
|
| ground rough plumbing | 6/16/2009 |
Q: I am building a house and received a bid for the ground rough plumbing for $5690. This would be for ...
A: Mike, After reviewing your additional information, then I agree $5600 for the job is too much. I ...
|
| Replace subfloor under toilet flange | 6/16/2009 |
Q: I'm remodeling our upstairs bathroom and discovered under a layer of carpet and vinyl, that the ...
A: Justin, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you. I was waaaay too busy. Hope you got the ...
|
| Well-Mate Water System Pressure Tank Model #WM-6 | 6/16/2009 |
Q: I currently have good water pressure. My problem is while watering my flowers, I feel as though my ...
A: Casandra, It's not a good idea these days to modify a pump unless you REALLY know what you're ...
|
| Leaking Hot and Cold Water valves on feed lines to washer. | 6/15/2009 |
Q: The valves on washer hot and cold water feed lines are leaking drop wise. The screw on valve wheel ...
A: George, I would use a 12-14" wrench to backhold and back off the valve. These two should be ...
|
| water line | 6/15/2009 |
Q: how do yoy find water line from meter to house
A: Carl, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you. I was waaaay too busy. Hope you got the ...
|
| plastic sink supply lines | 6/15/2009 |
Q: I have braided plastic lines for sinks (non stainless steel) about 10yrs old. What is life span & ...
A: Bill, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you. I was waaaay too busy. Hope you got the ...
|
| Deep Well Pump Question | 6/15/2009 |
Q: Okay, I am baffled. I have a deep well pump supplying water to a cottage. The lines extend around 50 ...
A: Johan, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you. I was waaaay too busy. Hope you got the ...
|
| New plumbing meeting code | 6/15/2009 |
Q: I am building a new house. The county I live in uses the UBC for the plumbing code. I have four ...
A: Kyle, I'm not completely familiar with the UBC, but most all codes used in the U.S. are slowly but ...
|
| water supply tube and flange for toilet | 6/15/2009 |
Q: Instead of changing wax ring I decided to change toilet (small drip). The flange was rotted and ...
A: Jeanine, Sorry I didn't answer this question for you. I was waaaay too busy. Hope you got the ...
|
| hot water heater | 6/12/2009 |
Q: I currently have a 32 gallon oil fired hot water heater that needs replacement. I also have gas ...
A: Bill, Sorry for the tardy response. Given the fact that gas is so much cheaper than oil, I would ...
|
| Toilet flange extension | 6/12/2009 |
Q: I am remodeling my downstairs bathroom. The toilet flange is set in the concrete floor. To make a ...
A: Richard, The short answer is NO. The slighty longer answer is you may be able to extend the flange ...
|
| Sprinkler System | 6/11/2009 |
Q: We just had a sprinkler system installed at our home. They tied into the main going into the house ...
A: Brad, All too often, installers of piping systems do not bleed the lines properly BEFORE they put ...
|
| Bathtub showerhead Leak | 6/11/2009 |
Q: We have new pluming and bathtub/showerhead put in and when you turn on the hot or cold water the ...
A: Dee, Thank you for responding so quickly. You have one of two scenarios going on with your ...
|
| Leaking Hot and Cold Water valves on feed lines to washer. | 6/11/2009 |
Q: The valves on washer hot and cold water feed lines are leaking drop wise. The screw on valve wheel ...
A: George, IPS stands for "iron pipe size", it's a fancy way plumbers say that it's standard threads ...
|
| Lake Water to a Water fauset | 6/11/2009 |
Q: I live on a lake and need to make a water faucets to attach a garden hose to water the flowers and ...
A: Dee, I can walk you through this, however, I will need a sense of your overall project. Please ...
|
| Bathtub showerhead Leak | 6/11/2009 |
Q: We have new pluming and bathtub/showerhead put in and when you turn on the hot or cold water the ...
A: Dee, You are getting water that is bypassing a check valve in your main tub/shower valve. Do you ...
|
| shower faucets | 6/11/2009 |
Q: We would like to replace our old shower faucet which has one knob for hot, one for cold and one for ...
A: Frances, No problem. At most professional plumbing supply stores, they make a plate that is ...
|
| gas water heater | 6/11/2009 |
Q: Had our gas water heater replaced 2 months ago and after having the setting pretty low and still ...
A: James, It's possible that leaving the system on low may be affecting how the heater operates. ...
|
| 5-6 yr old AO smith water heater | 6/10/2009 |
Q: Have dealt with Dana - but she is"maxed out" What I have isa rumble/bang in my water heater when I ...
A: Mike, I don't think the problem is in the water heater. What you've described sounds like a "water ...
|
| corroded fixtures | 6/10/2009 |
Q: i want to replace old corroded fixtures in my bath/shower. the old fixtures are corroded/stuck, how ...
A: Jana, My rule of thumb regarding tub/shower valves is: "if it is already bad, change everything". ...
|
| remote restroom water supply | 6/10/2009 |
Q: Greetings I am the Facilities manager for our City and have been approached by or Parks Staff. We ...
A: Ric, If the restroom requires a 1 1/2" supply line, how far is this tie-in from the actual main ...
|
| No water in bowl | 6/10/2009 |
Q: Great image under your profile. Be interested to know how you thought of that. Like that big time. ...
A: Don, Sorry for the tardy response. Thank you for appreciating the information on SARS. Sanitary ...
|
| I need help repairing an old toilet | 6/8/2009 |
Q: I live in a very old house. The commode rocks back and forth. I have never repaired a toilet before. ...
A: Stephen, Space doesn't permit my complete explanation on how to fix this toilet. May I suggest you ...
|
| ground rough plumbing | 6/7/2009 |
Q: I am building a house and received a bid for the ground rough plumbing for $5690. This would be for ...
A: Mike, Sorry for the tardy answer. Yes, I think the proposal price is reasonable given the higher ...
|
| Draining the Water Heater | 6/7/2009 |
Q: At my old house I use to drain my water heater once a year using these guidelines: ...
A: Nathan, Sorry for the tardy answer. Water heaters are designed to not be repaired by homeowners. ...
|
| tree roots in main line | 6/7/2009 |
Q: How do you know if tree roots in a main line is the reason for backups? Will the snake tell you by ...
A: Dan, Sorry for the tardy answer. Sometimes, if you have a break in the main waste line and you ...
|
| loose handle on shower faucet | 6/7/2009 |
Q: I have separate faucets for hot and cold in the wall of my shower. For years I have had to ...
A: Bob, Sorry for the tardy response. Overtime, you may have worn out the set screw. If this is a ...
|
| jacuzzi tub surging | 6/6/2009 |
Q: my wife had a standard jacuzzi bathtub installed a few years before i met her by a "jackleg" ...
A: Jon, I've always been skeptical of any plumbing professional named ...
|
| Cracked coupler, outside faucet | 6/6/2009 |
Q: I have a crack in the coupler that sets my outside faucet to the pipe. I do not have more than 1/4 ...
A: Tonji, Sorry for the tardy response. Been waaaay too busy these days! You can try an marine epoxy ...
|
| plumbing/repair of old toilet | 6/6/2009 |
Q: I have an old toilet, "Vitreous" circa 1950 maybe older, that has the tank connected to the bowl by ...
A: Peter, My apologies for my tardy answer. I've been waaaay too busy! This type of installation is ...
|
| Blocking an unused woodburning gas-starter fireplace | 6/6/2009 |
Q: We are planning to install laminate cabinetry over an existing fireplace that has never been used. ...
A: Jennifer, Sorry to have missed your deadline. That's the trouble with being a popular plumber I ...
|
| Leaking Hot and Cold Water valves on feed lines to washer. | 6/6/2009 |
Q: The valves on washer hot and cold water feed lines are leaking drop wise. The screw on valve wheel ...
A: George, I would replace these two valves ASAP. These can be found at your local home improvement ...
|
| Noisey water pipes | 6/5/2009 |
Q: Whenever I have running water in my house, be it from shower, flushing toilet or washing machine, ...
A: Jo Anne, A house built in 1986 should have insulated walls that prevent this type of noise in your ...
|
| Electric Water Heater Replacement | 6/5/2009 |
Q: If I am replacing an electric water heater that has a thermal expansion tank installed in line, do I ...
A: Bill, You can use the same expansion tank if you do not have any problems with increased water ...
|
| septic backing up into tub | 5/21/2009 |
Q: 2 days ago we had septic backing up into our tub. I called and had our septic tank pumped out,but ...
A: Pam, When a home is backed up by sewage from a main sewer line to a septic tank or city main, ...
|
| water-powered backup sump pump | 5/20/2009 |
Q: I would like to install a water-powered backup sump pump to "insure" our recently remodeled ...
A: Andy, I like the fact that you want an agressive yet simple system. I don't have an opinion one ...
|
| Water shut off valve | 5/20/2009 |
Q: I am trying to replace a 1/4 turn plastic shut off valve. It is 3/4 in on the bottom and 1/2 in on ...
A: Kent, Many chain stores like Home Depot, Lowes, Orchard and the like must buy quantities of the ...
|
| Re-piping house during rehab | 5/12/2009 |
Q: I am in the process rehabing a house that needs to be replaced. It is a 2000 sq ft tri-level home. ...
A: Glenn, Great question. First, you need to assess the incoming water pressure from the ...
|
| Sump pump water black and stinks! | 5/12/2009 |
Q: Had the house for years never had a problem then noticed an odor and brown water in the hole! We ...
A: Sharon, It's possible your pump may not be working efficiently. It's also possible that your ...
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| Rain water plumbing | 5/12/2009 |
Q: I reside on property and rely on rain water tanks for all of the home.I have a large roof which 6 ...
A: Richard, I am not familiar with this type of piping system. Off the top of my head though, if you ...
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| Moving washer and dryer | 5/11/2009 |
Q: I want to move my washer and dryer from my kitchen to my garage. It is currently against the wall ...
A: Rachel, This is not a difficult job, just time consuming. In most homes, the washer and dryer will ...
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| Outdoor faucet | 5/11/2009 |
Q: I am asking this for my neighbor who is elderly. Is there a way to change a low placed outdoor ...
A: Jackie, I'm not laughing at all. In fact, the plumbing industry has been at the forefront of ...
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| mysterious leak | 5/11/2009 |
Q: I noticed a small wet spot in my bedroom carpet several weeks ago. The spot has since expanded to 4 ...
A: Marty, These two issues are separate. As for the sluggish kitchen drain, this is a sign telling ...
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| Hot water flow | 5/11/2009 |
Q: My hot water is flowing very slow in all the faucets in the house. I have turned the drain valve at ...
A: DJ, Sounds to me like you have debris stuck at the inlet to each one of your hot water fixtures. ...
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| Gurgling sound in toilet | 5/11/2009 |
Q: I moved into a brand new flat about a year ago and I live on the 1st floor in a 3 story block. The ...
A: Emma, Living on the first floor in any multi-story structure is always a challenge. The ...
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| Air in pipes | 5/11/2009 |
Q: the first time a faucet is turned on upstairs it sputters like there is air in the pipes or when the ...
A: Michele, Because you are on a well system, your pump may not be able to overcome the height the ...
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| water meter | 5/10/2009 |
Q: after replacing my water heater, turning on the water and now i have no water pressure. im on city ...
A: Rick, I would suggest contacting the water company. The solenoid may be the measuring device they ...
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| Sewer lift pump | 5/10/2009 |
Q: I'm building a garage 15 feet from my house. I'm plumbing in a small bathroom in the garage and ...
A: Phil, This sounds like a great idea to me. However, when you are installing a sump system like ...
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| H2ow-TO tank & pump | 5/10/2009 |
Q: I use a well for a small shower outside a pool. The pump lately has been running without pumping any ...
A: Rusty, It's possible that the pump may have burnt out. Whenever you notice a leak on a feed line ...
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| Water Pressure | 5/10/2009 |
Q: What causes water pressure to surge? The pressure rises & falls when the water is running. Haven't ...
A: Sharon, Have you regularly maintenanced the pump to your well? Sometimes the problem is that ...
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| Frost Free-Anti Shiphon Sillcock | 5/9/2009 |
Q: I went to turn my water from one of my outdoor sillcock faucets and nothing comes out not even a ...
A: Jerry, It's possible you have rust or other debris blocking the opening. Let me know what you ...
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| replacing cold inlet gas water heater | 5/8/2009 |
Q: Anthony, hi, my cold inlet on my gas water heater is leaking right at where the shut off meets the ...
A: Ana, If you are going to attempt this yourself, please do the following: 1) Turn off the cold ...
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| 2 inch wide paper that is next to wiped lead joint | 5/8/2009 |
Q: I asked previously -don't know if subject is seen by you - it's not on my end- this is brown paper ...
A: Bob, If you have a tool rental company near you, I would use either an electric chop saw with a ...
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| a brown paper on 11/2 inch lead pipe | 5/8/2009 |
Q: that extends about 2 inches from the wiped lead joint that was put in place circa 1965- i need to ...
A: Bob, If you are asking me what is the brown paper exposed for the lead-caulked joint, I have no ...
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| water heater | 5/8/2009 |
Q: I had a gas water heater replaced. The old (disconnected) water heater is still full of water. I ...
A: Tom, Easy. Remove the entire drain. If the drain is plastic, then it is an all-in-one assembly ...
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| i cut into tub shoe removing old drain assembly | 5/8/2009 |
Q: I removed the old stopper and linkage on my bathtub a while ago. My wife asked me to replace it ...
A: Russell, You have to unscrew the drain lip inside the tub. I used to do this with a large pair of ...
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| Upgrading 3-valve tub/shower faucet - how do I shop and match to the stems? | 5/7/2009 |
Q: I am doing light remodeling of a bathroom to take it out of the 80s and into 2009. I'm changing the ...
A: Miriam, Unfortunately, unless you are replacing a tub/shower valve from the 90's, you will not see ...
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| Well pump | 5/7/2009 |
Q: My mother has a submersible pump,and a bladder tank. The bladder tank is new and has 35psi. the ...
A: Will, Hopefully your pump is high output. You can always advance the cutoff switch, however, it ...
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| water and gas lines | 5/7/2009 |
Q: I want to run a water and gas line from my house to my shop about 200ft long. Will a 3/4" line be ...
A: Robert, There are a few variables needed to answer this question. Firstly, what is the incoming ...
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| cpvc to metal hot water pump | 5/7/2009 |
Q: I am using cpvc to replace some plumbing. Can I connect it directly to the metal hot water tank ...
A: Bill, It's been awhile since I've been in Canada (B.C., Toronto & Quebec), so if memory serves me ...
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| vibrating shower pipes | 5/6/2009 |
Q: 1952 home, original main bathroom, bathroom has tub with one control knob for water. We have a ...
A: Reese, The problem your experiencing could actually be caused by both piping and the old valve. ...
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| Wall-mounted toilet spud | 5/6/2009 |
Q: What are the correct order of seals and gaskets to connect a flushometer to the spud on my ...
A: Douglas, You should have gotten paperwork with the flush valve assembly, however, before you place ...
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| sudden water stopage | 5/6/2009 |
Q: the water in our house will suddenly stop,like in the middle of a shower just stop,then the pump ...
A: Troy, Sounds to me like you need to bleed your system or the cutoff switch on the pump is not ...
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| garbage disposal accident/smelly basement | 5/6/2009 |
Q: I put too much food down the disposal one day and it ended up all over the basement floor. I wiped ...
A: Melissa, One of the biggest mistakes people make is assuming their garbage disposer is some sort of ...
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| i cut into tub shoe removing old drain assembly | 5/6/2009 |
Q: I removed the old stopper and linkage on my bathtub a while ago. My wife asked me to replace it ...
A: Russell, Yes, you can remove it, but it is going to take time and the right tools. You might as ...
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| ruptured line to grohe faucet | 5/5/2009 |
Q: I am an expert here too and know the time you spend helping others...thanks... My problem is that I ...
A: Gary, Thank you for also volunteering on this site and this is a great question. Grohe is one of ...
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| ejector pump | 5/5/2009 |
Q: I have an ejector pump in my basement which is used for a bathroom and kitchen sink. It was ...
A: Nanci, These type of pumps, though very reliable and sturdy, need to be maintenanced from time to ...
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| Squeal | 5/5/2009 |
Q: Every time water flows through the home system (toilet flush, shower running, faucet running) I get ...
A: David, I believe you are very close to the problem and its' solution. I DO believe that something ...
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| septic system in novel | 5/5/2009 |
Q: I wasn't quite sure whom to ask about the following matter, but I was hoping you might be able to ...
A: Matt, The fact that this novel's storyline will occur in my home state of New York certainly gets ...
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| well water pressure | 5/5/2009 |
Q: Monday I did not have any water , I checked pressure tank it was empty. I filled pressure tank to ...
A: Ben, At this point, yes, I would have a licensed electrician look at the wiring and check not only ...
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| claw foot tub plumbing | 5/5/2009 |
Q: Drain hardware kit pipe size is one and three eights polished chrome to match original specs. A one ...
A: BJ, This is one of those delicate moments in finished plumbing where you need to take your time ...
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| Basement walls wet/ drainage pipe to blame | 5/5/2009 |
Q: My basement walls show some efflorescence. Especially in one corner, from about 5 blocks down ...
A: Michael, Tackle first things first. Resolve the reverse grade issue as quickly as you can by ...
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| Moen single handle shower/tub valve | 5/2/2009 |
Q: I replaced the cartridge, the leaks stopped, but the hot water flow is just a drizzle while the cold ...
A: David, It all depends. It depends upon whether your existing hot water system at this fixture was ...
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| Water Heater Selection | 5/1/2009 |
Q: Anthony, I am looking to purchase a power vent water heater to replace my current heater that vents ...
A: Ralph, I understand the frustration of finding the information you need. Here are some ...
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| relocating washer/dryer | 5/1/2009 |
Q: I would like to relocate washer/dryer to a small room behind the kitchen. The washer/dryer would be ...
A: Kimberly, Certainly, if your husband is up for the challenge and has mad electrician skills - LET ...
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| Shower faucet | 5/1/2009 |
Q: I have a shower stall with two faucets, one for hot & one for cold. When I turn the hot water on, ...
A: John, The problem is in the valve stem bonnet. This is the small hexagon nut on top of the valve ...
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| TOILET | 5/1/2009 |
Q: WHEN I FLUSH MY TOILET, I HEAR GURGLING IN MY BATH TUB DRAIN. SOMETIMES WHEN I FLUSH, IT DOESN'T ...
A: Debbie, The gurgling could be a backed up main waste system. As for the toilet that won't flush, ...
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| plumbing | 5/1/2009 |
Q: My washing machine is in the basement and empties into a laundry tub which has a pump on it. I am ...
A: Isabel, The reason this is happening is because the two drain lines are tied together. Suds ...
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| Removing a Burst Frost-Free Sillcock | 5/1/2009 |
Q: I have a threaded 12" frost free sillcock that burst because the hose wasn't disconnected from it ...
A: Dan, Anytime you are removing a hose bibb or other fixture with threads, you'll want to back hold ...
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| increase shower pressure | 4/30/2009 |
Q: We are on the 3rd floor and redoing the bathroom. Is there a way to increase water pressure to the ...
A: Rayna, You cannot increase the pressure necessarily, however, if you installed a recirculation line ...
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| odor in bathroom | 4/30/2009 |
Q: There is a sewer odor that comes and goes in a 1st floor bathroom where the toilet and sink are used ...
A: Carl, Sometimes, just to be sure you may have to "join the spiders". It's also possible the smell ...
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| well water pressure | 4/30/2009 |
Q: Monday I did not have any water , I checked pressure tank it was empty. I filled pressure tank to ...
A: Ben, I'd start with the pressure tank since it's not holding a charge. Sounds to me that the pump ...
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| Howling pipe | 4/30/2009 |
Q: Recently the main water connection/pipe to my house started howling at night. By howling I mean ...
A: Su, There is no leak, however, you have an obstruction in you water piping that should be removed. ...
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| Bathtub faucet, 3rd middle knob leaks into tub when ON | 4/30/2009 |
Q: HELP! In the shower, I have a hot water knob on the left side, a cold water knob on the right size, ...
A: Samantha, The diverter valve, as it's called, apparently has become worn out because it leaks ...
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| plumbing to washing machine | 4/29/2009 |
Q: right now it is located aprox 3 feet from my 1.5 inch vent stack which travels up to the kitchen ...
A: Joe, Great idea on the vent, however, in order to install a backwater valve in the drain systemd, ...
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| Dripping Sound in Wall | 4/29/2009 |
Q: When we drain water from the bath tub on the second floor, we hear stream of water gush through a ...
A: Sachiko, If your piping system is metallic (copper or galvanized steel), then sometimes these ...
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| moen bathroom faucet | 4/29/2009 |
Q: my moen bathroom faucet ,a one piece version, has become hard to pull in order to turn on and off. ...
A: Rick, The cartridge probably has extensive calcium buildup. It's time to replace the cartridge. ...
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| Bathroom Faucet | 4/29/2009 |
Q: In my 2nd Bathroom, the hot water faucet does not work. I have taken the flexible pipe off, and it ...
A: Tyler, My rule is if it is going to take less time replacing a unit than trying to "fix" it, buy a ...
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| clogged toilet? | 4/29/2009 |
Q: my toilet has been giving me issues the last couple days. i have flushed it and there is absolutely ...
A: Jessica, If you live in a home, the symptoms you're experiencing are due to a main sewer line ...
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| Hot water | 4/29/2009 |
Q: I am transforming a garage into a home. Is there anyway to get hot water without plumbing? ...
A: Chris, The only method I can think of to do this is fill up a metal bucket of water and put a ...
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| moen 1222 posi- temp cartride,104421 puller | 4/29/2009 |
Q: i have three year old condo as a rental property, recently tenant asked me to pay for installing ...
A: Kay, The posi-temp cartridge is what allows for the water to flow efficiently in the tub or shower. ...
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| Pressure Switch Only Works Manually | 4/28/2009 |
Q: I hope you can help. New well, 300' 9GPM. New Pump, New house. I wired up a Square D 30/50 and ...
A: Paul, Have you considered checking the wiring? Is the system properly grounded? Sorry, mate, but ...
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| noise in a septic pump back tank | 4/28/2009 |
Q: This is a summer home and we were just up there for the first time in several months. So while this ...
A: Robert, These type of systems sometimes require priming with water. The plumber who repaired your ...
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| Reverse osmosis system - working? | 4/28/2009 |
Q: We have a TFC 2.5 gal Hydrotech system. We replaced the outer stainlness steel spiket (the little ...
A: Gabriel, I have installed a great many water filters and reverse osmosis units are by far the most ...
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| Ball Type Faucet Fix | 4/28/2009 |
Q: I had a loose faucet base so I took it all apart and fixed that part of the problem but after ...
A: Brandon, Seems to me when you loosened the feed line to the spray (if you have one), or you broke ...
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| Recent Low pressure | 4/28/2009 |
Q: In just the past week, the water pressure in our downstairs bath/shower has dropped by at least ...
A: Linda, Possibly you have some debris stuck inside the valve. Remove the valve stems & seats (if ...
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| outside well water holding tank overflowing | 4/27/2009 |
Q: Help! My big water tank is overflowing and my husband is in the field. I don't know which knob ...
A: Andrea, Oops! I am so busy these days, when emergency requests come in like this, I won't be ...
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| Basement Floor Drain | 4/27/2009 |
Q: I want to know where the water that goes into my basement floor drain goes? Recently, during a ...
A: Al, Unfortunately, to answer your question appropriately, I would need to see the entire system in ...
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| Basement Sink Pump | 4/27/2009 |
Q: I'm getting ready to install a sink in my basement. My sewer lines come in about eye level (1971 ...
A: Mark, If your vent termination point is above 6-7 feet, then you should be okay. However, if you ...
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| Whirlpool bath support base | 4/27/2009 |
Q: I'm finishing up a basement and one of the last projects is to set the Bain Ultra Whirlpool Tub ...
A: Victor, Sorry to hear your troubles started with a friend. Yes, you can put the silicone on AFTER ...
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| toilet flange | 4/27/2009 |
Q: I am remodeling my bathroom, I have completed tiling and I now have 1/4-1/2" from the top of the ...
A: Nancy, It all depends on the type of replacement flange you installed. For instance, if you ...
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| deep well | 4/27/2009 |
Q: my deep well is turning off and on every 2 minutes even when the water is off. i know a little about ...
A: Pat, If you must bleed the pump, you need to slowly open a small screw in the top of the pump with ...
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| supply line to ice maker | 4/26/2009 |
Q: Just got a new frig with ice maker; my old ice maker "died" a few years ago so we haven't been ...
A: Jan, Try changing the filter in your new refrigerator first to see if this situation goes away. If ...
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| Water pressure pulsating. | 4/26/2009 |
Q: the water in my whole house, coming from everywhere is pulsating. I have town water and have no clue ...
A: Stacy, You may inadequate pressure or more commonly, debris stuck in your piping system. May I ...
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| outside faucet | 4/26/2009 |
Q: My house is 4 yrs old. First year both outside faucets (frost free type)worked, second year only 1, ...
A: Diane, There is no guarantee about these type of faucets. Unless your house has the commercial ...
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| Tub drain | 4/26/2009 |
Q: I have a tub drain that leaks from the bottom into the cellar.When I run water into the tub,I can ...
A: Michael, May I strongly suggest you call a licensed, reputable plumber for this one. I would not ...
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| Question about locating a pipe | 4/26/2009 |
Q: I have a PVC Sewer pipe coming out of my house that has a cleanout that is outside the house. The ...
A: Patty, Most plumbers follow the same pattern: Install the cleanout within 2 feet of the exterior of ...
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| Leaking joints in DWV Stack | 4/25/2009 |
Q: The joints in the DWV stack that services the several bathrooms and kitchen have started to leak. So ...
A: John, If your waste system is made of metallic piping, then YES the horizontal section could pull ...
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| Water Softener Noise | 4/25/2009 |
Q: This morning I noticed a loud hissing sound coming from the our water softener. We just bought this ...
A: Julieanne, I too am not an expert on water softeners, however, if this is maintained by a company ...
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| pressure control valve | 4/25/2009 |
Q: I had a PCV installed in my garage 7 years ago. My question is what is the average life of one? ...
A: Rich, The plumber who installed this valve for you CANNOT warranty the unit, only the manufacurer. ...
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| Could regulator repair cause dishwasher/washer problems | 4/25/2009 |
Q: A few months ago I had my regulator replaced because it was leaking. It is in an access panel ...
A: Kara, This could be coincidental, however, these situations could be because the water was turned ...
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| Leaking fiberglass shower stall | 4/24/2009 |
Q: The situation is a second floor, 16 year old, self contained one piece fiberglass shower stall that ...
A: Steve, The problem is probably the drain. In order to find out, you'll have to open up the ...
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| Draining a Gas Water Heater | 4/24/2009 |
Q: Anthony, When I need to completely drain my gas water heater, I'll be shutting off the cold water ...
A: Ray, Turning your gas control to pilot WILL NOT eliminate problems for you. Just think about it: ...
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| kitchen faucet noise and vibration | 4/24/2009 |
Q: I have a two-handle kitchen faucet and when I run the hot water, it begins to make a high-pitched ...
A: Nancy, The vibration sound/effect you are getting is probably due to debris in the faucet. Remove ...
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| I need a well filter outside | 4/24/2009 |
Q: I have been in this home for a couple of years. We have problems with granules in the tubs, toilets ...
A: Nicole, First of all, I would suggest having your water tested. If you don't know who can do this, ...
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| Sewer drain | 4/24/2009 |
Q: Is the cast iron sewer drain exits my house to to septic at a 90* angle there is a cap secured with ...
A: Jay, The cap is a pressure cap and is inexpensive to replace. You can find it at any plumbing ...
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| Whirlpool bath support base | 4/23/2009 |
Q: I'm finishing up a basement and one of the last projects is to set the Bain Ultra Whirlpool Tub ...
A: Victor, I am always saddened to hear one of my fellow tradesmen, who haven't yet understood my ...
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| plumbing to washing machine | 4/23/2009 |
Q: right now it is located aprox 3 feet from my 1.5 inch vent stack which travels up to the kitchen ...
A: Joe, I take my hat off to you for attempting such a project. To begin with, according to the UPC ...
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| Basement Sink Pump | 4/22/2009 |
Q: I'm getting ready to install a sink in my basement. My sewer lines come in about eye level (1971 ...
A: Mark, Separately venting a fixture as you described when you have pre-existing conditions is always ...
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| noisy kitchen faucet | 4/22/2009 |
Q: I recently repaired an old kitchen faucet for an elderly neighbor. It is actually a laundry faucet ...
A: David, Bravo, for making a repair to a wall mounted faucet! The vibration sound/effect you are ...
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| Water Pressure | 4/22/2009 |
Q: My home is nearly 6 years old. Our laundry room is right off the kitchen. The hot water in the ...
A: Crystal, Typically, the hot water system relies on the pressure coming in from the main cold ...
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| Garbage disposal leak | 4/21/2009 |
Q: I am having a hard time sealing a leak @ the threaded connection where the pipe leads to the main ...
A: Pete, You might be putting the rubber gasket on incorrectly. Is it possible to describe what ...
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| Master bath toilet backup into shower and tub | 4/21/2009 |
Q: This has been an ongoing but intermittent problem in a less than 3-year old home. Just today, ...
A: Bonnie, This is an emergency situation. The fact that your home is blocked means one thing: Your ...
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| capping hot water sink | 4/20/2009 |
Q: I had to remove my dishwasher for new installation of a countertop in the kitchen. I shut off the ...
A: Anthony, Sorry for the delay in my answer. Most piping at the fixture is going to be 1/2 inch ...
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| Water pressure | 4/20/2009 |
Q: Is there a minimun water pressure homeowners should expect? I have just installed a tankless water ...
A: Tom, In my experience, 25-30psi is VERY LOW. To adequately run all the systems you have in a home, ...
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| low hot water pressure | 4/17/2009 |
Q: my hot water pressure is very low all of a sudden in all faucets and tub. our electric hot water ...
A: Patti, Depending upon the age of your piping system, the sudden drop in pressure could be: 1) Your ...
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| Water pressure booster | 4/16/2009 |
Q: I have low to moderate water pressure in my home, served by a well. It is not low enough to cause ...
A: Kate, A booster pump certainly will help your situation, however, I'm surprised that you don't ...
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| Basement drain and sump pump | 4/16/2009 |
Q: The drain which takes gutter water and sump pump water to the street is clogged by tree roots at the ...
A: Mike, Technically, you shouldn't run this type of effluent into your waste system, but since this ...
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| tub and shower faucet | 4/16/2009 |
Q: OK, you like a challenge, I've got one. My daughter has a 60 year old house with an old price ...
A: John, The key to this dilemma lies in the age of the system - 60 YEARS OLD. Over the years, brass ...
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| low water pressure | 4/16/2009 |
Q: I live in a mobile home my water pressure is extremely low do you have any suggestions to make it ...
A: Douglas, Most mobile homes use plastic piping. If your home is over 10 years old, then you could ...
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| WATSE LINE | 4/15/2009 |
Q: I live in a waterfront home built on a crawl space. (less than 18 inches high) My waste line ...
A: Andrea, I can definitely identify with your need to save money, however, health considerations are ...
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| Water running in both tub and shower | 4/15/2009 |
Q: I have a three knob fixture in my bathtub. When I turn the shower knob on, I get about 1/3 of the ...
A: Diana, Sound to me like you have a Price Pfister valve set. You will need to replace the middle ...
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| well/pump troubleshooting | 4/15/2009 |
Q: I have a 25 ft irrigation well with a 5 foot screen on a 2 inch pipe. Just purchased a 1-1/2 hp ...
A: Joseph, It's possible your deep well pump is bad. Also, your booster pump may need to be repaired. ...
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| Moen shower repair | 4/14/2009 |
Q: I have a moen single handle shower. I was not able to get hot water from the shower. I replaced the ...
A: Louise, No, your not missing anything. I have had this situation and many times rotating the valve ...
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| Water valve | 4/14/2009 |
Q: I have a half inch natural gas gate valve. Can I use this for a water valve also?
A: Bob, The simple answer is: NEVER! Your local gas company may use an additive for smell and these ...
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| pvc to copper dwv connection | 4/14/2009 |
Q: Cutting a wye in an existing 3" copper drainline, then running PVC. What is the best way to connect ...
A: Dave, You should use compression couplings made for transitioning DWV PVC to copper DWV piping. ...
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| turning on water by the town after being off for 5 months | 4/14/2009 |
Q: While we were in Florida for 5 months we had the town turn off our water supply to avoid freezing of ...
A: Don, You may experience a bit of discoloration in the water - especially if the lines are ...
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| dishwasher hookup to Garbage Disposal | 4/14/2009 |
Q: What is the primary reason why a dishwasher would be plumbed to a garbage disposal as the garbage ...
A: Richard, The UPC or Uniform Plumbing Code you speak of was developed in California, and has become ...
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| drainage lines | 4/13/2009 |
Q: I just had my septic tank pumped but it seem like the water is staying in the tank and not be ...
A: Mary, If liquids are not excaping into the leech field, then perhaps you have to clear the leech ...
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| Slow flushing toilets | 4/13/2009 |
Q: I live outside of the U.S. and have a building that I'm as sure as can be has unvented plumbing. I ...
A: Gracias Senor/Senora Perplexed! I would suggest that you tie in a vertical vent line in the highest ...
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| Toilet, tub, sink, washing machine cloged | 4/13/2009 |
Q: I just finished a mother in law addition to my house. It is a seperate structure and the plumbing ...
A: Jon, By "on/off valve", I suspect you mean a backwater valve. There is no practical way to tell ...
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| water pipes | 4/13/2009 |
Q: I left my house on business for about three months. My house is located where we have severe ...
A: Thomas, The truth is, water doesn't have to freeze to break your piping. As water solidifies, it ...
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| Hot water heater size | 4/7/2009 |
Q: I have a small cabin and I am putting in a shower and a bathroom sink. I want to get a small ...
A: Gary, I understand the issue. Thank you for clearly identifying the problem. May I suggest using ...
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| adding 2nd spicket to rear of house | 4/7/2009 |
Q: I purchased a home 5 yrs ago and really missing having a second spigot behind my garage. My washer ...
A: Dee, I would suggest not opening up the vinyl to get to the piping. You should be able to cut into ...
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| wax toilet rings | 4/6/2009 |
Q: My home is 3 years old and I have a leak in the ceiling below one of my toilets, could this be the ...
A: Cindy, Wax rings like all other materials - they break down with use. So, really the answer to ...
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| new tub in remodel not over drain | 4/6/2009 |
Q: I have a new tub that is a corner model with a drain about 2ft from the original p trap. I assume ...
A: John, I understand clearly the problem. I've had this come up on some of my projects and here is ...
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| Outside Faucet leaks into basement | 4/6/2009 |
Q: I hooked up the garden hose to the faucet and turned it on. Water went into the basement so I had ...
A: Ron, First things first. There is definitely a problem when you have water leaking into your ...
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| toilet installation (New) | 4/6/2009 |
Q: I've asked this question of two experts and received two different answers hope you can help, At ...
A: Jack, Great question. According the UPC Illustrated Manual, Chapter 4, page 7, a water closet can ...
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| Drain Field | 4/6/2009 |
Q: I live in northern Alabama, in a house that is about 4 years old, with a septic system. I had the ...
A: Timothy, Yes. You may have to rework your leech field. My guess would be to create a leeching ...
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| well pressure reads zero | 4/6/2009 |
Q: The well pump was running when we lost power during a snow storm. The toilets were flushed during ...
A: Mary, It's possible the cold affected the contacts on the pump. You will need an experience well ...
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| Hot water faucet runs cold | 4/6/2009 |
Q: You answered a question from someone a while back where they had just the opposite thing happening ...
A: Terry, You can resolve this by process of elimination. Try one fixture at a time and replace the ...
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| Installing a bathtub and surrounding walls | 4/5/2009 |
Q: I am getting ready to install a LYONS bathroom package(incl, tub and 3 piece surrounding walls) ...
A: Robert, You should ALWAYS have a barrier between the wall cavity and the tub walls. Yes, I would ...
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| bathroom vanity kit | 4/5/2009 |
Q: My brother & I bought a new bathroom vanity kit where all was included except the faucet. It is a ...
A: Lisa, Hats off to you and Al for tackling this job! I usually use silicone to seal the top to the ...
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| Bath Tub Leaking Drainage | 4/5/2009 |
Q: I was trying to hold certain level of water in my bathtub, but somehow water will be flowing away ...
A: Willy, No doubt the existing lever-drain stopper was working. My thought is: "If it is broke, fix ...
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| No Hot Water from any faucets in house | 4/4/2009 |
Q: We had hot water this morning,did laundry,now this afternoon,when we turn on the hot water nothing ...
A: Terry, Did you go down the checklist? 1) Water heater not firing 2) Gas shut off? 3) Used up all ...
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| h2ow-to well water pump | 4/4/2009 |
Q: This is the brand of pump that used to pump water from my well to wash cars and water my yard, etc. ...
A: Charles, It's possible that with all the cold weather this winter, the contact points on the hi/lo ...
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| Well water pump | 4/4/2009 |
Q: We're getting a fiberous white material in all our faucets. Our well is 80 feet deep and the pump is ...
A: Cherrie, It's possible the "white stuff" coming out of your faucets is calcium, however, avoid ...
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| Well has no pressure and sometimes no water | 4/4/2009 |
Q: We are having problems with our well. We have no pressure and them sometimes no water. If I turn the ...
A: Mindy, Sounds to me like your deep well pump may be failing. If this is true, this is not a job ...
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| leech bed | 4/3/2009 |
Q: for 2 years at the end of my leech line my grass has been real green.i got on the end of the line ...
A: Julie, Have you been regularly maintenancing your septic system with enzymes? Rid-X works well to ...
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| Flaring copper tubinggkaif | 4/2/2009 |
Q: I have 7/8 inch copper (od)tubing and 37 degree stainless steel fittings.However, I have only a 45 ...
A: Robert, Unfortunately not. Are there any plumbing supply houses close to you? They may have the ...
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| Bath Tub Faucet | 4/2/2009 |
Q: I live in a house circa 1948. I do the basic home improvement in the house, but I am stumped with my ...
A: Carrie, Many times this occurs due to the packing nut on the valve being loose. Turn off the ...
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| Intermittent residential high pressure | 4/2/2009 |
Q: I live in a 1400 sq ft slab foundation home that was built in 1979. I placed a water pressure guage ...
A: Paul, Intermittent pressure spikes are usually caused by the regulator itself. My thought would be ...
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| plumbing grinder | 4/1/2009 |
Q: My home was built in 1987 on a Class 3 Wetland before the city and state passed a rezoning for ...
A: Michelle, I am sorry to hear about such a distressing situation. I'm sure you moved to your home ...
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| Replacing Price Pfister Stem | 4/1/2009 |
Q: We are replacing stem assemblies in both hot and cold faucets with part # is 9H-1H/C. The problem: ...
A: Nene, I have made the mistake of using these type of valve stem replacement kits too, and for the ...
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| Noisey pipes | 4/1/2009 |
Q: Anthony, I moved into our newly constructed one level house in December. It is on a slab so the ...
A: Ron, The tapping sound you're hearing is due to water pressure and/or thermal expansion. You might ...
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| Replace/Install a bottom mounted sink | 4/1/2009 |
Q: Could you provide me some guidance on how to replace a bottom mounted bathroom sink. 19" round. ...
A: Jesse, Undercounter mounted sinks can be a little tough, even for a professional plumber. Remove ...
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| re: Cleanouts on vent stacks | 4/1/2009 |
Q: I am finishing my basement and have a question concerning the cleanouts on the vent stacks for the ...
A: Tony, A cleanout in a vent stack is typically tied directly to the drainage system and allows quick ...
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| removel of bathroom sink plugs | 4/1/2009 |
Q: The sink plug I have has no rod .It's one of the new kind.How do I take this out?
A: Ronald, Sorry, without a picture or knowledge of what brand of sink faucet & drain system, I ...
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| Sump pumps | 3/31/2009 |
Q: I have an old pedestal sump pump which has been doing the job reliably. It is probably about 20 yrs ...
A: Marcy, Quite possibly you may have a crack in the pit that the sump is in. My advise would be to ...
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| kitchen sink | 3/31/2009 |
Q: My kitchen sink(the side with the garbage disposal) keeps backing up into the dishwasher? How can I ...
A: Kerrie, Most likely you have an obstruction in your drainage system or you have inadequate airflow ...
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| Tankless vs Recirculation hot water heaters | 3/31/2009 |
Q: We purchased a home in Ocala, FL that has an electric hot water heater. The plastic water pipe is in ...
A: Jesse, I'm not sure where you read the information about tankless water heater systems or ...
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| Toilet/ water flow problems | 3/31/2009 |
Q: Now when I flush one toilet I can hear another toilet in my house partially flushing or same with ...
A: Susanne, Yes, your problem may possibly be pressure related. Have your home pressure checked. The ...
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| rusty well water | 3/18/2009 |
Q: My house is 12 years old and the water was a beautiful aqua color at first but the last 18 months ...
A: Connie, Sometimes, well water can become discolored if the source is contaminated in some way. You ...
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| Noise from Stink Pipes | 3/18/2009 |
Q: I can hear a sporadic knocking noise from the stink pipes in my building. I live in a block of ...
A: George, It's possible that the noises you are hearing are birds or othere vermin (rats, cats or ...
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| toilet tank won't refill properly | 3/18/2009 |
Q: After flushing, the toilet tank does not fill properly. We had to turn the amount of water going ...
A: Elizabeth, The problem you're experiencing is mostly because of high water pressure. May I suggest ...
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| Well tank | 3/18/2009 |
Q: I am a tile setter on "All Experts.com". Anyway the question I have is, a friend of mine seem to ...
A: Ron, Usually, a well system has a single pressure tank. Having two could mean there is a booster ...
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| Hot Water Tanks | 3/17/2009 |
Q: I have two 65 gas hot water heaters in my home. One is brand new, the second is about 17 years old. ...
A: Ross, Great question! It is good to drain any water heater each year to remove mineral deposits ...
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| Garbage Disposal/Kitchen Sink/Dishwasher | 3/17/2009 |
Q: A few days ago my kitchen sink (single sink with garbage disposal) started running slowly. I didn't ...
A: Reid, The problem you are describing means you have a blockage in your sink drainage line either ...
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| Under slap copper connection | 3/17/2009 |
Q: I have just made a repair to an under-slab copper piper connection to a water supply line which, ...
A: Rich, Congratulations on making such a challenging repair! In answer to your question, according ...
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| Whistling Plumbing and One other plumbing issue | 3/17/2009 |
Q: My water department inadvertently turned my water off in December. They came back within a couple ...
A: Carla, This is one of the most common problems with Municipal repairs. They fix their problem and ...
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| debris in toilet | 3/17/2009 |
Q: ... This may be unusual, but then again most things never are. recently while flushing my toilet I ...
A: Mike, You will have to remove the toilet and fish out the spring because it is probably stuck in ...
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| Drawdown too fast on 42gals tank with 1hp shallow well motor pump | 3/17/2009 |
Q: I have a newly installed 42 gals pressure tank with 1hp shallow motor pump.. I have some question ...
A: Brando, Unfortunately, I do not know what your draw down is for your system. May I suggest ...
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| Sound of Water Running | 3/17/2009 |
Q: I hear the sound of water running in the walls of my 2nd restroom. The bars on my water softner ...
A: Lawana, The sound of water running could be a broken pipe under your slab, or it could be from a ...
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| new shower fixtures | 3/16/2009 |
Q: I want to install a new shower head and rod from the wall, as well as a new one piece control and ...
A: Bob, The 'rod' or shower arm as it's called, unscrews like any other piece of pipe. You can back ...
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| Wall mounted sink | 3/16/2009 |
Q: I purchased a wall mounted sink on-line. It came with no instructions or mounting hardware. The ...
A: Mike, It's good that you used backing. If your sink has an American Standard or Kohler pattern, ...
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| Toilet Not filling up | 3/16/2009 |
Q: The toilet bowl is not filling up - When the water is turned off from the meter and turned back on ...
A: Nat, The problem is probably in your fill valve. Yes, you can replace this valve yourself, ...
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| bathtub draining | 3/16/2009 |
Q: We have a bathtub that has stopped draining. We have found that the drain pipe for the tub, sink ...
A: Yvone, Without a picture of what you're referring to, it is impossible for me to walk you through ...
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| Backup sewer in bathtub | 3/16/2009 |
Q: PlaxI live in a four-Plax apt. building which was built in the 40's. The downstairs renter keeps ...
A: Sandra, This type of problem is common in a multi-story building. My suggestion is that your ...
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| Well pump | 3/16/2009 |
Q: My well pump runs at will. Usually in the past when water is used in the house the water pressure ...
A: Steve, It is possible your pump controls may need to be calibrated. Your high/low controller can ...
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| Sewer snake limit on bends | 3/15/2009 |
Q: I have an older house with cast iron plumbing and there is a drain problem with one of the ...
A: Wayne, According to the Uniform Plumbing Code, no drainage line should change direction more than ...
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| plumbing | 3/15/2009 |
Q: I have a delta tub faucet about 9 years old with two round knobs, one for cold and one for hot that ...
A: Al, The answer to all of your questions is: Yes; No; Yes! Delta faucets are one of my personal ...
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| leaky kitchen sink | 3/15/2009 |
Q: My kitchen sink is leaking where the drain is, around the screw on part. I am recently widowed and ...
A: Lynda, This is one of the most basic repairs. No doubt, the slip washer is worn out. Pull apart ...
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| Water Pressure Drop | 3/15/2009 |
Q: Anthony: I own a home with a well. We have had a recent issue arise with our water pressure, ...
A: Tom, Sounds to me like your pump high/low cutoff switch needs adjustment. May I suggest contacting ...
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| hotwater heater damage? | 3/15/2009 |
Q: for about a week my hotwater heater has been leaking hot water and steam into drain in basement ...
A: Vanessa, Your water heater is telling you there is a serious problem. You no doubt have excess ...
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| Outside faucet | 3/14/2009 |
Q: I can't turn it completely off.Do I need to buy a new faucet or can I get A repair kit?
A: Patricia, If the outside 'faucet' has been in use for some time, it's best to replace it. Hope ...
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| Slow drains | 3/14/2009 |
Q: I am on a septic, and recently I have had problems with the washing machine draining. Sometimes it ...
A: Jonathan, Living with a septic tank is like living with potted plants - you must care for them ...
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| Drain trap in basement | 3/14/2009 |
Q: I have a trap in my basement that serves only the laundry. It is about 3 or 4 inches cylindrical ...
A: Thomas, Since the p-trap and standpipe are outside the wall, you can you an ABS Black plastic ...
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| Bathroom water supply issue | 3/14/2009 |
Q: I have a second floor bathroom with Delta fixtures: Double vanity, soaking tub, separate shower. ...
A: Ed, Anytime you get whistling in a water line, it is due to some type of debris lodged in the ...
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| overflow | 3/13/2009 |
Q: I have an overflow running all the time, i have had the ballcock changed 4 times but the water ...
A: Edward, It may be time to change your toilet. Sometimes the reason for the overflow is due to a ...
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| Smelly bathroom sinks | 3/12/2009 |
Q: I have a 3-year old house and two of our upstairs bathroom sinks have water that smells bad ...
A: Kelly, Are you sure it is the water that smells? Sometimes, the water stirs up bacteria that has ...
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| teeny tiny bathtub | 3/12/2009 |
Q: I am trying to turn a 30 x 30 inch shower enclosure into a combination shower/soaking tub. The ...
A: Raufa, "You can't turn a sow's ear into a silk purse." Please DO NOT attempt to adapt a bathtub ...
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| Constant vibration noise in water pipe | 3/12/2009 |
Q: I've been hearing a constant vibration humming noise in our house for the past month and a half. ...
A: Kim, Yes. This "noise" is occurring due to debris stuck in your system and as water passes over ...
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| add 2nd front load washer/dryer | 3/12/2009 |
Q: I would like to add a 2nd Whirlpool duet washer/dryer to my existing laundry room on the main floor. ...
A: Denise, The only problem I see is having two laundry units discharging into one main outlet. ...
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| Washer | 3/12/2009 |
Q: I purchased my home and a new washer/dryer about Oct 07. I have had no problems with my washer ...
A: Jared, Laundry room backups are caused by one thing: Fibers from your clothes and other goods that ...
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| Toilet installation - did I install the wax seal correctly | 3/12/2009 |
Q: I just tackled the installation of 3 new toilets in my house over the past month. The toilets I ...
A: Alex, Bravo maestro! To tackle replacing one toilet is tuff, but three? Outstanding! Yes, I ...
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| Shower stem | 3/11/2009 |
Q: I can't find a replacement for this shower stem. I thought it was Price-Phister, but it turns out ...
A: Greg, This looks more like American Standard to me. Hope this helps. Regards, Anthony PS - ...
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| toilet | 3/11/2009 |
Q: just yesterday my toilet began to act up. When I flush the toilet, the water doesnt fill to the ...
A: Ronn, Sounds like you may have a pressure problem. If your home has a pressure regulator, then it ...
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| POP UP DRAIN PLUGS | 3/11/2009 |
Q: MY POP HAS BECOME DISCONNECTED WITH THE HARDWARE INSIDE. WE HAVE A SINK UNIT WHICH IS ENCLOSED IN ...
A: Jeff, Sorry, without picture outlining this problem, I would not know where to start helping you. ...
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| Pesky float assembly | 3/11/2009 |
Q: I have a septic system that stays stuck in the "on" position.. because the float sometimes jammed ...
A: Rudy, I think it's time to let a professional look at this situation. Please contact a reputable ...
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| Troubleshooting | 3/11/2009 |
Q: 1) What is the quickest way to trace a blockage in a water supply system 2) What is the easiest way ...
A: Shamwari, I would like to answer these questions, but they are general and I don't have time to ...
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| Urnial won't flush | 3/11/2009 |
Q: My husband's urnial was working fine until today - suddenly it won't flush - he works the handle and ...
A: Julie, Sounds to me like the flush valve unit may need to be replaced. Get a licensed and ...
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| Keeping *cold* water from a turned off boiler from mixing with water from an electric water heater? | 3/10/2009 |
Q: The house I rent has an oil furnace that runs a hot-water based radiator heating system. Plumbing ...
A: Guy, What you have is a situation whereby the water from the electric water heater acts as "extra ...
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| pvc for hot water | 3/10/2009 |
Q: What is the reason regular white pvc pipe can't be used for hot water and if you do what are the ...
A: Rick, Non-metallic pipe with have its' chemical weld broken if hot water is applied. This is the ...
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| Sump Pump drain | 3/10/2009 |
Q: We just purchased a home on a basement with a sump pump. I am not familiar with sump pumps at all. ...
A: Lora, A sump pump is used to remove water from a basement. It requires that approximately every 6 ...
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| How to design plumbing of existing building | 3/10/2009 |
Q: 1) what information is needed when carrying out design on existing dwelling. 2) How do we mark ...
A: Shamwari. If you are planning an addition to an existing building, you will have find out from your ...
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| Low pressure kitchen faucet | 3/10/2009 |
Q: We have a single handle kitchen faucet that you move to the right or left for hot or cold. Also the ...
A: Sara, No doubt you have a piece of debris further into the valve. You will have to remove hot & ...
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| Drawdown too fast on 42gals tank with 1hp shallow well motor pump | 3/10/2009 |
Q: I have a newly installed 42 gals pressure tank with 1hp shallow motor pump.. I have some question ...
A: Brando, My first thought is why use a gate valve in this type of setup? I prefer to use ball ...
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| Trapped Air | 3/10/2009 |
Q: Anthony, I have a vacation house which has well/septic and I experiened a flooding of the basement ...
A: Dan, It's possible the gauges can be messed up because of have been submerged in the water. ...
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| Broken O-ring | 3/9/2009 |
Q: Broken o-ring on both outdoor faucets in a four year old house!! How bad can things get? Help - I ...
A: Vijay, O-rings can last 2 years or more from original installation. If the hose bibb is bad you ...
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| Ejector pump | 3/9/2009 |
Q: I live in a pre owned home that was built 99 that has a ejector pump in the basement. Over the ...
A: Ronnie, It's possible that the pump is not working or is clogged in some way. The unit will have ...
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| Plumbing | 3/9/2009 |
Q: Installing a stand up shower in basement.After putting in drain waste to p trap how high can I ...
A: Ken, I'm going to assume you have this system properly vented. If not, please let me know. The ...
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| water heater | 2/27/2009 |
Q: i have a leek in my electric hot water heater the water is coming from the cold water feed side. it ...
A: Frank, Without a picture of the item, it would be hard to explain what it is and what it does. ...
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| toilet leak | 2/27/2009 |
Q: I noticed a small amount of water gathers behind the toilet after flushing. The water is coming ...
A: Rob, If the water is coming from the base of the wall behind the toilet, perhaps you may have a ...
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| y drain for two clothes wash machines | 2/27/2009 |
Q: Where can I get a Y adapter to enable two wash machines to drain into a single 2" drain in a ...
A: Jerry, Thanks for a great question from my hometown, "The Big Apple". Still have lots of friends ...
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| airpockets | 2/26/2009 |
Q: when I turn on a faucet in my home it spits and sputters alot of air for about 30 seconds then will ...
A: Jay, Please let me know if you live in a house, condo or apartment. If you are in a house with a ...
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| Plumbing/funny smell | 2/26/2009 |
Q: One of the bathrooms, that we haven't used in many months, has a funny sulfur like smell. The ...
A: Joy, If you aren't using a shower or sink for any length of time, you probably lost what is called ...
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| Sink drain | 2/26/2009 |
Q: I have a vanity that will not drain properly unless air is blown into the air vent of the vanity. ...
A: Gene, You might want to check the height of the pop-up drain stopper. Sometimes, if it is too low ...
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| little water from bathtub spout | 2/26/2009 |
Q: On my MOEN Single Handle Bathtub Faucet (12 years old ) - I get little water if any through the ...
A: Walter, It's possible your valve may be plugged with debris. You'll need to pull the valve stem ...
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| Well Pumps | 2/25/2009 |
Q: My well pump runs 24/7 it will not shut off. I have a submersible pump well is 70 feet deep. The ...
A: Barry, With all of the new equipment you have, perhaps the system is out of balance pressure wise ...
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| Iron Bacteria/Well Water | 2/25/2009 |
Q: We have an iron bacteria and sulfur becteria problem with our water from our well. Have had it ...
A: Kim, By its' very nature, foreign bacteria is never a good idea to ingest in any way. Of course, ...
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| Garbage Disposal | 2/25/2009 |
Q: I just put in a new three bin sink compared to a two bin. I would like to put the disposal in the ...
A: Tom, Usually, in the three compartment sink's center sink is offset from the other two. I would ...
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| Cold weather pumps | 2/24/2009 |
Q: I'm working on a case study for an engineering class and we are designing a pipe system to ...
A: Betsy, Thank you Betsy for this question. I hope you & your fellow students do well in the class. ...
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| Refrigerator thumping sound after flush | 2/17/2009 |
Q: After flushing the toilet and when the tank finishes filling up, a thumping sound translate thru the ...
A: Gil, You are experiencing "water hammer" and the only cure is to install what is called a water ...
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| water pressure | 2/17/2009 |
Q: the water pressure is low all through the house and sputters instead of constant flow. there is a ...
A: John, Your situation may not just be too many turns but perhaps there is a problem with the ...
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| slow drain sinks | 2/17/2009 |
Q: Just curious what part of Phoenix are you in? We live in Glendale. Born and raised. Anyway, we ...
A: James, Sorry James, I don't live in Phoenix, but, in Southern California. However, I do have ...
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| help with a system to collect gray water for irrigation | 2/17/2009 |
Q: I have a 1/2 hp shallow well pump, pre-plumbed system with the pump mounted on a 6 gallon tank, ...
A: Len, Unless you have steep terrain to water, may I suggest not pumping up this system with massive ...
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| Bathroom in basement | 2/17/2009 |
Q: I have a home built in 2006. There are 3 pvc pipes coming out of the basement. 1- 2", 1- 3" and 1- ...
A: Mike, I'm not sure what the builder or previous owners where planning to do the six inch line, ...
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| Moen cartridge retainer clip | 2/16/2009 |
Q: Replacing Moen shower cartridge. Got down to the step to remove retainer clip. Can't get at it ...
A: Bill, In order to remove the clip, carefully use a needle nose pliers to grip the tab at the top of ...
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| lift stations | 2/16/2009 |
Q: I have made an offer on a house in a gated community of about 300 homes. I am now told that there ...
A: Kenneth, In real estate the well-worn adage "location, location, location", equally applies here. ...
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| Sump crock's and drain tiles | 2/16/2009 |
Q: We have a house built in 1960's and we are currently having water seeping up through the concrete ...
A: Peggy, One of the things I've learned over the years is this: There is NEVER an opportune time ...
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| Water supply line | 2/16/2009 |
Q: I have bathroom at the far end of the house. The pressure is low and it takes forever for hot water ...
A: John, Your plan does make sense. However, may I add a few things to your list. If you are ...
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| intermittent loss of water pressure, house with well | 2/16/2009 |
Q: Anthony, please let me know what you think of this situation going on in our house, we share a well ...
A: John, I understand your frustration. I do not think this has anything to do with your neighbor. ...
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| Mixet shower -- low/no hot water | 2/15/2009 |
Q: I've got a Mixet shower fixture -- http://www.plumbersurplus.com/pdf/02336.pdf. I'm having a ...
A: HawnDude2, There is no such thing as spare parts in plumbing. The part of the inner spool needs to ...
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| 3 handle faucet, hot ,cold,diverter leak | 2/15/2009 |
Q: I've replaced hot & cold stems, diverter is stripped, any tricks of the trade to get it out! Also, ...
A: David, Sounds like a Price Pfister shower valve. To remove any valve stem you need a "valve wrench ...
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| reconnecting garage plumbing | 2/15/2009 |
Q: I am in the process of renovating the loft of our detached garage. There is currently a water line ...
A: Jeff, Before you attach anything, make sure the water and waste lines are in good condition. With ...
|
| Shower valve stem broke | 2/15/2009 |
Q: Greetings. The bar I pull on to engage the shower head broke, and I can no longer use it. I would ...
A: Damien, Sounds to me like you don't usually do repairs on plumbing systems. May I suggest getting ...
|
| well | 2/15/2009 |
Q: We have well water. Recently while running the water it suddenly just stopped. After about 30 ...
A: Patty, Your pump or electric switch is non-operational. It was giving you a warning when it would ...
|
| Kitchen Sink backing up | 2/14/2009 |
Q: I live in a home that is 10 years old. The garbage disposer has not been changed since we moved in ...
A: Yolanda, Unfortunately, you have a serious plumbing issue. May I strongly suggest contacting a ...
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| New bathroom sink drain installation | 2/14/2009 |
Q: Anthony, I just had a granite vanity installed with porcelain under mounted sinks. I am installing ...
A: Jon, Did you use plumber's putty under the drain ring inside the sink? If you didn't and you used ...
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| Water Heater | 2/14/2009 |
Q: My water heater is only 1 year old. I recently had some plumbing work done to a toilet where they ...
A: Linda, It is possible that one of the connections could be leaking. You should get a licensed ...
|
| Slow-flush toilet... | 2/13/2009 |
Q: I have a vintage 1988 Briggs toilet in a secnond-floor bethroom of my house. It has always seemed to ...
A: Howard, The problem is in the tank of the toilet. Usually, if the fill valve is not adjusted ...
|
| pvc waterlines | 2/13/2009 |
Q: i recently put a new well down and tied into the original 3/4" line. the line is approximately 12 ...
A: Ronald, Your bleach idea is a "BAD IDEA" in that you could contaminate the well itself. However, ...
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| plumbing | 2/13/2009 |
Q: My kitchen sink is backing up. Both the left side (with garbage disposal) and right side back up ...
A: Linda, I'm sorry, but it's obvious that you are no longer in the liquid drain cleaner business and ...
|
| Water Heater Selection | 2/13/2009 |
Q: I am going to replace my Bradford White 40 Gallon gas fired water heater because I need the current ...
A: Ralph, I like both Bradford White & A.O. Smith heaters. I am not familiar with the new model you ...
|
| water heater timer | 2/13/2009 |
Q: I have a 50 gallon electric hot water heater. I am considering adding a timer which will cost about ...
A: Jack, Your friend has a point. However, if you want to use a timer to regulate a recirculation ...
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| toilet | 2/13/2009 |
Q: my toilet is not flushing with enough suction what can i do to fix it
A: Steve, You need to check everything in the tank. Are you getting enough water (fast enough) coming ...
|
| pump problems | 2/12/2009 |
Q: shallow well pump was running for 15 minutes at a time,left for the week and it won't draw water at ...
A: Nick, All of these issues are possible. I would suggest that you get a well specialist in there ...
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| fluctuating water pressure | 2/12/2009 |
Q: I have read your suggestions about pressure rising and falling quickly. I checked the bladder ...
A: Dan, You can check you pressure switch to determine if it is working properly and I have seen ...
|
| sticky shower faucet spout diverter | 2/12/2009 |
Q: I have a shower spout that the diverter sticks. Any suggestions?
A: Stuart, Depending upon the make & model, some valves allow you to unscrew the diverter. Some ...
|
| slow bathroom sink drain | 2/12/2009 |
Q: I have a 2 story house on a cement slab. Bathroom upstairs works fine, toliet flushes properly, ...
A: Elly, Did you run water in the open drain line when you ran the 20 foot snake? The reason why I ...
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| Bathtub Caulking | 2/12/2009 |
Q: I’m having problems sealing my bathtub. We purchased our house a few months ago. The tub in our ...
A: Richard, The reason your caulking is turning colors is due to mold or mildew. By the way, are you ...
|
| residential well pressure bladder | 2/12/2009 |
Q: i recently purchased a country home on acreage to use for hunting and will be vacant most of the ...
A: Al, The pressure tank is self-contained however, to prevent the bladder from hardening, I would ...
|
| drain for washing machine | 2/12/2009 |
Q: I want to drain my washing machine gray water into the yard instead of the septic system. Is there ...
A: Frieda, Yes. In some communities, you can get fined for releasing toxic liquids into the ground or ...
|
| Bathroom sink won't drain | 2/11/2009 |
Q: Ok, I'm the plumber in my house. I noticed a small amount of water under the sink. Not much so I ...
A: DeeDee, Welcome to the site. I hope we don't disappoint. When you pulled everything apart under ...
|
| Gluing PVC and Aluminum | 2/11/2009 |
Q: I need to glue some shaped aluminum pieces to PVC. Can you suggest any glues that will handle this ...
A: Bev, This sounds more like an arts & crafts question. I would suggest however, to use an epoxy ...
|
| American Standard leak | 2/11/2009 |
Q: I have an older Am Stand Colony tub faucet that leaks from the hot stem when when either side is ...
A: Lenn, Perhaps replacing the valve stem will resolve this issue. Let me know what you decide to do. ...
|
| High pitched noise in kitchen faucet when hot water is on | 2/11/2009 |
Q: We have a price pfister one handle faucet in kitchen. Paid $100 for it and have replaced it once in ...
A: Karen, This occurs for one of two reasons: 1) Water pressure at the faucet is too high 2) Debris ...
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| new bathroom sink odor | 2/11/2009 |
Q: We had a new bathroom sink and cabinet installed, with the old faucet re-used. The apt manager who ...
A: Pyotr, I would check everything step-by-step. First, make sure nothing is stuck in the drain under ...
|
| Flapper in a Kohler toilet | 2/11/2009 |
Q: The flapper in my Kohler toilet leaks and I cannot find a flapper to replace it. I have two Kohler ...
A: Billy, One thing I can always count on is Kohler's love for making multiple types of plumbing ...
|
| well pump | 2/10/2009 |
Q: Recently had the pressure gauge and relay box replaced. We have a light bulb that comes on, on the ...
A: Jennifer, It could mean that the contacts are stuck or you have an electrical short. I would have ...
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| installing tubs and kitchen sinks | 2/10/2009 |
Q: I want to install a bathtub and kitchen sink. I would like to know with all your experiences with ...
A: Esther, Cast iron is extremely durable. It can last easily 30-40 years with the proper care. ...
|
| Sewer Smell in Bedroom | 2/10/2009 |
Q: I live in a 4 floor condo and I am in the garden unit. Right outside my bedroom window is a man ...
A: Angie, It is possible for your husband's ailments to stem from "bad air" caused by a faulty ...
|
| pvc waterlines | 2/10/2009 |
Q: i recently put a new well down and tied into the original 3/4" line. the line is approximately 12 ...
A: Ronald, As long as you're using parts of an old line, you will have this discolored water scenario. ...
|
| black liquid in toilet | 2/9/2009 |
Q: i have a split level home with one bath downstairs,two up stairs. yesterday 2/6/09 when i went home ...
A: Jerry, Thank you for the clarification. In order to determine where the source of the liquid is, ...
|
| bathroom sink gurgles | 2/9/2009 |
Q: Last week we had a bathroom toilet and sink that were plugged and we had someone from roto-rooter ...
A: Tracy, Did the guy from Roto-Rooter leave you a copy of the video? It would be helpful to you to ...
|
| Hydrotherm heater/ running water noise | 2/9/2009 |
Q: When the heat comes on, the sound of running water through the pipes is very evident. I have a ...
A: Donna, My mistake. I assumed your baseboard heater is attached to your water system. If it is ...
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| installing tubs and kitchen sinks | 2/9/2009 |
Q: I want to install a bathtub and kitchen sink. I would like to know with all your experiences with ...
A: Esther, For kitchen sinks, I prefer a stainless steel sink (easy to clean and inexpensive) or a ...
|
| 2 Bathroom Water Problems | 2/9/2009 |
Q: I have plumbing issues in 2 bathrooms, but they are 2 completely separate and unrelated problems. ...
A: Pamela, Problem #1 - If the shower head is new and you still have the problem, change tactics. My ...
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| hot water problem | 2/9/2009 |
Q: imhave a 8 unit apartment buliding with an oil fired boileri run the hot water and it changes from ...
A: George, I'm not sure if you are the tenant in the building or the owner. If you are a tenant, then ...
|
| toilet-snot mystery | 2/8/2009 |
Q: Anthony-- I have a real mystery here I hope you or anyone else can decipher, because I'm stumped. ...
A: Marco, I have never encountered this situation. What I would suggest is getting a small jar and ...
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| installing a bidet faucet set | 2/8/2009 |
Q: The diverter/vacuum breaker is designed for a hole 1 1/8" to 1 1/4". Mine is 1 1/8". There was a ...
A: Rubye, Tighten the nut down as much as you can. It's designed to be a tight fit to prevent ...
|
| Kitchen ceiling leak | 2/8/2009 |
Q: Good morning, We have just discovered a leak in our kitchen ceiling. We live in a bungalow so ...
A: Dianne, If any penetration in your roof is not sealed properly, then, yes, you get water in your ...
|
| Basement bathroom | 2/8/2009 |
Q: I just recently bought a new house, and finished the basement bathroom. The tolilet works great, but ...
A: Will, If this is a "new" home, then, the waste and venting should already be installed. If you ...
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| water pressure | 2/8/2009 |
Q: I only have about 10 pounds of pressure in the indicator valve in front of my blasdder tank, and ...
A: Ken, Sounds to me like you need to get a well pump and tank specialist to check your situation. ...
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| toilet-snot mystery | 2/8/2009 |
Q: Anthony-- I have a real mystery here I hope you or anyone else can decipher, because I'm stumped. ...
A: Marco, Just answered a similar question like this and I'll be glad to copy the answer I gave ...
|
| Height of kitchen pipes | 2/8/2009 |
Q: We're redoing the plumbing in the wall in for the kitchen. How high should the pipes go up in the ...
A: Sharon, The height of your water stub outs depends upon your finish installation. If you are ...
|
| smitty pan drainage | 2/7/2009 |
Q: I have a 40 gallon water heater with a smitty pan under it. The pan has a drain line in the side of ...
A: David, I clearly understand your wife's concern. You should not install a check valve on this ...
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| Hydrotherm heater/ running water noise | 2/7/2009 |
Q: When the heat comes on, the sound of running water through the pipes is very evident. I have a ...
A: Donna, In the absence of a serious water leak or an active hot water recirculating line, the sound ...
|
| Squeaky Faucets | 2/7/2009 |
Q: How do I stop my bathtub faucets from SQUEAKING when I turn them. Also the shower faucet. They're ...
A: Gail, I take it that they "squeal" when you turn them on? Oftentimes, this is due to excessive ...
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| black liquid in toilet | 2/7/2009 |
Q: i have a split level home with one bath downstairs,two up stairs. yesterday 2/6/09 when i went home ...
A: Jerry, When you are getting black liquid, chances are its' coming from the rubber goods in your ...
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| Sewer Line for Room Addition | 2/7/2009 |
Q: I am looking for confirmation that my plumber knows what he is talking about. We are adding a new ...
A: Steve, If the local Administrative Authority (Building & Safety Dept) allows exposed piping, you ...
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| Kohler Faucet Diverter | 2/7/2009 |
Q: I have a faulty diverter in a single handle Kohler kitchen faucet. My question is how is it ...
A: Ed, In order to identify the repair instructions for Kohler products, it's good to know the model ...
|
| Brown Bathtub Water | 2/6/2009 |
Q: In the master bathroom and secondary bathroom the water is running brown only in the tubs. What ...
A: Toni, My guess for the reason you have brown water is due to the condition of your piping. If your ...
|
| setting a steel bathtub | 2/5/2009 |
Q: I am installing a new steel tub in a remodel. I have been told that I should put mortar under the ...
A: Terry, Install the tub as-is, do not modify it in any way. Hope this helps. Regards, Anthony ...
|
| hot water heater | 2/5/2009 |
Q: I live in an eight year old house in southern Ohio. We just went through several days of snow and ...
A: Jacqueline, I'm glad it worked out! Your plumber is right, as a rule of thumb most water heaters ...
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| vibration in pipes | 2/5/2009 |
Q: i have had a viberation in a hall bath for some time in the last week the kitchen has started ...
A: Shaun, This is called "cavitation". and can occur if there is an obstruction in piping blocking ...
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| sump pump running too much | 2/4/2009 |
Q: Our house is 30 years old. We have lived here for ten years. (we live in northern New Jersey) Our ...
A: Susan, I think the key to the mystery lies in the sump pit. When the sump pit was expanded, were ...
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| Gurgling Drains and Overflowing Toilets | 2/4/2009 |
Q: Sometimes, this strange gurgling/bubbling sound will come from deep in the various drains in my ...
A: Matti, Bubbling & gurgling noises are a definite sign that the main waste line from your unit is ...
|
| mixit shower - little water | 2/4/2009 |
Q: I have a Mixit shower valve that does shut off completely, however, it only trickles with water when ...
A: Merrie, Are you sure you installed the replacement valve correctly? Pull it out and investigate ...
|
| water heater element | 2/3/2009 |
Q: what should the ohm reading be on a heating element i am reading 15.3 on my top element and 14 on ...
A: Jeff, The electricity readings on an electric water heater can vary by model. May I suggest doing ...
|
| Low/no flow in one-handle kitchen faucet | 2/3/2009 |
Q: In my less-than-1yr-old American Standard single-handle kitchen faucet (see attached PDF) the hot ...
A: Steve, I believe you are right on point with your reasoning. By process of elimination, you'll ...
|
| irrigation line tie-in location to well/ pressure tank | 2/3/2009 |
Q: I’m putting in a new garden and need to bring out a water line for irrigation. Our well is about ...
A: Jack, To run an irrigation system efficiently, you need to have pressure, even when the targeted ...
|
| Sealant around the tub | 2/3/2009 |
Q: The caulking or grout ....I am not positive what it is, is crumbling and I wanted to replace it. I ...
A: Shelly, Oftentimes there are small bits of debris in the cavity after you've removed the grout/ ...
|
| Cold water faucets run hot | 2/3/2009 |
Q: Recently I noticed that when I try to run cold water in either the kitchen sink or an upstairs ...
A: Francis G., You may be experiencing "bleed through". This occurs when the valve stems are worn or ...
|
| shower drain | 2/3/2009 |
Q: The shower drain on one of my showers is leaking underneath at the p-trap, it's coming from around ...
A: John, This sounds like a fiberglass showerbase you're referring to. Let me know if I'm correct. ...
|
| Replace 2 | 2/2/2009 |
Q: I have a 2 inch cast iron vent pipe that has been cracked. I would like to replace this with PVC. ...
A: Derek, The pipe clamp is attached at the base of the pipe either against the roof (which is ...
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| No hot water in shower/tub combo, but hot water in sink | 2/2/2009 |
Q: I purchased a new construction home in 2005. However this past month, the guest bathroom's ...
A: Zhad, Since this bathroom is not used much, it's possible you've got some debris inside the valve. ...
|
| hot water heater | 2/2/2009 |
Q: I live in an eight year old house in southern Ohio. We just went through several days of snow and ...
A: Jacqueline, Any time your water heater leaks, it's only a safety precaution to have it ...
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| cold water in bathtub is erratic | 2/2/2009 |
Q: Why doesn't the cold water come on full force when we turn it on? We usually have to wait a few ...
A: Edward, If your home has galvanized piping, you could have the feed line to the fixture or the ...
|
| Replace 2" cast iron pipe | 2/1/2009 |
Q: I have a 2 inch cast iron vent pipe that has been cracked. I would like to replace this with PVC. ...
A: Derek, Wow! I haven't seen an above-ground piece of cast iron this bad looking in a long time! ...
|
| Hot Water Recirculating System / Overflow | 2/1/2009 |
Q: First off, please excuse my lack of knowledge in the area of plumbing. Last week we had an Instant ...
A: Charles, The pipe you described sounds like the discharge pipe from your water heater's ...
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| DWV pipe under sink might be leaking | 1/31/2009 |
Q: I found water under the kitchen sink and rooted around to find that the cap on the DWV pipe stubbed ...
A: Kevin, The DWV cap should not be loose. If I understand the situation, this cap must be for a ...
|
| Shower & Toilet back-up | 1/31/2009 |
Q: My showers and toilets are constantly backing up. It starts with the water slowly draining in my ...
A: Ashley, Yes, there is definitely a serious problem goin on in your waste system. It could be roots ...
|
| pulsating water | 1/31/2009 |
Q: Two weeks ago, my water started pulsating when turned on (surges, then lets off, surges, etc.). I ...
A: John, Your pump may only need adjustment, however, sometimes depending on its' length of service, ...
|
| water well pressure switch | 1/31/2009 |
Q: I just installed A new pressure switch on my bladder tank.It is A 40/60 it will not kick on.Ihave ...
A: Butch, How much of a demand did you put on the system? Did you open a tub or shower? With the ...
|
| well pump | 1/30/2009 |
Q: our well pump continuously runs. Please give me an idea as to where to start to figure out why. ...
A: Ann, One of the reasons the pump is running is if the high/low cutoff switch on the pump is bad. ...
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| Toilet flange | 1/30/2009 |
Q: I need to replace the flange. The existing pipe from the flange is a straight piece of lead pipe ...
A: Jim, one more thing - Lead is very malleable or bendable and may leak. If you are going to repair ...
|
| Holding tank pump | 1/30/2009 |
Q: I have a water holding tank in my basement that has not been used for at least a year. I have now ...
A: Holli, If you have a pressure tank and it's gauge is reading zero, then you will have to ...
|
| Well losing pressure | 1/29/2009 |
Q: We have a well with a submersible pump at about 15 years old. Lately we have had low water pressure. ...
A: Darryl, You may have an issue with your pressure tank. When you adjust the limit switch on the ...
|
| Gurgling toilet | 1/29/2009 |
Q: I see that someone asked about a gurgling toilet problem and was told to check to see if there is a ...
A: Jan, Just what's needed... a whining toilet! All kidding aside, older homes like yours were made ...
|
| water leak in my garage behind hose spicket | 1/28/2009 |
Q: I have a hose hookup in my garage. The hose has been hooked up to it since we bought the house a ...
A: Tarra, Yes, it's possible you may have cracked or tweaked the piping when you "undid the hose". ...
|
| Leaking Delta faucet | 1/28/2009 |
Q: ..have a dual handled Delta faucet in my bath room sink. It is aprox. 3 years old...cold water ...
A: Mimi, First thing on your list of things to do is, "toss that plumber's number in the trash"! ...
|
| replacing shower valve body | 1/28/2009 |
Q: I have a moen shower single knob. Can I replace the valve body,and if so how do I remove it.
A: Keith, The answer is: It depends. It depends if the shower has a closet behind it or the outside ...
|
| Water supply line to cabin | 1/28/2009 |
Q: I am building a cabin with a rural water supply coop. they have installed a 3/4 meter at the road. ...
A: Mike, This sounds like a wonderful project, however, I don't think the answers you seek can be ...
|
| Shower pressure balancing valve | 1/28/2009 |
Q: I have a Kohler K306KS valve that has been in my new shower for about 1 year. My issue is that ...
A: Mark, I hope the valve was installed in accord with Kohler's recommended installation instructions ...
|
| whirlpool bathtub jet leak | 1/27/2009 |
Q: I have American Home Shield and they sent 2 different plumbers out to tell me the same thing - there ...
A: Sondee, Honestly, 99.9% of the plumbers in this business will not attempt a repair on a spa tub of ...
|
| Hot Water Plumbing | 1/27/2009 |
Q: I have a hot water supply problem to my kitchen sink and to the toilet in one bathroom. I suspect a ...
A: Larry, It would probably be best to have a couple of reputable, licensed plumbers come out and ...
|
| Toilet flange | 1/27/2009 |
Q: I need to replace the flange. The existing pipe from the flange is a straight piece of lead pipe ...
A: Jim, You must be on the East Coast. Lead piping was a favorite of the Dutch plumbers back in the ...
|
| surge | 1/27/2009 |
Q: We live on a street that is in-line between the water pumping station and our local water tanks. It ...
A: Michael, Wow, what a mess! Since most water purveyors WILL NOT care for your side of the meter, ...
|
| Water well issue | 1/27/2009 |
Q: I have a water well outside my house, and I hear noise coming out, of it, as if water goes through ...
A: Dennis, The fact that you are losing pressure in your system and hearing water suggests a problem ...
|
| plumbing | 1/26/2009 |
Q: I have a water softner system (salt type)attached to my domestic water pump. I just recently changed ...
A: Art, This situation can happen when the pressure tank and the pump are not balanced to each other. ...
|
| water pressure tank | 1/26/2009 |
Q: is there a way to increase the water pressure in my water pressure tank?
A: Sharyn, Yes, there is. There is a nipple at the top of most recently made pressure tanks. You can ...
|
| Install Moen 7560 Single handle (spray) | 1/26/2009 |
Q: I'm installing a single handle faucet at the corner of the sink. The sweep of the faucet extends ...
A: Jim, The answer to your question is no. Hoever, in times past when I've had these type of ...
|
| well system | 1/26/2009 |
Q: The other day my husband and I came home with some fire wood and we parked in the back yard. We ...
A: Krista, The answer is yes, especially if the line is copper. Most cars, even small ones are over ...
|
| no cold water in kitchen tap | 1/25/2009 |
Q: My kitchen tap only has hot water coming out, but no cold water. The 2nd floor bathroom and ...
A: Andy, Did you try blowing air through the faucet to the bottom of the supply tubing to see if you ...
|
| inside sewer pipe | 1/25/2009 |
Q: my piper is leaking down my wall in the basement amd the sewer pipe is over 100 years old . i was ...
A: Tina, No doubt your waste piping is cast iron, given the fact it's that old. You can replace it ...
|
| well x trol | 1/25/2009 |
Q: A few more questions! Can you purchase to big of a well x trol tank? If I purchased a larger one ...
A: Michael, Yes you can overbuy any equipment, that's why the well systems are married with just the ...
|
| toilet pipe leak | 1/24/2009 |
Q: I replaced the floor in my bathroom about 8 months ago and lifted the toilet to do so - reinstalled ...
A: Jennifer, Congrats on taking on the job to install the flooring and re-installing the toilet. The ...
|
| Loss of water pressure after replacement of city lines | 1/24/2009 |
Q: Last week the city replaced water lines in front of my house with new copper piping. Since they ...
A: Emily, Water companies are notorious for this. You will need to blow out each fixture that is ...
|
| water meter | 1/24/2009 |
Q: my water meter has a red arrow on it which reads 0 to 9 the red arrow is at 9 ,it that a prombel to ...
A: Jim, The water meter in most communities is usually the property of your local water purveyor. It ...
|
| Basement Bathroom Venting | 1/24/2009 |
Q: I am planning to finish the bathroom in my basement. The rough in plumbing was stubbed out by the ...
A: Brian, Thank you for the clear picture. You will have to build a soffit around the vent pipe and ...
|
| sink plumbing | 1/23/2009 |
Q: i was wondering if it was possible to run a kitchen drain down in the floor instead of through the ...
A: Steve, Yes you can do this, however, you need to tie into the vent system also. Are you planning a ...
|
| Basement Bathroom Venting | 1/23/2009 |
Q: I am planning to finish the bathroom in my basement. The rough in plumbing was stubbed out by the ...
A: Brian, Is this pipe 3/4 inches in diameter? If it is, then it was probably for a mascerating ...
|
| Cleaning drains | 1/23/2009 |
Q: I have several rentals with old plumbing,I am thinking of buying a power drain auger (or snake) Can ...
A: Guy, There are many manufacturers and many different types of drain cleaning equipment from power ...
|
| Toilet flushing | 1/22/2009 |
Q: When flushing a toilet on the second floor of my house there is a groaning in the pipes that lasts ...
A: Bud, The groaning you're hearing is perhaps because of water pressure being re-established at the ...
|
| Sewage smell | 1/22/2009 |
Q: We just moved into our house and in our master bath there is a horrible sewage type smell. Someone ...
A: Amy, In these cases, it would be best to hire a reputable, licensed plumber to investigate this ...
|
| breakdown of materials | 1/22/2009 |
Q: I am curious as to wether chewing tobacco will breakdown in a standard septic system when flushed ...
A: Gary, Anything bio-degradable can be broken down in a septic tank, provided you are making sure to ...
|
| Glacier bay faucet | 1/22/2009 |
Q: I have a Glacier bay faucet on my kitchen sink. When I turn it on, it squeals and the pressure isn't ...
A: Daniel, Sounds like you have some debris in the unit, either in the body of the faucet or in the ...
|
| Kitchen Sink | 1/22/2009 |
Q: I had a new kitchen sink put in 3 years ago, and it has become partially clogged with grease. Is it ...
A: Lawrence, If by Drano, you mean "Liquid Drano", then yes, it's okay to use it. Very carefully. ...
|
| Toilet Sink | 1/22/2009 |
Q: My toilet sink makes flushing noise every 5-10 minutes. But when I check the sink/bowl, the water is ...
A: Yes Manish. What's happening is you are losing water in the tank, not the bowl. That is why you ...
|
| tub and shower | 1/22/2009 |
Q: my tub and shower cold water handle stripped and shut off flange will not operate . went to plumbing ...
A: Richard, This sounds bad. If the handles are stripped as you said, then, it is time for a new ...
|
| odor | 1/21/2009 |
Q: have a 2nd floor washing machine (fairly new)..midway through a wash BUT only 1 out of 5 or 10 times ...
A: Yes, it is possible the vibration spills some of the water in the p-trap into the drain and allows ...
|
| Pressure test | 1/21/2009 |
Q: I'm going to remodel a bathroom and plan convert some galvanized drain line into PVC. I am planning ...
A: Depending upon how your piping system is set up, I can't recommend the best way to set up your test. ...
|
| foam under tub | 1/21/2009 |
Q: Our tubs are making crackling noises and have some hair line cracks at the drain. I want to try ...
A: James, Stop what you are doing and put down the drill & expansion foam! My friend, I don't know ...
|
| Well pump motor | 1/21/2009 |
Q: How can I remove motor on Myers well jet pump? I have disconnected the electric and removed the 4 ...
A: Cris, I'm sorry, Cris, I do not work on the pump motors, just the piping. You'll have to get a ...
|
| pipe clatter | 1/20/2009 |
Q: In one of my 3 baths when running hot water at the sink, after the water heats completely, I get a ...
A: Paul, There is nothing to repair. What you're hearing is the pipe expanding and contracting in the ...
|
| sediment in water | 1/20/2009 |
Q: i can see sediment at bottom of the toilet and when i run bath water it is left over after i drain ...
A: Jayson, I think you'll need a whole house water filter, unless your house has galvanized steel ...
|
| Removal of anti-syphon device from hose bib | 1/20/2009 |
Q: I have 2 hose bibs that are spraying water every where when they are turned on. It appears that I ...
A: Bob, If you do this, odds are you'll ruin the hose bibbs. These type of devices have a set screw ...
|
| Hot water | 1/19/2009 |
Q: We have moved in to a new home a few month ago. One of the things we found is it takes forever to ...
A: Joe, Yes. You need to install a recirculation system. Basically, this is a water line connected ...
|
| Sewer Gas Smell | 1/19/2009 |
Q: I have had a musty sewer gas smell coming from the wet wall between my kitchen and bath from about ...
A: Jason, I suppose you could use a fog machine, however, vents don't push much in the way of air ...
|
| odor | 1/19/2009 |
Q: have a 2nd floor washing machine (fairly new)..midway through a wash BUT only 1 out of 5 or 10 times ...
A: You're welcome Harvey. I'm as baffled about this inconsistency sometimes as you are. By the way, ...
|
| Cold shower only | 1/19/2009 |
Q: I was hoping that you could help I have recently installed a new thermostatic shower at home. This ...
A: Jacques, Sorry to take so long getting back to you. I've done a bit of research and it looks to me ...
|
| Hose Bibbs | 1/19/2009 |
Q: I live in California and would like to know what is the maximum height a hose bibb can be set at. ...
A: Matthew, From that standpoint, there is no height restriction, however, the hose bibb should not ...
|
| Burnham Heater not turning on - Works when | 1/19/2009 |
Q: Last year our home heater worked fine. This past November, it did not turn on. Here's some ...
A: David, To clean the vent piping, you'll have to disconnect the exhaust vent piece-by-piece, ...
|
| breaking loose a galvanized pipe | 1/19/2009 |
Q: Anthony, I am struggling to break loose a piece of 1/2" galvanized pipe from an elbow. It's in a ...
A: Jason, Sorry to get back to you late with this one. Here goes. If the piping is bending, you are ...
|
| Just installed new water heater | 1/18/2009 |
Q: I would like to know why after we just had water heater replaced the water is not flowing in one of ...
A: Donna, You may have debris stuck either in the water line feeding the faucet or the aerator is ...
|
| Moving a toilet | 1/18/2009 |
Q: Anthony As part of an extensive bathroom remodeling project, I would like to re-locate a toilet ...
A: Wayne, Congratulations on taking on such a tough project. You'll learn a lot. It's always good to ...
|
| Dripping bathtub faucet | 1/18/2009 |
Q: Our bathtub faucet is dripping and I would like to know how to fix it. The actual stem itself is ...
A: Amber, What has probably happened is the gasket inside the spout (you called it a stem) is worn ...
|
| Vacation Water Turn Off | 1/18/2009 |
Q: I live in Chicago area and we have experienced very cold weather. I'm leaving on a 2 week vacation ...
A: Mike, It's good to keep the temperature inside your home as high as necessary to prevent freezing, ...
|
| pressure tank | 1/18/2009 |
Q: I have a busted bladder in my tank. i would like to get a new one but im told i need a sample ...
A: Lynn, I'm sorry to get back to you late. If you contact a well company, they usually can do the ...
|
| Plumbing Outside faucet | 1/18/2009 |
Q: I have an outside faucet that the brass part of the spigot is busted and leaking on the outside of ...
A: J.C., The brick touching the pipe can transfer cold, however, the solution I'm referring to ...
|
| Sewer Gas Smell | 1/18/2009 |
Q: I have had a musty sewer gas smell coming from the wet wall between my kitchen and bath from about ...
A: Jason, If the smell is in the wall, odds are its the vent for the toilet. This vent starts at ...
|
| Mobile Home Septic | 1/17/2009 |
Q: A few days ago, my son went into the bathroom and said that the toilet was full?! I was confused. So ...
A: Jane, First of all, NEVER, EVER use Drano for these type of systems. They are delicate and Drano ...
|
| no hot water | 1/17/2009 |
Q: We currently do not have any hot water. Our crawl space is insulated where the main pipes are but ...
A: Laurie, If your water heater is not thermally protected, it's possible that its' piping is frozen. ...
|
| plumbing well pumps | 1/17/2009 |
Q: My home is about 5 years old. Recently, my well pump was coming on every 5-6 seconds. the pressure ...
A: Kevin, Sometimes the pump's high/low cut off switch needs adjustment. To do this correctly the ...
|
| Plumbing Outside faucet | 1/17/2009 |
Q: I have an outside faucet that the brass part of the spigot is busted and leaking on the outside of ...
A: J.C., To save money and time, it's probably best to open the wall inside to observe the piping ...
|
| no water in toilet tank | 1/17/2009 |
Q: our toilet was fine then it wasnt.there is no water filling the tank,we cant here it running or ...
A: Terri, Perhaps the line coming to the toilet or the angle stop is frozen. Shut the valve off, ...
|
| water line blockage | 1/17/2009 |
Q: I have what I believe is a blockage between the hot water tank and my kitchen sink. All other ...
A: Brian, Yes, I do. You probably have debris stuck in the shut off valve under the sink. You'll ...
|
| Bathroom Faucet | 1/17/2009 |
Q: This morning when I tried to turn on the hot water in my bathroom sink, nothing happened, no water. ...
A: Joni, Just a couple of questions so I can best understand what's going on: 1) Do you have any part ...
|
| Pressure test | 1/16/2009 |
Q: I'm going to remodel a bathroom and plan convert some galvanized drain line into PVC. I am planning ...
A: Mark, This is a lot simpler than it sounds. Essentially, anytime you make a permitted addition to ...
|
| water leaking out of bathroom top vent | 1/16/2009 |
Q: what does this mean? water was leaking out of the ceiling from the vent where the fan is located. ...
A: Noelle, Is it raining when you see the water? Then perhaps your roof flashing is not properly ...
|
| plumbing | 1/16/2009 |
Q: I had a leak in a hot water pipe that was found in the wall and under the slab. The water was ...
A: Doreen, The cheapest fix to seal up a hairline crack would be to use "Marine Epoxy". This is a one ...
|
| Dishwasher Not Draining Properly | 1/16/2009 |
Q: My 6 month old dishwasher suddenly stopped draining properly. After each load there is water ...
A: Shawn, Just had this occur to a client of mine. They tried everything you mentioned and then ...
|
| Shower Head - Same in US and Canada? | 1/16/2009 |
Q: We're trying to figure out if a shower head purchased in the US will fit a shower in Canada (and if ...
A: Matt, I think you're right. It depends upon the thread size, however, it can also depends upon ...
|
| why the whine? | 1/16/2009 |
Q: We enlarged our master bath. Before we had a 3/4 bath. We added a separate tub. We reconfigured ...
A: Lou Ann, The "whine" or sometimes "moan" that occurs is due to water friction. As water is used in ...
|
| low hot water in shower (not pressure) | 1/15/2009 |
Q: I have my hot water tank set at 130. The separate bathtub gets hot water so that I have to turn it ...
A: Melody, These type of shower valves are temperature and pressure balanced. This means that if the ...
|
| Burnham Heater not turning on - Works when "jump" started | 1/15/2009 |
Q: Last year our home heater worked fine. This past November, it did not turn on. Here's some ...
A: David, Thank you for a complete picture of the issues you're having. If I read this correctly, you ...
|
| Frozen shower drain | 1/15/2009 |
Q: Our shower drain froze somewhere during a cold snap/cold wind period. Our local home center said to ...
A: Lon, Why didn't you use scalding hot water to help melt the ice? At this point, it may be ...
|
| Hose Bibbs | 1/15/2009 |
Q: I live in California and would like to know what is the maximum height a hose bibb can be set at. ...
A: Matthew, Great question... According to the UPC (Uniform Plumbing Code), Section 603.4.7 - Potable ...
|
| Drain Pipe Diameter | 1/15/2009 |
Q: What is the smallest diameter drain pipe that I can use for an upstairs bathroom sink drain? Thanks ...
A: Mike, If you are talking about the drain line from the p-trap to the drain in the wall, it is best ...
|
| Frozen hose bib | 1/14/2009 |
Q: I have a freeze proof (I think) on the back of my house. I just went outside to disconnect the ...
A: Randy, We suffer with this situation in our part of California too. Using a hairdryer to melt the ...
|
| Well pump issue | 1/14/2009 |
Q: I have a well pump with a pressure tank. After just a few seconds of the water running the pump ...
A: Joe, Depending upon the age of your system, you could have a pressure tank that's water logged or ...
|
| p-traps | 1/14/2009 |
Q: I had two cultured marble showers installed and the builder did not put in p-traps. I know I have ...
A: Carolyn, This situation makes me furious! I am REALLY MAD... How could anyone claiming to be a ...
|
| odor | 1/14/2009 |
Q: have a 2nd floor washing machine (fairly new)..midway through a wash BUT only 1 out of 5 or 10 times ...
A: Harvey, Sometimes, homes with 2nd floor laundries have a floor drain to prevent flooding should ...
|
| sump pit location | 1/14/2009 |
Q: I have bought a house that is subject to inspection. It is 25 year old subdivision and the inspector ...
A: Charlene, Any time you are making a major purchase like a home or used car, you want to afford ...
|
| low water pressure | 1/13/2009 |
Q: I have low water pressure just for cold water and only on the faucet in my sink. I had a new faucet ...
A: Hey Kris, Did your plumber check the flow through the shut off valve and supply hose first? This ...
|
| Moen single handle faucet adapter broke | 1/13/2009 |
Q: Whyms I have a Moen single-handle kitchen faucet, model number 7400. The handle adapter broke ...
A: Tim, As much as I love Moen faucets for ease of use and repair, they CAN be a nightmare at times. ...
|
| Sump pump set-up | 1/13/2009 |
Q: During storms my sump pump can work almost non stop. Right now I'm just using whatever the builder ...
A: Jim, Seems to me that your sump pit is adequate, however, if you are getting that much rain, then ...
|
| water pressure | 1/13/2009 |
Q: Recently our water pressure started surging, the temp stays normal just surges. We recently ...
A: Tnja, My guess is it's the pressure regulator. Please have it checked by a reputable & licensed ...
|
| washing machine hook up valve | 1/12/2009 |
Q: My cold water hook up valve for my washing machine is leaking from the handle. How do I fix this? ...
A: Kerrie, Here is one way: Turn off the water to the house and drain the cold water from the front ...
|
| Low hot water supply | 1/12/2009 |
Q: Our 15 year old house water heater still gets the water hot enough, but it runs out way sooner that ...
A: Dave, First, try to flush it out. This is easily done by shutting off the water into the heater ...
|
| Faucet Aerator Issues | 1/12/2009 |
Q: I just installed (by myself, thank you!) a new kitchen sink faucet. I attached a new nozzle ...
A: Victoria, I'm sorry this happened to you. It really is frustrating when this happens to ...
|
| plumbing | 1/12/2009 |
Q: I had a leak in a hot water pipe that was found in the wall and under the slab. The water was ...
A: Doreen, I would say its' providential that you had the water leak in order to find a more serious ...
|
| VACATION HOME | 1/12/2009 |
Q: HAVING A SIX BED/SIX FULL/2 HALF HOUSE BUILT IN UPSTATE NEW YORK. (GETS PRETTY COLD IN THE ...
A: Since you're in the beginning of building your home, it's easier to make design changes that ...
|
| can't plunge toilet w/square outlet | 1/12/2009 |
Q: My husband and I recently moved into a 15 year house which has two Briggs 1.5 toilets. We have tried ...
A: Michelle, Yes, there are specialty plungers available. At most plumbing supply stores (where ...
|
| Water softener | 1/11/2009 |
Q: Our Sears water softener is about 5 years old and I just noticed that there is water standing on top ...
A: Jack, By "standing on top of the salt in the tank", I take it that the water level is above the ...
|
| Cold shower only | 1/11/2009 |
Q: I was hoping that you could help I have recently installed a new thermostatic shower at home. This ...
A: Jacques, One of the most frustrating things in the world is plumbing that doesn't work when you ...
|
| kitchen sink backup | 1/11/2009 |
Q: I started to notice that when my dishwasher drained, it was starting to come up into my kitchen ...
A: Stacy, Depending upon who did the snaking, they may not have gotten all of the problem. Sometime ...
|
| plumbing gasket | 1/10/2009 |
Q: I purchased a home that has a McPherson flush up a toilet that will "up-flush" with just water ...
A: I totally understand your situation. For situations with minor leaks, here is a quick and dirty ...
|
| washer/dryer relocation | 1/10/2009 |
Q: My washer and dryer are in the garage and I want to build a utility room off of the kitchen and put ...
A: Michelle, Anything is possible, only time will tell if its' probable. This type of addition ...
|
| PVC drain in basement | 1/10/2009 |
Q: I have a fairly long kitchen sink pvc drain line that goes approx. 16 feet one direction and then ...
A: Bob, I'm surprised you didn't have problems before now. According to your narrative, your total ...
|
| leaky shower arm | 1/10/2009 |
Q: We own an 8 year old modular colonial and have been dealing with a leaky spraying shower head. So I ...
A: Liza, Apparently the problem is your valve. You are experiencing 'bleed through' from the valve, ...
|
| pump problems | 1/10/2009 |
Q: I noticed a continual strange noise coming from the ejector pump during a heavy rain last week. I ...
A: Glenda, About the only way to determine if there is a problem with a sewage ejector is to remove it ...
|
| plumbing gasket | 1/10/2009 |
Q: I purchased a home that has a McPherson flush up a toilet that will "up-flush" with just water ...
A: Sorry Ed, I don't have much experience with these type of water closets (toilets). I've done some ...
|
| Overflow Tube | 1/10/2009 |
Q: The overflow tube in my toilet tank seems to have broken off at the bottom (well, not "seems", it ...
A: Aymie, I understand your dilemma. Keeping everybody happy starts with having plenty of bathroom ...
|
| poor water pressure | 1/9/2009 |
Q: The main water line comming into my house, a 1" pvc pipe broke. I dug up the line and repaired it ...
A: Don, Did you check the water pressure at the regulator? It should normally be 55-65 psi, if it is ...
|
| Toilet - After flushing noise | 1/9/2009 |
Q: I moved into a 9-year old home that has 1 floor. I have 2 1/2 bathrooms (2 on the top floor and 1/2 ...
A: Kiran, This is a form of "water hammer", that is vibrations occurring when water is used and the ...
|
| buzzing noise in plumbing | 1/9/2009 |
Q: For about a month now, the plumbing in our house has been making buzzing noises. The noise begins ...
A: Trudy, Noise in water piping systems, comes from one of two sources: Excessive pressure and debris ...
|
| poor water pressure | 1/8/2009 |
Q: The main water line comming into my house, a 1" pvc pipe broke. I dug up the line and repaired it ...
A: Don, When you turned the water "on", how fast did you do this? Most homeowners want to be done ...
|
| water surges | 1/8/2009 |
Q: I live in a trailer park but own my trailer. When I moved my trailer to the park which has town ...
A: You're welcome Eugene. My guess is that the water company may be using meters that are antiquated ...
|
| Main sewer pipe clog | 1/8/2009 |
Q: Anthony, We recently experienced a blockage in the main line that caused overflow into our basement ...
A: Scott, Sorry you had this experience. However, what is good out of this situation is that you ...
|
| shower drips | 1/8/2009 |
Q: After taking a shower in my master bathroom shower, it drips alot. before it was only a little. Is ...
A: Eddie, Some of the reasons showers drip AFTER you're done is because of siphoning. Some water is ...
|
| hot water flow to two showers and one sink | 1/8/2009 |
Q: I have very low hot water flow to two showers (not the tub spouts, just the showers) AND to one ...
A: Alicia, I meant to ask you if you home is single level or two-story. If the lines are undersized, ...
|
| plumbing probloems with a well | 1/8/2009 |
Q: We are having a problem with our well system. 2 days ago after a real big rain my wife told me she ...
A: Ken, Most well systems suffer at one time or another with discolored water. Remember, the water ...
|
| water surges | 1/8/2009 |
Q: I live in a trailer park but own my trailer. When I moved my trailer to the park which has town ...
A: Eugene, Thank you for being thorough. Many people suffer at the hands of water purveyors in their ...
|
| Well system and pressure | 1/7/2009 |
Q: I've got a well in which the water pressure is controlled at the well head via a digital control ...
A: Brian, I would first check the cut on and cut off pressure from the booster pump. Ideally, you ...
|
| My water is dark blue in color and has particles | 1/7/2009 |
Q: Yesterday afternoon my wife was cleaning both upstairs tubs. She called me and told me blue water ...
A: Eddie, This is curious. Water should never be blue, green or red! Are you sure there was no work ...
|
| Water heater/plumming | 1/7/2009 |
Q: I changed out my faucet in my bathroom and I had to close the valves in order to do so. After ...
A: Nhut, Depending upon the age of your piping system and how fast you turned on the water after you ...
|
| pump noise | 1/7/2009 |
Q: installed new pump and pressure tank,when it starts it sounds like a door closing kinda of a ...
A: John, Thank you for detailing out the piping system. First of all 1/2 inch is too small for a main ...
|
| Cleaning out calcium deposits from your lines | 1/6/2009 |
Q: Unfortunately I did not drain my water heater each month so I now have calcium deposits (I think- ...
A: Jonathan, Sometimes the water will flow clear during this operation, because the calcium has ...
|
| toliet shut off | 1/6/2009 |
Q: I replaced the float system in the toliet and now the toliet does not want to fill. The shut off ...
A: Byrnes, Good analysis. Test the pressure first, then once you have that answer, you'll know how to ...
|
| no cold water pressure | 1/6/2009 |
Q: .. I live in an older model mobile home and I was having problems with my HOT water pressure ...
A: Rhonda, Mobile homes typically have plastic piping. On the off chance yours has metal piping, you ...
|
| Pressurizing water tank | 1/6/2009 |
Q: It seems the old conventional water tank in our house has become water logged (the well pump cycles ...
A: Jonathan, First, you'll have to make sure you know the cut on pressure for the pump. Then your in ...
|
| Washing Machine drain to small | 1/6/2009 |
Q: My washing machine drain is 1-1/4" and runs approx. 70' underneath a concrete slab in the basement. ...
A: Keith, A more permanent solution would be to develop a bypass if possible. A clotheswasher puts ...
|
| kitchen sink backing up | 1/6/2009 |
Q: I am having a problem with my kitchen sink. I have a sink with a garbage disposal that slowly ...
A: Kelly, With a 100 foot snake, your husband should have easily knocked out the stoppage, unless the ...
|
| Noise in Pipes | 1/6/2009 |
Q: Can thermal expansion/contraction cause noise in pipes. I have a PVC pipe in one of the bathrooms ...
A: Bob, Yes thermal expansion can create noise. I would call a licensed plumber to get his opinion. ...
|
| Bleeding air from gas hot water heating pipes | 1/5/2009 |
Q: ..I have water in my hot water baseboard pipes, and the associated "banging". Three zones. I'm ...
A: Steve, These systems can be delicate to balance and really should be done by a professional. I ...
|
| Cleaning out calcium deposits from your lines | 1/5/2009 |
Q: Unfortunately I did not drain my water heater each month so I now have calcium deposits (I think- ...
A: Jonathan, Bravo for cleaning out your water heater! Most people neglect this for years and then ...
|
| sump pump code | 1/5/2009 |
Q: If we were to install a sump in a crawl space and have it drain through the block wall via PVC ...
A: John, First of all, this type of system CANNOT be exposed to public areas, especially if it carries ...
|
| just fixed leak in drain; toilet flushing slowly | 1/5/2009 |
Q: I just fixed a pipe in the backyard that was allowing water to drain up through the ground. Found a ...
A: Jonathan, The vertical pipe you found is called a "cleanout". It is used by plumbers to snake out ...
|
| deep-well problems | 1/4/2009 |
Q: I live in the country and have a well which I'm told is deep well because it has two pipes coming ...
A: Sarah, Sounds to me like you're working with an older system. May I respectfully request that you ...
|
| how water flow to two showers and one sink | 1/4/2009 |
Q: I have very low hot water flow to two showers (not the tub spouts, just the showers) AND to one ...
A: Alicia, As for the showers, you might still have the flow restrictors in the shower heads. If you ...
|
| copper elbow leaking | 1/4/2009 |
Q: The copper elbow in side the wall in my master bath is leaking. I can not solder to fix it because ...
A: Ian, Soldering inside of a wall cavity and evacuating water properly in this instance is the job of ...
|
| toliet shut off | 1/4/2009 |
Q: I replaced the float system in the toliet and now the toliet does not want to fill. The shut off ...
A: Byrnes, Hats off to you mate for taking on the toilet as a project! I really love to see folks ...
|
| In-house Water Filtration System | 1/4/2009 |
Q: We installed the above system in our home approx. five years ago. It worked well and silently up ...
A: Linda, After 5 years, most systems like these are not under warranty. However, not knowing if it ...
|
| pump noise | 1/3/2009 |
Q: installed new pump and pressure tank,when it starts it sounds like a door closing kinda of a ...
A: John, You may have a situation where the line from the well area is either too big or too small. ...
|
| PLUMBING LEAK | 1/3/2009 |
Q: I reside in the Pacific NW. Recently, we had an unusual cold spell for our area. To weatherize a ...
A: David, Could be both. The air cavity in between floors can translate latent air temperature so ...
|
| Plumbing - Loud Supply line | 1/3/2009 |
Q: My house is about 10 years old. It's a two story with an unfinished basement. Recently, I replaced ...
A: Darron, Sometimes if the pressure setting is too low or high on the pressure regulator, you will ...
|
| smell | 1/3/2009 |
Q: There is a nasty smell which eminates from the washer connection. Is this due to improper ...
A: Chris, This is probably due to ventilation. It will take some investigation and sniffing around to ...
|
| well pump | 1/3/2009 |
Q: my grandfathers house is over 60 yrs old. After heavy rain and snow melt off last week the tank ...
A: Greg, This IS a job for a professional. Know doubt the change in weather finally put the whammy on ...
|
| Sediment in master bath tub | 1/3/2009 |
Q: I have a rust colored sediment in the water of my master bathtub, it doesn't seem to be coming out ...
A: Sue, The only time this situation occurs is if you have "mixed" piping. This is when you have ...
|
| Hot water only in shower | 1/2/2009 |
Q: I have an issue in the Master Bath. The shower and bath tub are seperate. I only get hot water in ...
A: Billy, This is another case of "Wrong Way Plumbing", and I'm sorry you are feeling it now. May I ...
|
| frozen sewer | 1/2/2009 |
Q: hi i have a frozen sewer line and drano did not work do you have any ideas
A: Matt, Drano does not un-freeze lines. It's intended use is to breakdown soap scum and small bits ...
|
| Faucet Cartridge question... | 1/2/2009 |
Q: I am wondering if there is any standardization regarding faucet cartridges. Someone I know is after ...
A: Dave, The real short answer is NO. The faucet and tub/shower valve companies purposely make it so ...
|
| Water Heater | 1/2/2009 |
Q: I would like to know if anyone makes a lowboy electric water heater in the 38/40gallon range with ...
A: Dave, I recommend few models in water heater. Bradford-White and Rheem being among the best in ...
|
| draining water pressure tank | 1/2/2009 |
Q: we are leaving for a few months and we are going to drain our water, pipes, etc. How do we drain ...
A: Dennis, After you shut down your well tank, submersible pump and booster pump, you should be able ...
|
| New Shower fixture; low flow | 1/1/2009 |
Q: I recently had my bathroom remodeled, and the original contractor (who was fired for incompetance) ...
A: Mike, I can empathize with you. Many times I've had to go behind other plumbers who wore out the ...
|
| Hot water heat not working | 1/1/2009 |
Q: I'm able to get hot water at my faucets but my baseboard heat which is on the same system all in one ...
A: Eammon, One thing I've learned over the years is don't take anything for granted. The fact that ...
|
| Kohler Kitchen Faucet Model Fairfax K-12171 | 1/1/2009 |
Q: Anthony: About every 2nd or 3rd time we lift the kitchen faucet handle to start the water flow we ...
A: Biil, Trust me, even professionals like myself are at a loss sometimes with faucet designs and the ...
|
| Graywater Line Vent? | 1/1/2009 |
Q: a quick question here. I have a graywater line going through my crawlspace, and it has a "t" ...
A: Apparently, this vertical pipe IS a vent for the graywater line and although it is not to code, it ...
|
| using toilet vent as shower drain | 1/1/2009 |
Q: I am remodeling a bathroom on our second floor. Can I drain a new shower through a 2" vent from a ...
A: David, Sorry David, you can't. This is considered a vertical wet vent and bears special ...
|
| Graywater Line Vent? | 12/31/2008 |
Q: a quick question here. I have a graywater line going through my crawlspace, and it has a "t" ...
A: Dan, Please help me understand this better. If the line in the crawlspace is clearly marked "Gray ...
|
| lift station problem | 12/31/2008 |
Q: The alarm on our lift system sounds if I use the bathroom on our lower level or if I do our laundry. ...
A: Jan, I feel your pain. Nothing worse than an alarm (fire, low water level, etc) going off when you ...
|
| I hear water running when circulator turns on | 12/31/2008 |
Q: I have the same problem as Nicola from the last post. When the circulator turns on, I hear the water ...
A: Paul, Some sound is natural for these systems, that being said however, keep a vigilant eye out for ...
|
| low water pressure | 12/31/2008 |
Q: My tank is an MYERS WELL/TROL by -Amtrol C-2J52-12 12GPM. After replacing a cupple of cracked lines ...
A: Mark, Seems like you duplicated your question. I've included my previous answer and one ...
|
| water pressure low | 12/31/2008 |
Q: Anthony, I had a nipple brake after the main shut off for the house. While repairing that, another ...
A: Mark, Pressure tanks and booster pumps can be tricky. Factors such as age and even weather can ...
|
| Sewage Pump replacement | 12/31/2008 |
Q: I have a bathroom in the basement installed by the previous homeowner. It exhausts into a pit in ...
A: Mike, Hats off to you mate for desiring to do this yourself. However, because of the amount of ...
|
| Clean out plug | 12/30/2008 |
Q: We cannot find the clean out plug for our home. We live on a corner lot and have check the flower ...
A: James, If you live in a newer housing tract, then the developers most always will place a marker on ...
|
| New sump pump keeps going off/on - dry weather | 12/30/2008 |
Q: Our old sump pump died last week and my husband installed a new one w/ a pressure sensor (not a ...
A: Jules, Since the pump is new, usually they come with a warranty. I would suggest checking the ...
|
| Low pressure in the shower head | 12/30/2008 |
Q: We have a full bathtub with a shower head. There is a knob on the bathtub faucet that we pull up to ...
A: Gina, This type of problem is really an easy fix. What you described is a tub valve with a "tub ...
|
| Plumbing problems in older home | 12/30/2008 |
Q: We don't want to waste a call (and fee) if we are incorrect in our analysis. We have had our septic ...
A: Pamela, Thank you for the confidence you have in my answers. It feels good to be appreciated. As ...
|
| stinky water lines | 12/30/2008 |
Q: Why does my house have a horrible smell in all the places where water lines are located.Water ...
A: Laci, Quite possibly your water lines are perspiring. This happens in walls where the wall ...
|
| skunky smell under the sink | 12/30/2008 |
Q: I have a terrible 'skunky' smell under my ensuite bathroom sink. It has been going on for a while. ...
A: Linda, I have heard of a lot of mystery smells. Here are some ideas: 1) Check around the vent ...
|
| Poor water flow from bath faucet | 12/30/2008 |
Q: I have a Price-Phister bath faucet that uses a ceramic cartridge. The hot side started to water ...
A: Ron, Believe me, it's not you, it's how the valves are made. Unfortunately, this type of unit ...
|
| American Standard williamsville shower set | 12/25/2008 |
Q: I installed the unit less than one month ago. Everything worked great until I tiled the room and ...
A: Linda, A new valve and trim set should never leak, unless, a seal is missing. This sometimes is ...
|
| 10 Plate heat exchanger in place of water heater | 12/25/2008 |
Q: I built a garage a couple years ago and I ran a cold water line to it from my house. My original ...
A: Chris, If you've priced this out and it's cheaper than a locally purchased water heater, go right ...
|
| decreasing water pressure in kitchen faucet | 12/24/2008 |
Q: We have a Price Pfister Avalon single handle 4-hole high-arc faucet system in our kitchen. In the ...
A: Sarah, Glad to help. The best way to find someone decent is "word of mouth". Call your friends ...
|
| Sump pumps in winter | 12/24/2008 |
Q: A couple people told me to unplug my sump pump during the winter months. Is that right? Cindy ...
A: If this sump is for rain water runoff, I can't think of a reason to not have it running, especially ...
|
| well tank | 12/24/2008 |
Q: I have a galvanized well tank . it has a max of 75psi. it has a hole in it . can i replace it with ...
A: PJ, The Flotec you're describing is probably the 42 or 82 gallon model with max pressure at 50psig, ...
|
| clogged kitchen sink | 12/24/2008 |
Q: I live in a mobile home and have a double sink in the kitchen. Whenever we have below zero weather ...
A: Janice, Usually kitchen sinks are located near the exterior of a mobile home. Check and see if any ...
|
| x-trol tank | 12/24/2008 |
Q: my x-trol tank model wx302 appears to have a crack in the factory installed 90 deg elbow .. is the ...
A: James, The ninety should be removable and make sure you evacuate all the water in the tank and ...
|
| Constant Noise of Running Water | 12/23/2008 |
Q: I hope you can help as I am currently pulling my hair out as for the last two evenings the upstairs ...
A: Jason, I understand your annoyance with this "noise" issue. Today, builders use cheaper ...
|
| hot water heater | 12/23/2008 |
Q: I am replacing a hot water heater. The tank has 3/4 inch fittings. The cold water feed in the ...
A: Rich, I'm wondering if you weren't having hot water demand issues before now. A 30 gallon heater ...
|
| Toilet Sink | 12/23/2008 |
Q: My toilet sink makes flushing noise every 5-10 minutes. But when I check the sink/bowl, the water is ...
A: Manish, Usually, this problem occurs when the flapper inside your toilet is warped and no longer ...
|
| Tapping in ceiling and walls | 12/23/2008 |
Q: I have a studio apartment, 4 plus 1, and the plumbing is run through the units from top to bottom. ...
A: Sandee, Sometimes hot water piping will make "tapping" sounds as it heats up in-wall piping. This ...
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| That valve has me losing sleep. | 12/23/2008 |
Q: I decided to check the pressure valve,on the water heater.I pulled on the valve,it whooshed water ...
A: Fred, The device you described is called a "Temperature & Pressure Relief Valve" or T&P Valve. It ...
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| Water restriction | 12/23/2008 |
Q: I have a deep water domestic well system. I suspect I have a restriction in my pressure tank outlet, ...
A: Troy, Thanks for giving me a clear view of the situation. One of the things I suggest to my ...
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| hot water heater | 12/22/2008 |
Q: I am replacing a hot water heater. The tank has 3/4 inch fittings. The cold water feed in the ...
A: Rich, The size of the lines INTO your home are of particular interest to me. Is this a condo or ...
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| kitchen sink | 12/22/2008 |
Q: I do not have any hot water at my kitchen sink. The plumber was here the other day and took out ...
A: Nancy, Are you sure the plumber turned on the hot water valve to the faucet? Happens... not often, ...
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| toilet noise | 12/22/2008 |
Q: My residential toilets make a high pitched noise when flushed. The house is 4 years old and the ...
A: Tanya, You probably have debris stuck in the housing of the fill valve. You will have to remove ...
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| Water Point in Barn | 12/22/2008 |
Q: ..we own a small "farm" of five acres. With the increase in the number of animals, I'm finding it ...
A: Nancy, This time of year, I know a little about Wisconsin weather - I have family there. You could ...
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| Sump Pump discharge | 12/22/2008 |
| Q: I have a sump pump in my newer house and i |
