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Plumbing in the Home/Questions Answered by Expert Leo Luczak
| Subject | Date Asked |
| sewage smell in mobile home | 6/10/2011 |
| Q: Heeeeeeeellllllllllllllllpppppppppp!? Last week the fire dept. used a hydrant one street over and ... A: I can't see the connection all I can say is make sure all you p-traps have water in them ) ... | |
| water heater leak | 10/7/2008 |
| Q: I have a bradley - white water heater (Model: MI5036EN10) that has a water leak of about one cup per ... A: If the water heater is leaking around the base that usually means a leaky tank and you need to ... | |
| Rinnai tankless water heater on heats to 90 degrees | 2/10/2008 |
| Q: I have a rinnai tankless water heater in a house that was built in 1970, it is hooked up with a 3/4" ... A: If this is a brand new water heater I wouldn't do anything until you contact the place you bought ... | |
| Plumbing Pressure | 2/9/2008 |
| Q: Today I had a leak fixed by a plumber. The leak was outside the house where the supply line ... A: .. Does the neighbor you share the water line feed with have a regulator? if so where is his ... | |
| Pex tubing | 2/9/2008 |
| Q: This is Steve Young and I am one of your fellow experts (Home Improvement, Travel). Anyway, I am ... A: I must say I see alot of PEX I believe it does have its advantages as long as it installed per ... | |
| washing machine outlet box replacement | 2/7/2008 |
| Q: Leo, Simple ? I am sure but before I get in over my head ... I have an old valve type hot/cold ... A: the only way I know to do this is to remove a larger section of wallboard and create a good sized ... | |
| Fiberglass tub/drain replacement | 2/7/2008 |
| Q: I'm a single mom, doing this by myself. I bought the replacement part, but I can't get the old one ... A: too bad your friend broke off the cross hairs in the old drain unscrewing the old drain using these ... | |
| quick question | 2/7/2008 |
| Q: we have an offer on a condo, but i'm concerned about the shower/plumbing. when water is coming out ... A: Seems like you should replace the tub spigot with one with a new diverter valve a very simple fix ... | |
| ELECTRIC VS GAS HEATING | 12/7/2007 |
| Q: My wife and I are in the process of designing a house in upstate, NY an are looking into how to how ... A: There are charts available locally that plot the cost of gas verses electric..... try both ... | |
| Plumbing Question | 9/22/2007 |
| Q: I am not sure if this is your area but would really appreciate your advice if it is. I have a ... A: I am assuming your ceilng is made of plaster or sheetrock. In that case it is my experience that is ... | |
| Residential Sewer Cleanout | 9/21/2007 |
| Q: My home was built in the mid-60's with no apparent sewer cleanout in the front yard (the sewer ... A: Yes there should be a threaded cleanout at the end of the main drain line. The also should be a ... | |
| Plumbing Venting | 9/20/2007 |
| Q: I live in south Texas. I am wondering if sink plumbing needs to be vented through the roof, or can ... A: All plumbing needs to be vented to the outside to prevent odors and sewer gas from entering the ... | |
| Moving basement toilet plumbing | 8/20/2007 |
| Q: we would like to finish the basment in our 10-year old house this year, but are confused about how ... A: I am not Jason but; the toilet has to be within 6 feet of the vertical drain and vent (10 feet in ... | |
| pipes in wall shaking when i turn on ac | 8/20/2007 |
| Q: I live in Tx and have 2 mastercool units. Lately when i turn one or both of my a/c units the pipes ... A: Does this describe the problem? http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infplumb/infwatham.html Also - ... | |
| Ejector pump system in commercial building | 6/30/2007 |
| Q: I own an old commercial building that I am splitting up for commercial rental spaces. I already ... A: Of course you will need a grease separator and a permit and approval from the local building ... | |
| Main Sewer Clean out | 6/30/2007 |
| Q: I rented a rotor rooter and have been working on the main clean out sewer drain along with the ... A: I have done this before myself and yes I am blonde too. You have to keep working it back and ... | |
| makeup brush stuck in toilet? | 6/30/2007 |
| Q: Last week I dropped a 4" long, less than 1/4" diameter acrylic makeup brush down the toilet just as ... A: I think the brush is still in the trap if you are suddenly loosing water in the bowl. any chance ... | |
| I'm flusterated ! | 6/28/2007 |
| Q: Our toilet broke between the tank and the bowl. The water is turned off, the water is out of the ... A: Yes it is possible.... to check this remove the supply line from the shut off valve below the ... | |
| Vacuum Breaker compatibility | 6/27/2007 |
| Q: I've got a Damixa clawfoot tub faucet with a personal shower, and the inspector says I need a ... A: If you can get the threads to match (or find an adaptor that fits this should work; The Plumbing ... | |
| Foul smell | 6/27/2007 |
| Q: We are rounding up on a year ( a lots of money) in our "trying to figure this out" issue. Hope you ... A: A disconnected vent pipe would not create a gurgling sound - a clogged vent would. A disconnected ... | |
| very poor water flow at shower | 6/26/2007 |
| Q: I own a home that is very old although I think the plumbing was redone (probably not by a ... A: Good - you tried to blow out the line with water pressure. Since the tub pressure is low too I ... | |
| bath fixtures | 6/19/2007 |
| Q: I had a plumber come in to fix a leak in my tub faucets. They apparently had to put a new flow valve ... A: I would suggest you contact the owner of the company and tell him just what you told me.. and if he ... | |
| Install valve body | 6/19/2007 |
| Q: I have a brass vb to install for a new shower/tub kit. I have demolished to the studs, so I have ... A: The building supply store sells adaptors for pvc to brass or copper. I recommend a copper stubout ... | |
| Floor Heating | 6/19/2007 |
| Q: I live in an apartment and recently I have noticed the floor in one small area of my kitchen is ... A: The hot water shut off valve for the kitchen sink should be located in the cabinet under the sink. ... | |
| Wash Machine drain hose options | 6/19/2007 |
| Q: The current utility tub has a horizontal connection that I hook my wash macine up to and it drains ... A: I suggest that you plumb it in as shown in this picture as it always works; ... | |
| washing machine drain | 6/19/2007 |
| Q: I live in Connecticut and have a house with no basement, just a slab. I have my clothes washing ... A: Watering your garden using water other than that from the toilet is commonly called recirculating ... | |
| cracked cesspool pipe | 6/18/2007 |
| Q: I called a plumber in for some work and he took a look at a leak I had in the basement. He told me ... A: If the crack isn't too severe you may get some more use out the pipe by thoroughly cleaning it with ... | |
| Constant Running Water in Pipes | 6/16/2007 |
| Q: Does continuously running water in pipes indicate a problem, such as a clog? Or might it have ... A: Many apartments use a recirculation system which constantly pumps the hot water in a loop so that ... | |
| Changing out our Moen bathtub handle | 6/16/2007 |
| Q: I am trying to figure out if this is something I can do. Our bathtub has an old Moen handle, the ... A: Try taking the old handle to Home Depot or Lowes and seeing if they have a metal handle. Although ... | |
| plumming | 6/15/2007 |
| Q: when watering lawn or putting water in pool I lose all hot water right now and water heater runs ... A: Are you using hot water to water your lawn and fill your pool? If not I would suspect that you have ... | |
| Gas Water heater problem | 6/15/2007 |
| Q: We have a Bradford 50-gal. gas water heater (model #MI5036EN10) that is 6 years old. This past week ... A: Have you checked to see that the thermocouple is tight? If pilot light is not lit. Attempt to ... | |
| NEW Kenmore water heater making LOUD popping noise sporadically | 6/14/2007 |
| Q: We recently purchased a Kenmore water heater and it makes a very LOUD popping noise sporadically. ... A: I would try working any air out of the system by 'burping' the pressure relief valve a few times. I ... | |
| outdoor faucet | 6/13/2007 |
| Q: MY OUTDOOR FAUCET IS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY . I AM ONLY GETTING A SMALL STREAM OF WATER OUT. LAST ... A: try opening the faucet all the way and tapping against the housing with a hammer to cause vibration ... | |
| clogged copper | 6/11/2007 |
| Q: To make a long story short, I have iron in my water, copper pipes, and a little-used downstairs sink ... A: I know of no way to shake supply lines... and any aditive that you could add to the water the ... | |
| Toilet problem | 6/11/2007 |
| Q: I recently purchased a new condo. My unit is on the top floor of three. My problem is that the ... A: If your builder used a mechanical vent I would suspect it is defective. Before you add the new ... | |
| Leaky hose bib siphon release valve | 5/24/2007 |
| Q: Remodelled 2 years ago. The siphon release valve attached to the outside hose bib leaks. There is no ... A: They do make a repair kit (with instructions); ... | |
| old water pipes | 5/24/2007 |
| Q: We recently moved into a home that was built in 1970. It has galvanized pipe and we were horrified ... A: Galvanized pipe tends to corrode internally and fill up with crud especially if mixed with other ... | |
| main line clog | 5/23/2007 |
| Q: I just had a plumber out and he said we have a main line clog but have no cleanout. I saw a past ... A: You look for an elbow or joint with a threaded removable cap like these; ... | |
| New plumbing - low pressure | 5/23/2007 |
| Q: Almost a year ago we had a pipe bust in our 40 year old house and ended up remodeling the kitchen ... A: Did you get a plumbing permit and was the installation inspected and approved? And is your ... | |
| New home, sounds like a leaky pipe! | 5/22/2007 |
| Q: We just bought a new home about two months ago and noticed that every time you run the water ... A: If it is a light 'pinging' or 'tinkling' sound this is the noise that copper pipes make as they get ... | |
| does water flow direction matter? | 5/22/2007 |
| Q: We had a water well put in, we are trying to go off the grid. I did not hook into the pipe where ... A: When the city rebuilt the water main in my road they fed the houses using the garden hoses hooked up ... | |
| Running Gas to Kitchen Island | 5/22/2007 |
| Q: We are wanting to remodel our kitchen and include an island with a gas cooktop. The house only has a ... A: If you are installing a cooktop in an island (with no connection to the ceiling or an adjacent ... | |
| Toilet | 5/21/2007 |
| Q: I just remodeled a first floor bathroom which is directly under the second bath,, and added a 2" ... A: It sure sounds like a venting problem. I have never liked mechanical vents are you are relying on ... | |
| toilet leak | 5/21/2007 |
| Q: I recently purchased a older home and water leaks around toilet. Upon removal of the toilet I find ... A: I am not sure how the wax ring could become overcompressed unless the toilet wasn't tightened down ... | |
| Low pressure in entire house | 5/20/2007 |
| Q: We had the city check the pressure out side and it was 31gpm. ("high pressure for this area") ... A: Here's what I would try.... hook your system up with your neighbor's through the two house's hose ... | |
| Low pressure in entire house | 5/20/2007 |
| Q: We had the city check the pressure out side and it was 31gpm. ("high pressure for this area") ... A: you could check the pressure at an outside spigot... or close to where the water supply enters the ... | |
| sewer problem | 5/19/2007 |
| Q: I have a serious problem here, everytime i flush the toilet sewage waste comes out the bathtub and ... A: Your toilet should not leak out from under the toilet... so first thing you should do is replace the ... | |
| toilet placement | 5/18/2007 |
| Q: I need to replace an old round front. I would like an ADA type. the orginal rough in is 12". I ... A: You could look for a toilet with a 10 inch rough-in that would give you a little extra to work with. ... | |
| Pegasus shower fixture & water noise | 5/17/2007 |
| Q: I recently had a Pegasus shower fixture installed in my upper bath room shower. After the ... A: It sounds like either a defective fixture or an improper installation. If plumbing was ... | |
| propane lines | 5/17/2007 |
| Q: Can propane lines be steel or galvanized and should droppes be used at each appliance. Is there a ... A: Black steel - not galvanized I am not sure what a droppe is but an approved flexible connector ... | |
| Pegasus shower fixture & water noise | 5/17/2007 |
| Q: I recently had a Pegasus shower fixture installed in my upper bath room shower. After the ... A: Is the glug-glug coming from the drains? If so I would look for a clogged or undersized vent. If ... | |
| basement floor drain water level | 5/16/2007 |
| Q: When I look into the basement floor drains, I can see water several inches below the drain covering. ... A: There is a p-trap under each drain filled with water to prevent sewer gas from coming up through the ... | |
| Hot Water Hearter Replacement | 5/16/2007 |
| Q: We are due a hot water heater replacement and of course we will try to purchase the most efficient ... A: I don't think you would gain much by the prewarming tank. You might save more $$$ by installing a ... | |
| replacing a sillcock correctly | 5/15/2007 |
| Q: I'm replacing a sillcock that had a pesky "factory installed" leaky self-draining anti-siphon. ... A: Extra teflon tape would help as long as the fitting is snug. Can you loosen a hanger or pipe ... | |
| Crazy Bathtub Fixture | 5/14/2007 |
| Q: Leo, Thanks for making yourself available for a question. I live in a 50 year old house that has ... A: First I would remove the aerator and run the shower to see if a blockage there is causing the ... | |
| Chatter & flow | 5/13/2007 |
| Q: "Hello...the problem I'm having my kitchen faucet. It is a two handle (H&C) with a goose neck ... A: First I would remove the aerator and clean out any debris that has accumulated there. While the ... | |
| drainage | 5/13/2007 |
| Q: we live in a terraced house,my neighbour has moved his toilet/bathroom from downstairs to upstairs ... A: Assuming you live in a city that has adopted building codes, he should have obtained a plumbing ... | |
| Unthreading a broken drain assembly | 5/12/2007 |
| Q: We're replacing the fixtures in our bathroom, and we've gotten to the point of replacing the drain ... A: Fiberglass is not all that forgiving so you have to be careful so you don't damage the tub. I ... | |
| Compression fittings | 5/9/2007 |
| Q: Any tricks to using (reusing) compression fittings for replacing angle stops? A: I have never had any problem reusing compression fittings. Use one wrench to hold the angle stop ... | |
| knocking noise in pipe when not in use | 5/9/2007 |
| Q: I am having my bathroom redone and now I hear a knocking noise in the pipes. I heard the noise first ... A: That is the noise that copper pipes make when the expand and contract. If the pipes are installed ... | |
| knocking noise in pipe when not in use | 5/9/2007 |
| Q: I am having my bathroom redone and now I hear a knocking noise in the pipes. I heard the noise first ... A: I have never heard of attaching the pipes to the studs with clamps. What kind of clamps did you ... | |
| foul odor outside of house | 5/8/2007 |
| Q: once in awhile we get a septic like odor in the air outside our house, We have no problems with ... A: do the vents go through the roof? If they do does the prevailing wind come over the ridge of the ... | |
| 1125 ft from meter to house what kind and line size | 5/8/2007 |
| Q: Plumbers are scarce here! We live in a rural area of Colorado served by a gravity fed private water ... A: I am not an expert on private gravity fed water systems by any means.... but let me ask you this. ... | |
| washing macine backflow from drain | 5/6/2007 |
| Q: What causes awashing machine to backfow when it is spinning to drain the water. It does not seem to ... A: If it is just suds coming out of the drain check the standpipe for your washer drain - it should be ... | |
| Toliet Problems | 5/6/2007 |
| Q: Everytime my kids flush their toliet it makes a loud humming sound (kinda sounds like an ... A: Make sure the water supply valve under the toilet is fully on (turned all the way counter-clockwise) ... | |
| LOST RING in Shower Drain | 5/4/2007 |
| Q: when my dad passed away I aquired his favorite onyx ring (heavy) and it would actually slip off my ... A: It is quite possible the ring could still be there inside the p-trap right under the drain opening. ... | |
| No water pressure in Kitchen | 5/3/2007 |
| Q: We just moved into a new house. When we looked through the house we checked the water pressuer in ... A: If you have not tried this already do this; unscrew the aerator on the end of the kitchen spigot ... | |
| drain venting | 5/3/2007 |
| Q: I live on the 3rd flooor of a 5 story apartment building in N.J. and I'm renovating my kitchen ... A: First off your local plumbing inspector is going to require a permit and make the final call, also ... | |
| Leaking shower | 5/2/2007 |
| Q: Leo, I have damp dry wall just outside the shower stall above the baseboard. I cleaned out and ... A: It sure sounds like a leak inside the wall... one thing you might try is unthreading the shower ... | |
| drain venting | 5/2/2007 |
| Q: I live on the 3rd flooor of a 5 story apartment building in N.J. and I'm renovating my kitchen ... A: If you are talking about just running the pipe from the trap horizontally for 7 feet to meet the ... | |
| floor drain gurgle | 5/2/2007 |
| Q: I am reading a lot about gurgles in drains. I have a gurgle in one of my basement floor drains ... A: If it is kind of a glug glug like when you pour water out of a bottle.... if so I would suspect a ... | |
| loose bathroom faucet handles | 5/1/2007 |
| Q: the faucet handles in our bathroom are fairly new. they are mounted on the wall. however just ... A: yes there is either a little cover plate in the front center of the handle that you can pry off ... | |
| connecting a pvc pipe to cast iron | 4/27/2007 |
| Q: When removing the toilet, there was a lot of damage to the existing 3" pvc. It was connected to the ... A: You would use a rubber adaptor much like the rubber coupler you removed, but it would be designed to ... | |
| Moving a toilet | 4/26/2007 |
| Q: I recently bought a house built in 1915, and the bathroom is incredibly small. When I sit on the ... A: Yes - the toilet can be 5 feet from the stack so that should be fine. If the pipe is cast iton it ... | |
| Outside faucet | 4/21/2007 |
| Q: The stem that comes inside the house has cracked due to freezing. What do you think should be the ... A: The stem should'nt have cracked due to freezing.... did you forget to take the garden hose off prior ... | |
| gas line install | 4/21/2007 |
| Q: I recently installed an inground pool with heater, however the pool contractor does not install gas ... A: Your local building inspector will want to permit and inspect the gas line prior to covering it, and ... | |
| Leaks in the hot water recirculating system | 4/20/2007 |
| Q: Just a few questions on domestic hot water recirculating system. Our building is 13 years old and we ... A: Home depot sells a water pressure guage that fits on a garden hose spigot (and it would also fit on ... | |
| TAPPING SOUND IN WATER LINES | 4/20/2007 |
| Q: THE FOLLOWING QUESTION WAS ASKED BY ANOTHER BACK IN NOV...DOES ANYONE KNOW IF HE EVER FOUND OUT WHAT ... A: OK kind of a pinging noise? Then I would suspect the noise is from the expansion of the copper as ... | |
| No water coming out of hot water tap | 4/18/2007 |
| Q: Our upstairs hot water tap only seems to dribble out hot water, even when it is turned as much as it ... A: Here's what I would do. I would note the make and model of my faucet and go to home depot or lowes. ... | |
| Plumbing | 4/18/2007 |
| Q: I have two plumbing questions. The first has to deal a waste stack that appears to be leaking ... A: First off if you have a basement drain try dumping a gallon of water with a cup of bleach down it in ... | |
| Water Softener System | 4/17/2007 |
| Q: we just moved into a home that has well water/septic and a water softener system. The previous ... A: Some manufacturers let you add a little bleach in the system s a disinfectant... but it should be ... | |
| Water Pressure to second floor of duplex | 4/16/2007 |
| Q: We have a duplex built in the 1920's. One water line coming into the house for both living areas, ... A: Is the line to the road also made of galvanized? I would suspect it then. You might put a spigot ... | |
| Water from 1 faucet tastes bad | 4/16/2007 |
| Q: Over the past year, (we have had two water main breaks, between the house and the street,(in Austin, ... A: Try removing the aerator from the kitchen faucet and cleaning out any debris.. also blow the lines ... | |
| plumbing | 4/15/2007 |
| Q: WE HAVE HOT WATER EVERY WHERE ELSE IN THE HOUSE. THE HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1942 AND I DONT SEE ANY ... A: First turn off the hot water and remove the supply hose. Check to see if there is a screen that has ... | |
| size of utility tub or sink | 4/15/2007 |
| Q: My washing machine drains into a utility tub, which is then pumped out automatically into the septic ... A: I haven't seen this type of hookup... probably because I am the building inspector and I wouldn't ... | |
| whole house water treatment | 4/14/2007 |
| Q: I have a water softener but still have municipal water that leaves sediment, etc. in the water and ... A: I have a $30 filter that removes sediment...but we don't get much so the filters last a year or two. ... | |
| Toilet rocks on Closet Flange | 4/13/2007 |
| Q: I've got a toilet that eventually rocks and loses it's seal at the Wax Ring. There is a slight bump ... A: I would suggest using a silcone type bath caulk as it hardens and should provide support for the ... | |
| copper pipe in a concrete slab | 4/13/2007 |
| Q: I had a contractor build me a master bath onto my bedroom. he poured a concrete slab, and ran copper ... A: I am sitting at home away from my code books at the moment.... but your first inquiry should be to ... | |
| Moen single faucet problem (shower) | 4/12/2007 |
| Q: I recently replaced the plastic Moen faucet handle on my shower after it broke and found something ... A: I would go to home depot or lowes and look closely at the moen replacement handles. I suspect that ... | |
| basement refinish to incl full bath | 4/11/2007 |
| Q: I am looking to buy a new home w/a basement. There are some that I have found that are NOT stubbed ... A: You would have to locate a drain line and hope it is close to the area you want the bathroom.. then ... | |
| Water Softener System | 4/11/2007 |
| Q: we just moved into a home that has well water/septic and a water softener system. The previous ... A: I think it is possible that your children are getting burned from the chlorine. This sounds very ... | |
| safety of wet insulation inside water heater | 4/11/2007 |
| Q: I just had the lower element go. I seemed to drain the tank but when I opened up the lower element, ... A: I think it should be safe as your water heater is grounded and the water should evaporate off over ... | |
| Third floor bath | 4/10/2007 |
| Q: I want to add a third floor bath. To get to the 3" drain seven ceiling joists will need to have a ... A: The general maximim size allowed is 1/3 the size of the joists (you are close to this but you ... | |
| Humming Noise in Pipes | 4/9/2007 |
| Q: I have just purchased an older home built in 1979. Just recently we have been hearing a ... A: Did you do anything to the water system right before the noise started? If not you might try ... | |
| Auto Shut off Washing Machine Hoses | 4/8/2007 |
| Q: Recently, I saw an ad for washing machine hoses that claim to shut off automatically if there is a ... A: I think I would spend the $14 on a very high quality hose that should last for the life of the ... | |
| new home | 4/8/2007 |
| Q: I am building a new home on a chain wall foundation. My contractor has layed sewer pipes, but he is ... A: You want to avoid putting anything under the slab as it is inaccessible for any necessary repairs or ... | |
| relocating a gas range | 4/8/2007 |
| Q: I would like to relocate my gas range/stove. Can I do this myself? If so how would I go about it? ... A: Do you have any experience running threaded iron pipe? if not your utility company is a good ... | |
| Copper Coloured Deposits in the Tiolet | 4/7/2007 |
| Q: We use a water softener system that is using Potassium Chrolride pellets. We are seeing copper ... A: I have very soft water where I live so I don't have any experience with water softeners. I hope ... | |
| Low pressure | 4/7/2007 |
| Q: Just installed a 40 gallon Sears gas hot water heater a couple of days ago. I used Flex connectors ... A: Seeing how it is both hot and cold it must be before the water heaters. I suspect the new ball ... | |
| Dirt particles in water | 4/6/2007 |
| Q: When the hot (not cold) water is turned on in my shower, black greasy particles come out in the ... A: This is very unusual... can you capture a sample of the water with the particles and take it a lab ... | |
| Replacement of toilet flange | 4/5/2007 |
| Q: I recently upgraded my toilet on 20 year old house. Everything went ok, except that the toilet has ... A: You will need to make the concrete where the new holes should be, remove the flange, use a concrete ... | |
| PRV leaking | 4/5/2007 |
| Q: My question is: when there is a leak does the whole valve need to be replaced? I have read on 2 ... A: The PRV valve is such a crucial component of safety equipment that I would recommend replacing the ... | |
| Outdoor faucet | 4/4/2007 |
| Q: I have an outdoor faucet that is slowly leaking somewhere undetermined. I had a plumber out the ... A: I am away from my office (and my code books) but here is my guess.... if the yard was flooded and ... | |
| Main sewer line | 4/4/2007 |
| Q: I am remodeling an old house, 1940 that at one time had concrete poured between each beam. ... A: You might try running a power snake down the main line first and hope it is just a minor ... | |
| CLOSET Flange Extension Kit | 4/3/2007 |
| Q: I am replacing my Toilet and I have to use a Closet Flanges extension kit. My concern is how ... A: you want to have a good secure connection to the floor so the toilet won't rock or loosen over time. ... | |
| 10 | 4/3/2007 |
| Q: We need to replace a 10" rough-in toilet and are finding it hard to find a good one. There are very ... A: Sorry - I missed that part of your question because I would even try to jam a 10 toilet into a 12 ... | |
| Plumbing a natural gas line to detached garage | 4/3/2007 |
| Q: I am currently digging a trench for electric service from my house to a existing detached garage. ... A: You need to use a pipe specially rated and approved for underground burial and bury it to a depth as ... | |
| replace toilet & suds backup | 4/3/2007 |
| Q: we recently remodeled our powder room, which also houses our washer/dryer...problem #1, ceramic tile ... A: Is the plumber licensed? Did you get a plumbing permit and was the rough in plumbing inspected? ... | |
| main line clog | 4/2/2007 |
| Q: All of our drains and sinks are draining slowly and we hear a gurgle in the clothes washer lines ... A: are you sure you don't have a cleanout on the far end of the main drain? If not you could pull ... | |
| toilet problems | 4/1/2007 |
| Q: ok so for the last week, when i flush my toilet it makes a weird noise, im not sure how to discribe ... A: Cloudy water usually means dissolved air is present. Turn off the water supply to the toilet and ... | |
| Plumbing leak in the front yard | 4/1/2007 |
| Q: I just bought a house in Charlotte , NC that has been vacant for a year. Last Autumn, to prepare ... A: The water department here has a machine that can sample the water and determine whether the water ... | |
| Oily Shower Water | 3/31/2007 |
| Q: I live on the 17th floor of a 31-story high-rise condo building. Lately, I've been noticing that ... A: Do you have your own water heater? If so try draining out some water using the spigot at the bottom ... | |
| Slow baththub | 3/30/2007 |
| Q: The bathtub in my house has recently started draining quite slowly. I've used drain cleaner 2 times, ... A: It's probably clogged with hair; Bathtubs usualy start running slower and slower before backing up. ... | |
| Water Hose | 3/25/2007 |
| Q: We recently bought a home but when we use the outdoor water hose it makes a sound similar to the ... A: It's not a big deal but when you said you just bought the home I thought I would ask... if it is ... | |
| smelly toilet in home | 3/24/2007 |
| Q: I just put a 1/3 of a solution into our toilet because it smells when we have the radiator heat in ... A: What you did by dumping the CLR Septic Cleaner down the toilet caused no harm.... it was just ... | |
| washer drain | 3/23/2007 |
| Q: I recently bought a home (not moved in yet) that has a laundry room on the main floor. The washing ... A: If it looks like the first picture in this then it doesn't meet code as the maximum trap are length ... | |
| Stuck drain stop in bathroom sink | 3/21/2007 |
| Q: The mechanism that opens and closes the drain stop is now broken and I'm unable to get the stop out ... A: unscrew the nut at the rear of the sink drain piece that is holding the metal lever piece that makes ... | |
| detached garage bathroom | 3/20/2007 |
| Q: I recently bought a home that has a detached garage with a half bath inside. The toilet backed up ... A: I am on vacation til thursday so I am away from my code books.. but I believe a cleanout is required ... | |
| toilet plumbing problem | 3/20/2007 |
| Q: Here's the problem the toilet flushes fine. BUT once you flush and the flush is complete you hear ... A: Did you check out the web link I included? I thought it explained water hammer very well... ... | |
| Suds coming up through drain | 3/20/2007 |
| Q: We recently bought a house that is 36 years old. When we use the washing machine in our basement ... A: It sounds like you have a partial blockage between the floor drain and the street. When the heavy ... | |
| moving the washer & dryer | 3/20/2007 |
| Q: My wife wants to move our washer & dryer from the basement to the pantry directly above it on the ... A: A plumber would have to either tap into the drain/vent in the upper room or relocate the existing ... | |
| sewer | 3/19/2007 |
| Q: I want to add another bathroom to a house built in 1920. The sewer in the basement that I want to ... A: I would think you want to make sure that your floor drain isn't tied to the foundation water drains ... | |
| moving the washer & dryer | 3/19/2007 |
| Q: My wife wants to move our washer & dryer from the basement to the pantry directly above it on the ... A: You can't just add an extension onto the existing drain sysyem for the washer, but the rest of your ... | |
| toilet plumbing problem | 3/19/2007 |
| Q: Here's the problem the toilet flushes fine. BUT once you flush and the flush is complete you hear ... A: Try turning off the water supply to the toilet and flushing the tank without having the water ... | |
| Shower spray on ceiling | 3/19/2007 |
| Q: I would like to install, as part of my bathroom renovation, Kolher Shower tiles in the ceiling. Can ... A: I can't find specs for the installation either but I do note that all the photos I can find show a ... | |
| moving bathroom plumbing around | 3/18/2007 |
| Q: We bought a house a year ago, I do not have a shower in the master bath. We are currently remodeling ... A: You can move things around in a bathroom on a slab but you need to jackhammer the concrete out to do ... | |
| plumbing | 3/17/2007 |
| Q: while digging ejecter pump i ran into ground water. how do i proceed? also can i use cheater vent in ... A: Sorry I don't know anything about ejector pumps - but I do know that 'cheater valves' are not ... | |
| Removing galvanized pipe | 3/16/2007 |
| Q: I'm trying to remove a 2" drain pipe from the fitting so that I can install a PVC equivalent. (It ... A: The metal pipes provide an additional ground (if available) the main ground should be a grounding ... | |
| Air shooting out of faucet | 3/16/2007 |
| Q: When I turn on the faucet air will shoot out pretty hard. I've drained the tank, then let it fill ... A: As I said in my description I don't know much about wells... but one of these sites might help; ... | |
| Sewage Smell | 3/16/2007 |
| Q: After it rained there has been a strong sewage smell coming from under the house the last few days. ... A: The rain should not affect your sewer system as it is a sealed system fro your house to the ... | |
| low hot water pressure in bathtub | 3/16/2007 |
| Q: I have suddenly (overnight)lost most of my hot water pressure in both of my second floor bathtubs. I ... A: This is a tough one.... try this... 1) Drain any sediment out of the bottom of the hot water ... | |
| bathroom in basement | 3/14/2007 |
| Q: I am wondering what is the best way to change my current half bath(toilet and sink) into a full bath ... A: You really need a plumber for this. So much depends on the size and distance to the drain pipes and ... | |
| water heater pressure release valve leaks after testing | 3/14/2007 |
| Q: The temperature setting is below 120 degrees. So I guess the question still remains - is it likely ... A: Try opening the valve at the bottom of the tank to see if there is a bunch of sediment in the tank. ... | |
| water problems | 3/14/2007 |
| Q: I am having a problem with my water. Ever since I moved into the place I am now living it seems ... A: I assume you have a well - if so these might help; http://www.askmehelpdesk.com/advice/t-6235.html ... | |
| water pressure | 3/13/2007 |
| Q: My water pressure is low on the hot side but not on the cold side. Water heater is new and dripping ... A: There is no overflow on a water heater. There is a pressure/temperature safety valve though that I ... | |
| Sink... | 3/13/2007 |
| Q: Hey, my kitchen sink has been stopped up really bad for about a month. We've tried plumbing it but ... A: Take off the p-trap and see if it is clogged. If it is clean it out and reassemble. If it still ... | |
| 2 questions | 3/13/2007 |
| Q: 1) We have two hot water heaters for our home. We were told that they are piggybacked. When our gas ... A: 1) http://hometips.com/home_probsolver/hps03/11_waterheat/hps_waterheat02.html 2) ... | |
| wet venting | 3/12/2007 |
| Q: Is it possible to wet vent a new shower, a new separate tub, a new washing machine, and the existing ... A: If you are hiring a plumber they should be able to determine whether a wet vent would work. It is ... | |
| plumbing and electrical | 3/11/2007 |
| Q: I had the bad experience to have my home robbed of all it's copper piping... I would like to replace ... A: Sorry to hear about the theft of your piping. Yes you need to get a permit from city hall and it is ... | |
| faucet lock nut on bottom of sink | 3/11/2007 |
| Q: Lock nuts are metal and old and rusted. Can't remove have tried everything - Wd40, a hammer...-is ... A: Take a real small wire brush and remove as much of the corrosion as you can. Spray WD-40 on the ... | |
| Hot water coming out of the cold water faucet | 3/10/2007 |
| Q: Recently, we are getting hot water when opening the cold water faucet. This is a 3 story house, and ... A: Wow! Thanks for letting me know... I figured my answer was really a longshot. This is an odd ... | |
| kitchen faucet | 3/9/2007 |
| Q: is it possible to change a high pressure faucet to low pressure faucet. I don't mean exchange them, ... A: I am not sure what you are asking. Is the faucet designed to operate in systems with higher than ... | |
| Hooking up a hose to a sink faucet | 3/8/2007 |
| Q: I know this might sound silly, but it's important to me. I live in an apartment that has one of ... A: Do you have a washing machine in your apartment? A garden hose might fit on the cold water feed if ... | |
| plumbing question...ice maker valve | 3/8/2007 |
| Q: My ice maker stopped working and only trickles a small amount of water from the tube in back. Upon ... A: Yes I would shut the water off.... drain the plumbing by opening the kitchen faucet and then flush ... | |
| Moen Replacement problems | 3/8/2007 |
| Q: My shower pressure was completely low. We were told to change the posi temp cartridge. We have done ... A: Before I would even consider paying $80 and hour (or thereabouts) to hire a plumber I would try ... | |
| hot water heater | 3/7/2007 |
| Q: 40 gallon H2O heater only last for a 10 min shower. Last year all the elements have been replaced. ... A: I agree - in researching your question I found this comment from 'Julie' on another web site ... | |
| Old toilet | 3/7/2007 |
| Q: We tried to take the (wooden) toilet seat off of our toilet (quite old),tried WD40 and a wrench - ... A: Here are two ideas. My preference would be to borrow or rent a dremel type rotary cutting tool; ... | |
| Cleanout plug replacement? | 3/7/2007 |
| Q: I cleared a clog and when I went to replace the cleanout plug, it broke. The cleanout is brass or ... A: I would suggest to take the damaged plug to a long established plumbing supply store...the kind that ... | |
| cleanouts in a slab house | 3/7/2007 |
| Q: My wife an i just bought our first house , an the realtor we bought it from (to my knowledge) ... A: The cleanout us a screw cap at the end of your sewer line under the slap that gives you access to ... | |
| toilet semi clogged | 3/5/2007 |
| Q: my toilet is flushing slow i used a toilet auger and that didnt work what should i do A: If the clog is enough to substantially slow down the flow I have had good luck with an expansion ... | |
| Low Water Pressure | 3/5/2007 |
| Q: Our house is over 50 years old, and the water pressure is quite bad. For example, when the washer ... A: I had to replace the supply line to my 60 year old house because the galvanized supply line had ... | |
| no water - single handle delta kitchen faucet | 3/4/2007 |
| Q: Suddenly, no water is flowing from a delta single handle faucet. No matter whether I try to get cold ... A: Try unscrewing the aerator from the tip of the spigot and seeing if it is clogged with 'crud'. If ... | |
| Kitchen sink backups through disposal | 3/4/2007 |
| Q: As one side of kitchen's double sink drains, discharged water backs up through garbage disposal into ... A: Try unhooking the trap again and placing a bucket under the sink. Pour a bucketful of water down ... | |
| Plumbing Code | 3/4/2007 |
| Q: Do I obtain these building codes from the manufacture of the shower panals or do I have to get them ... A: Most manufacturers design their products to meet codes.... and they include a disclaimer that local ... | |
| water pressure | 3/3/2007 |
| Q: NO THERE HAS BEEN NO CONSTRUCTION AND THE OUTSIDE SPIGOTS DON'T HAVE MUCH PRESSURE EITHERABOUT THREE ... A: If your neighbors have good water pressure I suspect you have an obstructed water line feeding your ... | |
| Hot water pressure in shower in the winter | 3/1/2007 |
| Q: We purchased our 2 story home approx 5 yrs ago. It was built in the 1930's w/ the bathroom ... A: This baffles me.... one thing I would try is removing the shower head and turning on the hot and ... | |
| showers | 3/1/2007 |
| Q: ------------------------------------------- The text above is a follow-up to ... That I am unsure ... A: If the house is relatively new I would suspect a faulty tempering valve. Try closing it and ... | |
| water softener | 2/27/2007 |
| Q: we have had a softener for about 10 years and had to do nothing to it other than add salt. Over the ... A: Here's what I found on the web; How do I maintain my water softener? While most softeners need ... | |
| bathroom sink water pressure | 2/27/2007 |
| Q: We have good water pressure throughout our house. The other day the faucet in one of the bathroom ... A: Try this; Unscrew the aerator on the end of the spigot and see if the screen is clogged with ... | |
| Clogged Toilet??? | 2/26/2007 |
| Q: Started at the washer drain. It started to overflow there when the washer drained. Then it would ... A: did you try using a power snake from the furthest cleanout to the manhole? You never mentioned the ... | |
| Leaking pipe | 2/25/2007 |
| Q: I discovered a leak in a pipe in the wall between my bedroom and bathroom wall 2 nights ago (I could ... A: I think you are doing all you can at this point. As far as mold... when the plumber fixes the ... | |
| White plastic in water line | 2/25/2007 |
| Q: We are on municipal waterMy shower hot water line started dripping, so I removed the stem to replace ... A: First thing I would do is to call the City water department and ask them if it is possible that they ... | |
| repair hole in downpipe | 2/23/2007 |
| Q: A one and half inch hole in the toilet down pipe made by plumber to clear a blockage is causing a ... A: This "plumber" sure seems like someone who isn't licensed and bonded, he seems like more of a hack! ... | |
| Attic addition venting | 2/23/2007 |
| Q: We are adding an attic (3rd) floor bathroom. There was a separate 3" drain line originally run for ... A: the toilet must be no more than 6' away from the vertical drain and vent This is called the trap ... | |
| bathroom drain. | 2/19/2007 |
| Q: I have a stopped up bathtub drain and had a plumber come in to unstop it. After 3 hours, he still ... A: Is you plumber licensed and bonded? And did he use a power snake or just a hand operated one? I ... | |
| slant/fin boiler | 2/19/2007 |
| Q: pipe from top of boiler looks like relief leaking A: That is the pressure relief safety valve. Time to replace it with a new valve that meets the exact ... | |
| Leaking shower faucet.... | 2/19/2007 |
| Q: I have an older shower and the hot water knob is leaking. I am having trouble getting the bonnet ... A: These may help.... http://www.ehow.com/how_385_repair-compression-stem.html ... | |
| Hot water takes a long time to come | 2/19/2007 |
| Q: We bought a new to us house that was built in 1970. The hot water heater is 1981. It takes a long ... A: I would suspect the 26 y/o water heater, but try putting a hose on the spigot on the bottom of the ... | |
| bubbling toilet | 2/2/2007 |
| Q: I have a two story house with the washing machine upstairs. When the washer drains the toilet ... A: Since you live in a new home and this happened within 8 months I suggest you contact the builder ... | |
| help me please | 2/2/2007 |
| Q: two days ago my showre and bathtub water wouldnt come one,neither would my hot water in the bathroom ... A: If the temperature outside is below freezing I would bet that your water feed froze while the water ... | |
| Toilet not functioning properly | 2/2/2007 |
| Q: I have a toilet on the main and one on the upper level of my townhouse that do not completely flush ... A: If you had a major plumbing problem the lowest toilet in the system would be backing up.... not just ... | |
| bathroom sink | 2/2/2007 |
| Q: not sure this is a real plumbing question but here goes. In every bathroom in my house, the sink has ... A: It is a plumbing question... and with three daughters I have to remove the stoppers regularly to ... | |
| Frozen sewer lines... | 2/1/2007 |
| Q: When they've frozen before, we've crawled under the trailer and used an electric heater to thaw the ... A: I don't think there is anything you can pour down the pipes to thaw them (I wish there was... but it ... | |
| Low hot water flow from bathroom faucet | 2/1/2007 |
| Q: We don't get enough hot water pressure from our single handle Delta faucet. I replaced the ball and ... A: Assuming that you have adequate hot water to your other fixtures I was suggest that you go to place ... | |
| Hot water heater | 1/6/2007 |
| Q: I live in a mobile home. Last night I smelled smoke and traced it to the closet that houses the ... A: You should try draining the water heater to see if there is sludge in the bottom of the tank. BUT ... | |
| plumbing leak, suspect frostproof valve | 1/6/2007 |
| Q: the other day i attached a 'wind-up' style garden hose (the type that retract using water pressure) ... A: Is there a shut off valve that can turn off the supply for the outside spigot? If so you can turn ... | |
| Loud toilet filling noise | 12/3/2006 |
| Q: I was hoping you could help me find an answer to a toilet problem that I'm having. One of my three ... A: Sounds like you have a piece of debris lodged in your flushing mechanism inside the tank... ... | |
| Pipe Insulation | 12/3/2006 |
| Q: It's a double-wide mobile home that is occupied throughout the year. Something froze a few nights ... A: I would add insulation below the pipes that are under the insulation and tar paper (maybe 4 x 8 ... | |
| hot water temperature control | 12/1/2006 |
| Q: I recently bought a place that has a rather dated hot water heater. It could be original to the ... A: The device is called a tempering valve and with the cost if the valve and the cost of plumbing a ... | |
| leaking bathtub spout | 12/1/2006 |
| Q: I've replaced the bathtub spout and now have water leaking from the pipe that attaches to the spout ... A: Caulking between the spigot and the wall will not stop the leak! The leak is originating inside the ... | |
| Noise in Pipes | 10/30/2006 |
| Q: My house is 40 years old with iron pipes. I have lived here 6 years. In the past 2 years I noticed ... A: Does the noise happen when you are using the water or just a hammering sound when you turn the valve ... | |
| odor smell in home hot and cold water faucets | 10/30/2006 |
| Q: We have owned a condo in SW Florida for 5 years. We do not live there but go to spend the weekends ... A: The odor you smell may be coming from the BS the plumber is feeding you. Many times condos are ... | |
| Noise in the radiator or pipe | 10/29/2006 |
| Q: When I turn on the heat to my radiator I get this clicking noise in the pipe. Is there anything I ... A: The noise you hear is the sounds of the pipes rubbing against the studs in the walls as the metal ... | |
| Interior Stains in Comode Holding Tank | 10/28/2006 |
| Q: We have a new 3 month old home on a well, and the tank interior walls are getting a blackish stain ... A: As I noted in my description I don't know much about wells and septic systems. But, have you asked ... | |
| Single sink to double | 10/28/2006 |
| Q: I am doing a full bathroom remodel. We have all framing exposed. We decided to put two sinks in ... A: The water lines can be spilt inside the wall with a tee, the sinks can share the same drain line and ... | |
| Snaking A Clogged Main Sewer Line | 10/28/2006 |
| Q: I have a clogged main line every 7 months. Would you recommend snaking it myself? I hate paying ... A: I think you would be better off going to a tool rental place and renting a power snake. You need ... | |
| Bathroom Remodel | 10/28/2006 |
| Q: ------------------------------------------- Thanks so much for your response, though it made my ... A: 1) Good idea - placing the toilet is the number one headache in bathroom plumbing. 2) Also a good ... | |
| Bathroom Remodel | 10/27/2006 |
| Q: I live in a home that was built in about 1927. I have a small bathroom on the second floor and would ... A: Are you planning to get a building permit for these structural alterations? I have doubts that 2x8 ... | |
| Plumbing | 10/27/2006 |
| Q: I would like to add a sink drain in a commercial building. Luckily the new sink is on a wall that ... A: In my state you need a licensed plumber to do commercial work by law. You need to run a parallel ... | |
| winterizing summer home | 10/27/2006 |
| Q: I have a bottom floor condo that is vacant all winter. I keep the heat at about 60 degrees, but ... A: The sewer system drains with gravity so the water isn't standing in the pipes and freezing is not a ... | |
| Leaking shower drain | 10/26/2006 |
| Q: We have a marble tile shower leaking into the ceiling of the basement below. We opened up the ... A: I would look very carefully to see if leak the is coming from where the pvc pipe fits into the ... | |
| hot water - rust | 10/26/2006 |
| Q: we just drain it! Is there a way to force the crud out?we haven't put a water softener on, the cold ... A: Yes - hook a garden hose to the spigot and run it outside or to a sink or toilet. Keep the water ... | |
| mold in pipes | 10/26/2006 |
| Q: I removed the plastic pipes under my daughter's sink and found them covered in black mold (at least ... A: Is the mold only on the pipes? Or are there other mold issues with the dwelling? If it is only on ... | |
| sewer smell after snake job | 10/25/2006 |
| Q: We do not have but one floor drain and have used bleach and water in that as well. Is it possible ... A: Why would it be your problem if they messed up your sewer line? They attempted the repair to your ... | |
| Toilet Bowl Refill | 10/25/2006 |
| Q: I have had a problem with my 1.6 GPF toilet "overflushing". It would sometimes flush, clear the trap ... A: I think that maybe the problem isn't with the flapper - it could be with the filling mechanism ... | |
| Replacing Busted Bathtub Piping | 10/24/2006 |
| Q: I have a bathtub with a busted copper pipe inside the wall. I have no access panel. The supply ... A: You could try removing the spout and seeing if you are lucky enough to have the leak exposed; ... | |
| Kitchen drain | 10/24/2006 |
| Q: My boyfriend cooked 10 lbs. of hamburger meat and poured the grease down the kitchen drain. Now my ... A: Your boyfriend should either call a plumber or get a 'snake' and remove all the congealed grease ... | |
| plumbing problem | 10/24/2006 |
| Q: i moved into a house last year 4 months later i had plumbing problem. toilet and sink was backing up ... A: Did the city charge you for this service? If not maybe they will come and do it again. And did the ... | |
| Clogged plumbing and leakage | 10/22/2006 |
| Q: I live in an apt. building in Manhattan that was build in 1926. I think the building still contains ... A: If the leak only occurs as a result of a clog then it is in the drain side of the water system. ... | |
| cold water problem... | 10/22/2006 |
| Q: Leo, There was no repair prior to the problem developing. Could it be the cold water valve is ... A: Try this... remove the strainer from the tip of the kitchen faucet and with the cold water turned on ... | |
| musty smell | 10/22/2006 |
| Q: I have recently started noticing a musty smell in my bedroom. My husband and I have lived here for ... A: First thing to do is to look in the crawlspace for standing water and/or something that has crawled ... | |
| gas line | 10/22/2006 |
| Q: no underground pipes-- these will be run to the water heater, range, dryer and the fire place-- in ... A: First you should check with your local building department to see what is allowed in their ... | |
| water heater | 10/19/2006 |
| Q: now do I just hold a small bowl under there will alot of water shoot out and will I have to ... A: The best way is to turn off the power to the tank and hook a garden hose to the spigot. Then run ... | |
| Tub Cracked??? Please HELP!!! | 10/18/2006 |
| Q: I recently installed a new American Standard steel tub into my condo bathroom with a concrete floor. ... A: I have no idea. If the tub cracked I think the crack would be visible, and I think it's a good sign ... | |
| Mixing valve not working properly | 10/18/2006 |
| Q: Yes. They are in a horizontal row. Hot on left, shower/tub lever in middle, and Cold on the right.I ... A: This should help you; ... | |
| Leaking pipe due to hot water heater? | 10/18/2006 |
| Q: I do not know the exact temperature, but the dial on the tank was set half-way between warm and hot. ... A: The temperature of the tank was just fine. Is your handyman licensed and insured? He should be ... | |
| Sediment causing washer to flood. | 10/18/2006 |
| Q: My washer (15 months old) filled and overflowed and flooded parts of my first floor today. Damage to ... A: I can't imagine any way the sand could work it's way into the water system... most likely it was ... | |
| Dishwasher plumbing | 10/16/2006 |
| Q: We recently installed new silestone counter tops and hooked up the dishwasher. There are two tubes ... A: You either have a defective valve or possibly it was installed backwards. Note whish side the ... | |
| odor from dishwasher | 10/14/2006 |
| Q: I get a bad rotten odor from the dishwasher. I'm wondering if I have it hooked up right. What is ... A: You should not have a loop in the line..... there already is a trap between the garbage disposal and ... | |
| hot water heater | 10/14/2006 |
| Q: we finally found out what fuse it was. But it has been giving us trouble, I would reset the ... A: Are you saying you tripped a circuit breaker? If you did indeed blow a fuse then what are the ... | |
| Water pressure | 10/13/2006 |
| Q: How do I determine if the water volume coming in to the house is strong enough to supply the house ... A: First I would get a water pressure testing guage and attach it to an outside spigot to check the ... | |
| Pressure increase in a closed loop hydronic system | 10/12/2006 |
| Q: I am installing a closed loop hydronic heating system with 500 gallons hot water storage. I want to ... A: I don't know how to calculate the pressure increase, but I assume the expansion tank will absorb ... | |
| "stub-out" | 10/12/2006 |
| Q: Please explain in full details with your answers and give examples. (1) What is the plumber's ... A: The stub-outs are the pipes that project out of the walls and floor during a 'rough-in' of the ... | |
| hot water pressure | 10/11/2006 |
| Q: Followup To Question - I wrote you lately about a decrease in my hot water pressure and you ... A: You will need a female-to-female garden hose adaptor. Turn off the water supply to the water tank ... | |
| hot water pressure | 10/11/2006 |
| Q: I wrote you lately about a decrease in my hot water pressure and you suggested flushing out my hot ... A: Your water heater is at the end of its expected life and you might consider replacing it... ... | |
| Leak from under tub | 10/3/2006 |
| Q: I left the shower running for a little while before I got in and when I returned to the bathroom, ... A: First thing I would do is put the stopper in the tub drain and fill up the tub with a couple inches ... | |
| Leak from Tub/Shower | 10/2/2006 |
| Q: I have water dripping from a small recessed light in a newly renovated kitchen (2nd floor) which is ... A: Most likely it is coming from the drain; ... | |
| FALLOUT SHELTER PLUMBING | 9/27/2006 |
| Q: I'm building an underground fallout shelter. I can pipe in water from a good spring above. I'd like ... A: So why the fallout shelter? Is the big one coming? (Sorry... I am curious} I would suugest you ... | |
| Sump Pump | 9/27/2006 |
| Q: Yes, What you provided was helpful. But, it didn't show where the water goes, and the pipes that ... A: I don't know much about sump pumps as I don't live in the flatland so we never use them here. I ... | |
| Plumbing under the house | 9/24/2006 |
| Q: I am about to purchase a cabin that has been vacant for some time on a lake. The pipes are all ... A: I would suggest replumbing all the supply lines under the house with an upward slope from the shutof ... | |
| Trouble with new kitchen Faucets | 9/23/2006 |
| Q: I just installed a single hand kitchen faucet American Standard model 8410. When I turn the handle ... A: Just read your comments... of course American Standard would say it isn't their problem; Try this ... | |
| posssible leak in pipe | 9/22/2006 |
| Q: "early this morning my family and i noticed there was water all through are kitchen and it was ... A: It sure sounds like it's time to replace the water heater. Take it out and look for signs of ... | |
| Ext. nat. gas line | 9/21/2006 |
| Q: I'm in Calif. and I know that local codes apply, but I'm interested in what you might say. I poured ... A: 4 inch burial depth is generally allowed under a concrete deck, but this can be modified by local ... | |
| Bathtub Overflow Drain | 9/18/2006 |
| Q: I am a home inspector. While inspecting a new house I was filling a jetted tub with water and ... A: The purpose of the overflow is to prevent the tub from overflowing in just the situation you ... | |
| Loss of Water Pressure | 8/31/2006 |
| Q: I'll look for a pressure gauge. No repairs here; however, we do have a water conditioner. But, it ... A: Try this - put the conditioner on by-pass and see if pressure increases. If this increases your ... | |
| Loss of Water Pressure | 8/31/2006 |
| Q: During the past couple of months, we've noticed a significant drop in water pressure. If a toilet ... A: Is there any repairs that you completed just prior to the drop in water pressure? Do you have a ... | |
| Complete loss of water pressure | 8/30/2006 |
| Q: We are new home-owners in Indiana and this is the first time we've been in a house that has its own ... A: Contact a water well repair man. Many electricians and plumbers do not understand how to ... | |
| Basement bathroom drainage | 8/27/2006 |
| Q: We have an unfinished basement we would like to finish. We want to add a half bathroom on one side, ... A: If there is no stubout for the sink drain/vent then I think you will need to find a ... | |
| Vibrating pipes | 8/27/2006 |
| Q: The plumbing pipes vibrate off and on when the shower, washing machine, and or toilet are used. ... A: These may answer your question; ... | |
| Shower arm | 8/25/2006 |
| Q: I have a cracked shower arm. The pipe was plastic. I have removed both parts of the shower arm and ... A: Never heard of a plastic shower arm... no wonder it cracked. Try taking something stiff and ... | |
| Plumbing question (sorta) | 8/25/2006 |
| Q: Mr. Luczak: My mother's toilet stops up real bad, and I went down to the basement to check on the ... A: You should NEVER cut through the top or bottom plate of a mnufactured joist! However the joists ... | |
| Remodeling Vent Lines | 8/24/2006 |
| Q: My wife wants the 3 inch vent exiting the roof in the front of the house moved to the back of the ... A: This should work without mpactng the drainage or causing odors; a 3 inch vent can run for maximum ... | |
| dryer venting under the house | 8/24/2006 |
| Q: to install a dryer in the area most convenient I am going to need to vent it under the house. We ... A: Be sure to run the metal ducting through a crawlspace wall to the outside. Otherwise you will have ... | |
| Water damaged floor around toilet. | 8/24/2006 |
| Q: I have a mobile home. I purchased it 1 year ago and rented it out. The floor around the toilet, tub ... A: It could be a bad wax ring which would allow water to enter below the flooring and saturate the ... | |
| Warm water from cold tap cold water from hot tap | 8/23/2006 |
| Q: We only have a couple but yes. The hot water side of all the faucets will run cold and then a ... A: A couple of second delay isn't unusual unless you have looped hot water system in which case the ... | |
| drains | 8/22/2006 |
| Q: I'm interested in putting in a kitchen in my basement where there is existing plumbing for a washing ... A: The minimum drain pipe size for a clothes washer is 2 inches and the minimum drain pipe size for a ... | |
| stub outs | 8/21/2006 |
| Q: I moved into a house where the basement was stubbed for a bathroom. However I don't know what all ... A: Have you looked on the ceiling joists above the stubouts for a diagram? That is where I would have ... | |
| Black gunk coming from water pipes? | 8/21/2006 |
| Q: I am a woman who doesn't have a handyman so I will need explicit blow by blow instructions on ... A: I hope this explains it well enough; ... | |
| remodel tub to accessable shower | 8/18/2006 |
| Q: We are removing 40-yr old porcelain tub to install shower with seat for our aging mother. Our ... A: I would ask the contractor for references of where he has installed concrete shower pans to ... | |
| plumbing | 8/17/2006 |
| Q: My 2nd floor water volume gets slow when the 1st floor kitchen water is turned on. The person from ... A: If the guy from the water company turned off the main valve at the water meter and you still hear ... | |
| Leaking Shower Head Pipe | 8/17/2006 |
| Q: In my shower this morning I noticed that water had started dripping down from the wall where the ... A: You could try unscrewing the showerhead pipe and covering the theads with some teflon tape and ... | |
| Basement drain and radon system | 8/3/2006 |
| Q: We had a radon system which sucks air out of our sump pit installed shortly after we moved into our ... A: We don't have radon where I live so I am not familar with these systems... sorry! Have you ... | |
| Repairing water line. | 8/2/2006 |
| Q: On our curb strip (grass between road and sidewalk) in front of the house, we have a suspected ... A: I would keep the water on so you can did down and follow the water to the source of the leak. You ... | |
| Well Pump Problem | 7/27/2006 |
| Q: I have a shallow well pump without a pressure guage. It has a pressure switch on it. The pump will ... A: It sounds to me like the pressure switch is the problem - maybe out of adjustment or defective. ... | |
| Vibration and Noise from Plumbing | 7/26/2006 |
| Q: We live in a ranch style home with a full basement. The master bathroom on the ground floor is ... A: Try removing the showerheads and checking to see if they are partially clogged with debris. If they ... | |
| Bathtub faucet dripping | 7/25/2006 |
| Q: Three handle controls. Ive changed the seat, valve and the washer on both sides to no avail. Im ... A: It looks like you have covered all the bases... one thing to comes to mind though is high water ... | |
| drainage problem | 7/23/2006 |
| Q: Please Help The house is about 30 years old and two levels for some reason we have just started ... A: I am not sure why it worked so well prior to this problem, but it sure sounds like this setup is ... | |
| mobile home drainage problem | 7/23/2006 |
| Q: We rented an electric snake yesterday and tried to unclog a stubborn block about 10' from MH toward ... A: If the power snake stopped at 10 feet I would bet that you have a collapsed drain line right there. ... | |
| No Hot water pressure | 7/23/2006 |
| Q: I just bought a house that is six years old. I have no hot water pressure in any of my faucets or ... A: Try opening up the spigot on the bottom of the storage tank and if there is any crud evident hook up ... | |
| Leaves accumulating over patio drain | 7/22/2006 |
| Q: I have a small brick patio(the brick is laid into sand) with a drain in the center that continually ... A: I would suggest that you place something like a milk carton or perforted laundry basket over ... | |
| Follow on to question about plumbing and pipes | 7/21/2006 |
| Q: Dispatcher Bob isn't taking questions right no so I couldn't use the follow-on part of the question. ... A: Ask the owner if the plumbing was inspected by the local plumbing inspector... I bet it ... | |
| Plumbing | 7/21/2006 |
| Q: In order to make watering the front grass and flowers easier, I installed a water faucet on the ... A: The size of the pipe or distance from the main has nothing to do with it. I suspect that something ... | |
| humming/vibrating pipes | 7/21/2006 |
| Q: We're hearing a tugboat-like humming sound from a basement pipe whenever we: run a faucet on low or ... A: Have you checked the water pressure? If it is over 75 lbs that might be the cause. If no; ... | |
| cistern | 7/21/2006 |
| Q: The city of Akron filled the cistern 15 years ago, to code but the buyer still wants it ... A: It sounds kind of unreasonable to me but if it is a condition of sale I guess you can decide whether ... | |
| Gurgling noise in tub when toilet flushes | 7/20/2006 |
| Q: Yes, because only the sink pipe was replaced to go with the new sink and vanity. That connects to ... A: Do the toilets ever drain slow or back up? And was the plumbing inspected and approved? I am ... | |
| Gurgling noise in tub when toilet flushes | 7/20/2006 |
| Q: This noise has been present for some time, a loud gurgling when either of the two household toilets ... A: Did you have competent plumber install the piping and was it inspected to make sure it meets ... | |
| Running water lines next to drain lines | 7/20/2006 |
| Q: I am currently renovating our old 1920s colonial and have FINALLY gotten to the plumbing stage. I ... A: No - there is a requirement of a seperation between BURIED water and sewer lines but none for above ... | |
| Hot Water Pressure | 7/20/2006 |
| Q: Below is the begining of a conversation i started with one of the other experts but he is not ... A: I am assuming that the two valves controlling the water entering and exiting the hot water heater ... | |
| Clogged Bathtub | 7/20/2006 |
| Q: .. I have a clogged bathtub and I have been trying to unclogg it ... I've tried the plunger and ... A: It sounds to me like your drain line from the kitchen sink and disposal is clogged. I am assuming ... | |
| cistern | 7/20/2006 |
| Q: We are selling our 94 year home and we have a cistern that was filled by the city of Akron Ohio ... A: The first thing I would suggest is that you contact the City of Akron Building Inspection Department ... | |
| Stack vent/vent stack | 7/19/2006 |
| Q: We have as open vent stack that starts in the basement that hangs 2' below the floor joist, next to ... A: What do you mean by open? The vent stack is important to allow sewer gases to vent out to the ... | |
| water pipe vibrating when first turn on the water | 7/19/2006 |
| Q: what tool i can get in hardware store to test the water pressure in the house? Followup To Question ... A: http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=73222-18701-0069770&lpage=none I ... | |
| Toilet Problem | 7/19/2006 |
| Q: I was hoping you could help me find an answer to a toilet problem that I'm having. One of my three ... A: It sounds like you have some debris lodged in your toilet filler mechanism. You could shut off the ... | |
| Low Kitchen faucet water pressure | 7/17/2006 |
| Q: We recently lost hot water pressure only in the kitchen and replaced the faucet. This did not ... A: This might work... remove the strainer from the end of the faucet. Open the hot water spiogot all ... | |
| adding bathroom, mudroom | 7/17/2006 |
| Q: I have recently inherited a home that I would like to move into but some changes need to be done ... A: By the way you describe the wall it sounds like this is a part of the original structure and it ... | |
| bathroom in the basement | 7/16/2006 |
| Q: I want to put in a full bathroom into my basement. When we build the house we paid extra for them ... A: I assume that for some reason you can't just ask the contractor that you paid to install the ... | |
| no water pressure outside faucet | 7/15/2006 |
| Q: About 3 years ago i had a leak in my outside faucet (copper pipe) so i haven't used it since. Today ... A: Do you mean there is no water whatsoever or that there is some water but the water pressure is just ... | |
| Replacing Shoe Strainer - Help with gasket | 7/15/2006 |
| Q: I purchased a replacement shoe strainer for my fiberglass tub/shower. The new strainer comes with a ... A: It sounds to me like you need to contact the manufacturer of you tub fixture to get a strainer that ... | |
| Quest plumbing and pipe ruptures | 7/14/2006 |
| Q: I live in a 20 year old mobile home that is plumbed with Quest piping. Now I do have a couple of ... A: I gave you an honest answer... I am surprised by the negative comments. Sounds like you need a ... | |
| Plumbing for a stand alone vessel sink | 7/14/2006 |
| Q: The pedestal is like a grapevine and you can see thru it. The stone sink sits in the grape vines ... A: You could use plastic drain pipe and fittings that come in a white color. I suppose you could ... | |
| Plumber says I need a new washer drain | 7/14/2006 |
| Q: Plumber himself will move the receptacle and do all of the work he says-no electrician. Quote is ... A: a 'plumber' shouldn't rewire any electrical.... and $1000 seems way too high for 4 hours of labor ... | |
| Plumber says I need a new washer drain | 7/13/2006 |
| Q: Plumber came to work on our 1946 home. While under our pier&beam he noticed the drain for our ... A: The items he mentions are code requirements but you don't really have to fix them in an existing ... | |
| How to install baseboard level drain | 7/13/2006 |
| Q: I need to install a baseboard level drain for a portable dog bath. I can't use the sink as it's ... A: Either that or plumb in a floor drain or washing maching drainpipe with a p-trap and drain the dog ... | |
| How to install baseboard level drain | 7/13/2006 |
| Q: I need to install a baseboard level drain for a portable dog bath. I can't use the sink as it's ... A: I am not familar with the plumbing of a portable dog bath and I have no idea what a baseboard level ... | |
| Drain backing up | 7/13/2006 |
| Q: Yes, he ran 2 diffrent size snakes (including a large one on wheels), He said that the water which ... A: That makes sense to me. I recommend you ask him how far he was able to work the snake down the ... | |
| Bathroom faucet & shower hot water pressure problem | 7/13/2006 |
| Q: The faucet brand is MOEN. It has a single lever faucent for hot and cold water. As I turn the knob ... A: I would turn off all the water to the house at the water meter and remove the cartridge as shown ... | |
| home heating radiator bleed screw | 7/12/2006 |
| Q: a bleed screw it rusted in place and the square corners are broken, can i get a replacement screw ... A: First thing I would try is heating the radiator housing with a propane torch and then using ... | |
| Washer Drainage | 7/12/2006 |
| Q: Yes, I need to know how to properly plumb the washer so that the water is not going into a creek. I ... A: If you are in a City you may need a plumbing permit and an inspection of the new piping. It should ... | |
| Bathroom faucet & shower hot water pressure problem | 7/12/2006 |
| Q: I bought this 1997 built house a year ago and had no problems with the hot water pressure so far. ... A: Is there a shutoff valve for the tub faucet and shower? If so try turning on the hot water full ... | |
| bathtub bending | 7/12/2006 |
| Q: I have spoken to the American Standard "specialist". No matter who accept responsibility I would ... A: The only suggestion I have is maybe you could access the under tub area through the sheetrock on the ... | |
| Washer Drainage | 7/12/2006 |
| Q: I have a ranch house built in 1955 on a concrete slap. When my washer drains it comes out of a pipe ... A: A washer should never drain into the creek... it should drain into your home's sewer system so the ... | |
| Air gap question | 7/11/2006 |
| Q: I can do this, but this happens even when the dishwasher is not running. Are the garbage disposal ... A: It really has nothing to do with the dishwasher. The second sink is connected to the main sink ... | |
| heating | 7/11/2006 |
| Q: replacing all the piping to the radiators I need a configuration how to run the pipes for a two zone ... A: This is a very involved question to try to answer in a paragraph or two. This website might help or ... | |
| Air gap question | 7/10/2006 |
| Q: We have a double bowl ceramic sink. Sometimes when I run the garbage disposal, garbage backs up and ... A: You should either have an airgap or loop the dishwasher hose up by the sink to prevent backup into ... | |
| bathtub bending | 7/10/2006 |
| Q: I recently had my bathroom remodeled. The tub was replaced with one made of Americast. I weigh ... A: you should contact the manufacturer with the model number and description of you tub and ask if the ... | |
| Kitchen plumbing | 7/10/2006 |
| Q: The sinks in my kitchen are clogged. There are two sinks connected throu a pipe that connects to a ... A: If the rest of your drains work fine then it looks like you still have a clog in the pipe that ... | |
| Plumbing | 7/8/2006 |
| Q: We have a new home (built in 2004). Our water supply is from a rural water company and the lines to ... A: The water spigots outside the home are not usually connected to the regulastor and the low flow ... | |
| Plumbing | 7/8/2006 |
| Q: Leo, I ask this question to eric maxon and he sent back this message and ask another question but ... A: I am assuming that the other hot water spigots are working normally. Try checking for debris by ... | |
| water heater bangs | 7/8/2006 |
| Q: I have an electric water heater that has recently started to make loud banging sounds ... A: First thing is to make sure the temperature isn't set too high; ... | |
| dishwasher hookup | 7/6/2006 |
| Q: I'm trying to attach the copper water supply line to the dishwasher. I purchased new 3/8" ... A: There are a couple of different connection fittings for applicances and at first glance they look ... | |
| toilet almost always backs up | 7/6/2006 |
| Q: Leo, We have a problem with a toilet that almost always backs up. Almost all the toilets in our ... A: You need to 'snake' out the drain. I would recommend removing the toilet and renting a power snake ... | |
| washing machine drain problems | 7/6/2006 |
| Q: My washer works fine however when it drains and goes into the extended spin cycle, foam from the ... A: Two choices..... run a 'snake' down the line or the easier way is to buy an expandable plug that ... | |
| water level in bowl | 7/5/2006 |
| Q: After flushing the toilet the bowl fills with the appropriate level of clean water, but then it ... A: The slow leak makes me think you have a leak in the internal toilet trap that drains the toilet ... | |
| plumbing - jetted tub faucet removal. | 7/5/2006 |
| Q: I want to remove the old roman tub faucet that is on the side of the jetted acrylic/fiberglass ... A: These fixtures are typically installed in place as the dwelling is built. If it was me I would cut ... | |
| Water shut-off valve handle replacement? | 7/5/2006 |
| Q: I need to replace my water shut-off valve handle and am not sure where to look or what to ask for. ... A: Be careful you don't want to bust off the old shutoff of crack the valve. If it was me I would ... | |
| Slow Drain | 7/5/2006 |
| Q: Leo, We have a drain with an old p-trap in our upstairs (and only) bathtub that is probably about 50 ... A: You need to 'snake' out the drain. I would recommend removing the trap and renting a power snake ... | |
| minimal hot water flow in bathroom | 7/4/2006 |
| Q: thanx for the prompt response! yes the hot water flows strongly in the kitchen. if we had that kinda ... A: Remove the shower head and check to see if the water flow improves without it. let me know what ... | |
| installing city water line | 7/3/2006 |
| Q: WELL PUMP PASSED AWAY. I am planning to run app. 2000 feet of water line with app. 127 feet of head ... A: The county is going to require an inspection and approval of the water line.... and requirements ... | |
| bad smell? | 7/3/2006 |
| Q: we have recently moved in to a brand new home. We've only been here a month. There is a bad odor ... A: It sounds to me like you could have a fitting on your plumbing vent system that wasn't glued ... | |
| drain snake | 7/2/2006 |
| Q: my washer is backing up,and from the other answers to my question of why is it backing up the ... A: They sell a rubber plug that should do the trick. it fits on the end of a garden hose and you ... | |
| basement septic pump backup | 7/2/2006 |
| Q: Fourth of July weekend...of course ! Our basement bathroom pump was installed in 2005. It began to ... A: I suggest you buy a little current tester and check to see if you have current to the motor (you'll ... | |
| Washer doesn't drain | 7/1/2006 |
| Q: I just bought my very first home. The washer is farely new and I have used it several times now, ... A: They sell a rubber plug that should do the trick. it fits on the end of a garden hose and you ... | |
| Plumbing rough-in | 6/30/2006 |
| Q: So.....what's my next move?I am installing a sink in a new wall of an old house. The wall is on top ... A: In my opinion your next move would be to surface mount and somehow figure a way around the beam or ... | |
| Creative Plumbing for Tub Drain | 6/26/2006 |
| Q: I am pretty clueless when it comes to the parts of the plumbing system but I was hoping not to have ... A: yes - maximum distance to the vent is 3'6 for a 1 1/2 trap arm and 5 0' for a 2 inch trap arm. if ... | |
| drill hole in soil pipe | 6/26/2006 |
| Q: While re-doing my kitchen and hanging some kitchen cabinets, I accidentally drilled a hole through ... A: Wow - it must have taken some work to drill through a cast iron pipe! I would plug the hole with a ... | |
| removing tiled in toilet | 6/26/2006 |
| Q: I tried chiseling and scraping away some of the grout out. It looks like it goes quite deep and also ... A: The toilet should have been installed over the tile of course. If it was up to me I would get some ... | |
| Clogged Toilet | 6/22/2006 |
| Q: Understood, however its not a plastic wand that is stuck, its the SPONGE that it attaches to. So I ... A: Sorry - I misunderstood. If it is just the sponge a snake with a corkscrew type end should either ... | |
| resin in hot water heater | 6/21/2006 |
| Q: we bought a new fleck wtaer softener. It came broke, all the resin went everywhere when it was ... A: I don't know anything about the eco water system but I am suspicious that the eco water people are ... | |
| Toilet Draining Slowly | 6/21/2006 |
| Q: I just installed a bathroom in my home upstairs recently. When I flush the toilet it would drain ... A: It sure sounds like a venting problem to me .... if you installed the upstairs toilet directly on ... | |
| Low water pressure | 6/20/2006 |
| Q: I have city water, soft water and don't have any filters or softeners.All faucets in the house have ... A: I would check for some kind of blockage between the city water main and the water heater. Has ... | |
| plumbing | 6/20/2006 |
| Q: My washing machine drains into my kitchen sink. The kitchen sink also seems to be draining very ... A: does the sink have a garbage disposal? do you have a good plunger? i don't recommend drain cleaner ... | |
| Water well | 6/19/2006 |
| Q: The spicket coming off my well water pump has water leaking at a pretty decent rate. I noticed that ... A: If the water is leaking around the stem you might try tightening the packing nut and see if this ... | |
| Tankless Hot Water - Delay in Getting Hot Water | 6/19/2006 |
| Q: I have done a wide variety of remodeling projects and recently (year ago) installed a Takagi ... A: This explains it better than I can... please let me know if you have any more questions. ... | |
| No cold water anywhere in house | 6/15/2006 |
| Q: After I sent this e-mail, I kept turning the faucets on and off to see if anything would happen. ... A: I am sorry but I have no idea why turning the faucets would result in hot water tmporarily blasting ... | |
| No cold water anywhere in house | 6/14/2006 |
| Q: I cannot get cold water to come out of any faucets in the house. The how water works fine; however, ... A: Since the water feed to the hot water heater works fine I would suspect a clogged or collapsed cold ... | |
| What is a Bonnet? | 6/14/2006 |
| Q: My question for you is what is a bonnet? What is it used for in plumbing? Also, I have heard of a ... A: A bonnet is the stem of a valve. Fluids from the valve are prevented from escaping towards the ... | |
| caulking at the bottom of toilet | 6/14/2006 |
| Q: I bought my first home last August. I just noticed that the bottom of the toilets were not sealed ... A: I am a building official and I require the the toilet be caulked as the uniform Plumbing Code 408.2 ... | |
| Poor Water pressure in mobile home | 6/14/2006 |
| Q: sorry I mistyped and forgot the coma. I do have good hot water pressure and extremely poor cold ... A: First I would look for any valves between where you have good cold water pressure (the hot water ... | |
| Moving a Toilet | 6/14/2006 |
| Q: Gretings Mr Luczak, On a third floor bathroom. what is the procedure to move the entire toilet two ... A: usually the first step would be to remove all or part of the ceiling below the toilet to gain access ... | |
| no subject | 6/13/2006 |
| Q: Guess my guy is out of town... can you help? Thanks again for the help. I'm glad it's a fairly ... A: Sorry I don't know what it is but the last few weeks I am getting questions every few minutes... I ... | |
| kitchen sink clogged? | 6/13/2006 |
| Q: we bought a doublewide about six months ago. It is an early nineties? underneath is concrete and ... A: First thing I would try is a rubber bladder that fits onto the end of a garden hose. You attach it ... | |
| Poor Water pressure in mobile home | 6/13/2006 |
| Q: In your opinion, would it be best at this point to just hire a plumber to locate the problem in the ... A: it couldn't be the main valve because a blockage there would affect the hot water pressure too. I ... | |
| kitchen faucet pressure | 6/12/2006 |
| Q: I already completely removed the aerator although I will say at certain times of the day it seems to ... A: Then I would suspect that the fixture itself is faulty. I would turn off the water valves and ... | |
| water backs up in tub when it rains | 6/12/2006 |
| Q: I have water backing up into the basement level bathtub and toilet whenever it rains. It doesn't ... A: do you have eave troughs on your house? if so I would suspect that they have been improperly ... | |
| plumbing | 6/12/2006 |
| Q: I was raised and live out in the country in (TN) and no one around here had inside ... A: if you have a basic knowlege of plumbing and if you can access the pipes it shouldn't be too bad. ... | |
| Poor Water pressure in mobile home | 6/12/2006 |
| Q: I have a mobile manufactured in 1996 and it is plumbed with the "polypipe". I live in the country ... A: It is unusual that the hot side would have pressure and the cold side doesn't - usually it's the ... | |
| Get not get air or water when bleeding a radiator | 6/11/2006 |
| Q: I have three radiators in my home that I tried to bleed but I can't get air or water from them. The ... A: I have hydronic heat and this has happened to me a few times. I believe it is ana airlock in the ... | |
| PLUMBING | 6/11/2006 |
| Q: perhaps I did not explain it well. The pipe is not running up hill there is a drop from the toilet ... A: Yes it should run at a decline... why would you want to try to push it uphill anyway??? it ... | |
| no pressure in water | 6/9/2006 |
| Q: I have a problem with the well pressure, When I run water my pressure is 40 when after about 4 to 5 ... A: Try this, run water and note the pressure that the pump comes on at and shut off the water. Then ... | |
| Plastic water piping in attic in cold climate | 6/8/2006 |
| Q: I would like some information about using plastic water pipes in the attic space in areas of ... A: Sorry I have not heard of any plastic pipe that won't break if frozen.... besides how good would ... | |
| Fence post hole driller broke septic line | 6/7/2006 |
| Q: I drilled through my drainfield septic line last week. How do I repair it? The line itself is PVC, ... A: You have to expose the pipe and replace the damaged section... or if the rest of the pipe is intact ... | |
| Bathtub faucet | 6/7/2006 |
| Q: My master bathtub has two rotating plastic round handles with top cap that can be plied open and ... A: tightening the screw that holds the handle on will not do anything to stop the leak - that just ... | |
| Plumbing | 6/6/2006 |
| Q: I recently had a second story addition done on my home. The contrator has disapered. I have 1 1/2 ... A: What did the second plumber think caused the problem? It sounds to me like your first 'plumber' ... | |
| Community Well | 6/6/2006 |
| Q: I maintain records for our community well. We have 14 properites that have acess to the water.We ... A: I do residential and commercial inspections so I know little about community well systems. How ... | |
| Plumbing | 6/5/2006 |
| Q: two questions: 1) Randomly, when I turn on any faucet, a loud humm occurs. I have isolated to the ... A: 1) I suggest you get a water pressure guage and check the pressure of your water system - it ... | |
| Basement bath venting | 6/5/2006 |
| Q: I am remodeling a basement bathroom in a single story residence that was built in '42. There is a 3" ... A: If if follow you right you are asking me the minimum vent size to accomodate a lavatory, bathtub and ... | |
| Expandable plug for castiron cleanout won't work | 6/4/2006 |
| Q: I have black cast iron pipe in my basement as part of the drainage system. There is an old rusted 1 ... A: If you are talking about the expandable plug that is a rubber bladder with a nut that you tighten to ... | |
| fishy smell in bath tub drain | 6/3/2006 |
| Q: so we are really flabergasted over what could be happening. our apt. complex came in and snaked the ... A: I have no idea what could cause a fishy smell. If it was a sewer smell I would suspect a ... | |
| tankless hot water heater | 6/3/2006 |
| Q: Our current 40 gal hot water heater is rusting out. We plan to add an addition in the near future ... A: I can't give you a recommendation.. in my experiance tankless hot water heaters can not keep up ... | |
| toilet | 6/3/2006 |
| Q: First off, I am a novice. I allowed my brother to help me install a toilet (which I have done before ... A: It would be difficult to connect a copper fitting to the pvc. Take the broken piece of PVC pipe to ... | |
| Water Under the Floor | 6/2/2006 |
| Q: My pantry is on the opposite side of my hot water heater, and there is water under the floor. I ... A: First check the Pressure Relief Valve to see if it has developed a leak. If not then turn off the ... | |
| construction | 6/1/2006 |
| Q: outside a house the construction company shut the water off to do work. upon turning the water back ... A: I suspect that some debris was dislodged in the process and it gummed up the strainers in the ... | |
| fishy smell in bath tub drain | 6/1/2006 |
| Q: for the past 2 weeks we have had a fishy smell coming up our bath tub drain. I have lived in these ... A: I am not sure what would cause it but the first thing I would try is dumping a cup of cholorine ... | |
| leaking hose bib outside house | 6/1/2006 |
| Q: I have a 60-yr old house with galv plumbing throughout. This spring I turned on the water to the ... A: My experiance with galvanized pipes is they corrode on the inside and become plugged over time due ... | |
| high pitch sound in pipes of home | 5/31/2006 |
| Q: My husband recently change a gasket or something on the outside faucet of our house. It was to fix ... A: It sounds to me like there was a problem with the repair. Not sure where the loud bang comes from ... | |
| Toilet problems | 5/22/2006 |
| Q: We recently purchased a house that was a diy remodel. The toilets have issues. Two level house both ... A: I would start by contacting the local building inspection department to see if they have plumbing ... | |
| water pipe noises | 5/18/2006 |
| Q: When either of two outdoor faucets are opened, a noise similar to water hammer -- pipes rattling, ... A: First thing I would try is draining the system and hoping that the air chambers are restored and ... | |
| Vessel Sink Installation | 5/18/2006 |
| Q: Leo, I purchased a vessel sink to install into an old washstand. The sink is conical shaped and ... A: Dan - does this help? If not please let me know ... | |
| toilet won't flush | 5/18/2006 |
| Q: my toilet won't flush - the chain is connected and everything, but the water level inside the tank ... A: If the tank was leaking the water would continue to flow to make up for what was being lost due to ... | |
| Toilet problems | 5/18/2006 |
| Q: We recently purchased a house that was a diy remodel. The toilets have issues. Two level house both ... A: Can you determine if the noise is caused by the flushing action or by the refilling of the tank? ... | |
| Basement Venting | 5/18/2006 |
| Q: I recently moved into a new home that has three waste stubouts in place and capped. I assume these ... A: I would assume that these stubouts are vented properly. You may be able to see the vent coming up ... | |
| water noise | 5/17/2006 |
| Q: We started hearing what sounds like water running today, coming from the area of the washer spigots ... A: Sounds like it's time to crawl under the house and look for leaks.... Sounds like fun! On a ... | |
| P-Trap | 5/17/2006 |
| Q: I saw a similar question regarding plumbing but not sure if it's the exact scenerio. My home was ... A: you can't lower the p-trap but you can eliminate or shorten the extension between the p-trap and the ... | |
| badly clogged tub with drum trap | 5/17/2006 |
| Q: My tub has suddenly stopped draining. I've tried a plunger and hand crank snake auger to no avail. ... A: I take it your plumbing is very old as drum traps have not been allowed in the code for many years. ... | |
| hi, here i go, my water level... | 5/17/2006 |
| Q: here i go, my water level in my sictern was flowing far to high so i adgusted the ball cock but to ... A: If it was me I would replace the whole flushing mechanism... it sounds like it is crossthreaded and ... | |
| Kitchen Faucet | 5/17/2006 |
| Q: Background: My buddy gave me all his Kitchen cabinets including the counter, sink and ... A: Sounds to me like the strainer on the end of the spigot is clogged with debris.. try unscrewing it ... | |
| Novice questions | 5/17/2006 |
| Q: We are builiding a new home and they are charging us tons of $ for upgrading faucets, etc. My ... A: I suggest you go to Home Depot and compare prices of the fixtures you want and confront the ... | |
| Hot Water Heater Leak | 5/17/2006 |
| Q: The other night I heard a noise coming from my hot water heater. It sounded like the pressure was ... A: What is the temperture set at on the tank? And where was the water coming out of the tank? On a ... | |
| Toilet | 5/17/2006 |
| Q: I have just installed two new Toto Drake Toilets. The toilets are level and the water that fills ... A: I have no idea why this is happening have you tried contacting the manufacturer? Also your ... | |
| Hot water Recirculation | 5/17/2006 |
| Q: The grundfos comfort series instant hot water recirculation systems use a heater mounted pump and a ... A: I am sorry I am not familar with the grundfos comfort series instant hot water recirculation ... | |
| hot water heater plumbing | 5/16/2006 |
| Q: Hey Leo, We have a water line coming off of the water heater in our house that is constantly ... A: Is the water originating at the TPR Valve? ... | |
| Vent pipe | 5/16/2006 |
| Q: I have a (galvanized? lead?)vent pipe in my basement where an additional bathroom could go, ... A: My guess is the pipe is galvanized and it has corrosion on the inside due to electrolisis. The ... | |
| Noisy Pipes Connected to Spigot | 5/16/2006 |
| Q: When I turn on one of the two spigots on my home, I occasionally get a loud banging in the pipes. ... A: First thing I would try is draining the system and hoping that the air chambers are restored and ... | |
| plumbing noise | 5/16/2006 |
| Q: my house is about 45 years old. for the past year each time I turn on a faucet or turn on the ... A: First thing I would try is draining the system and hoping that the air chambers are restored and ... | |
| Water heater installation codes | 5/15/2006 |
| Q: My family has grown since we moved into our home. When our water hearer needed replacing I purcased ... A: i know of no code requirement that would prevent this.... unless the new water heater was ... | |
| flue | 5/2/2006 |
| Q: I am building a house. I've noticed alot of furnaces have 3" PVC for the flue. How is this? Is it ... A: It is if the furnace was designed for this then this would work. Newer furnaces have exhaust gases ... | |
| jammed shutoff valve | 5/2/2006 |
| Q: I have a turn off valve located on the floor in the rear of the toilet that appears jammed. Can you ... A: Turn off the main valve (at the water meter). Loosen the packing nut on the stuck valve and apply ... | |
| repairing/replacing toilet trap assembly on 30 year old toilet | 5/2/2006 |
| Q: I have a Amercican Standard toilet that is about 30 years old in the guest bathroom. For about two ... A: If I am picturing this right you can remove the whole unit and replace it with a newer assembly. ... | |
| Septic system | 4/30/2006 |
| Q: Our septic system is not even a year old and in our extra bath our toilet is always making a ... A: My guess it that you have something like a toothbrush that was flushed down the toilet and became ... | |
| propane hot water heater | 4/29/2006 |
| Q: We live in upstate NY and have a camp in the woods which we are upgrading to live in for six months ... A: I have never heard of a propane tank with a cast iron center. Maybe they are more common there but ... | |
| Home plumbing | 4/23/2006 |
| Q: I just figured out how to increase the water pressure in my house using the pressure reduction valve ... A: If the incoming water supply line has a pressure regulator valve on it (a plumbing device that ... | |
| repipe sizing | 4/22/2006 |
| Q: I just bought a home and it has very corroded galvanized pipes. I want to replace it all with copper ... A: I would recommend that youu get rid of ALL the galvanized pipes... they are subject to electrical ... | |
| Water Heater Pressure | 4/18/2006 |
| Q: I have a question about the water heater. A water heater was installed, everything was fine, and ... A: If the water pressure in the rest of the house is fine the first thing I would check it the strainer ... | |
| a toilet plumbing question | 4/18/2006 |
| Q: and thank you very much for your time. The bit that fell in, it was made of hard plastic which was ... A: I wouldn't worry about it.. there is not much you can do now except hope for the best. If the ... | |
| Two Clogged Sinks | 4/15/2006 |
| Q: ! I'm a single mom on a tight budget- I really don't want to call in a professional. I will ... A: I could call you and explain it easier than typing... I think your trap is clogged... is it ... | |
| hose spiggot | 4/8/2006 |
| Q: Leo, There are two new garden hose spiggots outside of the house, they're brand new, they're the ... A: You might be able to take the valve apart and replace the washers. If this doesn;t work I would ... | |
| What happened to my hot water? | 3/23/2006 |
| Q: -------------------------I don't think there is a filter but my boiler manual say that sediment ... A: backwashing is running water through the unit in a reverse direction at a high flow - you make mabe ... | |
| water heater | 3/20/2006 |
| Q: Do you have any idea why my water heater's anti-scolding breaker would keep tripping even though the ... A: What is the temperature of the hot water coming out of the tap? Be sure to run it for a minute or ... | |
| Water filtration systems | 3/7/2006 |
| Q: I am thinking about getting "something" to improve the drinking water quality in our home. Among ... A: Sorry somehow I didn;t see your followup question until now. It's called a whole house or ... | |
| Water filtration systems | 3/6/2006 |
| Q: I am thinking about getting "something" to improve the drinking water quality in our home. Among ... A: In my house I use a carbon under sink filter (actually mine is in the basement though). It's about ... | |
| Greenboard | 3/3/2006 |
| Q: I am one of your fellow volunteers (plumber, cortez cate) and just wanted to say hello and have no ... A: As the Building Official in a small town with reputable contractors this has always been a grey area ... | |
| Septic Float | 2/24/2006 |
| Q: I have a three year old septic system and there is an alarm box in the basement that alerts if the ... A: It sounds to me like the float is fine but the float switch isn't working. If it was me I would go ... | |
| Loud Toilet Noise | 2/8/2006 |
| Q: ....I was hoping you can help with a question about my toilets. Both toilets make this loud flushing ... A: That is really odd... are there any other fixtures that are being used when this 'phantom flushing' ... | |
| Gurgling sink | 2/2/2006 |
| Q: My bathroom sink gurgles when the toilet is flushed. We recently remodelled the bathroom and moved ... A: What do you mean by you 'moved all the fixtures'? How far was each fixture moved? and did a ... | |
| kitchen sink materials question | 1/28/2006 |
| Q: I am going to buy a new sink for my kitchen. I have spoken with a woman who advertised 'a beautiful ... A: I am sorry it took me so long to respond to your question... I recently had to change internet ... | |
| ice machine | 1/25/2006 |
| Q: I have a question regarding the ice machine that is in our refrigerator,and I'm having a really hard ... A: a dumb question .... if the tube was disconnected for a few days didn't it flood out your ... | |
| Toilet flange | 1/25/2006 |
| Q: We added a bathroom to our basement, and early on had a plumber rough in the pipes for a toilet, ... A: Your plumber sure did screw up. You can fix this if you want to though seeing how the flange is ... | |
| Water Pipe Issue | 1/17/2006 |
| Q: I did fine the cold pipe you talked about. I can't find any close faucet to verify it, but it is ... A: Flush the toilet a few times first thing in the morning (before other people are using water) and ... | |
| thermostatic radiator valve | 1/16/2006 |
| Q: I live in an old rental building in NYC with steam radiators. The landlord tells me I have to keep ... A: In the 70's I used to be a maintenance man in an apartment complex and we had thermostatic valves on ... | |
| Sewer gas smell | 1/13/2006 |
| Q: The trap arms on both sinks are level. Here's another point to ponder: I discovered this morning ... A: If the houses aren't identical and they both suffer from the same odor problem then I would ... | |
| Water Pipe Issue | 1/13/2006 |
| Q: I recently purchased a new Refrigerator with an Ice Maker and Water Dispenser. My original ... A: Hot and cold water supply pipes are usually run parallel to each other and with a foot or two of ... | |
| Outside Faucets in Winter | 12/8/2005 |
| Q: I live near Denver, CO where it can get -20 degrees at night. I have a new home with two outdoor ... A: The round cap on top is a vacuum break. That and the fact that your house is new indicates to ... | |
| Water presure | 11/5/2005 |
| Q: I had a tube from my well spring a leak. When I capped off, I lost presure to my sink and ... A: Try this... turn the sink faucet on and turn the valve under the sink all the way off and then back ... | |
| Shower leak | 10/17/2005 |
| Q: My house is 7 years old now and my stand-up shower unit has had numerous leaks. The first leak was ... A: Either of these three options should work fine if they are installed correctly. The 2 piece ... | |
| Plumbing leaks | 10/15/2005 |
| Q: My husband and I are building a small single floor house and we are doing all the work ourselves. ... A: The common method is to stub out all the fixture pipes a few inches beyond the sheetrock and to glue ... | |
| NEW TUB INSTALL | 10/1/2005 |
| Q: New tub, reversed the drain direction...now on left. Tub drain sits directly over basement joist, ... A: If the drain and overflow land right on a floor joist you should box out the opening by cutting out ... | |
| Outside faucet's Low water pressure | 9/27/2005 |
| Q: I have replaced my outdoor water faucet because the builders didn't install it correctly. ... A: Open up the spigot full blast and turn the shutoff valve on and off a couple of times to see if ... | |
| Washing machine drain problems | 9/23/2005 |
| Q: When my washing machine drains each time, it bubbles up in my kitchen sink drain. What can I do to ... A: Assuming that the washer drained just fine originally, then I would figure that you have a ... | |
| shower and toilet cause pipe rattle | 9/12/2005 |
| Q: I didn't do a good job at explaining this very well. This pipe rattling only happens once in the ... A: Have you used the bottom spigot on the attic water heater to drain the sludge out of the bottom of ... | |
| Natural Gas Line Extension | 8/30/2005 |
| Q: Leo,what a quick reply.Here is my current set up: * A saddle valve on the main pipeline at the ... A: Plumbing Codes vary by the versions of the codes adopted by the local aurhority and in some cases ... | |
| Natural Gas Line Extension | 8/30/2005 |
| Q: Just had a deck put on my house. I now want to bring my naturalgas grill onto the second floor ... A: How long is the piece of flex copper tubing and what does it connect to? My guess is that it is a ... | |
| plumbing - bathroom | 8/26/2005 |
| Q: e the part of the toilet which rests on the wall where water collects after you flush) keeps rising ... A: If the tank that stores the water for each flush is overflowing then you need to replace the water ... | |
| cast iron pipe clean out | 8/20/2005 |
| Q: I have black cast ron pipe in my cellar as part of the drainage system. There is a clean out cap on ... A: The picture sure helped.... the assemmbly is a common rubber plug that is used to seal off pipes. ... | |
| toilet | 8/16/2005 |
| Q: I have three toilets in my home. One of which has a slow but constant flow of water from the tank ... A: This one stumps me... (and this is a first!) Assuming you put in the new toilet with a brand new ... | |
| kitchen venting | 8/13/2005 |
| Q: i own a condo in a 5 story building. there are about 12 units per floor. 6 in the front,,6 in thr ... A: sounds to me like you need a heating cooling and ventilation expert to diagnose your problems on ... | |
| NOISE WHEN FLUSHING | 7/26/2005 |
| Q: IN OUR BASEMENT BATHROOM, WHEN THE TOILET FLUSHES, THERE IS A WHISTLING NOISE WHICH PERIODICALLY ... A: Sounds to me like you have some debris inside the fill valve that is partially blocking the ... | |
| water pressure | 7/18/2005 |
| Q: So I have full water pressure in all faucets of my house, except my shower/ bath. I Answer - A ... A: There should be some valves close to the shower to turn off the shower fixture in case of a leak. ... | |
| shower faucet | 6/13/2005 |
| Q: could you please tell me how to install new faucets in my shower? they are the old stem type. hot ... A: The new valves and stems shouldn't leak.... can you read the brand and model number on the old ... | |
| Drain Problems | 6/3/2005 |
| Q: Recently, I had an issue with some drain plumbing in my house. I own a 2-story house with a typical ... A: I think what you had cleaned isn't the main vent line but it is the sewer pipe from your house to ... | |
| Air in the pipes | 6/1/2005 |
| Q: Live in Texas. In the master bath, we have a toilet which is roughly 3 feet away from a sink. When ... A: There should be air chambers in the water piping that can fill with water over time and that defeats ... | |
| over flow pipe | 6/1/2005 |
| Q: My over-flow piep started leaking water about a week ago, but now it runs constantly. i have tried ... A: What do you mean by an overflow pipe? have never seen a bouler with an over flow pipe but every ... | |
| Air in the pipes | 5/31/2005 |
| Q: Live in Texas. In the master bath, we have a toilet which is roughly 3 feet away from a sink. When ... A: So the cold water supply lines shake when you flush the toilet and the drain pipe gurgles in the ... | |
| dishwasher connection to kitchen sink | 5/26/2005 |
| Q: Are you saying that I should remove both ends of the hose and blow through it? It's kind of ... A: If you can't blow through it easily then removing the hose and blowing through it would work.... ... | |
| Bathtub drain | 5/25/2005 |
| Q: my bathtub has a 1 1/4" plastic drain pipe. Next to the trap is a 1 1/2" Pro Vent thing. Is this an ... A: It sounds like the Pro Vent has failed. I do not allow them in my jurisdiction just for this ... | |
| dishwasher connection to kitchen sink | 5/24/2005 |
| Q: Is there an easy way to check the hose or must I disconnect it? Is it more common for the airgap ... A: I suggest you remove the hose between the airgap and the sink and blow though it to see if is ... | |
| clog drain | 5/9/2005 |
| Q: leo; its me again. i failed to mention that i am on city sewer line. i have been reading other ... A: It sounds to me more like a problem with the sewage line than a ventinng problem You could try ... | |
| toilets | 4/19/2005 |
| Q: When I flush my toilet the paper won't go down. I have already shortened the chain but it seems to ... A: Check the water level in the toilet... there is a line on the tank that is the ideal volume for the ... | |
| toilets | 4/16/2005 |
| Q: When I flush my toilet the paper won't go down. I have already shortened the chain but it seems to ... A: Sorry for the delay - I registered 'Ask the Experts' that I am vacation but I keep getting ... | |
| Wall Mount Lav Faucet | 4/15/2005 |
| Q: I heard somewhere that the height of the faucet to the bottom of the basin bowl is important to ... A: Sorry for the delay - I registered 'Ask the Experts' that I am vacation but I keep getting ... | |
| Blocked Subpump Pit | 4/1/2005 |
| Q: I am a fellow expert in the Optometry section and thought I would use the service myself. Recently ... A: The number one thing you want to do is to get the rain water from the roof away from the ... | |
| water pressure | 3/30/2005 |
| Q: Here's my situation. I use a well for my water supply so I also have to use a pressure take with an ... A: I wish I knew something about well systems but I don't SORRY But - if I had this problem I ... | |
| mixing valve - radiant heating system | 3/16/2005 |
| Q: I am installing an infloor (radiant) heating system in my new home. The company that I bought the ... A: Sorry, this is a technical question that beyond the scope of my 'talents' as a building ... | |
| *Toilets | 3/15/2005 |
| Q: I would like to get your opinion on the purchase and installation of a new toilet, there are so many ... A: We have soft water here so I don't can't really recommend one toilet over another for resistance ... | |
| Leaking Shower and rotting skirting boards | 3/15/2005 |
| Q: I am renting a flat, and the shower leaks somewhere and has caused some skirting board to rott and ... A: It sounds like a messy job - to fix it right someone will have to remove the wet sheetrock and ... | |
| Faucet Repair | 2/28/2005 |
| Q: I have a garden tub (no shower) with a Moen faucet. It is the chateau posi-temp model with a single ... A: Thought I already answered this question but I guess it didn't send for some reason, so here it is ... | |
| a sistern/laterals/ Sad replies here | 2/23/2005 |
| Q: Followup To Question - I am currently renting half of a double house(and looking to bye),and seem ... A: I just came home from work and answered 5 questions just tonight... and now this is the "thanks" I ... | |
| Dishwasher | 2/23/2005 |
| Q: I have a dishwasher that continally gets backflow from the sink. The dishwasher is connected to the ... A: OK - let take this one step at a time. The flexible drain hose from the dishwasher to the ... | |
| dishwasher hook-up | 2/23/2005 |
| Q: My new home has two black PVC drain outlets in the kitchen wall. One for the sink to drain and the ... A: I think I am very familar with the codes and I have never heard of requiring a separate drain line ... | |
| a sistern/laterals | 2/22/2005 |
| Q: I am currently renting half of a double house(and looking to bye),and seem to have a septic problem. ... A: If your septic tank was pumped 5 months ago and the problem has returned then I think you have a ... | |
| florida | 2/11/2005 |
| Q: All my life I have lived in the Washington D.C. of northeast USA. Now I plan to buy a home in ... A: Yes there are disadvanges but it might be worth it to be more 'rural'. You should definitely take ... | |
| Water Heaters | 2/3/2005 |
| Q: We also live in a cold climate - Minnesota. I don't like hearing the water heater kick on when hot ... A: In my experiance the trouble with tankless water heaters is that they can't produce enough volume to ... | |
| Drainage | 2/2/2005 |
| Q: We have a problem with the drainage in our house. The water will not drain away. It logs in the ... A: I am not sure I understand your question. Is this a poor drainage problem? Are you saying the ... | |
| frozen waterpipes | 1/25/2005 |
| Q: Yes, the heat tapes are working and another was put in. THe well guy came out today and said the ... A: try every faucet in the house and see if they are all not working... if not you have it frozen.... ... | |
| Insulation jackets | 1/24/2005 |
| Q: I recently read an article about insulating hot water heaters with a jacket to conserve energy. Do ... A: I think it might make sense for an older water heater... if it is a newer one it just might be ... | |
| PROPECIA | 1/19/2005 |
| Q: What's the proper way to winterize an external water faucet in my townhouse? Can it be done during ... A: Do you have a freezeproof hose bib? You should..... and if you do there is no need to winterize. ... | |
| plumbing | 1/17/2005 |
| Q: What's the cause and solution to a toilet being very slow to fill and when it does it only goes up ... A: Good point - You could try this first. Turn the shutoff valve under the toilet counterclockwise to ... | |
| gritty water | 1/13/2005 |
| Q: I live in the county in an area with clay soil. I have well water. Particles of what looks like red ... A: I don't know much about well systems but researching your problem on the web seems to indicate that ... | |
| Installing a bathroom in the basement | 1/11/2005 |
| Q: The house is a multi split level with the basement being excuvated from the crawl space.The waste ... A: I think you could but you should check with your local jurisdiction to make sure that they will ... | |
| Bathroom SInk Rusted | 1/10/2005 |
| Q: I convinced my husband to upgrade the faucets with matching drain plugs on 3 of our bathroom sinks, ... A: I assume the rusted areas are made of metal. The hardware store in my town sells a two part putty ... | |
| gurgling drains | 1/5/2005 |
| Q: I live on the 6th floor of a 20 floor building. For ten years, I never heard any noise from my ... A: It sounds to me like a venting problem. Maybe the vent pipe on the roof is plugged. Possible ... | |
| corrosion inside copper pipes | 1/4/2005 |
| Q: I'm beginning to find pinhole leaks in my copper hot water pipes. What, if any methods are ... A: I know of no methods to reverse pinhole leaks in copper pipes. Best thing to do is to replace the ... | |
| Toilet making noise | 1/4/2005 |
| Q: We have recently moved into a 6 year old house and a couple of weeks after the move, one of the ... A: It sounds to me like you have a little crud stuck inside the mechanism that fills your toilet and ... | |
| Utility Tub Install-Follow-up | 12/26/2004 |
| Q: I sent you the below question about a month ago and I have also included your answer. I am capable ... A: The picture sure helps... here is how I would connect the utility tub; The C.O. indicates a ... | |
| Leaking shower hose inside enclosed jacuzzi | 12/23/2004 |
| Q: I appreciate it. The things are we could not find the model and name on the tub, only it looks like ... A: So how do you access the pump and hoses? There should be some kind of access panel somewhere. ... | |
| Leaking shower hose inside enclosed jacuzzi | 12/23/2004 |
| Q: We recently had a construction person repair a leaking Jacuzzi in our condo. It was leaking down to ... A: The best way you could determine how to access the piping system for you jacuzzi is to look at the ... | |
| LEAK | 12/11/2004 |
| Q: My three level 20 year old townhome/rowhome had a leak such that if you were standing in the first ... A: This is a tough one... here is one suggestion. Get up in the middle of the night when it is real ... | |
| Floor drain | 12/6/2004 |
| Q: The floor drain in my basement utility room is backing up whenever I flush a tiolet or run the wash. ... A: It would depend whether you have a septic system or you are hooked to a municpal sewer system. If ... | |
| well pump after power outage | 12/2/2004 |
| Q: Last night there was a power outage and I started up our generator. Everything worked fine except ... A: The only thing I can suggest is to take an electrical meter or tester and check to see how far the ... | |
| using a garbage disposal with a septic stsyem | 11/26/2004 |
| Q: My son lives in a new house with a septic system. He has asked for a garbage disposal for his ... A: Garbage Disposal and Septic System Should you use a garbage disposal if you have a septic system? ... | |
| Tankless Water Heater | 11/21/2004 |
| Q: I should have been more detailed about my question. My house uses natural gas for all types ... A: You sound like a good candidate for an on-demand water heater. You don't have much of a need for ... | |
| Tankless Water Heater | 11/21/2004 |
| Q: Do you have an opinion as to Tankless water heaters versus the traditional Tank water heaters? Is ... A: Gotta ask a few questions.... What kind of fuel do you use? electric, natural gas, or oil? What ... | |
| septic system | 11/14/2004 |
| Q: Leo, I was wondering about some basic information regarding septic systems. First, in very ... A: These educational web sites answer your questions better than I can (and they have pictures!) ... | |
| Toilet | 11/8/2004 |
| Q: Leo hi, I would like to install a powder room in my basement but the problem is that I do not have a ... A: I have seen ads for toilets that can flush up from a basement (usually in the back of Popular ... | |
| Toilet is Hard to Flush | 10/11/2004 |
| Q: I have a toilet that was VERY difficult to flush. It is a standard ballcock assembly although it ... A: If it was me I would just replacee the fill mechanism - the old style mechanism wears out over time ... | |
| Underground water line location | 10/5/2004 |
| Q: I am preparing to install a small fence to keep a small dog from running. We have a well and the ... A: Glad to find out that you located the line... I suspect that the line is metal if the coathanger ... | |
| Well Pump | 9/30/2004 |
| Q: I will try to be precise and short: We have an old Burks, double pipe, deep well, jet pump. We ... A: The only thing I could suggest is sending some pictures to the manufacturer and see if you could ... | |
| black stuff coming out of faucets | 9/24/2004 |
| Q: We have a gas water heater. Sometimes we use to get this black stuff in the water that use to float ... A: The manganize might have come from the anode inside the water heater. Are you on a well? if so I ... | |
| Well tank | 9/13/2004 |
| Q: I have a private well. The pressure tank somehow is gaining pressure. The well & tank are 18 years ... A: I don't know much about wells but I have been reading about them in the Doityourself.com Community ... | |
| Silicone Sealant | 9/6/2004 |
| Q: It's not exactly a plumbing question I've got, but this is the closest I get to this category. I ... A: It's tricky to apply a second layer of silicon caulk. But if you want to do it make sure that the ... | |
| water wells | 8/29/2004 |
| Q: the house i live in the well has not been used much in the past 6yrs and the water smells of sulphur ... A: I think that you need to get your water tested by a professional! Contact the local Cooperative ... | |
| Adding shower and toilet | 8/27/2004 |
| Q: I really appreciate it! This is a little complicated, but here goes... We just bought a house, and ... A: It is complicated.... but here is some advice anyway. Don't worry about the water supply ... water ... | |
| water on brick | 8/18/2004 |
| Q: I went down to the crawl space suggested and didn't see any sign of leaking, even directly below the ... A: It difficult for me to imagine that the shower could be leaking so much to saturate the bricks ... | |
| water on brick | 8/17/2004 |
| Q: Can my shower be leaking and the only sign of it is outside on the brick? On the exterior side of ... A: It sounds to me like your damp brick problem is related to rain bouncing up off the rocks and ... | |
| Soft water | 8/10/2004 |
| Q: I have a water softner that used to run just fine lately it has been making this REALY LOUD BOOM ! ... A: I am sorry... we have 100 inches of rain anually where I live in Alaska and we use water from our ... | |
| radiators | 8/5/2004 |
| Q: I'm fixing up the "1/2"/attic space of my 2 1/2 family home. I want to put in hot water radiators ... A: I don't know how to compute the required BTU's - but I have had sucess putting a radiator under each ... | |
| Why is my tub spout dripping? | 8/5/2004 |
| Q: You are basically saying that I should replace the cartridge. I see there are O rings on the ... A: The o-rings prevent leakage through the face of the valve under the handle, but if it was me I would ... | |
| Why is my tub spout dripping? | 8/5/2004 |
| Q: The faucet is 2 years old and drips hot water.Why is my tub dripping? I have a American Standard ... A: OK - you need to shut off the water to hot water supply to the tub... there should be a shutoff ... | |
| acrylic shower enclosure | 7/6/2004 |
| Q: I am considering having an acrylic enclosure installed in our stall shower. One firm offers an ... A: I prefer the one piece molded enclosure but in my experience you have to place the unit inside the ... | |
| Outdoor Water Faucet | 6/9/2004 |
| Q: How are you doing? I just purchased a new home and when I was doing my walk-thrus all of the ... A: I could give you some wild guesses but why don't you just call the builder and ask where the shutoff ... | |
| sink sprayer | 5/26/2004 |
| Q: I just installed a new Moen kitchen sink sprayer. It worked fine for about a month. Now when I use ... A: The diverter valve sounds like it is bad. You can get parts to rebuild it, take down the make and ... | |
| strange dog noise in pipes | 5/26/2004 |
| Q: no plumbing work done lately.... never shut off the main valve but I live in a townhouse. some ... A: Well that is interesting.... try this - Put a pail in the sink and fill it up... half with hot ... | |
| wrapped pipes | 5/14/2004 |
| Q: About 10/15/20 years ago plumbers started covering up the metal pipes (drain and supply pipes, ... A: It's a requirement of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The exposed pipes are wrapped with an ... | |
| periodic leaky garage faucet | 4/20/2004 |
| Q: Leo...this is an annual nagging problem. I have an outdoor water faucet in my garage. In the spring ... A: Is it an older style faucet with a nut where the faucet handle meets the valve body? If so the ... | |
| basement sewer backup | 4/12/2004 |
| Q: Basement washing machine discharges into a laundry sink that Ts into a 6 inch iron pipe going down ... A: My guess is the removable vent cap is the cleanout for the main drain. Or it should be a threaded ... | |
| Shower has no hot water | 4/7/2004 |
| Q: I just moved into new house and right now, hot water works everyehere except for in the shower. ... A: first check to see if you can find a shut off valve for the hot water supply to the shower... it ... | |
| Vent requirements | 3/16/2004 |
| Q: Leo, I read your expertise and couldn't believe how perfect the person you were for my questions. ... A: You are right - the minimum vent size through the roof should be 4 inches. I pulled this off the ... | |
| black stuff coming out of faucets | 3/16/2004 |
| Q: Here lately I've noticed (occasionally) black stuff coming out of my faucets mixed in the water in ... A: The first thing I would check is to see if you have a buildup of sludge in the bottom of your water ... | |
| Toilet Waste Pipe | 3/15/2004 |
| Q: I want to install a toilet in our new bungalow's shower room. There is no toilet there at the ... A: It may be possible using an allowed technique called "wet venting". ... | |
| sulphur water from drilled well | 3/13/2004 |
| Q: We're thinking of buying a particular property, it has a drilled well and septic. They turned on the ... A: I don't know much about well water but if it was me I would ask around to see if other people in the ... | |
| Vent requirements | 3/12/2004 |
| Q: Leo, I read your expertise and couldn't believe how perfect the person you were for my questions. ... A: The size of the vent through the roof should equal the size of the main sewer pipe for the house.... ... | |
| water in the toilet bowl | 3/9/2004 |
| Q: When the camode flushes, the water drains out of the bowl like normal, and fills back up, like ... A: Look inside the water tank and check to make sure that the refill tube from the fill valve hasn't ... | |
| Washer drain clogged up | 3/8/2004 |
| Q: When washing my clothes as soon as the water drains, I see water on my kitchen floor, and closet ... A: I would say that you have a slow running drain pipe that occasionally overflows.... that is my ... | |
| plumbing a washing machine on an outside wall | 3/7/2004 |
| Q: Leo: We would like to move the washing machine next to the dryer which is located on an outside ... A: Putting the pipes outside the wall would be my suggestion... and who is going to look behind the ... | |
| Bath tub install | 2/22/2004 |
| Q: We are developing our basement and are installing a jetted drop in tub. Before I build the frame ... A: You can either set the tub right on the floor or rest it on a 2x4 subfloor. Have you read the ... | |
| Sink | 2/20/2004 |
| Q: Why does my sink faucet stop running until I kink the hand-sprayer hose? Now even that doesn't work ... A: That's a good one... try this. Unscrew the sink sprayer unit and put the hose in the sink. ... | |
| plumbing & heating new house | 2/17/2004 |
| Q: We are having a builder build our house. It is a 2300 sf one level, with a basement. It is in the ... A: I am used to building techniques in Alaska and Michigan but I will give you my 2 cents worth anyway. ... | |
| house drainpipe | 2/12/2004 |
| Q: My friend emailed this to me and I'm going to her house next week to check out the problem. This is ... A: When she says that the toilets wouldn't flush does she mean they wouldn't drain? If that is the ... | |
| Pressure drop after dishwasher install | 2/9/2004 |
| Q: First of all, thank you for this great service!! This weekend I installed a dishwasher in my home ... A: It sounds to me like it might be debris in the line.. try this... remove the strainer... then close ... | |
| new plumbing in old building | 2/8/2004 |
| Q: I need to install sinks for my coffee shop. There is no plumbing except cold water in part of the ... A: In Alaska all commercial plumbing requires a permit and a licensed plumber to do the work.. Also the ... | |
Plumbing in the Home
Answers by Expert:
Leo Luczak
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I am a Certified Building Official, and I am certified by the International Conference of of Building Officials as a plans examiner and as a commercial and residential building and plumbing inspector.
Experience
I have been the Building Official for a small town in Alaska for the last 14 years. I also spent 20 years working in construction. I don't know that much about wells and septic systems.
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