Splash leaks are simply water escaping past a shower curtain or a shower door. Plumbers tell us it’s the most common type of bathroom leak. Although it may sound minor, this leak causes major damage when water seeps into the subfloor where flooring meets the tub or shower. Before long the vinyl flooring or tiles…
Clear a Clogged Drain As the pool of water collects around the drain, you get a sinking feeling in your stomach. You dread another costly visit from the plumber. However, clogged drains are usually easy enough to correct on your own. An average homeowner should be able to clear most clogs in two hours or…
The foundation of your plumbing system is good piping and strong joints. Pipes may be made from a variety of materials, including cast iron, ABS plastic, Pex piping, etc. The most common used materials for residential plumbing, however, are copper pipes for water-supply lines and PVC plastic for drain lines. Though copper piping is relatively…
Below freezing weather across the country has brought with it a myriad of problems. Most exciting to me as a former teacher? School closings in many towns because the weather was just too cold for kids to be waiting outside a bus stop. Another issue with below freezing temps? Frozen — and often burst —…
Step 1: Turn off the Water Supply If you have an electric water heater, turn off the power at the breaker-box. If yours is a gas heater, turn the thermostat to the “pilot” setting. Connect a hose to the drain valve located close to the thermostat, but don’t open the valve yet. Turn off the…
A broken drain plug could be the culprit when your bathroom sink fails to hold water or seems to take forever to drain. A worn gasket beneath the plug or a broken tail piece can cause the pop-up drain plug to stop working. A build-up of hair and soap scum around the tail piece can…
Why Is There Rust on My Galvanized Water Pipes? Galvanized pipes rust from the inside out, which means that by the time you notice rust, the inside of the pipe may be almost completely blocked. This is why faucets supplied by galvanized water lines frequently suffer from a loss of pressure. The most common area…
Steps STEP 1 Tighten the nut Remove the faucet handle by unscrewing the screw that attaches it, which is often covered by a decorative cap you’ll need to carefully pry off. Using your wrench, try tightening the packing nut, which is the nut at the base of the handle’s stem. Some leaks are simply caused…
Remove the pop-up plunger. (Some styles may require that you withdraw the horizontal pop-up bar in order to lift out the plunger.) Check the flat blades on the plunger. If there is a large accumulation of hair and debris on the blades, clean them off. Before you replace the plunger, shine a light down the…