On This Page: Basic Faucet Repairs... Faucet Installation... Sink Plumbing... Bath Tub And Shower... Toilet... Supply System... Drain System... Plumbing Maintenance...
Overhauling A Single-Handle Peerless Or Delta Kitchen Faucet
Stopping a drip on this type of kitchen faucet requires removing the guts and replacing some seals.
Leaky Tub Faucet: Replacing A Faucet Washer
Older tub faucets often have plain rubber washers to stop the flow of water. But the washers get mashed down over time and need to be replaced.
Dripping Outdoor Faucet:
Replacing The Faucet Washer
A newer outdoor faucet (a.k.a. hose bib or sillcock) is likely a freeze-proof design, so the actual faucet washer can be 6 inches or more behind the handle.
Fix A Dripping Tub Faucet:
Delta Rotary Single-Handle
This Delta tub/shower faucet employs a metal disk that rides over two rubber seals to allow water to flow. Eventually the seals wear out and water escapes, causing a dripping faucet.
Replacing the seals is easy and requires 2 screwdrivers and a big pair of pliers.
On This Page: Basic Faucet Repairs... Faucet Installation... Sink Plumbing... Bath Tub And Shower... Toilet... Supply System... Drain System... Plumbing Maintenance... Top of Page...
Installing A New Bath Faucet:
While installing a new vanity, it's easy to mount the new faucet to the vanity top and make the plumbing connections later.
Installing A New Shower Faucet
The walls were opened up during remodeling, so plumbing in a new shower valve was just a matter of cutting copper pipe and soldering the fittings without burning down the house.
Installing A New Tub Faucet
The original plumbing in this old house was so messed up, there wasn't even a shower head over the bath tub.
There was so much bare wall above the tub that this project is actually quite similar to a new tub faucet installation.
On This Page: Basic Faucet Repairs... Faucet Installation... Sink Plumbing... Bath Tub And Shower... Toilet... Supply System... Drain System... Plumbing Maintenance... Top of Page...
Bath Sink: Connecting The Supply And Drain Pipes
Connecting the hot and cold water supply lines only required hooking up some flexible hoses. The drain piping was a little more difficult.
Replacing Old Sink Drain Plumbing
Somebody had made a cheap fix to the drain under the kitchen sink, and it fell apart from ordinary use.
The repair involved using a rubber coupling to connect PVC drain pipe to the original galvanized pipe, and adding an air admittance valve to help vent the system.
Installing PVC Kitchen Sink Drain Plumbing
Sink drain plumbing is commonly built from two types of piping: permanently-joined metal or plastic, and slip-joint pipes.
On This Page: Basic Faucet Repairs... Faucet Installation... Sink Plumbing... Bath Tub And Shower... Toilet... Supply System... Drain System... Plumbing Maintenance... Top of Page...
Adjusting A Built-In Tub Stopper
Built-in tub stoppers can be quite frustrating to adjust properly. It doesn't help that you can't see anything.
Replacing A Tub Drain
The original tub drain was a cobbled-together mess, so I just replaced the drain fittings and installed a new trap.
Replacing An Old Tub Faucet
The original plumbing in this old house was so messed up, there wasn't even a shower head over the bath tub. And the tub faucet was installed below the top level of the tub, which is a code violation.
Installing A New Shower Faucet
The walls were opened up during remodeling, so plumbing in a new shower valve was just a matter of cutting copper pipe and soldering the fittings without burning down the house.
On This Page: Basic Faucet Repairs... Faucet Installation... Sink Plumbing... Bath Tub And Shower... Toilet... Supply System... Drain System... Plumbing Maintenance... Top of Page...
How To Replace A Wax Bowl Ring
When there is always a foul smell in the bathroom, or water leaks out around the base of the toilet, it's time to replace the seal.
How To Install A New Toilet
A wax bowl ring is applied to the bottom of the bowl, then the bowl is secured to the toilet flange. Next the tank is attached to the bowl and leveled.
Connecting The Water Supply To A Toilet
Flexible toilet supply hoses are easy to install but less durable. I prefer using chrome-plated copper tubing, which requires some careful bending.
Fixing A Mansfield Toilet That Runs Constantly
There are a few different types of fill valves out there, but they all operate on the same principle: the rising water lifts a float which closes a valve to stop the flow of water into the toilet tank. This time the fix was very easy.
Replace A Flush Valve To Fix A Running Toilet
The other reason a toilet may run constantly is a leaky flush valve, or flapper valve. These rubber parts wear out eventually and need to be replaced. No problem.
Replace A Broken Flush Lever
Newer toilets often use a plastic lever to lift the flush valve. All too often the plastic lever just snaps and you can't flush.
On This Page: Basic Faucet Repairs... Faucet Installation... Sink Plumbing... Bath Tub And Shower... Toilet... Supply System... Drain System... Plumbing Maintenance... Top of Page...
Replacing A Well Pressure Tank
When the well pump cycles on and off rapidly, it's a sign that the tank bladder has developed a leak. The rapid cycling can be fixed temporarily by recharging the top of the tank with compressed air, but eventually the pressure tank needs to be replaced.
Connecting Water Lines To A Hot Water Heater
When connecting a water heater to copper pipes, a special fitting called a dielectric union must be used to isolate different metals. Without this precaution there is a likelihood of developing internal corrosion and a leak.
All About Dielectric Union Fittings
This fitting is used whenever different types of metal pipe need to be joined.
In newer houses, water heaters may be the only place you'll find these, but older houses with galvanized steel water supply pipes or hot water heating systems may need dielectric union fittings when repairs or improvements are made.
Connecting A Water Line For An Icemaker
A saddle valve is used to tap into a cold water line. Then 1/4 inch copper tubing is routed from the basement to the back of the refrigerator.
How To Shut Off Your Water Supply
You need to know how to turn off the main water line, in case a pipe springs a leak, or if your home is left unoccupied for a while.
Frozen And Burst Pipes:
It Can Happen To You
Old houses are known for problems with pipes freezing in winter, but the problem can happen to any house located where winter temperatures dip below freezing.
Moving A Gas Line
Two pipe wrenches, a big crescent wrench, a bit of know-how and a dose of caution are the main tools required for working with gas piping.
Back-Siphoning: A Small Risk Of A Huge Problem
Plumbing codes have some requirements that may seem baffling, but are designed to protect you and others that share the same water supply... [Read More]
On This Page: Basic Faucet Repairs... Faucet Installation... Sink Plumbing... Bath Tub And Shower... Toilet... Supply System... Drain System... Plumbing Maintenance... Top of Page...
Fixing A Backed-Up Sewer Drain:
Pumping Out The Septic System
When water started dripping from a drain pipe in the basement, I began to look for blockage in the drain pipe. But the problem was in the septic tank.
Installing An Offset Toilet Flange
When a floor joist interferes with a regular toilet flange, this special fitting makes it possible to locate a toilet right where you want it.
How To Glue PVC Pipe Together
Joining PVC pipe and fittings is easy, but you need to follow the proper steps or the connection might fall apart.
Installing PVC Kitchen Sink Drain Plumbing
Sink drain plumbing is commonly built from two types of piping: permanently-joined metal or plastic, and slip-joint pipes.
Replacing Old Sink Drain Plumbing
Somebody had made a cheap fix to the drain under the kitchen sink, and it fell apart from ordinary use.
The repair involved using a rubber coupling to connect PVC drain pipe to the original galvanized pipe, and adding an air admittance valve to help vent the system.
Replacing A Tub Drain
The original tub drain was a cobbled-together mess, so I just replaced the drain fittings and installed a new trap.
On This Page: Basic Faucet Repairs... Faucet Installation... Sink Plumbing... Bath Tub And Shower... Toilet... Supply System... Drain System... Plumbing Maintenance... Top of Page...
Winterizing The Plumbing System
You can't just turn off the heat and walk away for the winter when you live in the northern states. You need to drain the supply pipes and pour RV antifreeze in the drain traps.
How To Shut Off Your Water Supply
You need to know how to turn off the main water line, in case a pipe springs a leak, or if your home is left unoccupied for a while.
On This Page: Basic Faucet Repairs... Faucet Installation... Sink Plumbing... Bath Tub And Shower... Toilet... Supply System... Drain System... Plumbing Maintenance... Top of Page...
Leave A Comment About Our Plumbing Section: