Older shower valves can work for many years. But the handles may become hard to use. That is a real problem for many homeowners. It is even harder with nerve pain or a weak grip. Round shower knobs can be tough to turn. A lever handle is much easier to use. This question came from… Continue reading Can Old Kohler Shower Handles Be Easier?
Author: Plumbing
Did This Pop-Up Drain Cause a Leak?
A bathroom sink leak can be confusing. It gets worse when the drain looks correct. This problem often happens after installing a pop-up drain. The drain has two slots near the top. Those slots are usually for a sink overflow. A sink overflow gives extra water a path out. It helps prevent the bowl from… Continue reading Did This Pop-Up Drain Cause a Leak?
Need a Tight PVC Fix? Try This Fitting
I put some PVC pipe together at my house decades ago.It worked well enough at the time. After many years, I have learned more about plumbing. Now I want to clean up part of that old setup. The problem is a tight space between two fittings. There is not enough pipe showing between them. That… Continue reading Need a Tight PVC Fix? Try This Fitting
Fix Copper-to-PVC Sink Drain Leaks
A leaking bathroom sink drain can feel confusing fast. That is true when old copper meets newer PVC pipe. The hard part is not always the repair. The hard part is buying the right coupling. Question I have a leaking copper drain pipe for a bathroom sink. I want to replace part of it with… Continue reading Fix Copper-to-PVC Sink Drain Leaks
Pump Runs But Won’t Drain? Check This
A pump that runs but will not drain is frustrating. It can also be a messy plumbing problem. This is common with sealed pump basins. It can happen with sump pumps. It can also happen with sewage ejector pumps. In this case, the pump sits inside a sump casing. The discharge line connects to a… Continue reading Pump Runs But Won’t Drain? Check This
Slow Outdoor Faucet Drip? Check This First
A slow drip from an outdoor faucet can seem small. But even a small leak can waste water over time. The good news is simple. Many standard hose faucets do have a rubber washer inside. That washer is often the first part to check. This is especially true with a round handle faucet. That style… Continue reading Slow Outdoor Faucet Drip? Check This First
Fix a Broken Sprayer Tank Spout for Less
A broken sprayer tank spout can turn a small job into a big headache. This is common on older lawn and farm sprayers. The tank may still look fine. But the molded garden hose thread can crack, chip, or break off. That leaves you with a rough plastic stub. In this case, the tank is… Continue reading Fix a Broken Sprayer Tank Spout for Less
Can You Add a Dishwasher Shutoff Valve?
A stuck dishwasher shut-off valve is a common plumbing problem. Hard water can build up inside the valve body. Over time, the handle may stop turning. Sometimes the valve gets stuck open. That can make dishwasher service harder and less safe. In this case, the hot dishwasher feed valve under the sink is stuck open.… Continue reading Can You Add a Dishwasher Shutoff Valve?
Can a Compression Valve Leak Fix Itself?
Redoing a guest bathroom often uncovers old plumbing problems. One common issue is a shut-off valve that will not fully close. That was the problem under this bathroom sink. The old valves were sweated onto copper pipe. They were removed and replaced with new compression shut-off valves. At first, everything looked simple. The new valve… Continue reading Can a Compression Valve Leak Fix Itself?
Will Flushing Toilets Burst Sewer Pipes?
A broken sewer line can cause many questions. This is even more true in an HOA community. One homeowner in central Oregon had a main water leak. A plumber came out to repair the water pipe. During the work, the main septic or sewer pipe was damaged. Now the plumber plans to repair both systems.… Continue reading Will Flushing Toilets Burst Sewer Pipes?