A glass shower door can look clean and modern. But one small screw hole can cause big trouble. After a new shower door installation, paint may start lifting. The trim or kickboard near the shower may also feel wet. This often means water is getting behind the wall surface. Question We had a glass shower… Continue reading Is Your Shower Door Screw Hole Leaking?
Free Spigot Drips? Fix It Fast
A frost-free spigot should stop water inside the warm part of the house. That design helps prevent frozen pipes during cold weather. But older spigots can still leak, spray, or drip. This often happens after years of use. In this case, the home is almost 30 years old. It has two frost-free anti-siphon spigots. One… Continue reading Free Spigot Drips? Fix It Fast
Why Is My Water Softener Timer Leaking?
Question There is water all over the floor around my water softener. I do not know if it is the only source. But I see water leaking from my timer. What would cause that? Answer A water softener timer should not leak water. If water is coming from that area, the leak is usually inside… Continue reading Why Is My Water Softener Timer Leaking?
Tankless Heater Temp Swings? Check This First
A tankless water heater should give steady hot water. When the temperature jumps, something is not right. This homeowner has an A. O. Smith tankless unit bought in 2020. The heater is set to 120 degrees. Yet the display sometimes shows 100 degrees. At other times, the outlet water jumps to 138 degrees. That is… Continue reading Tankless Heater Temp Swings? Check This First
Condo Sewer Switch: Is a $20K Tap Too High?
A small condo complex in Loudon County, Tennessee, is facing a costly plumbing choice. The property has four buildings, with four condos in each building. That makes 16 total units. The buildings were built in the mid-1980s. Ten units have one and a half baths. Six units have two full baths. Right now, the complex… Continue reading Condo Sewer Switch: Is a $20K Tap Too High?
Best Water Heater for Solar and Big Baths
Adding solar panels is a great time to rethink hot water. This is even more true in homes with mixed heat systems. Your setup is not simple, but it can work very well. You already have a 50-gallon indirect water heater. It is heated by a propane boiler during part of the year. In winter,… Continue reading Best Water Heater for Solar and Big Baths
Why Is My Copper Pipe So Loud?
A loud copper pipe can be scary. It may sound like the pipe is shaking inside the wall. This often happens when water flows fast through a small pipe. It can also happen when a pipe is loose. Question I have an outdoor hose bib near the main water line. When I turn it on,… Continue reading Why Is My Copper Pipe So Loud?
Basement Drain Smell? Fix It Before It Spreads
A smelly basement can start with one small floor drain. In many Brooklyn rowhouses, an areaway sits outside the basement door. This sunken space often has stairs leading down from the yard. At the bottom, there may be a floor drain. That drain helps move rainwater away during storms. But it can also let sewer… Continue reading Basement Drain Smell? Fix It Before It Spreads
Stuck Sink Drain Pipe? Try This First
Question I was removing my sink trap to clean it. While doing that, I broke the pipe at the bottom of the drain assembly. Now I need to replace the drain assembly. The big nut at the bottom is loose. But the drain pipe will not break free. I have tried pushing it. I have… Continue reading Stuck Sink Drain Pipe? Try This First
Frozen Tub Stopper? Fix It Before Replacing
Question My lever-actuated bathtub drain stopper is frozen in the open position. The cover has a “K,” so I think it may be Kohler. The drain was replaced over 20 years ago. I no longer have the paperwork. Before I spend $145 on a new drain assembly, can I clean it? Also, what brand should… Continue reading Frozen Tub Stopper? Fix It Before Replacing