Question: Can A Low Urinal Water Line Still Work? A homeowner had a plumber rough in a water line for a urinal. The rough-in was based on a Kohler valve already purchased. Later, the homeowner installed the urinal himself. That is when the problem became clear. The water line did not look high enough. Now… Continue reading Urinal Water Line Too Low? Fix Options
Tag: fix
Bad Drain Pitch? Fix Bathroom Pipes Right
Bathroom drain work can look simple at first. Then you open the floor and see the real problem. Flat pipe, wrong slope, and tight fittings can cause trouble. That is common in older bathroom layouts. This drain system serves two nearby bathrooms. The hall bath has a lav, toilet, and tub. The master half bath… Continue reading Bad Drain Pitch? Fix Bathroom Pipes Right
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
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
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
Washing Machine Water Hammer Fix That Lasts
Washing machines can be rough on plumbing. Their fast shutoff valves stop water very quickly. That sudden stop can cause water hammer. You may hear a bang, thump, or pipe shake. A homeowner asked a common question. Cheap water hammer arrestors behind the washer lasted about three years. Instead of buying new ones, they wanted… Continue reading Washing Machine Water Hammer Fix That Lasts
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
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 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?