Question: Does This Grease Trap Need A Vent? A property owner has wanted a grease trap installed for about a year. She hired a licensed plumber to start the job. The plumber set the grease trap on the floor. Then the job stopped. He has been very busy. He keeps saying he may return next… Continue reading Will This Grease Trap Smell Up The Kitchen?
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Dripping Water Heater Union? Read This First
A small drip near a water heater can feel harmless. But old galvanized pipe can change that fast. This home has a water heater installed in 2019. Now the hot side dielectric union is dripping. The leak is about one-quarter to one-half pint daily. The house is 98 years old. It still has 3/4-inch galvanized… Continue reading Dripping Water Heater Union? Read This First
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
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
Stuck Anti-Scald Button? Try This First
A stuck anti-scald button can make a shower hard to use. It can also make the water feel too hot. Many shower handles use a safety stop. This stop helps limit how far the handle turns. The red button is often part of that safety stop. You press it to move past a set temperature… Continue reading Stuck Anti-Scald Button? Try This First
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
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
Well Pump Runs But No Water? Read This First
A well pump problem can start as a small mystery. One day, the pump runs, but no water comes out. Then you shut the power off. You wait 20 to 30 seconds. After that, the pump starts working again. Pressure returns, and the tank climbs to 60 psi. At first, this may happen once a… Continue reading Well Pump Runs But No Water? Read This First