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Questions & Answers
To quickly find the information you want, select the category links within the Plumbing, Hot Water Heating, and Miscellaneous sections. I will add new categories in response to your e-mail questions. Jerry
Plumbing Section
Hot Water Heating
Miscellaneous
Drains
D1. What is the best way to unblock a kitchen sink drain? L.A.
Food particles and grease accumulation are easy to remove if you use a manual or electric drain-cleaning machine along with hot running water. The machine wire scrapes and loosens the waste from the pipe's inside walls and the liquid flushes the debris away. J.B.
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Toilets
T1. My toilet runs constantly, how do I find out which part is defective? T.H.
Sometimes the way to zero in on a problem is by a process of elimination. Remove the toilet tank cover and draw a pencil mark at the high-water pointl. Close the shut-off valve and examine the water level after several minutes. If it's lower, you need to replace the toilet ball or flapper. If not, the ballcock is the likely culprit. However there are a number of other possibilities and I will go into more detail in a future article. J.B.
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Faucets
F1. My bath faucet drips even after I replace the washers. What am I doing wrong? F.D.
The new washers may be undersized or oversized. Make certain that they are the right size. Also, verify that the brass seats, within the faucet, are in good condition. They may need to be filed down a bit or replaced outright. J.B.
F2. I recently purchased a single-handle kithchen sink faucet but after the installation, no water came out of either the hot or cold water side. Do you think that the unit is defective? L.B.
No. Chances are nine out of ten that there is some debris jammed in the aerator at the end of the spout. Grab onto and unscrew the piece by rotating it counter-clockwise. Flush the wire screen with water or submerse it overnight in a bowl of vinegar. J.B.
F3. I seem to replace my bath faucet handles once a year. Why don't they make them out of real metal anymore? C.L.
Sometimes a chrome-plated plastic, lucite or metal-alloy handle which prematurely fails is a symptom of a bigger problem. You may be exerting unnecessary force to stop water from dripping after you shut the taps. Verify the cartridges, rubber washers and brass seats. J.B.
F4. I recently bought a house and I would like to repair a roman-style bath faucet but I can't figure out how to remove the handles. Do you have a suggestion? B.C.
Try to find out the faucet brand by looking through plumbing catalogues of high-end products, especially if it appears to be an expensive unit. Some high-priced taps tend to camouflage the section that secures the handle to the cartridge, however, although it may seem improbable, there are times when pulling up on the handle will disengage a plastic insert from a brass spindle. J.B.
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Bathtubs
BT1. I'm replacing an old enamel-on-steel bath with an acrylic unit. What is your opinion of this material? D.W.
I think that if you choose a name-brand product, manufactured by an established (name) company, you will have many years of use out of this fixture. J.B.
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Basins
B1. My wall-mounted basin is slowly coming away from the wall. What should I do? M.N.
Shut the water to the sink and disconnect the speedways and drain. Remove the basin from its mooring. The steel bracket should be unscrewed from the wall and replaced, if warped out of shape. Attach the old or new bracket, trying to secure it solidly to the wall. Make sure that the part which will support the basin is level. Mount the sink and install the water and drain connections. Test that everything works to your satisfaction. Apply silicone in the gap between the backsplash and the wall, making sure that half of the bead adheres to the porcelain and the other half to the wall surface. Allow to dry and cure for twenty-four hours. Unless your pet elephant decides to sit on the fixture, it will never again detach from the wall. J.B.
B2. When I empty the bathroom sink, water comes up in the bathtub. What do I do? J.M.
Congratulations ! You can remove the obstruction by passing a manual or electric drain-cleaning wire from the basin drain, after you have disconnected the P trap. You will likely retrieve a sizeable quantity of hair. J.B.
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Radiators
R1. Everytime I bleed my radiators, the water comes out black and stinky. Should I let it flow until it comes out clean? A.R.
Noooo ! That is not what you want to do. Please read my plumbing article in the Article Library J.B.
R2. I'm remodelling my kitchen and want to replace an old-style cast iron radiator with a modern heater. Is this advisable? G.B.
Manufacturers of heating components suggest that you do not do this. When your system was originally set up, the piping was sized according to the boiler, how many radiators there were, the extended length of the circuit, etc. In fact, you may throw the whole arrangement out of balance, if you proceed. Speak to a professional who will advise you about your options. J.B.
R3. My thermostat is set as high as it can go, the boiler is red-hot, yet my living-room feels cool. What can I do? M.C.
Get down on your hands and knees and ... carefully... touch the radiator pipes coming up through the floor. If they feel very hot the answer to your question is probably that the closed window drapes, are covering the heating coil or a piece of furniture is backed up against the unit and blocking the heat. Remember, heat always travels in the direction towards cold. Block that avenue and it will seek out another route, usually the inside of the outside wall. J.B.
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Circulators
C1. The circulating pump on my heating system keeps making a terrible noise. Should I lubricate it with more vegetable oil? C.W.
You have destroyed this pump by using the wrong kind of oil. In the future, after a new unit has been installed, follow the manufacturer's oiling instructions, with #20 or light-grade oil, unless it is a self-lubricating pump. By the way, don't use #20 in your salad dressing ! J.B.
C2. I have an old, gravity heating system. Should I have a circulating pump installed? I.P.
A gravity, hot water heating system basically means that as water is heated, it becomes lighter and rises, displacing cooler water which descends. Hydronic systems which have circulating pumps installed, respond more quickly to the tthermosats demand for heat. Generally speaking, the older-style systems have oversized piping and sometimes the addition of a circulator, will create an overheating situation. It is best to invite a professional to your home, to discuss the pros and cons. J.B.
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Furnaces / Boilers
FB1. I have my gas furnace cleaned every year but the carbon monoxide alarm still goes off from time to time. Can you give me some feedback? J.G.
Does the person who is doing the cleaning, have an up-to-date natural gas certificate? Only a certified technician should be allowed to clean and/or service your unit. There is more to inspecting the furnace than plugging in a vacuum cleaner and sucking out soot from between the coils. J.B.
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Sump Pumps
SP1. Everytime my sump pump runs there is a loud clicking sound. How can I stop it? L.C.
There is usually a check valve on the discharge line. This is a contraption that allows flow in one direction only. Try to verify if the swinging flap is defective and if so, replace it or the entire unit. J.B.
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Troubleshooting Leaks
TL1. Water drips through my ceiling from the upstairs bathroom. How do I find the source of the leak? S.K.
There may be quite a bit of investigative work ahead of you but for starters, may I suggest that you determine if the leak is intermittant or constant. The former rules out water or hydronic heating lines because they are under constant pressure. You may want to verify the bath, toilet and basin drains and finally check the tiled walls. J.B.
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If you have a plumbing or
heating question you need answered, e-mail me at jerry@virtualplumber.ca
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