Donna Bunai has a few complaints about the water pressure inside her shower. She lives in Shirley, New York. "I have a problem with the water coming out of my shower. It used to be perfect, no problems. We had all new plumbing done about a year a go. Now the water comes out normal but then Read More »
Tim Carter demonstrates in less than a minute how to connect pex piping. Tim's a master plumber so you can trust him! CLICK HERE to read my recent column on connecting pex pipe. Tim shared this video in his November 7, 2014 Weekend Warrior Newsletter
Connect PEX Pipe - So Very Easy and Fast DEAR TIM: I've got a major bathroom remodel I'm jumping into and luckily I'm allowed to do the plumbing work myself where I live as long as it meets code. My inspector says I can use pex pipe and it seems too good to be true. Read More »
Does your garbage disposal smell like a rat died in it? You know, that foul odor? Let’s talk about why it happens. The odor is from rotting food that’s coating the side walls and bottom of the disposer. Many people don’t use a disposer the right way. Let’s go over that first. When you operate Read More »
Okay, so let's see if you know how to calculate what the payback period is on the EcoDrain product. Don't attempt to do this if you're not versed in semi-complex math problems!!!! Here are the figures I want you to use. Modern shower heads reduce flow to 2.5 gallons per minute. Let's assume three 10-minute Read More »
Quick Column Summary: Drain tailpiece does not line up Flexible tailpiece barely fits Find the right fitting Jesse Shumate, who decided she wanted to be a master plumber like me, wrote: "I installed new cabinet and counter top in my bathroom. Now the drain tailpiece does not line up with the p-trap. I'm using a Read More »
Quick Column Summary: Toilet will not flush solids Test for clogged drain line Problem might be toilet design Or it might be hard water deposits Carlton, who live in the epicenter of delicious, juicy peaches in Peachtree City, Georgia, has a nasty problem with his toilet that won't flush properly. Let him describe his distress: Read More »
Quick Column Summary: Sewage smell in yard Plumbing was cleaned out City sewers are clear Find problem with peppermint oil test Deb Schwartz, who runs a restaurant in Eagle Rock, CA, has a perplexing problem with a sewage odor in here Craftsman house that's now a restaurant. Let her tell you all about it: "We Read More »
Quick Column Summary: How to prevent pot filler pipe from freezing Insulate the wall cavity Caulk all the gaps Keep pipe on warm side of insulation Tom Chan wants to install a new pot filler faucet in an outside wall. But he's got a problem. "I want to install a pot filler faucet. How do Read More »
Quick Column Summary: Sewer smell from vents after master sink used Probably biofilm Clean with a bottle brush Use Stain Solver, oxygen bleach J. A. Coffey, Jr. has a stinky problem when he runs water in his master bath sinks. His problem was featured in the July 16, 2014 AsktheBuilder Newsletter. Heck, let him tell Read More »