Most homes built in the past 10 years use CPVC feed lines for the water supply but many homes may have a mixture of copper and CPVC depending on the appliance or fixture that is being plumbed.
You are likely to see these transitions between the two different materials at your water meter, outside hose bibs, water heaters and even toilets and faucet feeds.
When making the transition you have two basic choices. You can install …
If you live in an area of the country where winter temperatures fall below freezing it is important to take proper precautions with your plumbing if you are planning to take a long winter vacation. Although it is important to keep your home heated a winter storm could knock out power. If that happens the temperature inside your home will fall to equal outside temperatures in under 72hrs and there will be a high …
Your bathroom sink has been damaged or maybe its just time for an upgrade and change of color so what considerations should you take into account and how can you complete the job quickly and on budget.
The first consideration you have to take into account is what other supporting parts of your sink may need to be replaced.
Wall Mount Sinks
If you are replacing a wall mount or pedestal sink without a vanity then …
The collection of rainwater for drinking and general use is not something new but as we have seen in the past 10 years droughts are now common in the USA. As of October 2007 over 40% of the United States is under drought conditions both due to increased building and low amounts of rainfall.
For these reasons it is important to understand our impact on the land and when we can make modifications that will both save us money and precious …
Every home will eventually have a clogged drain there is really not much you can do to prevent it so it is important that you prepare for the situation, not panic when it happens and have the tools you need to get things working again.
Although in some cases you may need to call in a professional if a pipe needs to be replaced or a line needs to …
Every sink or appliance in your home that exits water into your sewer system needs to have a vent pipe that extends up through the roof of your home. The reason vents are required is to allow fresh air into the waste line behind the water when you flush a toilet or drain a sink and to allow sewer gasses to escape outside the home.
The vent works like a game you may have played …
These new fittings have to be the biggest innovation in plumbing since PVC.
The best thing about using Sharkbite Fittings is that one fitting can accept three different types of pipe. No more need for transitions or mixing and matching fitting at a connection location.
One Sharkbite Fitting can accept and mix and match
CPVC
Copper
Pex
Sizes range from 1 inch down to a half an inch and there are T fittings and couplers that will accept different sizes.
Now you can have …
Even well performing water heaters can have leaks this is one reason that you should perform inspections of your water heater at minimum every six months.
A leaking water heater can be very unsettling because the first thing that enters your mind is the expense to replace the tank.
Not only that but because the weight of even an empty tank means its a two person job along with the cost to have your trash man …
Water filters have made their way into many homes today. Many of us have grown accustomed to bottled water for drinking while out of home and want that same fresh flavor for drinking and also for cooking.
So what are some of the features that you should look for when purchasing a cost effective water filtration system for your home?
The most important thing you need to look at is quality vs price. In this HowTo …
Your water heater’s Thermocouple is used as a safety device to shut off your gas flow if your pilot light is not working.
The Thermocouple looks like a probe and because of its design there are no repairable parts.
When the end of the thermocouple is heated to a certain temperature the metal switch inside will allow voltage to flow back to your gas valve. If no heat is present then it will restrict electricity from reaching the gas valve and shut down gas supply to your heater.
If the device is installed correctly and has good connections then it should either work or not work.