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Welcome to the Plumbing Tips Page
The purpose of this site is to
provide tips for Restoring, Renovating and General Property Repair Tips. I hope I have made this site unique.
The concept is that each page has a unique topic. I provide 10 tips on
each subject then I have invited you the reader to supply your own tips to
add to the list ... in a 'Post Your Comment Box'. I have called this
posting comments for Restoring Property - RANT or RAVE. As the title
suggests you can post good ideas and ideas that certainly don't work! I
hope you enjoy...
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PLUMBING TIPS - General Advice
Here we have a few basic tips. Follow the
links in the side navigation to see our full lists.
1. One glue won't fix all... Different
manufacturers and different purposes of pipes means there is an array of
variations. As such you cannot assume that one glue, or cleaning solution,
is capable of being the same fix for all pipes.
2. A washing machine tip... Leave the door
open most of the time, but especailly after using the machine. This allows
ventilation and prevents rust. A closed door allows what excess water,
which maybe only droplets of water, to produce condensation within the
washing machine. Such condensation causes rust and deterioration of
working parts.
3. A good energy tip for our northerly
readers. Wrap the hot water pipes. You can buy ready fitting wrap. This
will obviously keep the heat within the pipes more readily and be your
attempt at reducing your hot water heating bills.
4. Whilst we are with hot water... If and
when you boiler gives up the ghost and passes into boiler heaven, consider
installing instant water heaters at several locations. Of course when you
re-install a boiler the cost is enormous; but the downfall of the boiler
is that it takes 20 seconds or so for the hot water to reach its location
within your house. Your kitchen sink for example; sometimes you just want
a small amount of hot water to rinse a pot, but you leave about a gallon
of hot water within the pipes. 2 or 3 instant water heaters, including the
shower, could save you wasting hot water and energy. Plus the installation
costs are comparable.
5. As you may know around various countries
you have varying types of water - hard and soft. This affects lime scale.
Other than obvious and well known problems such as the washing machine,
kettle and central heating; people forget about the problems with showers.
Shower heads build up lime scale and give the effect of lowering the
pressure coming out of the shower. Changing the shower head and pipe may
help; beyond that it will be a water pressure problem.
6. Fixing pipes with PTFE tape. There is a
method than many forget. As you tighten joints and you've put the tape on
wrong, the very objective of the tape is lost as you tighten. As you look
at the end of the pipe, put the tape on clockwise, so that when you
tighten clockwise the tape stays with the thread and doesn't work against
it.
7. Some of the UK toilet cisterns have a
ball float. If the cistern isn't filling sufficiently you may find that
the ball's seal has broken and it is allowing water into it, thus making
the ball weigh more and subsequently sit further down and altering the
water level. A temporary repair is to remove the ball, empty, and then
place a plastic bag over the ball before fitting back. The better you fit
the bag the longer it will last.
8. If your toilet cistern is covered in
water droplets, which eventually drip off the bottom, and you suspect a
leak; consider this option... It could be condensation caused by a damp
bathroom cum shower room. If you don't have proper ventilation, especially
the 'pot' cistern, attracts condensation in the form of beads of water,
which eventually drop to the floor causing suspicion of a leak. If you
have a proper leak the water will be there all of the time. To eliminate
the condensation problem, mop up with an old towel all the excess water on
the cistern, allow an hour of good ventilation and see if the water
droplets return. If they don't it is a condensation problem and not a
leak.
9. Another simple technique to use to check
if your cistern is leaking is by putting food colouring into the cistern
water. If the drips are that colour you'll know it is a leak. If it
remains clear then you know the drips are not from the cistern but
condensation within the room.
10. Blocked sinks... We all are culprits of
ramming as much as we can down the plug hole. So we shouldn't be surprised
when the sink doesn't drain as fast. Whilst plunges can work, the majority
of blockages are within the 'trap' underneath the sink. Get a bucket to
catch the excess water and unscrew the trap. Take a deep breath and unclog
the trap and refit. Be careful not to cross thread the trap as you return
it back.
This information is provided as a
courtesy only...
Neither RestoringPropertyTips.com nor any other party involved in the
preparation, publication or distribution of this information makes any
representation or warranty, express or implied, that this information
contains all provisions that may be appropriate or necessary to address
the specific interests of a landlord, tenant or owners of property.
COMMENTS...
Split Pipes... Are often beyond the do it yourself enthusiast. First thing
to do is to switch off the water. But should you need the water back on
before the plumber arrives, wrap a cloth tightly around the leak and place
a bucket underneath to collect the drips.
Simon, Sydney
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If you are removing expensive taps; and find it necessary to use large
mole grips, avoid scratches by putting a cloth around the tap and joint.
This will allow you need to both grip and twist the tap without marking..
Allan, Newcastle
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When working on your sink taps, always put your sink plug in to avoid
loosing items down the plug hole. Washes and the sort.
Jayne, Queensbury
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The water hammer... Do you get banging in your water system? Two
options... Turn down the water pressure in your system as this is the main
cause. One other option is to install a small piece of kit that alters the
pressure around your system. Ask at the merchants counter.
Harry, Philadelphia
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