Your Washing Machine Is Slow To Fill

You have been running the washer for a while and it is still filling.  Over time most homeowners will experience this at least once in a lifetime.  Your water contains many different minerals and sediments; every time the  machine is used water enters your machine through hoses attached at the back.  All washing machines have screens in the back where the water enters into 2 solenoid valves.... one  for the hot and one for the cold.  These screens eventually get blocked and restrict the amount of water to the machine.  Years ago the washers that came with the machine when it was purchased also had screens in them that became plugged over time.  You can still purchase these washers with screens today although most hose washers that come with washing machines today do not have a screen.

Solution....Tools required.....channel locks (pliers),flashlight, a bucket, rags and a small common (staright)screwdriver and Q-tips.
Turn your water valves off that feeds your washing machine.
 Remove a hose off of the back of the machine with the channel locks or pliers.
Note....you will get a little water when you take the hose off; so place the end of the hose in the bucket and the rags on the floor below the connection.
Take the flahlight and look at the connection on the waher.  You will see a build up of sediment that has to be taken out.
 Take the screwdriver and loosen the sediment on the small screen on the machine where the hose was taken off.  Be careful as you do not want to put a hole in the screen.
Now it is time to take the Q-tips and clean away any lose sediment.
Before re-attaching the hose;  test that the hose is free of sediment by placing it in the bucket and turning on the water for a few seconds.  It does not take much sediment to clog this screen.
Once you have done this; it is time to put the hose back on the washer and turn on your water valve.
Now it is time to do the other hose connection.  Note....if you only use cold water there is no need to do the hose on the hot.

Tip....If your washer does not allow you to take on cold water....your solenoid on the machine could have failed.  Simply turn your water valves off and switch your hoses and use your hot water cycle. This will allow you to use your washer and get cold water to your machine.

Happy Washing ....if there is such a thing.....leave a question if you wish

Toilet Trouble

Probably one of the most talked about problems in plumbing is toilets.  I am going to make a list of the problems and the solutions on this page.

Problems and Solutions

1.  Have to told the handle down to get a good flush. (to empty the tank)             
1a. possble cause....The chain or rubber where it is attached to the handle is too long.  Shorten the chain or rubber where it is attached to the handle.  This will allow the flapper or flush mechanism at the bottom of the tank to lift properly.

2.  You have to flip the handle in order for the flap to go back down.
2a. possible cause....Amerian standard toilets have a cannon mechanism in the tank and in this tube shaped part there is a small hole in the bottom of it that is more then likely plugged and if so a small piece of wire will clear this opening and allow the trip mechanism to fall back down after the flush.

2b. possible cause....With other style toilets it could be the float needs to be adjusted up after all the water has left the tank because if the float has dropped to low it will not allow the flapper to drop back down.  There is usually 2 adjusting screws on the top of the ballcock.  The screw to adjust the rod to prevent it from dropping down to low is the small brass one. The screw for adjusting the height of the water in the tank is the one directly in the centre of the ballcock.  American Standard toilets have a plastic float and rod that can be adjusted by backing off the plastic bolt and nut that attaches the rod to the ballcock...Once this is set on this style toilet they usually don't have to be adjusted.

3,  Toilet  continues to run.

3a.possible cause....Flapper in the tank is worn and does not sit flush on bottom of tank opening. New plapper required.

3b.possible cause....Water is running into the standpipe in the tank.  Try adjusting the ballcock by adjusting the centre screw on top of it. Turn the screw clockwise to lower the level. There is a waterline height in the tank usually found on the back of the tank. Adjust water to that level. If this does not work, it is possible to replace the ballcock which is not difficult task.

4.  Toilet will not flush properly and remove everything in the bowel.

4a. possible cause....Water level is not high enough in tank.  Adjust water to proper level by turning centre srew on ballcock counter clockwise that allows more water to enter the tank.

4b. possible cause....If this does not rectify the problem;try taking a bucket of water and pouring it in the bowel to see if the bowel drains properly. If the bowel does drain well;it could be the jets in the bowel are partially plugged.  I have seen it before in toilets that use the blue tank blocks for cleanig and toilets on wells that have high mineral counts and the jets get plugged.  For the blue block cleaners it is just a waiting game until all the blue has been used.  Where minerals are the problem I personally suggest a new bowel although CLR may do the job.

5.  Toilet is plugged.

5a. possible cause....Time to take out the plugger.If the plunger does not do the job; a toilet auger is the next step.When you think you have unplugged it, lift off the cover on the tank and just lift the handle slightly to allow water to enter the bowel slowly.  Flushing the entire tank of water and not knowing for sure the bowel is unplugged could cause the bowel to over-flow.  The auger can turn a pen or toothbrush sideways and allow the water to go down very well but, this type items may still be there.  Pens ,toothbrushes and toys are the biggest instigators.  I have a little trick I usually do by rolling up a few small pieces of toilet paper and give it a flush. This will give you a good test.  If the toilet is still acting up, its time to get out the the tools and lift the toilet

When lifting a toilet ,shut-off the water, empty the water in the bowel, flush the tank and empty the remaing water in the bowel.  Place rags around the water connection and disconnect the line from the tank.  Pop the covers on either side of the toilet bowel, undo the nuts on the T-bolts, and lift the bowel and place it in a large garbage bag.  At this point it is a good idea to get an extra pair of hands to help tilt the bowel back and remove the old wax seal and find the obstruction.  Once this is done it is time to reverse the procedure.  Use a new wax seal and T-bolts everytime you set a toilet.

good luck...the old plumber

Toilets can be a pain in the butt,but its hard to live without one....leave a question if you wish

How To Solder Copper Joints Correctly (pipe and fiiting)

Soldering copper pipe is one of the easiest tasks when it comes to plumbing repairs. Although it does take time it is quite simple to do with a little bit of patience. The only thing that makes it difficult is water and that usually can be rectified.  Once this is taken care of soldering is a breeze.

Tools required for this job include; A torch and igniter, sand cloth, steel wool, flux, lead free solder, copper cutters, a fitting brush is not a necessity,but it does make cleaning the inside of the fitting faster, mini cutters maybe required depending on where the pipe is located, a bucket, a few rags and a camera to take a picture after you have accomplished a great job.

1.  Turn off the water coming into your house or if you are on a well... the valve in your line leaving your pump tank.  Little tip...I always turn off the valve to the toilet or flush it as it is possible for the water to syphon from the tank back into the waterlines.  Although the ballcocks in the tanks are made to be anti-syphon I don't take the chance.

2.  Open the faucet in your home at the lowest place which would be your basement if you have one.

3.  Then go to the spot where the soldering is to take place and clean the pipe with sandcloth or emery cloth as some people call it.

4.  After cleaning the section of pipe where you are installing the fitting; it is time to cut your copper pipe.  Keep your bucket handy as this is the time you may (will) get a little water.  Slant the copper you cut to allow all the water possible to leave the pipe.  Once this is done, it is now time to dry the pipe with a rag and shine the copper again with the steel wool.  This will remove the marks made by the cutters... (little tip...if there is water still in the pipe;run the torch  back and forth slowly under the pipe to dry the remaining water out of the pipe).If you are using the torch to remove the remaining water; you may have to clean the pipe again to give it the shine that is required.  It is now time to apply a skim coat of flux on the pipe.

5.  If you have not cleaned your fittings to be soldered, this is the time to get that done.  Use a fitting brush or steel wool on the inside of the fitting.  Check to see if all of the fitting is shiny and there are no stains or dirt inside the fitting and apply a skim coat of flux on your fitting.

6.  Now it is time to slide the copper fitting over the copper pipe and light the torch.  Apply the heat to the bottom of the joint (the torch should be held at a distance where the tip of the blue flame (cone) is at the joint as this is where the highest temperature of the flame is located) .

7.  Once the heat has been applied for a short period of time; rmove the torch away and apply the solder directly on top of the joint. The solder will run around the joint and capillary attraction will draw the solder up and into the fitting.Do not apply to much heat as this will remove the temper from the copper and reduce the life expectancy of the copper.

8.  Once your solder has run (flowed) into the joint,allow the joint to cool a bit and solidify (a minute should be suffice) and wipe the joint with a rag to remove the remaining flux.

9.  Now it is time to get the camera and snap a photo of your work.  Congrats........Leave a question if you wish

Leaks From the Bathtub

So,you have water leaking from the tub everytime it is used.  This is a list of the places where it maybe found.

1.The best way to find the leak is to start from the bottom of the tub.I recently repaired a drain on a tub spud that was not tight.  That is the part of the tub that screws into the bottom of the tub.  If you can see the tub drain from underneath and this is where it is at;just remove the plug and find a tool (quite often a spanner or set of electrician's pliers will do the job in most cases) ; place it in the drain and slide a screw driver through the boxed end of the wrench;unscrew the spud.  Clean it (remove any old putty), replace the putty with plumbers putty by making a snake shape to go around the spud 3/8ths of an inch thick that completely goes around the spud. (you must knead the putty first to make it soft)  Tighten in and you should be good to go.(I never recommend taking the spud out unless it is absolutely necessary).  Never remove it to clean the drain!

2.The next thing to check is the overflow that is usually located above the bath waste.  The best way to check this is to fill the tub with cold water or after you get a bath add additional cold water above the overflow.  If the leak is coming from this area becareful as the overflow has a rubber gasket behind the escochen that seals the overflow to the tub.  Usually a screwdriver will allow you to remove the overflow.  What you want to do is check is that the rubber gasket is alined with the hole.  If this is the problem and the rubber gasket is not in the centre of the whole; back the screws off a little to allow you to move the rubber to the centre of the drain and retighten.

3.The drains have been checked and turn out ok.  The number one cause of leaks is NO silicone is installed where the spout and faucets come through the wall or side of the tub.  When the faucets are installed, there should be silicone applied between the faucet and the hole it passes through.  It should also be applied where the pipe for the spout passes through the wall.  This is the most common problem fo leaks around tubs.

4.The last place is at the shower arm . If the leak only happens when you are getting a shower; it could be number 2, 3 or 4 because the water boouncing off you may go down around the any openings that are not sealed.  It is possible for the shower arm to be corroded and has to be replaced.  Undo the shower head and then remove the arm.  If it breaks off when you are replacing it, you may need a 1/2 inch pipe extractor to remove the pipe in the wingback elbow or female adaptor.  It is possible to pick the joint out of the fitting, but it takes some time to get the hang of this procedure.  The new shower haed arms are now made of plastic and brass.  Either is exceptable to use; just don't forget to put about 6 wraps of a good quality teflon on the threads before you screw it back into the wall.  Do not put the shower head on before you screw it into the wall if the tub has an enclosed top as you may not be able to turn the arm with the head attached.

Hard to beat a warm shower or bath....leave a question if you wish

How to fix a leak on your shut-offs under your sink.

There are a few different brands of shut-offs in the market today.  A few of them have a nut and packing gland and the other is of a ball valve style with a quick 90 degree turn and the water is off.  So,you have turned your water off to repair your faucet and see a leak on the valve.  If the valve is the older style which are still very popular today (a few turns to shut the water off) ; it maybe just a matter of holding the valve firmly and tightening the packing nut -giving it a one eighth turn.  These valves may even drip a little water when new,but the same procedure will cure your problem.  The other style valve would ha ve to be changed out if it is leaking as there is no gland,but an o-ring that makes the seal and prevents the water from leaking... little tip when changing the valve only and leaving the old nut and 5/8 furrele on is to take teflon tape and wrap the ferrule with two revolutions of tape.  This has helped me in the past many times.

leave a question if you wish.....

Sharkbite fittings

Sharkbite is a relatively new product in North America (few years).  The fittings are made of brass and are very thick and sturdy.  They are a great and quick solution for the average homeowner who wants to make a repair or do a small job around the house.  They are also a great product because of the fact there is no soldering.  Although, I personally would not recommend them for a long term fix I am a big fan of them for the simple reason is that anyone can use them.

 All that is required is a set of copper or plastic cutters, depending on the type of pipe in your home and a leak that may happen on the weekend or evening can be fixed by simply turning off the water ,taking the pressure from the system by turning on a faucet in the basement preferably, cutting the pipe and sliding a Sharkbite cap or valve over the pipe.It is very quick,simple and inexpensive in realtionship to getting a plumber at your home at those times of the day.

I believe Sharkbite is a great product, but I would not use it as a permanent solution as the only seal between the pipe and the fitting is an O-ring. When using these fittings on copper remove the sleeve in the Sharkbite and where it is used on plastic(pex) allow the plastic pipe to slide over the sleeve which will help keep the pipe from expanding and keep its shape.

quick fix solution.....leave a question if you wish

New style mini cutter.

This is a mini pipe cutter that cuts 1/2 inch copper pipe.  It has not been on the market too long, but is a very simple unit.  It simply fits on the pipe and then all that has to be done is clamp it down and turn.  They also make a 3/4 size.  This is a must for those tight spots where it is nearly impossible to turn the screw on the other style cutters.  About 3/4 of an inch space behind the pipe is required to put it on and turn it .  I rate this cutter as a 10 when it comes to mini's.  A must for every plumbers toolbox.

leave a question if you wish