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Rubiks Pubes posted:I have found what I believe to be a reverse osmosis system under my sink. It is a large storage tank that is tee'd off from the cold water line, it is made by Rainsoft and has RoPro stamped on the top of it. The only connection to it is the cold water line that I mentioned before, there does not appear to be a way for the water to flow back out. I tried googling around but couldn't find anything exactly like this setup- it looks like there are similar setups but they all have separate filters after the storage tank. Is this thing just installed wrong, or what? RO (Reverse Osmosis) storage tanks are installed after the filters to store the "pure" water for use. Generally the undersink ones will then lead to a small faucet to the side of the main faucet that's for filtered water only. RO systems can't produce enough water to keep up with a regular faucet.
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Jun 25, 2013 04:36
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Rubiks Pubes posted:I have found what I believe to be a reverse osmosis system under my sink. It is a large storage tank that is tee'd off from the cold water line, it is made by Rainsoft and has RoPro stamped on the top of it. The only connection to it is the cold water line that I mentioned before, there does not appear to be a way for the water to flow back out. I tried googling around but couldn't find anything exactly like this setup- it looks like there are similar setups but they all have separate filters after the storage tank. Is this thing just installed wrong, or what? Take a picture of it and I can tell you more about it. While I haven't dealt with rainsoft RO's I can give you an idea how it works. I imagine there filters and membrane are proprietary.
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Jun 28, 2013 02:20
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I bought a kit to replace the all the stuff inside my toilet tank, because it doesn't stop running. The problem is that the float ball doesn't rise all the way up, and that allows water to keep flowing into the tank. This problem is fixed when I move the float ball away from the side of the tank, as the reason it doesn't move up is that it is stuck to the side. Do I need to replace everything, or can I just take a look and see if I can just stick the new float ball on the rest of the old stuff? I hesitate to replace the whole thing, because the water supply line valve is kind of old and the last time I tried (a few weeks ago) to shut it off, a little water started leaking out of it. I'd rather not use the valve if I can avoid it.
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Jun 29, 2013 00:45
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Safe and Secure! posted:I bought a kit to replace the all the stuff inside my toilet tank, because it doesn't stop running. Can you bend the rod so the ball isn't next to the wall?
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Jun 29, 2013 01:29
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Thanks! I tried to follow your suggestion, but I couldn't get it to bend, so I just crossed my fingers and turned off the water. There wasn't any problem, so I installed the new refill valve, plug, ball, etc. The only problem is that the valve doesn't shut off on its own. Once the water level rises to where I set it by adjusting the water-level screw, water just starts coming out of the underside of the top of the refill valve. I have to physically pull the float ball up and hold for a moment to make it shut off for good, and then a seconds later it starts to let out an occasional drop of water. Now I'm wondering if the replacement kit itself may be defective.
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Jun 29, 2013 05:51
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Safe and Secure! posted:Thanks! I tried to follow your suggestion, but I couldn't get it to bend, so I just crossed my fingers and turned off the water. There wasn't any problem, so I installed the new refill valve, plug, ball, etc. Usually the replacement floats have adjustment in the vertical riser also so you can make a 2nd adjustment to it. Then fine tune it with the float adjustment.
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Jun 29, 2013 15:54
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I have a gas line question, since my plumber normally takes care of theses types of things I figured I post it here. He's not open until Monday and I was hoping to get some answers so I can resolve the disagreement I'm having with my wife. We are remodeling the outside of our house, with new siding and stonework on the foundation. On the left side of the front door is our gas meter and the pipes that go to our appliances. I figured we'd just get some landscaping / shrubbery and paint the pipes to blend in. This will be a flower bed anyway so I thought that would work. She wants to find out if the gas meter can be moved to the side of the house instead. I'm concerned about the cost of moving it and if we could run the pipes closer to the ground. Current state:  Proposed state: Black line is inbound pipe to meter off to side of house, blue line is outbound pipe from the meter to two spots into the house.  Thoughts?
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Jun 29, 2013 18:37
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With appropriate landscape you'll never see that thing again. You will literally forget about it in a month, as will she. It's just sticking out like a sore thumb because there's nothing else there right now. Moving it isn't going to be cheap, that's for sure. Depending on jurisdiction you'll almost definitely need your gas company involved. I'd rather spend the same money on landscaping to hide it than to be left with a blank wall with two pipes and no landscaping.
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Jun 29, 2013 18:52
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Motronic posted:With appropriate landscape you'll never see that thing again. You will literally forget about it in a month, as will she. It's just sticking out like a sore thumb because there's nothing else there right now. You couldn't have said this better. I imagine the cost to be at least a couple grand to move it plus a yard that will be dug up.
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Jun 29, 2013 18:57
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Safe and Secure! posted:Thanks! I tried to follow your suggestion, but I couldn't get it to bend, so I just crossed my fingers and turned off the water. There wasn't any problem, so I installed the new refill valve, plug, ball, etc. It has to be able to bend, it's just brass. Use 2 hands. If that ball is touching the side of the tank but you can't bend the rod to where you need it be, another option is to throw a towel under the tank, turn off the water, flush the tank to empty it, loosen the supply line nut, loosen the nut for the fill valve, then turn the thing inside the tank, tighten it down once you get the ball away from the tank wall and then hook everything else back up. If you're careful, you should be able to do it without spilling too much water. And what's this about a leaky wall valve? We can help you fix that too you know.
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Jun 29, 2013 19:42
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Just received an outrageous water bill saying that I used 47,100 gallons in June when in May I was around 20,000. Nothing has changed between May and June and I don't have any leaks in the house or that I can find in the yard. I went out to the water meter to checking the reading on the meter and found the lid is held in place with a pentagon shaped nut. I measured it as best I could and it looks like it's 15/16ths from tip to base. I've tried searching around for a curb key to fit this thing but none of them have dimensions but appear to have multiple sizes. Any thoughts on what I should be looking for? 
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Jun 29, 2013 23:19
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Use a pair of channel locks. You only have to turn it a quarter turn, then pry up the lid from the side.
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Jun 30, 2013 00:10
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Once you get it open, you can do a quick test. If you know where the shut off valve is inside your home, turn it off and go back to the meter and see if you still have flow. If you do, at least you know that the leak is between the meter and the shut off valve. If the flow stops, then you have some water usage inside your home. Also, be on the lookout for any toilets that run occasionally or dripping faucets. Those can run up a bill faster than you would think.
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Jun 30, 2013 00:15
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kid sinister posted:Use a pair of channel locks. You only have to turn it a quarter turn, then pry up the lid from the side. Tried that but no dice. I couldn't get a good grip on it since it's recessed into the lid. Any amount of force and the wrench slipped right off.
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Jun 30, 2013 00:26
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This one is $11 and fits two kinds of pentagon nuts. Not sure if there are more though: http://www.newconcepttools.com/product/no-2-meter-lid-wrench/
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Jun 30, 2013 02:42
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The drain under my kitchen sink is flat against the wall. I installed a kit like this one: http://www.amazon.com/LDR-501-5030-Disposal-Installation/dp/B008VO5UVG about six months ago and it was working fine. But now when there's a lot of water backed up in the sink, there is a tiny leak between the metal drain hole (against the wall) and the very first PVC pipe coming out. I tried tightening the nut but it's not really working. I looked closer and it doesn't look like the plastic ring:  is fully seated. I cleaned the hole of all the putty, put some thread sealant and tried again, but it still leaks. I know I need to get the line snaked too, but I'd like to get this leak fixed first. This part of the video is exactly what I'm talking about : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykikb_7Fxx4&t=147s My wife really needed to use the sink so I just put a bunch of plumbers putty around the ring  What should I do? Bank fucked around with this message at 02:53 on Jun 30, 2013 |
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Jun 30, 2013 02:51
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TouchyMcFeely posted:Tried that but no dice. I couldn't get a good grip on it since it's recessed into the lid. Any amount of force and the wrench slipped right off. It's a 3/4 5-point. Available from snap-on for about $36 last I looked. Get a piece of 3/4 EMT from a big box and hammer that on, then use the channel locks to spin the nut. You can also get a super-cheap 12-point socket from a dollar store or thrift store and hammer that on there.
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Jun 30, 2013 15:15
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babyeatingpsychopath posted:It's a 3/4 5-point. Available from snap-on for about $36 last I looked. Get a piece of 3/4 EMT from a big box and hammer that on, then use the channel locks to spin the nut. You can also get a super-cheap 12-point socket from a dollar store or thrift store and hammer that on there. I got lucky and happened across this curb key while shopping for something else. Just happened to have the right sized key for the lid. I also think I found the leak after another walk through of the house. And wouldn't you know it, it's the water shutoff valve for the house. Now that I have the water shut off at the meter I can take it apart and replace whatever it is that's causing the leak.
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Jun 30, 2013 18:05
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Finally fixed my leaky kitchen sink after a year of putting it off. It needed a smidge more putty between the basket and the sink.  Of course the PVC drain pipe is a hair too long and the original plumber just muscled it on there, so I spent half the project simultaneously trying not to strip the PVC nut on the metal basket threads & resisting the urge to extend the project far further by ripping the whole piece out & re-doing it with the right length. I also spent a decent amount of time cleaning putty off the top threads because that's why it leaked in the first place: instead of pushing down on the basket to ensure a good seal all the way around, they just threaded it on and the putty ended up getting sucked down & jammed in the threads instead of sealing the basket-sink connection.
StupidSexyMothman fucked around with this message at 19:02 on Jun 30, 2013 |
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Jun 30, 2013 18:57
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So i have an old natural gas heater that I tore out of a rome in the house I bought and have the gas shut off at the meter right now. If I want to cap off the gas line should I just use tape, or some kind of sealant to make sure it doesn't leak? There are already threads on the pipe so i thought I would just get a cap to fit it. I am planning on walling this line in so I want to be sure it won't be a problem going forward.
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Jul 1, 2013 06:22
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Water heater was knocking badly while heating. Family I'm living with swore they'd been draining it every year since it was installed. So I hooked up a hose and drained it again. Got a lot of nasty looking crap out (sand for awhile, then dark brown, then eventually clear water), and it went from a constant boiling/knocking noise all day to only making a little noise after a shower. Downside is the drain valve is leaking badly. I planned ahead and got a cap for the end of it, but it's also leaking from around the "handle" (flathead screw thing in the drain valve). Aside from this telling me "no, you haven't ever drained it, much less every year", what's involved in fixing this leak? It's dripping (rapidly) from around the "handle". The faucet looks like the valve portion can be unscrewed. It's a ~8 year old White-Rogers gas water heater. Drain looks like a typical water hose thing, except with a screw instead of a handle. It's dripping around the screw. City code also has it placed in the attic, with a non-draining pan (WTF?!), so I'd rather fix it ASAP instead of waiting for the pan to overflow.
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Jul 1, 2013 11:29
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therobit posted:So i have an old natural gas heater that I tore out of a rome in the house I bought and have the gas shut off at the meter right now. You do not want to bury this in a wall. How far back can you go on the service? Are there shutoff valves inline? Also, are you switching to electric heat? What zone are you in/how big is the house?
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Jul 1, 2013 14:07
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Bank posted:The drain under my kitchen sink is flat against the wall. I installed a kit like this one: Just throwing this out there once more now that the weekend is over. Should I just leave the putty there?
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Jul 1, 2013 16:40
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Bank posted:Just throwing this out there once more now that the weekend is over. Should I just leave the putty there? Why is water backed up into the sink? This should never happen and I would fix this issue first before worrying about the leak.
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Jul 1, 2013 21:20
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ShadowStalker posted:Why is water backed up into the sink? This should never happen and I would fix this issue first before worrying about the leak. I think his concern is that the little leak will turn into a big one if all the sink water rushes through should he clear the line before fixing the clog.
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Jul 1, 2013 21:34
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oldskool posted:I think his concern is that the little leak will turn into a big one if all the sink water rushes through should he clear the line before fixing the clog. Yes, that's correct. My kitchen sink area has been leaking ever since I moved in, and I'd like to finally take care of it. I know the answer for my specific situation is that it needs to get snaked, but I'd rather fix the leak first. At least by still having a slow draining sink I can clearly see where the leak is.
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Jul 1, 2013 22:07
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Drain lines aren't very awesome at being water tight when water chills in them. If it wasn't backed up you'd probably not have a leak. Drain lines like the ones under your sink are usually just one pipe inside another with a plastic seal tightened around it when the junction is screwed tight. When water does what it should and flows by to the main drain line this provides enough protection from leaks. When it sits in the pipe it has a chance to get between where the two pipes are hanging out together, and the plastic seal. And start dripping. If you look at your main drain lines if they're PVC they're glued together, if metal they screwed tight You shouldn't need putty at the connection at all to keep water from coming out of a drain. Edit : I am not a plumber. If I were you I'd buy new pieces of drain pipe for where it's leaking just to make sure you have the best connection possible and get that line snaked. All your problems will be solved. tater_salad fucked around with this message at 03:01 on Jul 2, 2013 |
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Jul 2, 2013 02:58
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XmasGiftFromWife posted:You do not want to bury this in a wall. How far back can you go on the service? Are there shutoff valves inline? It's a long story, but this heater was obviously dangerous and likely not functional any longer. The gas line pokes up from the floor imside of the cavity left in the wall. I have a gas water heater and will switch to a central gas furnace from the baseboards as soon as I can afford to (probably next year or the year after). As far as in line shutoffs go I guess I could look under the house but it looks like years of mickey mouse repairs at this place so who knows.
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Jul 2, 2013 03:03
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some texas redneck posted:Water heater was knocking badly while heating. Family I'm living with swore they'd been draining it every year since it was installed. So I hooked up a hose and drained it again. You can replace the drain valve and its rather easy (i'd like to see a picture for further instructions). Usually it's 3/4 IPS fittings. I'd suggest brass not galvanized. The knocking or ticking you hear is the calcium build up in the water heater. I'd recommend getting a water softener for atleast the water heater or the entire house. Excluding irrigation.
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Jul 3, 2013 06:18
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My wife and I just closed on our first house and I have a project that is a real head scratcher. The upstairs bathroom shower doesn't seem to be getting any hot water. Cool water just dribbles out when the hot is on, but I get full pressure with cold. The sink about six feet away has no issues at all and the rest of the taps in the house work fine too. I replaced the cartridge in the shower this morning and still have the same issue. What the hell is going on?
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Jul 6, 2013 16:17
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Gray Stormy posted:My wife and I just closed on our first house and I have a project that is a real head scratcher. The upstairs bathroom shower doesn't seem to be getting any hot water. Cool water just dribbles out when the hot is on, but I get full pressure with cold. The sink about six feet away has no issues at all and the rest of the taps in the house work fine too. I hate to ask, but is it turned on? If it was leaking before (which you very well may have fixed with the new cartridge) a realtor or someone may have simply shut it off rather than repairing it properly. If you don't have any accessible shut offs in the bathroom try in the closet that is undoubtedly in the room on the other side of the front of the tub/shower.
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Jul 6, 2013 17:31
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I don't have access to any shut offs(that im aware of), but I did take apart the faucet again and loosened up the hot water bolt-thing that is behind the cover plate. Still no success.
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Jul 7, 2013 05:21
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My toilet in the second bathroom has a couple problems. 1. It requires an enormous amount of force on the handle to flush. Seriously, a bunch. If you take the lid off, you can see the plastic rod flexing as you flush. The flapper appeared to have a little rotating dial thing on it with numbers. It was at 9, now I moved it to 2 and it seems to be easier to flush, but sending down much less water (leaves some pee foam on top during a normal flush) 2. The tank refills super slowly. It takes about 2 minutes to get it totally full again after a flush. I checked the shutoff valve, and it appears to be fully open. Any thoughts on this?
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Jul 9, 2013 00:53
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canyoneer posted:My toilet in the second bathroom has a couple problems. How old is the toilet and valve assembly?
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Jul 9, 2013 01:33
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XmasGiftFromWife posted:How old is the toilet and valve assembly? Just bought the house. No idea. It was built in 2001. So possibly 12 years old
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Jul 9, 2013 02:43
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While hanging out in my basement last night my wife noticed that one of our ceiling tiles had a water spot on it. Investigation shows that my dishwasher is leaking. The good news is that it only does so when the dishwasher is running (so water supply should be fine) and the leak has not been occurring long. Our neighbors just had a huge disaster (with insurance companies, suing plumbers...) with their dishwasher that has made my wife hyper-sensitive to this issue as it destroyed the hardwood in their kitchen. We have the exact same model house and dishwasher. I'm not opposed to getting a new one, as ours is a bit frustrating and could use an upgrade to match our newer appliances, it's 15 years old. The frugal part of me wants to ensure that it is indeed a defective dishwasher though. What is the best way I can troubleshoot it? I intend to pull the bottom cover off of it and take a look underneath, give the DW a run and see what leaks. Challenge is, I don't know what I'm doing from there. Supposedly the neighbor had a hose replaced which then initiated this whole onslaught of flooding in their house. My guess is that they just assumed it was fixed and went ahead business as usual. On another note, if I do indeed need to replace it, how difficult of a job is it to do? Can I do it myself or should I pay the $134 that Lowes is going to charge for piece of mind for the wife? Thanks in advance!
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Jul 11, 2013 21:21
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Are you sure that it's the dishwasher itself that's leaking and not its drain hose? Swapping out a dishwasher is pretty easy. First get a pile of rags or a towel you don't mind getting dirty. Shut off the dishwasher's water supply, turn off its breaker, unhook its drain hose under the sink and its water supply line (get rags ready), pull it out of the cabinet and unhook the electrical line. The tough part is getting the new fittings for the supply line tight enough that they don't leak. Don't forget the pipe thread tape!
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Jul 11, 2013 22:16
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kid sinister posted:Are you sure that it's the dishwasher itself that's leaking and not its drain hose? Nope, I'm not sure it's the drain hose. I still need to take a look at them directly, I just can see that is where the water is coming in to the basement and it started back up when we turned it on. That really doesn't sound too complicated. I may do it myself. I'm perplexed as to how a professional plumber managed to botch my neighbors hose replacement in a reasonably newer home. If we lived in the sticks (and had sketchy quality professionals) and old homes I could understand. That gives me a small amount of pause to do it myself but I think I can swing it. Thanks for the help. I will report back once I get a look under the hood!
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Jul 11, 2013 23:20
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Also, there's a valve on the dishwasher that turns on when the dishwasher needs water. I had the same issue and had to replace this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005AR8KDM/ref=oh_details_o08_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Jul 11, 2013 23:24
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So I got the cover off and ran the washer. Immediately water started dripping from the white portion with all the plastic triangles that forms a big ring around the whole thing. I don't know what that is, but it does appear that the leak is coming from the unit itself and not a hose. Anyone able to identify what the issue could be with this information? What else can I provide? I greatly appreciate any help! 
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Jul 12, 2013 02:55
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