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kid sinister posted:It's really bad. You would have to install new a new shower valve, which involves opening the walls. I'd only recommend it if you're doing a bathroom renovation, or the other side of that wall opens into a closet or something where you wouldn't mind putting in an access panel. It leaks out of the handle. I bought a Delta o-ring kit and replaced both o-rings, and it doesn't leak as bad as it did before, but still drips when the water is on. Also, it seems like the internal "stop" is broken - you can twist the handle all the way around without it stopping when the water is shut off. The water still turns off, though.
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Nov 13, 2016 03:13
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I'm getting my cess pool pumped again this year. Reason is that after my first pumping, I discovered that my kids have been flushing baby wipes and feminine products. From my Internet readings, I need to have my cess pool pumped and then apply 200 lbs of caustic soda or 30 gallons of sulfuric acid. Both sound like a lot of fun.
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Nov 13, 2016 08:05
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Rubiks Pubes posted:It leaks out of the handle. I bought a Delta o-ring kit and replaced both o-rings, and it doesn't leak as bad as it did before, but still drips when the water is on. Also, it seems like the internal "stop" is broken - you can twist the handle all the way around without it stopping when the water is shut off. The water still turns off, though. Then you probably don't have Delta stems. What do you mean that you can twist the handle all the way around? Please elaborate.
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Nov 13, 2016 09:11
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Also, bought a Ridgid drain opening machine from Home Depot. It was slightly used with missing gloves and one of the tool tips. Bought a $5 pair of double think gloves and around $25 for a replacement tool set. Used it multiple times over the past month and paid for itself. On Amazon, bought a 2" and 3" 'C' shaped drain opening tips. Yesterday, i used the 3" tip to break through the dirt and muck clog on my 4" cast iron vent stack. Couldn't go to deep from my roof though, because the 3/8" cable was starting to twist up on me. I must have stirred up something, because today I had a clog in my main toilet. Pulled out the clog and it was a rubber or latex glove. I guess my kids flush everything down the toilet. Decided to use my 2" C tip for the first time. Pushed through about 65' worth of cable when the cable started rolling over in the drum. From the Ridgid manual, it recommends going in reverse spin very sparingly as it can break the cable. Took about 20 minutes of pushing and pulling while alternating forward and reverse to loosen the tip from wherever it planted itself. When I got the cable out, there was a bit of rust on the edged side. Feels good that I didn't get that cable stuck in my pipes. Probably saved $10k or so in the short term.
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Nov 13, 2016 13:06
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kid sinister posted:Then you probably don't have Delta stems. What do you mean that you can twist the handle all the way around? Please elaborate. You know how when you turn the water off it normally stops turning? It doesn't do that any more. That is with the original stem/cartridge. I just changed the o rings. The hot side does not do this so I assume something broke inside it at some point.
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Nov 13, 2016 16:54
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Rubiks Pubes posted:You know how when you turn the water off it normally stops turning? It doesn't do that any more. That is with the original stem/cartridge. I just changed the o rings. The hot side does not do this so I assume something broke inside it at some point. Some stems insert into a tube that's threaded both internally and externally. The tube screws into the housing, the stem screws into the tube. It's possible that this tube became unscrewed far enough that you can screw in the stem past the tube and then spin freely, yet the stem can still engage the threads of the tube if you try unscrewing it. ...Or the threads on the stem could be trashed. Can you post some pictures? One of your good stem compared to your leaking stem, the another down the hole in the side that was leaking. Please use a flashlight for extra lighting if necessary on that second one. kid sinister fucked around with this message at 17:39 on Nov 13, 2016 |
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Nov 13, 2016 17:31
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kid sinister posted:Some stems insert into a tube that's threaded both internally and externally. The tube screws into the housing, the stem screws into the tube. It's possible that this tube became unscrewed far enough that you can screw in the stem past the tube and then spin freely, yet the stem can still engage the threads of the tube if you try unscrewing it.
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Nov 13, 2016 22:57
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While our washing machine was draining the other day, we noticed the shower (on the same floor) backed up with murky water. Since then, we've noticed burbling/gurgling from various sinks/toilets as the shower or kitchen sink are running. After some research, it seems this is either a clog in the sewer line, or our septic is full. Snaking the sewer line doesn't look too hard, so I was going to attempt that first. I poked around the basement and found the main sewer line, but I can't find anything that looks like a cleanout. All the smaller pipes from the sinks, toilets, etc terminate in the horizontal sewer pipe, which just runs straight outside. There is a tee where the roof vent connects (but no cleanout on that line). And finally, there is an end-cap on the sewer line, but it's horizontal and not elevated at all... I feel like opening that would just pour water into the basement? The house we're renting is rather old (early 1900's maybe?), so that's probably part of it. Any suggestions? I read somewhere online you could remove a toilet and snake through there? Also read you could snake through the roof vent, but I have no idea how that'd even work. Should I just call a professional?
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Nov 17, 2016 21:42
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You should call your landlord.
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Nov 17, 2016 21:53
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Motronic posted:You should call your landlord. Yep, already did... my landlord says a clog is "routine maintenance" and I'm on the hook for it, so either I call the plumber and pay 250+ or see if I can do it myself. I'll call the plumber if I must, but wanted to see if there was a possibility of taking care of it myself. Edit: assuming it's not a full septic, which she'll pay for. But I have to verify it isn't a clog first.
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Nov 17, 2016 22:11
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Okay, well now that that part is out of the way (the landlord just voluntold you to do this work - whether you want to or not and whether it's their problem or not at least if something goes to hell they were made aware of the problem and given the opportunity to rectify it) the absolute easiest thing as far as snaking from what you've described is going to be through the vent stack on the roof. It's no different than from a clean out on the ground except for more snake+ladders. The end cap in the basement is probably where it needs to be cleaned out, but in a 1900s house you could be in for breaking things - even if you do know what you're doing. And yeah, depending on how much is in the pipes/where the clog is you're definitely going to have to make a mess if you go that way. You also run the very likely possibility of having your leach field plus the top of the tank drain back on you. Speaking of leach fields - another question - have you had a lot of rain lately? If so this could be as simple as your leach field being saturated (assuming you have one rather than a mound - and if you know where that is just go on out there with a pair of boots on and see if it's all squooshy). Also, you may want to refer to these as "waste lines" or "sanitary lines" because "sewer" means a public facility you are tying into at least around here. I was slightly confused as to what situation we were describing at first when I got to the septic part.
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Nov 17, 2016 22:39
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polyfractal posted:Yep, already did... my landlord says a clog is "routine maintenance" and I'm on the hook for it, so either I call the plumber and pay 250+ or see if I can do it myself. I'll call the plumber if I must, but wanted to see if there was a possibility of taking care of it myself. At the hardware store you can buy straight lye for about $6/lb. This is the most fun way to fix a clog ever.
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Nov 17, 2016 22:59
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Motronic posted:Okay, well now that that part is out of the way (the landlord just voluntold you to do this work - whether you want to or not and whether it's their problem or not at least if something goes to hell they were made aware of the problem and given the opportunity to rectify it) [...] Yeahhh... our landlord is basically flat broke. She's basically just hoping that I take care of it and it doesn't turn out to be something she has to pay for. Our furnace died last winter and we had to withhold rent because she was unable to pay for the service up front. She's trying to sell the house, and we're trying to move out ASAP. It's all a big mess  Motronic posted:the absolute easiest thing as far as snaking from what you've described is going to be through the vent stack on the roof. It's no different than from a clean out on the ground except for more snake+ladders.  All in all, it sounds like the whole operation could be dicey no matter what, considering the age of the house. I'll probably just call a professional, I'd rather not destroy something and have to replace/fix it. We've had a bit of rain, but nothing drastic (maybe 0.25 inches total). I don't actually know where the leach field is exactly (I don't know where the tank is, other than the direction from the house), but the entire backyard is relatively dry / no waterlogged. So probably not that. I snapped a photo of the pipe, and realized that entirety of the house output runs through that single pipe into the line. Perhaps the clog is locally there? I could probably reach that with a manual snake from a sink, right?  EDIT: I just noticed the shower is near the waste line and has a p-trap accessible from the basement. I could probably get in there with a small snake too. Motronic posted:Also, you may want to refer to these as "waste lines" or "sanitary lines" because "sewer" means a public facility you are tying into at least around here. I was slightly confused as to what situation we were describing at first when I got to the septic part. insta posted:At the hardware store you can buy straight lye for about $6/lb. Won't this gently caress up the septic bacteria and such? polyfractal fucked around with this message at 23:47 on Nov 17, 2016 |
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Nov 17, 2016 23:30
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I said it's fun. I shouldn't be allowed to be a renter.
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Nov 18, 2016 00:46
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polyfractal posted:This may be a silly question, but is a motorized snake still used for access through the vent? Just have someone feed it from the ground and run the power, while someone else feeds into the vent? The end-cap sounds like a great way to flood my basement with sewage... I'll avoid that route for now Not a silly question at all. Yes, that's exactly what you use and exactly how you use it. Or the power unit goes on the roof. It all depends on the specifics of the layout and situation. The end cap is a great way to fill your basement with sewage when you are the first person to try to unscrew it in 90 years and it breaks. I wouldn't want that job. polyfractal posted:All in all, it sounds like the whole operation could be dicey no matter what, considering the age of the house. I'll probably just call a professional, I'd rather not destroy something and have to replace/fix it. Most likely will be dicey - it's best for someone who knows what they're looking and and experience with old black iron pipe. It's entirely possible that pipe turns into (now collapsed) terracotta between your house and the septic box or any number of other things that will require cameras, digging, etc to confirm. polyfractal posted:I snapped a photo of the pipe, and realized that entirety of the house output runs through that single pipe into the line. Perhaps the clog is locally there? I could probably reach that with a manual snake from a sink, right? Perhaps - it's worth a try considering the situation you're in now. Seems like it would be hard to really screw something major up with either of those approaches. With a long enough snake you could at least confirm or deny that as a clog location and maybe hit an obstruction outside of the house if it's not too far out. polyfractal posted:Won't this gently caress up the septic bacteria and such? Totally. To the point of a full pump and potentially having to hose down the box with vinegar to get the Ph back close to something the anaerobic bacteria can reestablish in.
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Nov 18, 2016 17:12
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Awesome, thanks so much for the help! I'll try the simple manual snaking for now, then have another chat with the landlord before splashing out on a plumber (since that could very well escalate into a very expensive operation if the pipe's imploded or filled with roots or whatever as you mentioned). Final question: we've only noticed the shower backing up when the washing machine drains... smaller flows like the kitchen sink or toilets just causes some gurgles. How bad would it be to just continue living with the partial blockage? Is it possible it'd resolve itself over time, or just guaranteed to steadily get worse?
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Nov 18, 2016 18:15
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It's almost certain to continue to get worse. The low flow will just allow more "stuff" to get trapped on the existing obstruction until it becomes a complete blockage. Wait.....have you actually gotten on the roof to check the vent to make sure it's not plugged up with a dead squirrel or something? I don't think I mentioned/suggested that.
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Nov 18, 2016 18:38
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Motronic posted:It's almost certain to continue to get worse. The low flow will just allow more "stuff" to get trapped on the existing obstruction until it becomes a complete blockage. That is a very good point. I'll clamber up there this weekend and verify
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Nov 18, 2016 22:35
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polyfractal posted:That is a very good point. I'll clamber up there this weekend and verify I had the same exact problem as you recently with the washing machine draining and then backing up into the shower and toilets gurgling. I tried snaking, chemicals, checking ports, etc. until I finally said "screw it" and called a plumber. My problem was that the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry all met at the same point. The plumber showed me handfuls of solid grease, lent sludge, etc. that had built up. I never let any large amounts of grease go down the drain, but I obviously wasn't doing a good enough job.
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Nov 19, 2016 02:58
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I noticed my water heater was putting out luke warm water (of course at the same time as my other plumbing issues, ha!) and in investigating I found: Rusty water leaking from the anode rod port on the top of the unit: http://imgur.com/6OQtoH8 http://imgur.com/2Ec3ZsR Corrosion at the top heating element: http://imgur.com/XUHVMWa Corrosion at the bottom heating element: http://imgur.com/1W7Giaq http://imgur.com/z7xnxJR Is this something I could fix by replacing the anode rode and heating elements? Or do those look in bad enough shape it's time for an entirely new unit? Any suggestions?
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Nov 19, 2016 03:00
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I'd replace that water heater if I were you. Also, be prepared for this thing to weigh a poo poo ton if removing it yourself. The magnetic field from the elements on electric water heaters tend to pull the sediment out of the water and it fills a good portion of the bottom of the tank with sand and gravel. Expect to have problems draining it too because of that. It might be easier to just unscrew the drain valve out of the heater, then poke a screwdriver in the hole every few minutes to bust up the big pieces so that they can come out. Edit: If you got the tank empty of water but still want to get some more sediment out to lighten the tank, you can always reopen the valve on top to help flush it out. kid sinister fucked around with this message at 18:40 on Nov 19, 2016 |
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Nov 19, 2016 03:18
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I posted a couple weeks ago about my upstairs toilet tank refilling all by itself (no flushing, just topping off the tank) and the consensus was to replace the flapper. I did that and everything was ok for a while but it eventually started refilling again, first just a couple times per day and gradually more and more, and eventually I could hear it trickling out of the tank again. I looked in the bowl a few nights ago and i could see that there was a tiny bit of the edge of the hole that the flapper covers was sticking out. I pushed it over to cover that part while it was closed and it stopped the trickling sound. A couple flushes later and it was refilling again and i could see the flapper wasn't centered again. Does this mean I need to replace the entire fill tube assembly so I have a tube and flapper that go together instead of a 'universal' flapper? Or is it possible the handle/chain is pulling on the flapper in a weird way causing it to go off center?
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Nov 20, 2016 19:53
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I have two (2) plumbing probs on my mind today, and I would very much appreciate any advice. 1. My dang terlet clogs every dern time I poop! I even flush before I wipe and it's still every single time. I did a bucket flush, and it was about as it is a slow as a normal flush - meaning the water comes up quite a bit before finally swirling down the drain. This makes me think it's an issue downstream of the bowl, rather than a slow tank/jet. I usually prefer to avoid chemicals but I even tried draino in an empty bowl, followed by a bucket flush of hot water, and it's no better. What should I try next? I'm fairly handy so I'm willing to try almost anything. I'm also willing to call a plumber, but I'm worried that since it's a problem that only presents itself when I poop, the plumber will say "hmm seems to be flushing fine to me that'll be $150." No offense meant to plumbers at all, I just mean that if I can't replicate the problem for someone then how can I ask them for help? 2. A very stuck shutoff valve. It's the kind that looks like this, incl the bleeder valve:  (picture is from internet) The valve and packing nut were caked in greenish copper oxide stuff. I sprayed WD-40 around the valve stem and it looks a lot cleaner now but still won't budge. Tried to lightly tap it with a hammer, tried to stick a screwdriver into one of the holes in the handle and tap THAT with a hammer, even tried to back off the packing nut, and still not even one iota of rotation in the valve handle. Any other tricks?
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Nov 20, 2016 22:18
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Alpine Mustache posted:I posted a couple weeks ago about my upstairs toilet tank refilling all by itself (no flushing, just topping off the tank) and the consensus was to replace the flapper. What's your toilet's make and model? Some of them do take special flappers. Is there a maker's mark inside the tank? They do make rings you can glue onto the hole that can help make a better seal. You could try that first. Otherwise, you have to replace the flush valve. That's a chore though. You have to drain the tank, disconnect the supply line, unscrew the 2 or 3 tank bolts underneath, then pull the tank off. Get a new tank bolt kit too.
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Nov 21, 2016 02:15
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Out of curiosity... The expansion vessel in my gas heater was broken for quite a while apparently (torn membrane). While researching spare part numbers, I came across several mentions that a faulty expansion vessel has an impact on thermal efficiency. Trying to dive down further, I can't get any actual data or why exactly that is. Anyone knows more?
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Nov 21, 2016 02:55
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Combat Pretzel posted:Out of curiosity... The expansion vessel in my gas heater was broken for quite a while apparently (torn membrane). While researching spare part numbers, I came across several mentions that a faulty expansion vessel has an impact on thermal efficiency. Trying to dive down further, I can't get any actual data or why exactly that is. Anyone knows more? Think about it. An expansion tank only has one hole in it. Hot water can get in, but if its membrane isn't working right, then hot water will never be able to get back out again. It becomes a place for hot water to essentially disappear from the system. If the membrane is torn, then the entire thing can fill with hot water that can never be used.
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Nov 21, 2016 17:47
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How I understood it is that the site implied the wrong pressures influence efficiency. I filled the circuit up a bit to keep the heater going, it balanced it itself to 0.8-3bar cold and hot respectively (via the security valve relieving overpressure).
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Nov 21, 2016 19:09
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Is this a closed circuit heating loop? In that case you may put water down the drain through the p&t relief valve due to thermal expansion going from cold to hot. This wastes both make-up water and fuel used to heat what goes down the drain. In domestic hot water this doesn't usually happen because the majority of the system only goes from cold to hot the first time you start it, plus it rarely stays a closed system for long
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Nov 21, 2016 19:38
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I took a bit of a hiatus from this thread. Thanks everyone who kept it going. I will try and reply more .
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Nov 25, 2016 00:35
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Help! Thanks to different children hulking the shower handles, I have two busted valve stems and haven't a CLUE who the manufacturer is. There are no markings or labels on any of the pieces, and I haven't found any local store that recognizes the set. I can only shower with the hand wand until I get this fixed, so I'm highly motivated to figure this out. The piece that's broken looks like this:    The bathroom set seems like it's all from the same maker, as all the handles are the same style.    But the trail stops cold there. All I can tell you is I live in Quebec, Canada, the previous owner of the home was from France, and she liked European stylings. Does anyone recognize this bathroom set, or have an idea where/how I might find out who the manufacturer is? EDIT: one of the chest-height sprayers says "made in germany." A clue! Hazed_blue fucked around with this message at 18:42 on Nov 26, 2016 |
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Nov 26, 2016 18:36
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kid sinister posted:I'd replace that water heater if I were you. Also, be prepared for this thing to weigh a poo poo ton if removing it yourself. The magnetic field from the elements on electric water heaters tend to pull the sediment out of the water and it fills a good portion of the bottom of the tank with sand and gravel. Expect to have problems draining it too because of that. It might be easier to just unscrew the drain valve out of the heater, then poke a screwdriver in the hole every few minutes to bust up the big pieces so that they can come out. Ended up replacing the water heater like you suggested and it went pretty smoothly. Thanks for the tips, made things go smoother.
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Nov 27, 2016 04:10
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Hazed_blue posted:Help! Thanks to different children hulking the shower handles, I have two busted valve stems and haven't a CLUE who the manufacturer is. There are no markings or labels on any of the pieces, and I haven't found any local store that recognizes the set. I can only shower with the hand wand until I get this fixed, so I'm highly motivated to figure this out. Those really look like a chicago cartridge. Specilally the bottom view. Is it #35? http://www.chicagofaucet.com/RepairDrawings/pdf/RP2500-600CP.pdf
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Nov 27, 2016 06:26
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Hey Rd Rash, good to see that you're back. Anyway, I got another tip for the OP: Fixing any leak will pay for itself eventually.
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Nov 27, 2016 09:00
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glynnenstein posted:Is this a closed circuit heating loop? In that case you may put water down the drain through the p&t relief valve due to thermal expansion going from cold to hot. This wastes both make-up water and fuel used to heat what goes down the drain. The only waste water that'll happen is what'll go through the relief valve when it reaches maximum pressure. As said, the system found a balance of 0.8bar cold and 3.0bar when the whole circuit is under temperature. What I'm mainly interested in is where the efficiency losses are supposed to come from. Would the pressure difference of 2.2bar during different times of operation influence the capability of carrying thermal energy? If so, why, anyway?
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Nov 27, 2016 18:39
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Some systems will put water through the relief every cold to hot cycle if there is no expansion tank. I think that is what is it taking into consideration.
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Nov 28, 2016 00:43
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kid sinister posted:Hey Rd Rash, good to see that you're back. Anyway, I got another tip for the OP: Been busy at a new job and all. But i'm back for good now.
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Nov 28, 2016 05:31
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Combat Pretzel posted:Yeah, closed circuit.
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Dec 1, 2016 19:17
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Got a good, old-fashioned plumbing mystery. I have a mystery pipe in the basement, perhaps 2" (not toilet size) draining out to two pumps through a T-intersection, ostensibly flat across the T, but perhaps with a very slight bias towards the lower pump. There is also a weird split in the pipes before they hit the pumps. I have tested all known water sources in the house, and nothing seems to be draining to these pipes, but the pump definitely has water in it when I turn it on once a day. I have a separate sump pump, so that is perhaps not it even though these are below-grade at the foundation. These were installed no later than '97 when the house was built. No plumbing fixtures exist in the basement (except water softener/heater), and nothing is obviously connected to this. Background is the lower pump was running constantly, apparently due to a faulty float valve. I unplugged it, and once a day I go plug it back in until it drains the water and makes a gurgling noise. I can clearly hear it draining water through the sewer when I turn it on. Diagram:  Pictures: http://imgur.com/a/5RF4o So, I need to replace the float valve at the least. I'm concerned about sewer smell (but there are local cut-offs on sewer side and the pipe is too small for poop, so I'm optimistic). There is also the bigger issue of how to take off the covers that are currently on there. Do I try to cut the sealant around the pipes and raise the cover through them? Or do I perhaps have to cut the pipes to get the cover off? Also, WTF is this?
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Dec 6, 2016 15:16
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GWBBQ posted:The specific heat of water decreases slightly with increased pressure, but the difference is so minuscule at 2.2 bar that it's irrelevant. The 10% efficiency loss some sites mention are probably bullshit.
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Dec 6, 2016 18:06
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baquerd posted:Got a good, old-fashioned plumbing mystery. I have a mystery pipe in the basement, perhaps 2" (not toilet size) draining out to two pumps through a T-intersection, ostensibly flat across the T, but perhaps with a very slight bias towards the lower pump. There is also a weird split in the pipes before they hit the pumps. I have tested all known water sources in the house, and nothing seems to be draining to these pipes, but the pump definitely has water in it when I turn it on once a day. I have a separate sump pump, so that is perhaps not it even though these are below-grade at the foundation. These were installed no later than '97 when the house was built. No plumbing fixtures exist in the basement (except water softener/heater), and nothing is obviously connected to this. Could the other sump be for ground water? It shouldn't run into the main sewer but i've seen a lot weirder.
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Dec 7, 2016 06:20
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