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Replacing a faucet is easy; if you want to try. Getting a super to give a poo poo enough to open the wall is probably way harder. Also for the non New Yorkers; in my limited experience, there is a lot more latitude in general regarding modifying rentals, like putting up walls or replacing a chandelier, in some places folks who lived on apartments for longer time periods have been know the straight up remodel. It was a shock when I first moved there.
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Feb 20, 2022 17:39
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I have a somewhat odd plumbing issue I'm curious about. I have a faucet in one of my bathrooms that has developed a strange kind of gross smell when you first run cold or mixed water from it after letting it sit a bit. I can't really describe the smell other than it seems maybe vaguely bacterial, kind of a stagnant sitting water type of smell. It's not gag inducing but it's bad enough that I don't want to drink or wash my hands in it. None of the other faucets or showers or anything, hot or cold, have this problem. If you put the problem faucet on hot water only there's no hint of the smell, and if you run the cold water for 10 seconds or so the smell goes away until you shut it off and leave it for a while. This seems to indicate that the source of the smell must be in the cold water pipe and fairly close to the faucet. The faucet was used frequently until the water coming out of it started smelling weird. The water for this house is supplied by a well if it matters, and I have a water softener. Has anyone ever heard of such a thing? Is it possible some sort of bacteria has colonized the cold water pipe somehow? What would it even eat?? Could the pipe just be degrading in some way? Although if that were the case then why only the cold side?
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Feb 21, 2022 08:19
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AKA Pseudonym posted:My condo board has been trying to get everybody to sign up to get our Pressure Reducing Valves replaced. I'm told the expected life span is about 10 years, I bought the unit when it was just about 10 years old and I've never replaced mine in the past 5 years, nor do I believe the previous owner ever replaced it. Installation of a new one will cost about $500 or a bit less if enough people sign up. I don't particularly think the board is trying to scam us, but I don't want to spend $500 just because I don't any better than to say no. Does it sound like a good deal? How handy are you? A good 3/4" or 1" PRV is going to run you about $80-150; depending on the existing install setup, you might be looking at another $50 in parts/equipment (fittings, torch, etc.) and it'd most likely be 2-4 sweated joints. So if you're comfortable sweating your own pipe, you'd be looking at about $200 to install it. I guess it comes down to whether you want to try to do it yourself or pay the $500 and not worry about it. Oh, and regardless of what route, make sure the PRV is NSF-61/372 certified since I"m assuming this is for a potable line. Which also goes for if you have someone the board chooses do it. You could even probably buy the PRV and any fittings needed and just pay for the install.
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Feb 21, 2022 08:39
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….touching plumbing that affects everyone in a shared building without being a licensed plumber sounds like a really bad idea.
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Feb 21, 2022 13:33
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my kinda ape posted:I have a somewhat odd plumbing issue I'm curious about. I have a faucet in one of my bathrooms that has developed a strange kind of gross smell when you first run cold or mixed water from it after letting it sit a bit. I can't really describe the smell other than it seems maybe vaguely bacterial, kind of a stagnant sitting water type of smell. It's not gag inducing but it's bad enough that I don't want to drink or wash my hands in it. None of the other faucets or showers or anything, hot or cold, have this problem. If you put the problem faucet on hot water only there's no hint of the smell, and if you run the cold water for 10 seconds or so the smell goes away until you shut it off and leave it for a while. This seems to indicate that the source of the smell must be in the cold water pipe and fairly close to the faucet. The faucet was used frequently until the water coming out of it started smelling weird. The water for this house is supplied by a well if it matters, and I have a water softener. Get your water tested. It sounds like you have iron or manganese bacteria in your well. It's not dangerous, but it does what you're describing and will likely get worse without treatment. In a previous place that had this it wasn't worth it to go full on shocking the well but I did put in a filter just past the pump that I would use to dump a bottle of peroxide in (with the filter out of the canister), run the water until I could smell peroxide at all fixtures, and then let it sit for 20 minutes. When you turn the water back on it spits and sputters and black death comes out (so take off the aerators - they will get clogged). That would resolve it for several months. Shorter time periods the warmer it was outside. So it's manageable that way, and potentially curable for the long term with well work.
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Feb 21, 2022 15:48
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I’m getting ready to fix the craptastic flexible dryer duct in my crawl space from the previous owner. I have access to Home Depot and lowes. Can someone show me what type of pipe and fittings I will need?
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Feb 21, 2022 17:54
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KKKLIP ART posted:I’m getting ready to fix the craptastic flexible dryer duct in my crawl space from the previous owner. I have access to Home Depot and lowes. Can someone show me what type of pipe and fittings I will need? Pictures would help. If you have the space you want to put in as much rigid duct as possible with a flex hose just at the wall to the dryer. Bonus points if you can put in a secondary lint trap while you're doing this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Tjernlund-8-4-in-x-8-in-x-10-1-in-Secondary-Lint-Trap-for-Dryers-Booster-Fans-LT4/302247480
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Feb 21, 2022 18:02
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I know I’m going to need the ridged duct and 2 45s. Do I need mastic or just the foil tape to seal it. If I do the secondary lint trap, how far down do I need to put it from where my dryer currently is? E: what type of bracing do I need to keep the pipes secure? I’m assuming there is some sort of strapping I nail into place? KKKLIP ART fucked around with this message at 18:34 on Feb 21, 2022 |
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Feb 21, 2022 18:18
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Redacted
Bank fucked around with this message at 22:20 on Feb 22, 2022 |
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Feb 21, 2022 19:02
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KKKLIP ART posted:I know I’m going to need the ridged duct and 2 45s. Do I need mastic or just the foil tape to seal it. If I do the secondary lint trap, how far down do I need to put it from where my dryer currently is? You should use clamps, not tape. They should be in the same area of the store. Secondary lint trap goes close to the dryer. They are typically mounted just above them to make it easy to get at/clean. Bracing depends on your run and what you've got around. If you need to hang it or attach it to a stud you can use HVAC strapping (basically nylon webbing) or pipe strapping. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Master-Flow-1-75-in-W-x-100-yd-Woven-Vinyl-Hanger-Strap-HS1-75WV/100396948 https://www.homedepot.com/p/Oatey-3...-301505501-_-N& Bank posted:I took a photo of the pipes before the contractor covered it up and remembered that one of his guys screwed into one of the pipes while putting up the backer board: Holy poo poo, even I sweat pipes better than that. Hope the other side of the wall isn't tiled, because you're gonna need to open that mess up. There is a near 100% certainty that none of that was sweated properly and is leaking. Let me guess, the plumber wasn't the one to "fix" it after the punctured the pipe.
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Feb 21, 2022 19:12
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Judging by the heavy burn and the solder glopped around it, that bottom elbow is a cold joint and is leaking. I’d assume that the shower feed is also and who the gently caress thought putting a receptacle in there was a good idea? Open the other side & re-do. Did they even bother testing it before the tub install?
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Feb 21, 2022 20:02
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Motronic posted:You should use clamps, not tape. They should be in the same area of the store. When I say tape, I don't mean like Duck tape. I mean like this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Nashua-Tape-2-5-in-x-60-yd-324A-Premium-Foil-HVAC-UL-Listed-Duct-Tape-1542698/100048600 Still clamps?
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Feb 21, 2022 20:07
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KKKLIP ART posted:When I say tape, I don't mean like Duck tape. I mean like this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Nashua-Tape-2-5-in-x-60-yd-324A-Premium-Foil-HVAC-UL-Listed-Duct-Tape-1542698/100048600 I assumed you meant foil tape. I'd still use clamps. Or tape and then clamps. I don't like to worry about an install failing and filling someone attic up with flammable lint for want of $10-30 worth of clamps. You could also do it the old school HVAC way as you were alluding to earlier, which would be mastic but then also sheet metal screws. I think that's probably overkill considering there are readily available properly sized clamps for this purpose. In the end, do what you feel is sufficient based on your circumstances. Just understand the risks and the relatively low cost/effort to go a bit over "good enough".
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Feb 21, 2022 20:40
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Removing images since I didn't get many ideas on how to fix this thing. Hired a plumber yesterday and he wasn't able to figure it out either.
Bank fucked around with this message at 22:19 on Feb 22, 2022 |
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Feb 21, 2022 20:59
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Can I somehow tie a washing machine drain to this existing shower drain? I assume I can't just have it dump into the vent line. 
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Feb 21, 2022 23:31
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Motronic posted:I assumed you meant foil tape. I'd still use clamps. Or tape and then clamps. I know screws are a big no no for dryer vents because they accumulate lint. I saw mastic might not like the temperature and that foil tape seems to be the most recommended. I could do tape and clamps and feel good about it.
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Feb 22, 2022 00:05
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spf3million posted:Can I somehow tie a washing machine drain to this existing shower drain? I assume I can't just have it dump into the vent line. It's physically possible, but won't be code.
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Feb 22, 2022 00:07
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KKKLIP ART posted:I know screws are a big no no for dryer vents because they accumulate lint. I saw mastic might not like the temperature and that foil tape seems to be the most recommended. I could do tape and clamps and feel good about it.
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Feb 22, 2022 00:09
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 This is comedy gold, right there. I have a feeling the plumber will want to open up the wall and redo everything.
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Feb 22, 2022 00:12
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Nitrox posted:foil tape is good enough for dryer vent, the important part is to keep the ducts secure. My problem with foil tape only is when the ducts aren't secure enough cleaning them causes leaks. Belt and suspenders is what I was suggesting here. Because it's cheap and easy while you're already in there. Remember my context: spent years as a firefighter and fire investigator. I got to meet someone on the worst day of their life on a regular basis. So yes, I may be a bit overkill.
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Feb 22, 2022 00:35
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Nitrox posted:It's physically possible, but won't be code. 
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Feb 22, 2022 01:46
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A simple faucet repair job is being stymied by step #1, uncover the screw for the tap After some fighting and comparing to his slightly larger shower cousins, this cap is in fact a screw top. But it Will Not Budge. There is no flat surface to get a wrench on. I've tried spraying wd-40 into the nanometre gap around the edge, I've tried using a silicone oven mitt, I've tried heating it up with a lighter (before the wd-40 attempt!) What should I do to try and twist something that seized in place decades ago, and has very little surface area to get a grip on? Side angle 
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Feb 22, 2022 03:49
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spf3million posted:Here's what would be most convenient. Everything is 2" and the shower is the only fixture using this vent. Black is existing, red is proposed new. From what I can tell (and you also implied) that washing machines can't be part of a wet vent arrangement per code. But hypothetically, what could go wrong? Suds coming up from the shower drain? Or the shower p trap syphoning off? I tried editing your image, hope it makes sense
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Feb 22, 2022 03:57
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Nitrox posted:I tried editing your image, hope it makes sense
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Feb 22, 2022 04:41
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devmd01 posted:….touching plumbing that affects everyone in a shared building without being a licensed plumber sounds like a really bad idea. It sounds like each unit has its own individual supply line, PRV, etc., so "touching plumbing that affects everyone" for this application isn't much different than a homeowner touching their exposed assembly knowing the supply comes off a distribution main in the road that also serves other residents. But, you know, plumbing isn't magic so I'm not afraid to touch it.
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Feb 22, 2022 04:54
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NZAmoeba posted:A simple faucet repair job is being stymied by step #1, uncover the screw for the tap Pliers. Slip joints or channel locks (aka Tongue and groove pliers)
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Feb 22, 2022 12:21
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I'm installing a new clothes washer, 3/4" PEX supply lines. I want to install a water sensing automatic shutoff system, this one looks good. Is this adapter what I need to step the 3/4" PEX down to the 1/2" inlet connection?
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Feb 27, 2022 16:05
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wesleywillis posted:Pliers. Slip joints or channel locks (aka Tongue and groove pliers) I'm almost mad about how quickly a pair of channel locks made short work of this.
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Feb 27, 2022 18:54
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I’m replacing a slip on tub spout. The copper stub coming out of the wall is angled down slightly so the old spout had a 1/8 gap at the top filled with silicone caulk. I’d like to avoid this with the new spout. Can I slightly bend the copper pipe up any way or am I SOL?
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Mar 6, 2022 15:59
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Do you feel lucky...punk?
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Mar 6, 2022 16:36
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While researching I read some guy on a plumbing forum who stuck a wooden dowel inside and tried to straighten it out without crimping but ended up snapping the dowel off inside the pipe and now has two problems. Trying to avoid that fate if possible
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Mar 6, 2022 19:57
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Hi Plumbing goons: The Navien CH-210 combi heat and hot water propane boiler in the inlaw apartment on my house is dieing. The service guys I use have informed me that Navien no longer makes the low loss header for it and it's a piece of poo poo Chinesium product anyway so I should put in a new one. They said roughly 8000 to 9000 is about the cost to replace all in. Does that sound right? Would it be practical to go back to an electric tank hot water heater and a regular propane boiler?
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Mar 8, 2022 23:13
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That sounds insane. What replacement unit are they quoting you? Things in that BTU range are around $3200. If they are replacing it with the exact same one there is minimal labor. Even if it's a different unit.......that's a LOT of money over and above the parts cost.
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Mar 8, 2022 23:20
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FCKGW posted:I’m replacing a slip on tub spout. The copper stub coming out of the wall is angled down slightly so the old spout had a 1/8 gap at the top filled with silicone caulk. I’d like to avoid this with the new spout. I'd probably sand down the bottom half of the new spout before I tried to bend old copper pipe stuck in the wall. Worst case you gently caress up sanding and have to buy a new $20 tub spout. Tub spouts are about the cheapest metal they can find, so shouldn't be too hard
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Mar 9, 2022 01:50
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Help me, o lords of plumbum. Here’s my current situation: The left is my hot water valve/cartridge. The right is a middle-set shower diverter valve. The shower valve is leaking when any water is turned on, regardless of path. I took off the handle and found the valve space filled with cement (?) and now I’m screeching to a halt to ask for help. My plan is to pull all three valves and replace them with new as I’m 95% sure these are all original to the house, built in 1962.
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Mar 10, 2022 23:52
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I'm betting your previous owner had a leak out the front of the diverter and "fixed" it by shoving all that plumbers putty in there. My diverter valve had a similar leak, but the PO put a bunch of putty inside the valve. It made removing it incredibly awful and tedious. Get a screwdriver or pick and see if you can remove enough of the gunk to get a wrench on the valve to remove it. If it's really really stuck in there after unscrewing the nut fully, the way I got mine out was by putting a vise grip plier on the stem, a tall piece of wood against the shower tile to protect it, and then Leveraging a pry bar against the vise grip using the wood as a fulcrum with gentle taps from a hammer. I had to work mine out 1mm at a time but it eventually came free. SpartanIvy fucked around with this message at 05:38 on Mar 11, 2022 |
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Mar 11, 2022 05:31
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Motronic posted:That sounds insane. What replacement unit are they quoting you? Things in that BTU range are around $3200. If they are replacing it with the exact same one there is minimal labor. Even if it's a different unit.......that's a LOT of money over and above the parts cost. Follow up: I have a different guy coming on Wed to go over it. He's less of a fan of the Instant hot water units than I am, so we are thinking about putting in an electric hot water heater and a propane boiler for heat. Edit: In the meantime: I ran a PEX line from the hot water in main house to the in-law apartment so they could have hot water in the meantime. PEX and Sharkbites connectors all installed easily and they don't leak.
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Mar 11, 2022 20:35
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SpartanIvy posted:I'm betting your previous owner had a leak out the front of the diverter and "fixed" it by shoving all that plumbers putty in there. Was able to remove the old putty with a screw driver. Leaks more now so I’ll be picking up a set of valve wrenches from Harbor Freight to see if I can tighten the valve to stop the leak.
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Mar 12, 2022 18:21
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pseudonordic posted:Was able to remove the old putty with a screw driver. Leaks more now so I’ll be picking up a set of valve wrenches from Harbor Freight to see if I can tighten the valve to stop the leak. It's probably not the tightness of the nut that's the issue, it's the o-ring or packing. In this picture below, the important seals are: -The seat washer: controls the water moving between the shower head and the tub spout in a diverter valve. If you had water coming out of the tub spout when the shower was engaged, it would be this washer and it's mating seat piece in the valve that you would need to be inspected/replaced. -The Bonnet washer: stops water from escaping around the nut that secures the valve to the valve housing in the wall. It could be leaking from here. -The Packing washer(s): This stops water from coming up along the rotating handle stem. If this is leaking, sometimes tightening(or loosening!) the packing nut will fix it.  Because the putty in your picture is packed around the outside of the valve, and not up against the stem, I think the leak was probably from the bonnet washer. You can buy any and all of these parts pretty easily in most big box stores unless you just have some crazy unique assembly. The best way to figure out what you need is to pull one of the valves out and compare to pictures on the internet. Or you can do what I did and buy an entirely brand new set of valve stems from a plumbing supply store/website. 
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Mar 12, 2022 18:35
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SpartanIvy posted:It's probably not the tightness of the nut that's the issue, it's the o-ring or packing. I got the valve wrenches and tightened it by hand and the leak stopped!  That said, these are likely some old-rear end valves and I will be replacing them eventually. Good to have the wrenches for it. Any ideas on how to replace the overflow drain gasket with a ~1/16” clearance around the pipe and the tub and no access panel behind it? 
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Mar 12, 2022 21:40
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