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Basin wrenches are magic. Just make sure that you got the head flipped over the correct way.
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Apr 27, 2023 00:20
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Probably insane question but you guys are better than google: is there a plumbing reason for why a toilet would smell bad? I clean it weekly with bleach on all surfaces but it's just awful
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Apr 27, 2023 08:51
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goblin week posted:Probably insane question but you guys are better than google: is there a plumbing reason for why a toilet would smell bad? I clean it weekly with bleach on all surfaces but it's just awful The most likely reason I could imagine if it's smelling bad in the general area would be that the seal between the toilet's, "exit" pipe and the sewer has failed or cracked somehow. EDIT: Depending on the type of smell, whether we're talking actual sewer reek or just "sour water" smell, it could also be that if the "foot" of the toilet hasn't had proper caulking around it, some water could've worked its way under there and be starting to go bad.
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Apr 27, 2023 09:35
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goblin week posted:Probably insane question but you guys are better than google: is there a plumbing reason for why a toilet would smell bad? I clean it weekly with bleach on all surfaces but it's just awful If what you can see is clean it's what you can't see: under it. Time to pull the toilet and see if your floor is rotten. What's under this? Is it a second floor bathroom with a drywall ceiling? Or something on the first floor open to a basement/crawlspace where you might be able to get a peek before committing to pulling the thing? (you're gonna end up having to pull it anyway - and it's not a big deal at all)
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Apr 27, 2023 13:39
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I have a canister and linkage style tub faucet facing. Just switched to iOS and don’t know how to post pictures on the awful app anymore. My tub was not draining. After I did some thrift assuming it was a bath bomb and that didn’t work, I took off the front plate to get to the canister and linkage. I have linkage but no canister. It seems to be stuck down there. I have some mechanic grabbers that can move the canister but I can’t seem to pull it out. The water is draining more quickly so I seem to have at least moved it. How do I unfuck this? How would a plumber unfuck this? Why on earth is the post Imgur thing not on iOS but present on android? Thanks for reading my post.
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Apr 27, 2023 20:17
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Ghislaine of YOSPOS posted:I have a canister and linkage style tub faucet facing. Just switched to iOS and don’t know how to post pictures on the awful app anymore. My tub was not draining. After I did some thrift assuming it was a bath bomb and that didn’t work, I took off the front plate to get to the canister and linkage. I have linkage but no canister. It seems to be stuck down there. I have some mechanic grabbers that can move the canister but I can’t seem to pull it out. The water is draining more quickly so I seem to have at least moved it. How do I unfuck this? How would a plumber unfuck this? Why on earth is the post Imgur thing not on iOS but present on android? Thanks for reading my post. e: Nevermind, you mentioned mechanical grabber but for some reason I thought you said pliers on my first read. Could maybe a shop vac suck it out?
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Apr 27, 2023 23:27
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Motronic posted:If what you can see is clean it's what you can't see: under it. Time to pull the toilet and see if your floor is rotten. What Montronic said. You might get lucky. It might just need a new wax ring.
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Apr 27, 2023 23:56
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kid sinister posted:What Montronic said. You might get lucky. It might just need a new wax ring. Not to put too fine a point on it, right now it might need just that. Wait too long and it will need more. So get on in there. Edit: My standard advice is to turn off the water, flush the toilet until everything you can get out is gone then use some Oatey liquilock or similar: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Oatey-Liquilock-6-oz-Toilet-Water-Solidifier-Gel-31419/202882917. Then pull that toilet. Get a fluidmaster "better than wax" ring which comes with new closet bolts: https://www.fluidmaster.com/products/toilet/toilet-seals/wax-free-toilet-seal-fluidmaster-7530-better-than-wax/ You just need to clean both sides well before you use this. So have like, gloves, a disposable putty knife, trash bags, cardboard to set things down on etc ready to go. The wax rings are sticky wax. It's a whole thing to get off of there. Then when you're done and have fixed your issues/cleaned up you caulk the toilet down, but only 3/4 of the way around it or so. You need to leave a section open so if this not-wax-ring starts leaking again it comes out on your floor where you can see it rather than being hidden and destroying your floor before you realize what's going on. I hate plumbing so much. Especially waste plumbing. So when I do it I do it as best as I know how so I should never need to touch it again. Motronic fucked around with this message at 00:08 on Apr 28, 2023 |
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Apr 28, 2023 00:01
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After four trips to the hardware store it turns out I had everything I needed at home. I had tried a wire coat hanger before but couldn’t get an angle, someone suggested just cutting it and it worked immediately.
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Apr 28, 2023 00:30
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The house I bought had a Zoeller 507 Basement Sentry system that appears to be hosed. The primary pump doesn’t shut off and the battery backup pump doesn’t kick on when unplugged. I’m looking to replace it with something similar. Anyone have experience with the non-obsolete versions? Anything else I should be looking at instead? Planning on installing myself. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Zoeller-Zoeller-Basement-Sentry-Battery-Backup-Combo-Plus/5000050331
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Apr 30, 2023 16:53
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If you are not on a well, bin it and install a water-powereed backup. https://basepump.com/basepump/
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Apr 30, 2023 17:11
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That's actually a pretty good option that I was unaware so thanks. I'll see if it's feasible with the water supply lines.
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May 1, 2023 14:04
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I had a supply line for an outside faucet break, and I'm having a hell of a time getting this copper tubing to bend around a corner. Ruined one 10 foot length already. Before I go get another one and try again, uh, what if I just put some copper -> pex fittings on each end here, and ran pex for this ~6 foot section? I feel like it would be a lot easier to get around the corner in there. And if I do that, is the color important, or just a hot/cold indicator?
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May 6, 2023 20:04
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Why not use a copper corner fitting?
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May 6, 2023 20:13
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Guy Axlerod posted:Why not use a copper corner fitting? I have an access panel in the garage ceiling, and another one on the garage wall right behind the faucet. I got the old copper tubing out through those, but if I wanted to put an actual fitting back there, I'd need to take down a bunch of shelving, a wall, and part of the ceiling.
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May 6, 2023 20:20
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Elder Postsman posted:I had a supply line for an outside faucet break, and I'm having a hell of a time getting this copper tubing to bend around a corner. Ruined one 10 foot length already. Before I go get another one and try again, uh, what if I just put some copper -> pex fittings on each end here, and ran pex for this ~6 foot section? I feel like it would be a lot easier to get around the corner in there. And if I do that, is the color important, or just a hot/cold indicator? You can easily go from copper to PEX, I'd absolutely recommend it unless the rigidity of the copper is important for holding something in place. Really the only reason to ever use copper instead of PEX is if it's visible somewhere out of a maintenance closet, where copper will almost always look much nicer. As for the colour of the PEX, that's usually more down to who the manufacturer is, but you do want to keep an eye on some PEX being intended only for central heating and other PEX being for fresh water. Also if you're bending copper, mind that you're actually using soft copper pipe, you don't want to try your hand at bending hard copper piping without the proper tools, you're just going to break the dumb stuff instead.
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May 6, 2023 21:32
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Cool, thanks. I decided to give it one more try with copper since it was $18 for a new length of that (and yeah, it is the soft copper) and I have all the fittings and solder, and I guess pex needs a crimp tool and I wasn't about to buy one of those for just two fittings.
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May 6, 2023 21:58
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Elder Postsman posted:Cool, thanks. I decided to give it one more try with copper since it was $18 for a new length of that (and yeah, it is the soft copper) and I have all the fittings and solder, and I guess pex needs a crimp tool and I wasn't about to buy one of those for just two fittings. PEX has fittings that don't require a crimp tool(and I have never seen any that do, honestly), unless you're thinking of ALU-PEX which is a whole different beast.
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May 6, 2023 22:01
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PurpleXVI posted:PEX has fittings that don't require a crimp tool(and I have never seen any that do, honestly) Real deal pex uses various connectors/clamps/tools depending on the system. Not requiring a connector is in the realm of sharkbites which "work" "well" depending on how you prep and how long you need them to actually last regardless of whether they are for copper or pex.
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May 6, 2023 22:05
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Motronic posted:Real deal pex uses various connectors/clamps/tools depending on the system. Not requiring a connector is in the realm of sharkbites which "work" "well" depending on how you prep and how long you need them to actually last regardless of whether they are for copper or pex. I'm thinking of these, which aren't sharkbites(I've never seen that system around here), just require a couple of adjustable wrenches rather than a specialist tool, and will, I can assure you, last more or less eternally for both copper and pex. As for it being the "real deal" it's what professional tradesmen around these parts use.
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May 6, 2023 22:10
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Compression fitting are possibly even worse than sharkbites. I don't think any of this stuff has a place in fixed plumbing that is getting buried in walls. I agree pex is a logical solution to this, but it's with a soldered on copper to pex adapter at the supply and another at the faucet or just replace the faucet for a pex compatible version. All of this no tool/low tool/no skill is flipper level junk. If you gotta go no skill then compression copper seems to be the right choice, but that's a $4k tool for one that will do the job reliably. Makes an $80 pex crimper look like a bargain.
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May 6, 2023 22:15
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Motronic posted:Compression fitting are possibly even worse than sharkbites. I don't think any of this stuff has a place in fixed plumbing that is getting buried in walls. I mean yeah, you'd obviously have the connections somewhere visible or accessible, that's no matter whether it's soldered, compression, crimped or screwed together, because any sort of connection is where things are going to go wrong if they do. But I'm baffled at hearing that compression fittings are bad in your view, they're literally the standard here. What sort of fittings would you consider to be "good" for PEX?
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May 6, 2023 22:16
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PurpleXVI posted:But I'm baffled at hearing that compression fittings are bad in your view, they're literally the standard here. What sort of fittings would you consider to be "good" for PEX? Crimp ring or clamp. Crimp rings are a huge PITA to install because you're working with a set of bolt cutters. Clamps are great - they're just oetinger clamps so it's a small tool that you can get into lots more places and use with one hand.
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May 6, 2023 22:17
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Genuinely never seen either in use here ever, I don't think they're even sold in Denmark. What would be wrong with PEX compression fittings in any case? Do you have horror stories of their somehow not lasting?
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May 6, 2023 22:19
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~20 or so years ago I was told (and have still been living under the assumption) that pex was a low quality/low price alternative to copper, which was why people saw it (and saw it break) so often in mobile homes. Has the quality improved since then, or have I just been living under a misapprehension?
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May 6, 2023 22:23
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PurpleXVI posted:Genuinely never seen either in use here ever, I don't think they're even sold in Denmark. What would be wrong with PEX compression fittings in any case? Do you have horror stories of their somehow not lasting? Compression is general is fine, but requires more care/prep/skill/attention to detail to be successful than the systems I'm talking about. And the problem with giving advice about plumbing or electrical is that "initial success" i.e. it works just as soon as you do it without leaking or catching on fire is not a good predictor of long term success. Hell, that's a problem with supposed "pros" and copper when they're too lazy to wipe down their joints and 30 years later the flux is making pinholes and causing things to leak.
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May 6, 2023 22:23
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Eason the Fifth posted:~20 or so years ago I was told (and have still been living under the assumption) that pex was a low quality/low price alternative to copper, which was why people saw it (and saw it break) so often in mobile homes. Has the quality improved since then, or have I just been living under a misapprehension? I think you were hearing about "plastic pipe" in general, not pex specificalclly. There have been a few that have caused wide spread issues. But seriously, none of this crap has been on the market for as long as the average length of a copper pipe's lifetime so it's all a guess. I suppose you should choose how long whatever repair you're doing is going to be your problem vs. your skill level with the materials available.
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May 6, 2023 22:26
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Motronic posted:Compression is general is fine, but requires more care/prep/skill/attention to detail to be successful than the systems I'm talking about. Oh, yeah, that's fair, I could easily see a lot of DIY beginners failing to seat the PEX deep enough in compression fittings or forgetting the insert(hell, I hear some supposed DIY experts who scoff at using the insert, morons.).
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May 6, 2023 22:35
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"kitec" was a brand, or type or whatever the gently caress of pex piping that gained a reputation for sudden and catastrophic failures. I'm sure that contributed to some of the 'plastic pipe sux' that you hear about. It's been off the market for a while and was the subject of a big class action lawsuit.
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May 7, 2023 01:19
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Manual press copper tool is $120, PEX ring press tool is $40, PEX ss band ratchet tool is $50. And they work just fine. Not everything needs to be pro grade in order to do simple repairs. And the new Milwaukee pro press line is already under $1,000. The compression fittings for PEX pipe are for end of the line fixture attachment points, not for making in wall splice connections. In unrelated news, I'm scheduled to double check this cool repair by a licensed plumber this coming Tuesday. Can't wait https://i.imgur.com/h1E2pIj.jpg
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May 7, 2023 13:48
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Nitrox posted:Not everything needs to be pro grade in order to do simple repairs. And most of those cheap tools aren't suitable for use, especially by someone inexperienced who may not know what a good connection is supposed to look like.
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May 7, 2023 18:01
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It's a trade-off. For a few occasions, they may work fine. The fittings are pricey but it's cheaper to get a few extra and practice to get a sense of a good seal/proper install. If you think there's the potential for more jobs/extended use, it is probably worth your while to get the good equipment out of the gate. PainterofCrap fucked around with this message at 05:03 on May 8, 2023 |
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May 7, 2023 20:03
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Motronic posted:And most of those cheap tools aren't suitable for use, especially by someone inexperienced who may not know what a good connection is supposed to look like. I've used all of the abomination tools for years before upgrading. The PEX ring tool is still in my kit. So, no.
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May 8, 2023 02:38
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Nitrox posted:I've used all of the abomination tools for years before upgrading. The PEX ring tool is still in my kit. So, no. If you've used them "for years" they're not the current post supply chain crisis absolute garbage. In case you haven't been paying attention the quality of a lot of things has gone down to unacceptable levels in the last 2 years, especially in this type of category. That $40 pex crimper you bought 6 years ago is not the same thing as the $40 pex crimper on amazon right now.
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May 8, 2023 15:17
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Bought a used 30" viking (full gas) range from a friend for cheap, looking at putting it in to replace the electric range we have now. House PO already put in a gas line. Looking at the gas connector hoses at the local Ace, it seems that the 5/8" OD "pro/high usage" ones have the right connector on the supply side for our gas hookup (3/4", supply is female, connector is male), but the wrong connector on the appliance side (1/2", supply and range are both female). The range is 15k BTU on each of 4 burners, 30K total BTU in the oven, and 18K BTU broiler, so the larger line (vs a 1/2" OD) seems right especially since it has to be a bit longer to be accessible as it'll be pushed between two cabinets. But with the parts they had at the store, it results in a sort of ridiculous array of connections because they only had reducing couplings (female both sides) and not reducing nipples, so... appliance -> 1/2" nipple -> 1/2" to 3/4" coupling -> 3/4" nipple -> gas hose. I don't feel great about that, seems like more threaded connections is bad. Do we agree that this is bad and I should find a different solution or am I overthinking and it's fine?
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May 9, 2023 02:28
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Elder Postsman posted:Cool, thanks. I decided to give it one more try with copper since it was $18 for a new length of that (and yeah, it is the soft copper) and I have all the fittings and solder, and I guess pex needs a crimp tool and I wasn't about to buy one of those for just two fittings. Did it, and so far, so good - no leaks. It was, uh, quite a bit less complicated than I expected.  As for bending/routing the pipe, it doesn't kink if you fill the copper tubing with sand first. 
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May 9, 2023 02:48
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Our toilet tank has stopped refilling after a flush, unless I open up the tank and give this component here the gentlest of pokes- Seriously, all it takes to start filling again is giving this an extremely soft tap. What should I be readjusting on that mechanism so that it will fill up automatically again?
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May 9, 2023 04:06
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You can try working the mechanism a bit to dislodge whatever is keeping it from triggering. Cutting off the water and disconnecting the hose from the wall to drain out the valve sometimes works too. Other than that you might just need a new valve, they tend to fail in stupid ways like that. It is very easy to replace, takes about ten minutes including watching the YouTube video showing you what to do.
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May 9, 2023 10:59
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Steve French posted:Bought a used 30" viking (full gas) range from a friend for cheap, looking at putting it in to replace the electric range we have now. House PO already put in a gas line. When you are talking about the connection to the appliance are you talking about connecting to the regulator that came with the appliance? Also, it will be fine if you use (yellow!) teflon tape. But fewer is absolutely better.
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May 9, 2023 13:58
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Motronic posted:When you are talking about the connection to the appliance are you talking about connecting to the regulator that came with the appliance? Yep, the range has a built in regulator, that’s the female 1/2” that I’m connecting into. And yeah I’ve got the yellow tape, and will be checking for leaks with soapy water, etc (unless there’s a reason to use the “gas leak detector” poo poo instead)
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May 9, 2023 15:02
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