Home Improvement Plumbing Projects

A simple project for a beginner to start with is to install a new dishwasher to stop that annoying and constant drip heard every time one walks into the kitchen. This is a not very complicated way to begin in the world of home improvement plumbing, before moving on to more difficult projects. Instructions on how to replace an old washer for a tap in the bathroom or the kitchen can be found on many websites or by visiting many how-to home stores for step by step instructions, such as the Home Depot.

Being Useful

A second project that is quite useful to a home owner, and is a simple and easy project for the amateur home improvement beginner to try is fixing a toilet that runs all continuously. This project deals with a Mansfield Fill Valve, and is an inexpensive but effective project in terms of home improvement plumbing, since no one enjoys hearing a toilet that never stops running water.

A third project for a DIY yourself plumber to warm up to more difficult projects is to hook up that ice maker on your refrigerator by installing a proper line for it. This is another fairly simple project with great rewards, who wouldn't want refreshing ice any time they want a cool drink?

Yet Another Project

Another project for the more seasoned home plumbing enthusiast is replacing a hot water heater. While this is not a terribly difficult plumbing project, it does require some basic proficiency in the art of plumbing. Again, there are many websites or do it yourself stores you can visit for helpful hints on how to replace your own hot water heater.

A final plumbing project that is sure to please the entire family is a new dishwasher. Imagine the convenience without the argument over whose turn it is to do the dishes? Install a new dishwasher for the ease of the dishes always being done while adding some value to your home. This project will be simple enough to do with the instructions that come with dishwashers, and again you can always turn to an expert online or at a do it yourself store. Just make sure the dishwasher fits before you start connecting it!

You can have fun while you learn with some easy home improvement plumbing jobs around the house, and before you know it you will be a real pro. Remember there are many more projects in home improvement plumbing that you can do, and cost can be a factor, so start small and inexpensive as you build up your experience as a home plumber.

Will King is the webmaster for Home Improvement DYI where you find many resources and other articles on just about everything related to home improvement.

Guide To Basement Bathroom Plumbing

Basement bathroom plumbing work needs considerable skill, experience and care. It is advisable to hire the services of a plumbing contractor for carrying out basement bathroom plumbing work. The existing floor needs to be busted and in the process drainpipes may also get broken if adequate safety measures are not taken up.

Basement bathroom plumbing procedure

Some concrete may need to be removed for installing basement bathroom plumbing system. The fixtures required for setting up basement bathroom plumbing - bathtub, one-piece shower unit etc. may not be easily obtainable. Special effort needs to be made to secure them.

Often, the concrete of the basement needs to be broken. Marks are made on the surface along some demarcations and the concrete is chipped away usually employing a jack hammer. The debris thus obtained has to be cleared and new plumbing pipes are well glued to the original setup. After completion the new setup has to be covered up with concrete.

Another approach to basement bathroom plumbing is installation of a plastic sump beneath the basement floor. A sewage ejector pump or lift pump is used to pump out the waste as the sump becomes full. The pumps have devices to grind solids. In case the pump fails the toilet will not be draining properly.

There may be some houses where the building drain lies below the basement level. So, no pump is needed. A plumber can help in this regard by providing various estimates of drain line locations and plumbing setup plans.

Again, there may be homes where the main drain lies at floor level. To help out in such cases you may build a false floor for the bathroom. Of course your ceiling needs to be high enough in such case. The false floor erection would ensure that the fixtures are higher than the sewer line. This will do away with the necessity of installing a sewage ejector pumping unit.

Basement bathroom plumbing - a special plumbing

Basement bathroom plumbing is a special kind of plumbing setup. Therefore, special care needs to be taken while proceeding with the installation, maintenance and repair or replacement of the basement bathroom plumbing system. If you are contemplating basement bathroom plumbing for your home then you may conveniently hire some competent plumber for helping out.

Masni Rizal Mansor provide tips and review on basement bathroom plumbing, 12 volt appliances and kitchen cabinetry.

Are Ceramic Taps For DIY Plumbing?

Not every plumbing job needs a licensed plumber. In fact there are many small jobs that can easily be handled by the do it yourself plumber. When it comes to DIY plumbing are ceramic taps an option for you to install?

Well let's start by better understanding ceramic taps. It is only in the last few years that ceramic taps have appeared on the market. And each year they become increasingly popular.

There are no washers in these taps like in the old taps systems. Rather they use two close fitting ceramic discs instead of the washers. The one disc is in a fixed position and the other turns up to 90% with the handle. These two disc are aligned in the open position.

When it comes to obvious features it's the quarter turn verses the two and half turns of the washer system that stands out. The ceramic taps don't have the washers. Instead they have the two ceramic discs. The upper disc is controlled by the tap itself while the bottom disc is in a fixed position on the base of the tap itself.

There are lots of pros to installing ceramic over rubber washers. The ceramic discs are really hard and so they withstand a lot of punishment. They are very good at withstanding the erosion from the water over time. They still wear out but it just takes a lot longer. You'll know when it's time to replace by the drip.

A ceramic top requires little effort to turn because it is such low friction. You can actually turn it on with your pinky with little problem. So if you are older, have arthritis, there is any other reason you lack hand strength a ceramic tap will be a real treat.

What you have to remember is you don't have to turn the tap as far as you do on a washer based tap. If you do you turn it on too far too fast you'll get a real blast of water.

Installation of ceramic taps is no different than installation of traditional taps. There are some basic steps to follow to remove the old and install the new.

1. Turn the water off to the sink, shower, or tub where you'll be replacing the taps. 2. Turn the hot water tank off. 3. Pop off the cold and hot water tabs on top of the taps. They are usually plastic. 4. Use a screwdriver to remove the tap handles. 5. Use a wrench to remove the faucet. 6. Go underneath the sink and disconnect both water lines and unscrew the nuts that hold the taps into place. 7. Remove the entire fixture. 8. To install new tap set it's basically the reverse procedure. Follow the directions provided with your new ceramic taps.

DIY plumbing isn't that difficult if you know what you are up against. When you understand your options you can choose the best repair and get busy.

Carl has been a professional plumber in a company he owns for more than 10 years not only is he experience in unclogging just about anything but also an expert in installing plumbing fixtures and installing new water lines. Carl will give you some helpful tips on diy plumbing when you visit http://www.alliedesolutions.com

Plumbing Tips For Around the Home

Your house has several separate plumbing systems: Sinks, toilets, washers, bath tubs, and related fixtures. Plumbing is something we use every day and which most of us know little about. Shopping for your own plumbing fixtures rather than getting them through your plumber allows you choose from a wider selection and save money.

Types of pipes for different plumbing usage may vary, from:

1.Copper

2.Plastic

3.Lead

4.Concrete

5.Steel

6.Cast iron

Water enters your house through a pipe that connects either to a municipal water line or a private well. Faucets, like all plumbing fixtures with moving parts, are apt to require more repair than non-moving fixtures. The less strain you put on your faucets, the less frequently they need repair.

Most people are familiar with plumbers, who come to their home to unclog a drain or install an appliance. When construction plumbers install piping in a house, for example, they work from blueprints or drawings that show the planned location of pipes, plumbing fixtures, and appliances.

If your plumbing fixtures drain slowly, the problem may be a clogged vent. This happens when vents are improperly located and when birds or animals deposit debris in the vent where it exits the roof.

Whatever your intended plumbing projects, the first step is to familiarize yourself with the water system in your home. At the very least it is important to know where to switch off the mains in case of an emergency.

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DIY Bathroom Plumbing - Installing a New Showerhead

Of all the home plumbing repairs you could tackle, the replacement of an old showerhead with a new one is probably the easiest. A shower plumbing project is a good starter project for a number of reasons. No special tools are required, the necessary parts are pretty close to one size fits all, and if you do make a mistake and have a leak, the only thing that gets wet is your shower/bathtub. This is the perfect project for the novice home repair handyman to start with and can usually be completed in well under an hour.

The first step is to decide what type of shower head you want to replace. While most shower fixtures connect to a standard size pipe thread, you must make sure you have enough clearance for your new showerhead. If the stem (the portion of the pipe from the wall to the existing shower head) is short or close to the ceiling you will want to check before purchasing a large fixture.

The Tools You Need - For this project, you will need a wrench or pliers and some teflon tape. Depending upon the age of your existing fixture, you may also need to have a pipe wrench on hand as well. You may also want to have something available protect your fixture from the jaws of the wrench or pliers (a folded rag or piece of rubber from an inner tube work well)

Remove the Old Showerhead - If you have an older unit you probably have some rust, oxidation, or lime buildup that may make removal difficult. If the fixture does not readily unscrew, use two sets of pliers/wrenches (with the jaws of each protected as indicated above), one set on the stem and the other on the fixture. Apply equal pressure to both sides to until the showerhead starts to move. Be careful not to apply too much force as you do not want to break either the stem or existing showerhead. Once the shower head starts to turn you should be able to remove it by hand.

Clean and prepare the stem pipe - A little preparation here could save you quite a bit of time later if you decide to replace the showerhead again. Clean the threads of the stem of any rust or lime and apply teflon tape to the threads. This will help the new showerhead install easily, provide a good seal, and make it easier in the future if you ever have to replace the shower head again.

Install the New Shower - If you selected a simple replacement showerhead all that remains to be done is to screw the new fixture onto the prepared pipe stem. Make sure not to over-tighten when you are installing this - hand tight plus a quarter or half turn is probably all you need. If you have purchased a more sophisticated fixture like a shower massage wand you may have a few pieces to install. Make sure that you apply teflon tape to all threaded connections (unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer) to ensure a good seal.

Test It - Before putting your tools away and jumping in the shower take a few minutes to make sure the job is done. Turn on the water and check each of the connections for leaks. If you find any, usually they will be fixed by tightening the connection another quarter or half turn. If this does not address the problem you may need to check for a missing or worn washer.

Ray Breitenbach writes for Simple Home Repairs. Please visit for more information on how to perform you own basic home repairs

Essential Plumber Tools For The Do-It-Yourself Plumber

In the journey of homeownership, there will undoubtedly come a time when a professional plumber must be called in to address repairs that are simply out of the average homeowner?s comfort zone. However, just as often there will occur those simple plumbing repairs that do not necessarily require the attention of a professional. For those of us who wish to tackle these repairs, it is essential to have certain fundamental plumber tools on hand in order to successfully complete the project.

There are several basic plumber tools that should be included as staples in the average household.

One plumber tool that is absolutely necessary in the common tool kit is called the plumber?s pliers. This particular plier ? also often referred to as channel lock pliers or water pump pliers ? is used to steadily hold a pipe in place while making a repair. Its serrated teeth make it an invaluable tool.

The pipe wrench is used to tighten pipes. The unique design of this plumber tool lends itself to tackling the most common of plumbing projects with ease of handling.

Another plumber tool of the utmost importance is a basin wrench which allows the at-home plumber to manipulate nuts and bolts underneath a sink. Because of the awkward positioning of this job, the basin wrench can be extraordinarily useful.

Additionally, an open-end wrench allows you to maneuver under a leak; you can tighten the bolts you need to tighten without losing your grasp. There are open-end wrenches of varying sizes; be sure to have several choices in your collection.

Be sure to also include pipe cleaning tools, tape, nuts and bolts of all sizes, and even a pipe cutter. If you are unsure about what to include as part of your essential plumber tools, visit your local home improvement store where you?ll likely find knowledgeable employees who will be happy to help.

Additionally, the Internet can be a valuable resource in gathering information about fundamental plumber tools. Do some research in advance to be sure to arm yourself with the most appropriate plumber tools for your tool kit.

Once complete your kit of plumber tools will prepare you for any at-home plumbing emergency. With proper preparation you can either perform a temporary fix until a plumber can arrive or simply repair it yourself. The rewards will be significant savings and the priceless feeling of self-satisfaction.

For easy to understand, in depth information about plumbing visit our ezGuide 2 Plumbing.

Is There A Plumber In The House?

 

I don’t know about you but I get really frustrated when I have to deal with anyone in the plumbing, heating, or electrical field. For the most part, the service is horrible, the contractors are unreliable, and the lack of professionalism is rampant.

Case in point, we’ve been working on adding a new bathroom at our house. We had a plumber all lined up to do the work. When we were ready for him, we gave him a call only to be told he didn’t have time to do the work. If he had told us that a month before we might have had a chance to line someone else up to do the work. So instead of a bathroom, we had a real nice porch. Fortunately, we were able to find someone else to help us out and the construction project is moving along.

Hub Plumbing and Mechanical in Boston has initiated a program called “Red Carpet Service”. Get this…the technician shows up at your house or business and literally rolls out the red carpet to protect your floors. They wear boot covers, have badges for security, and they actually arrive ON TIME dressed in clean red uniforms.

When you call their offices for an emergency, their phone is answered by a customer service representative who actually works for the company—not an answering service that just takes a message. The customer service rep can dispatch a technician immediately in case of an emergency.

The company also offers consistent pricing for everyone—no extra charges because you live in a fancy house.

I don’t know who the genius was who wrote this press release but it is masterful. It does exactly what you want a press release to do:

*It is newsworthy—the customer service bar is set very low in the trades so a trade company that actually provides good service is, sadly enough, newsworthy.

*It shows why this company is different from its competitors.

*It tells exactly what problems the company solves—they assist “both residential and commercial customers with code violations, sewer/drain clogs, garbage disposals, water heaters…”

*They even specify where they work—Dorchester and Wellesley.

Print this press release and save it. Use it as a model for all your future press releases. It really is brilliant.

Caroline Jordan, MBA, is a veteran small business owner, accountant, consultant, trainer, and author. She is the owner of The Jordan Result, a company specializing in developing real world, practical resources to help small business owners improve cash flow and business operations. She is the author of “Stop the Cash Flow Roller Coaster, I Want to Get Off!” Jordan is also an accounting and business professor. For more tips and articles to help your business succeed visit http://www.CashFlowRollerCoaster.com and http://www.TheJordanResult.com