You will be unlikely to deal a whole lot with galvanized pipe. Generally, these are the bigger metal pipes running to your house. At some point, they tie into the meter that measures your water usage. On the street side of the meter, they belong to the water company. Don't even think of touching them. On your side of that meter, they are yours, but, they seldom, very seldom leak. On rare occasions, they may leak at a coupling. If so, try tightening it. If that doesn't work, you just take it all apart and replace it. Almost always, this is a threaded coupling. When you get ready to tighten it, first, paint the threads with pipe dope, just not too heavily and/or use plumbers tape. I like to use both. This will be difficult. You have to be careful you don't cross thread the fitting or, you will have to throw it out and star all over. You will definitely need a pipe wrench. Unless you have some time to spare and a lot of patience call a plumber.
Here and there, especially in older homes, you will have smaller galvanized pipes that other pipes thread onto. For example, an outside pipe that hoses and/or faucets hook to. Use the same procedures as above, and you will have no problems.
Copper pipe is common and fairly easy to repair. The procedure is just the same as PVC, with 2 exceptions. One, you will need a pipe cutter. You just set it, turn it, and you have a nice clean cut. You can use a hacksaw, but it's a bit more work. Also, copper is fairly soft and you run the risk of bending or crimping it. Then you have more work. The tubing cutter is cheap, so buy one. The second difference from PVC is that you solder copper, not glue it. Make sure you have smooth edges. Use a small torch (you can but them at any hardware store). Remember, the hottest pert of the flame is the outer edge. You want that edge near the pipe and be careful. You want the pipe hot, not melted. When it's hot, you touch the solder to the pipe and move it around the pipe until your connection is sealed. You want a seal, but you don't want to gob the solder on. You absolutely must wait until the pipe is completely dry before you solder. There are copper compression fittings and sometimes you can use them; just be careful tightening them because, again, copper is soft and you don't want to crimp it
If you have never soldered, I would recommend you get some pipe and fittings and play with it until you get the hang of it. Also, be careful doing this in tight areas or you run the risk of setting something on fire. Also, if you use gas anywhere in your house, make very sure you have no gas leaks before you start using torches. As always, if you are uncomfortable or uncertain about any of this, call a plumber.
Showing posts with label plumbing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label plumbing. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 6, 2016
Thursday, September 1, 2016
Plumbing, Part 2, PVC
PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is an amazing substance that has made many plumbing jobs relatively easy. You do no soldering, which makes life simpler.
First, you will see many different thicknesses of PVC, called schedules. In repairs, use the same one you are replacing. If you are unsure what that is, ask the folks at your supply house. Note: pipe carrying hot water may call for CPVC. Do not substitute regular. The pipe may melt a bit and PVC, when heated gives off a toxic chemical, plus, it stinks.
If you have a leaky pipe, they do wear out, or coupling, you have to cut out the section it is in. A hacksaw will work fine. If you are using a lot of PVC, you may invest in a PVC cutter. One problem: sometimes, especially indoors, you will have little room to work. Buy a string saw, a piece of cable with handles. Just wrap it tight, move it quickly back and forth, and the pipe will cut like butter. Make your cuts neat.
You need to always measure carefully. How much you cut out depends on how big the leak is and what kind of coupling you use. If you have a lot of room. say in a sprinkler system, slip couplings are cheapest and work fine. Make sure you have enough pipe to fit deeply into the coupling. You may have to fight a bit to get the last coupling in place because you have to bend both sections of pipe until you can push the last end into the coupling, but, if you are careful and have room, it's not that bad.
If lacking room, consider an expansion coupling or compression coupling. They are a little more costly but better than driving yourself crazy fighting with pipes. An expansion coupling is just what it sound like. It slips on one end of a pipe; you glue a coupling to the other end and it telescopes into position. A compression coupling is a tube that fits over the gap in a pipe. Before you insert that, there are 2 ends that screw on, each with a gasket. Put one on each piece of pipe, position the tube and tighten the screw on pieces; the gaskets will make the fitting water tight. Do not over tighten; I have done that and cracked the fittings. Also, tighten one end a bit, then the other, switch back and forth until both are tight. Do not completely tighten one first. With a car tire, you do not tighten one lug nut completely before tightening the next. Treat this coupling g the same way.
You will, here and there, need to attach threaded couplings. One end glues to the pipe. A female coupling is threaded on the inside, the male on the outside. In other words, the male screws into the female, as should be expected. You will see many kinds of bends, 45 degree, 90 degree, Y couplings; just use the same sa what you are replacing. Same goes for bushings which are used when the pipe changes diameter. There are also flex coupling which are quite handy for certain uses.
Gluing pipe is a bit tricky. First, you must treat both the pipe and the coupling. Sand both until slightly rough, then apply PVC Cleaner; do not skip this step. It makes the PVC tacky and receptive to the glue. Then sand again. There is a PVC primer. I only used it on pipes that were going to be under a lot of pressure, but really, you should always use it. Both cleaner and primer cans come with applicators and you just spread them lightly and evenly. Let the cleaner dry and scuff the pipe before using primer/ Important note: PVC Cleaner is acetone. Do not breathe in a lot of it and definitely do not smoke around it. Also, don't get it in cuts, believe me, it burns.
Make sure your pipe is clean when you start gluing.
There are 3 basic glues, each with pluses and minuses. Gray glue: plus; it dries slowly so you have time to work. Minus; it dries slowly, so you cannot turn on the water for a while, several hours. Clear glue; minus; it dries super fast so you can turn on the water right away. Minus; it dries super fast so you need to really be on the ball or it will start setting before you are through and you will have to clean it all off and start again. Both gray and clear glue require a completely dry surface, so the pipes will have to drain completely. There is a blue glue, sometimes called Raintight. You can glue wet pipe with this (it is better if it is dry, but it does pretty good on wet pipe). Also it dries quickly, but not instantly, so you have a reasonable amount of time to work and you can turn the water back on in an hour or so. All glues come with applicators. Paint the inside of the coupling and the end of the pipe thoroughly but not heavily (you just have to try this until you get the hang of it but, you'll learn quickly). As you insert the pipe into the coupling. twist it, about 180 degrees, if possible. This will ensure that the glue is evenly distributed.
If all this sounds complicated, it really isn't. Like many things, once you try it, you get the hang of it quickly. One last note. Try not to get it on your clothes, the glue will not come off. Unfortunately, you will likely get it on your hands (I tried working with gloves but it just didn't work). When you do, get it off as soon as possible. wash your hands in the PVC cleaner to soften the glue (but remember, if you have any little cuts, it will burn). Then use any pumice based soap. such as Lava, or any of the soaps sold for mechanics (there are several and you can get them at places like Home Depot).
Learning to do simple PVC repair can save you a bit of money and really isn't too hard, so give it a try. Have fun.
First, you will see many different thicknesses of PVC, called schedules. In repairs, use the same one you are replacing. If you are unsure what that is, ask the folks at your supply house. Note: pipe carrying hot water may call for CPVC. Do not substitute regular. The pipe may melt a bit and PVC, when heated gives off a toxic chemical, plus, it stinks.
If you have a leaky pipe, they do wear out, or coupling, you have to cut out the section it is in. A hacksaw will work fine. If you are using a lot of PVC, you may invest in a PVC cutter. One problem: sometimes, especially indoors, you will have little room to work. Buy a string saw, a piece of cable with handles. Just wrap it tight, move it quickly back and forth, and the pipe will cut like butter. Make your cuts neat.
You need to always measure carefully. How much you cut out depends on how big the leak is and what kind of coupling you use. If you have a lot of room. say in a sprinkler system, slip couplings are cheapest and work fine. Make sure you have enough pipe to fit deeply into the coupling. You may have to fight a bit to get the last coupling in place because you have to bend both sections of pipe until you can push the last end into the coupling, but, if you are careful and have room, it's not that bad.
If lacking room, consider an expansion coupling or compression coupling. They are a little more costly but better than driving yourself crazy fighting with pipes. An expansion coupling is just what it sound like. It slips on one end of a pipe; you glue a coupling to the other end and it telescopes into position. A compression coupling is a tube that fits over the gap in a pipe. Before you insert that, there are 2 ends that screw on, each with a gasket. Put one on each piece of pipe, position the tube and tighten the screw on pieces; the gaskets will make the fitting water tight. Do not over tighten; I have done that and cracked the fittings. Also, tighten one end a bit, then the other, switch back and forth until both are tight. Do not completely tighten one first. With a car tire, you do not tighten one lug nut completely before tightening the next. Treat this coupling g the same way.
You will, here and there, need to attach threaded couplings. One end glues to the pipe. A female coupling is threaded on the inside, the male on the outside. In other words, the male screws into the female, as should be expected. You will see many kinds of bends, 45 degree, 90 degree, Y couplings; just use the same sa what you are replacing. Same goes for bushings which are used when the pipe changes diameter. There are also flex coupling which are quite handy for certain uses.
Gluing pipe is a bit tricky. First, you must treat both the pipe and the coupling. Sand both until slightly rough, then apply PVC Cleaner; do not skip this step. It makes the PVC tacky and receptive to the glue. Then sand again. There is a PVC primer. I only used it on pipes that were going to be under a lot of pressure, but really, you should always use it. Both cleaner and primer cans come with applicators and you just spread them lightly and evenly. Let the cleaner dry and scuff the pipe before using primer/ Important note: PVC Cleaner is acetone. Do not breathe in a lot of it and definitely do not smoke around it. Also, don't get it in cuts, believe me, it burns.
Make sure your pipe is clean when you start gluing.
There are 3 basic glues, each with pluses and minuses. Gray glue: plus; it dries slowly so you have time to work. Minus; it dries slowly, so you cannot turn on the water for a while, several hours. Clear glue; minus; it dries super fast so you can turn on the water right away. Minus; it dries super fast so you need to really be on the ball or it will start setting before you are through and you will have to clean it all off and start again. Both gray and clear glue require a completely dry surface, so the pipes will have to drain completely. There is a blue glue, sometimes called Raintight. You can glue wet pipe with this (it is better if it is dry, but it does pretty good on wet pipe). Also it dries quickly, but not instantly, so you have a reasonable amount of time to work and you can turn the water back on in an hour or so. All glues come with applicators. Paint the inside of the coupling and the end of the pipe thoroughly but not heavily (you just have to try this until you get the hang of it but, you'll learn quickly). As you insert the pipe into the coupling. twist it, about 180 degrees, if possible. This will ensure that the glue is evenly distributed.
If all this sounds complicated, it really isn't. Like many things, once you try it, you get the hang of it quickly. One last note. Try not to get it on your clothes, the glue will not come off. Unfortunately, you will likely get it on your hands (I tried working with gloves but it just didn't work). When you do, get it off as soon as possible. wash your hands in the PVC cleaner to soften the glue (but remember, if you have any little cuts, it will burn). Then use any pumice based soap. such as Lava, or any of the soaps sold for mechanics (there are several and you can get them at places like Home Depot).
Learning to do simple PVC repair can save you a bit of money and really isn't too hard, so give it a try. Have fun.
Monday, August 29, 2016
Plumbing, Part 1
I have been remiss in giving home repair tips, so I am going to do a brief series on plumbing repairs you can do at home. First, things a home plumber should not attempt.
Do not re-plumb your air conditioning (central air, window units are not worth repair, just buy a new one). It is illegal. You are working with pipes containing coolants, highly regulated substances, so call a professional. Second, do not work on pipes carrying natural gas. If you make the slightest mistake, you will blow yourself and your house up and, that's no fun at all.
Do not attempt to run all new pipes. You will find that at certain points you must change the diameter of the pipes and knowing when is the job of a contractor. Do it yourself and you might wind up with little more than a trickle in you shower.
However, it is easy to fix a simple drip, and not to hard to fix a broken pipe. Replacing a toilet flapper or a fluid master is easy. Even replacing a toilet is, while a lot of work, not too complicated. Replacing a shower head is simple and repairing or replacing faucets is fairly simple.
The main thing is to look at what you are repairing and think. When you are done, everything should look pretty much the same, so just keep that mental picture in mind.
Often, you will find connections that are threaded, various nuts and screws, and, quite often, these will not be easy to loosen. Do not start trying to play King Kong and force the issue. Get yourself some WD40, spray the connection thoroughly, then tap it a couple of time, firmly, but not too hard, with a small hammer or even the back of your wrench. Then wait 5 minutes or so. The connection should loosen up. If not, keep trying it. If it just won't give, the threading might be stripped; that would be the fault of whoever worked on it last. If it is, you will have to cut the connection out and the repair becomes more complex. If at that point, you want to call a plumber, that is understandable and fine. But, if you want to keep doing-it-yourself, there are some steps to take, and we will get into that over the next few posts.
I want to say a few words about the tools you should be using and about patience. A good, fairly large pair of channel lock pliers will usually do the trick for most home repairs but a Stillson wrench also called a pipe wrench, gives a better grip on the connection. If the wrench starts slipping on that connection, slow down and be careful. You run the risk of chewing the whole thing up so badly that you will not be able to continue getting the wrench to grip. Do not get in a rush. Also, sometimes, okay, often, you will not have a lot of room to work in. If that is true, you just have to go slow. Sometimes, you sill only move things a fraction of an inch at a time before you have to rest your wrench. Sorry, there is no way around that. Just remember, a plumber would have to go just as slow, and he would be charging you for all of that time.
Next, post, PVC.
Do not re-plumb your air conditioning (central air, window units are not worth repair, just buy a new one). It is illegal. You are working with pipes containing coolants, highly regulated substances, so call a professional. Second, do not work on pipes carrying natural gas. If you make the slightest mistake, you will blow yourself and your house up and, that's no fun at all.
Do not attempt to run all new pipes. You will find that at certain points you must change the diameter of the pipes and knowing when is the job of a contractor. Do it yourself and you might wind up with little more than a trickle in you shower.
However, it is easy to fix a simple drip, and not to hard to fix a broken pipe. Replacing a toilet flapper or a fluid master is easy. Even replacing a toilet is, while a lot of work, not too complicated. Replacing a shower head is simple and repairing or replacing faucets is fairly simple.
The main thing is to look at what you are repairing and think. When you are done, everything should look pretty much the same, so just keep that mental picture in mind.
Often, you will find connections that are threaded, various nuts and screws, and, quite often, these will not be easy to loosen. Do not start trying to play King Kong and force the issue. Get yourself some WD40, spray the connection thoroughly, then tap it a couple of time, firmly, but not too hard, with a small hammer or even the back of your wrench. Then wait 5 minutes or so. The connection should loosen up. If not, keep trying it. If it just won't give, the threading might be stripped; that would be the fault of whoever worked on it last. If it is, you will have to cut the connection out and the repair becomes more complex. If at that point, you want to call a plumber, that is understandable and fine. But, if you want to keep doing-it-yourself, there are some steps to take, and we will get into that over the next few posts.
I want to say a few words about the tools you should be using and about patience. A good, fairly large pair of channel lock pliers will usually do the trick for most home repairs but a Stillson wrench also called a pipe wrench, gives a better grip on the connection. If the wrench starts slipping on that connection, slow down and be careful. You run the risk of chewing the whole thing up so badly that you will not be able to continue getting the wrench to grip. Do not get in a rush. Also, sometimes, okay, often, you will not have a lot of room to work in. If that is true, you just have to go slow. Sometimes, you sill only move things a fraction of an inch at a time before you have to rest your wrench. Sorry, there is no way around that. Just remember, a plumber would have to go just as slow, and he would be charging you for all of that time.
Next, post, PVC.
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