Danville Plumber - How to Fix a Leaky Outdoor Faucet - Guaranteed Plumbing Co. Danville

 

Step 1: Tighten the packing nut
If the faucet is leaking around the stem, use a wrench to tighten the packing nut under the handle. If this doesn't fix the problem, move on to the next step. (Editor's note: Use a second wrench to hold the faucet in place where it connects to the building when tightening the packing nut)

Step 2: Shut off the water supply
If the faucet is dripping from the spout, the faucet fixture will need to be removed. Shut off the water supply to the outside faucet by turning the valve handle.

 

Step 3: Remove the valve assembly
Open the faucet completely by turning the handle all the way open. Loosen the entire valve assembly by using an adjustable wrench on the section beneath the packing nut and above the spout. (Editor's note: Use a second wrench to hold the faucet in place where it connects to the building when loosening the section beneath the packing nut and above the spout, which is not shown in the video.) Remove the valve assembly.

Step 4: Remove packing nut washer or graphite string
Using a socket wrench, remove the retainer nut that attaches the faucet handle. Unscrew the packing nut with an adjustable wrench, and remove the nut by sliding it up the stem. Use a screwdriver to pry out the packing washer or graphite packing string inside the washer. 

Step 5: Replace the packing nut
Replace the old packing washer or graphite string with a new matching washer or string. Slide the packing nut back over the stem and tighten with an adjustable wrench. Replace the handle and retaining nut or screw. Tighten the retaining nut with a socket wrench or screwdriver. 

Step 6: For a leaking spout, remove the compression washer
To stop water dripping from the spout, replace the compression washer inside the valve assembly. Using a screwdriver, unscrew and remove the retaining screw. Remove the worn compression washer with a small-bladed screwdriver. 

 

Step 7: Replace the compression washer
Remove the old compression washer and replace it with a new matching washer. Replace the retaining screw, and screw the new compression washer in place with a screwdriver. 

Step 8: Re-attach the valve assembly
Open the handle of the valve completely. Re-assemble the faucet by screwing the valve assembly into the faucet fixture. Tighten the valve stem assembly with an adjustable wrench. Be sure to hold the valve with your free hand while you tighten the valve assembly. The packing nut should remain loose. (Editor's note: Use a second wrench to hold the faucet in place where it connects to the building.)

 

Step 9: Tighten the packing nut
Using an adjustable wrench, gently tighten the valve stem packing nut until snug. (Editor's note: Use a second wrench to hold the faucet in place where it connects to the building, which is not shown in the video.) Close the faucet valve handle and turn on the water supply to the faucet

source: http://www.renovateyourworld.com/HowTo_Library/How_to_Repair_a_Dripping_Outdoor_Faucet-Faucets-S2659.html
text by Benjamin Hardy

http://www.guaranteedplumbingco.com

San Ramon Plumber - How to find the leak in your shower or bathtub - Guaranteed Plumbing Co

How do you go about diagnosing a leak. Leaks let you know they exist by water appearing and pooling, soaking or staining something. It could be a ceiling below, the floor next to the bathtub or shower or even in a hallway floor outside the bathroom. While the proof does let you know that you have a leak, don't read too much into the location. I've seen ceilings get water damaged not from the bathroom directly above them, but from a bathroom above them and 50 feet on the other side of the house. Water has a funny way of running down hill and finding the path of least resistance, it can leak from one area and run all the way to another place before it shows itself.

The first rule is not to jump to conclusions. Think logically of course. Bathroom directly above water damage, could be that bathroom is the culprit, but keep an open mind don't get too narrowly focused yet you could be on a wild goose chase and you don't ever want to start tearing open walls and ceilings until you are reasonably positive you are in the right place.

Rule #2 is the mind will play tricks on you. It's very easy to associate circumstances and confirm circumstances in your mind. I can recall one particular problematic leak that the homeowner swore was related to running the shower. The ceiling was damaged directly under the shower upstairs and they connected in their minds that every time their son who took a shower after work in the afternoon it would leak, but it wouldn't leak any other time. If someone took a shower in the morning it wouldn't leak. Well it turned out it was a plumbing vent pipe unrelated to the shower that went right up next to the shower and through the roof of the house. The roof around the vent pipe was damaged but the roof was configured in a way that rain wouldn't cause much water to get into the hole, but that winter we had a big snow storm and every day after it got warm the sun in the afternoon would melt the snow that had accumulated around that vent pipe and it would leak down and run all the way down that pipe and pool in the ceiling below the bathroom. It would take it 3-4 hours and sure enough it would coincide with about an hour after their son took his afternoon shower. So be careful what you assume and what you associate, the mind will try to find ways to confirm your suspicions.

The final rule is to confirm your suspicions. You must always test your suspicions. And think about how you are testing it, make sure the way you are doing it isolates any other possibility. This is the only way to truly find the leak. You must do isolated tests of each suspicious item one at a time.

So let’s take a typical shower or bathtub with a tiled surround and either a bathtub or a fiberglass shower pan. You've got a leak of some sort showing up either outside the tub/shower and you've observed and eliminated that it isn't the kids splashing water over the side at bath time or water leaking out the shower door.

The culprits are: 

The tile surround, which could be the grout, the corners or the connection where the tile meets the tub or the shower pan.

The drain, which would be the drain itself or the overflow in the bathtub

The valve in the wall.

The plumbing connections in the walls such as the hot and cold feeds to the valve and then the connection of the valve to either the shower head or the tub filler.

So we have only 9 individual things that it could be. So that at least makes it easy. 9 Is a lot but if we are systematic we now have a list and a process to find out which one it is.

Let’s start with the drain.
Start with examining the drain itself and the area around the drain, are their any cracks is the drain loose or nice and firmly seated? Get in there and step around it, put some weight on it see if a crack shows up that you didn't see until you put some weight on it. If you see anything like that you might have your culprit right there. But like I said don't jump to conclusions we must test, test, test!

Let's isolate the plumbing that is attached to the drain. We need a rubber hose running to a water source not in the shower or bathtub (remember we need to always isolate our tests, you can't run the shower or tub valve to test the drain without running the risk of the problem is really the valve right?) Most home improvement centers will sell different types of rubber hosing by the foot. You can purchase a length of it that will be big enough to go over your vanity faucet aerator. So get your rubber hose and stick it into the drain and run the water for 15 minutes. Come back and see if you see your leak appear where ever it has always shown up. If it usually doesn't show up for an hour, wait an hour. If you see your leak, it's the plumbing attached to the drain and you are done testing. No leak, now it's time to test the drain itself, take your rubber hose out and run the water into the shower pan or tub and do your wait and check. If you get your leak it's something to do with the drain itself, or that crack you found. See how easy this is.

Now let’s say no leak yet. Well, now we know that it's not the drain or the drain plumbing let's now move onto the valve and the plumbing in the walls. If you have a leak before the valve you would have a leak all the time. So obviously we don't have leak in the hot and cold water lines attached to the valve in the wall or you would know it by the constant leak. If it's a tub, lets test the tub filler, since we know the drain is not leaking, just turn on the tub filler and fill the tub. Let it run for 15 minutes and check. If you see your leak you've got a leak between the valve and the tub filler, there is probably a copper elbow or a joint that is broken. If you didn't find your leak let's check the tub overflow while we are at it. Close the drain and fill the tub up to the overflow and let it overflow into it for 15 minutes. Find your leak? It's the overflow connection where it is attached to the tub.

Okay let's check the shower head plumbing. The shower head is connected to the valve by a copper pipe all we need to do is plug the shower outlet and turn on the valve, this will pressurize that pipe in the wall with water. To do this you will need to take off the shower head and cap the shower pipe stem with a threaded cap you can buy. Or remove the entire shower head and stem and insert a threaded pipe with a cap into the elbow in the wall. However you do it, just plug it and turn it on for 15 minutes, the pipe will be filled with water under pressure and now if you find your leak it's the connection of the valve to the shower head. 

Okay if you still haven't reproduced your leak it's pretty easy from here, you've eliminated everything else but the tile surround which by the way is usually the number 1 or number 2 most likely cause of leaks. So from here all you need to do is turn on the shower head and aim it at the walls, now this is not scientific and will not usually result in a very accurate locater of the exact spot. A better way is to take your rubber hose, hook it up to the shower head stem and hold that hose over each wall for 10-15 minutes apiece until you find your leak. This way you will know for certain exactly where it is. Examine the tile, look specifically at the grout, do you see any hairline cracking or missing grout in the area? That's usually all it takes. Press firmly is it spongy?

The final thing to do is after you think you found your leak, is to wait a day and try it again. Double check it and make it leak again. Stop now and think about it, make sure you have it positively isolated. If you do all that and you are systematic you should now have found your leak!

source: http://www.rockymountainbathrooms.com/how-to-find-a-leak-in-your-shower-or-bathtub.htm

http://www.guaranteedplumbingco.com

Danville Plumber - 5 Tips on Shopping for a Stainless-Steel Sink - Guaranteed Plumbing Co

5 Tips on Shopping for a Stainless-Steel Sink

From making sure it's just the right depth to, yes, checking out its soundproofing, here are five things to consider when buying a stainless-steel sink

 

Photo: Alison Rosa

 

Stainless steel is an obvious choice for a kitchen sink because it cleans up quickly and has a great pro look. But once you get past the key design questions—one bowl or two, undermount or overmount—you want to base your buying decision on other, less obvious factors that affect quality and value. So we canvassed the experts for their tips. Read on for five ways to see beyond a shiny surface.

Shown: Franke GNX11020 undermount sink

 

Photo: Alison Rosa

 

You want the strong, silent type, which is characteristic—counter intuitively—of the lowest and thus best gauges. No need to lose sleep over 16- versus 18-gauge, but when you get up to 22-gauge the metal is more prone to denting and vibrating, and less able to handle a garbage disposer. High-gauge drop-ins can be especially thin around the edges, making them ill equipped to support the heavier weight of a quality faucet.

 

Photo: Alison Rosa

 

Six-inch-deep basins are cheap to make, but they splash and can't hold much. A 9- or 10-inch sink, on the other hand, holds lots—a big plus when countertop space is limited. Keep in mind that an under mount ends up another inch or so lower, which could strain your back—at which point you might consider investing in a basin rack. Shape matters too. You get more volume with square corners, straight sides, and a flat bottom, but soft angles allow for easy cleaning and good drainage.

 

Photo: Alison Rosa

 

Look for rubbery under coatings and pads, which deaden the sound of running water and clattering silverware, and also reduce condensation in the base cabinet. If the sink sounds like a steel drum, it's either lightweight or naked—or both.

 

Photo: Alison Rosa

Stainless steel is ranked to reflect its contents. You want 300 series, or about 18 percent chromium and 8 percent nickel for optimal corrosion and stain resistance. The sink should also have a lustrous satin finish, which will develop a better patina over time than matte-finish stainless steel. Tip: If the sink holds a magnet, it is not 300 series.

Photo: Alison Rosa

 

Some sinks come with drain assemblies and baskets, and some don't. There's location and design to consider too. Toward the back means more usable space in the base cabinet and better drainage when dishes are piled in the sink. A rear drain to the left or right—as seen here—is better yet.

 

 

By DEBORAH BALDWINTHIS OLD HOUSE MAGAZINE

San Ramon Plumber - Drain Management - Guaranteed Plumbing Co - Danville, CA

A home’s drain system is one of the most overlooked systems in the home. It is out of sight/out of mind until there is a problem. Although it appears to simply be pipes connected together, it is actually a complex system designed to provide a seal to prevent sewer gases from entering the home, removes solid wastes and removes waste water. Unlike the toilet, the other drains typically found in the home (Kitchen, Bathrooms, Laundry Room, Mud Room) are designed to manage waste water and not solid wastes.

The home owner has the ability to control this system in many ways before having to call in professionals.

How does a drain become blocked?

·         Short term

o   Excessive amount of solid waste put down drain

o   A foreign object put down the drain that is too large to pass

o   Grease is put down the drain and settles in the trap

·         Long term

o   Biofilm and/or fungal growth in piping

o   Settling of particulate matter over time

o   Build up of materials such as food or hair

Quick Tips for the Home Owner:

Sinks or Lavatories – General

·         Do not put grease down the kitchen drain as it can solidify and cause plugging. Pour cooking grease into an empty coffee can or something similar. When it becomes full, toss it in the trash.

·         Even if you use a garbage disposal, uncooked vegetables such as carrot and potato peels, broccoli stems, corn cobs or husks, asparagus, other fibrous fruits and vegetables, are best disposed of in the compost pile or the non-recycling trash.

·         Don't wash coffee grounds, tea bags or egg shells down the sink. Remove paper and toss the rest in the compost pile or the non-recycling trash.

·         Pasta and rice may not pass through the garbage disposal -add to disposal slowly while running water. They are best disposed of in the compost pile or the non-recycling trash.

·         Minimize the organic solid wastes (ie food) that are put down the kitchen drain. Follow with water to flush the pipes.

·         Do not put materials that cannot decompose down any drain.

·         Do not allow hair to go down the lavatory drain if possible – remove from the lavatory and dispose of in the trash.

·         The performance of system can be improved by regularly applying a mixture of baking soda and vinegar or an organic type drain cleaner.

·         It is a good practice to periodically fill the sink with water and then release it to flush your piping.

·         Harsh drain cleaners are not recommended – they are poison, give off harmful fumes when used, can harm skin and eyes and can damage some types of pipes.

source:

http://www.nkba.org/Learn/Homeowners/Tips/FaucetsAndPlumbing/DrainManagement.aspx

http://www.guaranteedplumbingco.com

Danville Plumber - Big Ideas for Small Bathrooms - Guaranteed Plumbing Co Danville, CA

Big Ideas for Small Bathrooms

Steal bath design ideas from the National Kitchen & Bath Associateion's Design Competition archives

 

A few things all old house lovers are familiar with: Drafty windows, less-than-perfect plumbing, squeaky floors—and small bathrooms. While new home baths have nearly doubled in size over the past 30 years, old home bathrooms average about 5- by 8-feet.

Not to worry, though: You can combat the claustrophobia by scaling down to physically save space. (Pedestal sink, anyone?) And, with the right colors and lighting, you can create the illusion of a roomy bath.

 

These homeowners opened up their space by getting rid of two small closets and adding task and ambient lighting to help create the illusion of a larger room. Little width remained after incorporating the tub and toilet, so a shallow cabinet was incorporated. Our favourite detail? The playful "dry riverbed" of stones in the floor.

Designer Erica S. Westeroth

His and Her Bath

The use of continuing horizontal lines, a large, frameless mirror, and well-placed task lighting helps to create the illusion of a larger space. The marble-clad dividing wall lends modesty to the toilet area, while creating a recessed storage opportunity. A must in every small bath, the shower has a curbless entry to eliminate demarcation of the limited footprint

Designer: Gary Hentges

 

These homeowners wanted to "keep it simple and do it well." This cherry and limestone bath replaced a tiny, cluttered space meant for guest use. The curved-front vanity maximizes usable space with two deep drawers on double extension drawer slides.

Designer: Gary Hentges

 

This bathroom was constrained by bedrooms on either side, so it wasn't possible to increase square footage. To make the space feel roomier, white marble tile and several mirrored surfaces wrap the room. Floor-to-ceiling cabinets add height, while a glass shower wall eliminates the visual barrier of a shower curtain or doors. Rich wood tones add warmth and create balance.

Designer: Keri Davis

 

This guest bath features a custom miniature sideboard topped with a rich red travertine counter and copper vessel sink. Rich shower draperies and handmade tiles add to the charm of this space, showing that patterns used selectively as accents will not overwhelm a small room.

Designer: Leslie Ann Cohen

 By TABITHA SUKHAITHIS OLD HOUSE ONLINE
Photos courtesy National Kitchen & Bath Association

 

http://www.guaranteedplumbingco.com

San Ramon Plumber - Learn to make faucet repairs and get your sinks in tip-top shape - Guaranteed Plumbing Co Danville

Let's face it, faucets wear out. They simply don't last forever, and eventually a working faucet morphs into a leaky faucet. The remedy is to fix it or replace it, it's that simple.

 

What's funny about broken faucets is that they often still work despite their leaky tendencies. In the last year alone I've had to replace our kitchen faucet, a faucet in the master bathroom and a faucet handle in one of our showers...

Average time living with these faucet repairs on the to-do list? I didn't keep track, but it was easily months. Countertops collected water around the handles and a shower required a little extra gripping power to turn on and off for the better part of a year.

What made me finally tackle each faucet repair is the same theme I always talk about - If I can fix it myself cheaply and stress free, the satisfaction for getting it done will far outweigh the nuisance of making the repair. It's a nice reward.

Swapping out a rusting kitchen faucet with a stuck cartridge (read: cemented) inside so the granite counters stopped turning dark from seeping water made us feel better about our kitchen more than we ever had.

And while a new kitchen faucet cost more than a few dollars, the new handle in the shower cost less than a few dollars. Oh...how nice it is to operate a working handle each morning.

Further, I once made a faucet repair in our guest bathroom that didn't cost anything. We had to reverse the hot and cold on the faucet, and as entertaining as it was to hear our guests yell "Yeow!" when they thought they were getting into a warm shower (but got cold instead), this easy and free repair was well worth it..

So ask yourself - is there a faucet or sink needing repair in your home right now? If so, I want to help you take a look and see how you can make your own repairs (most often the case), or if it's time to remove it, hold a memorial service, and move on to shiny new faucet. I'll help you through it all.

Common Sink and Faucet Repair Projects

Aside from faucet repairs, there are a few other parts to any one sink that might also be calling for your attention.

Accessories like broken sink sprayers adorn many a kitchen sinks, and down below, a garbage disposal repair can come about out of the blue, exactly when you need to use it the most. Both of these require only basic skills and knowledge to repair and will bring a smile to your face when you're done.

In basements and garages, wall-mounted sinks get loose over time and need repairing - not the much more expensive alternative of replacing.

Or, perhaps you want to install something new in the realm of faucets. Outdoor water faucets are a popular summer project; for example, helping homeowners water gardens more easily or rinse off after a day in the pool.

source: http://homerepairgeek.com/faucet-repair

http://www.guaranteedplumbingco.com

 

 

Danville Plumber - Rocking toilet and loose toilet seat fix - Guaranteed Plumbing Co - Danville

Rocking toilet and loose toilet seat fix

 

Sitting down to do your business in the bathroom, you don’t usually expect your toilet to be loose and rock back and forth. In fact, nothing feels less secure in this room in terms of sustaining an embarrassing injury. Fortunately, a rocking toilet isn’t going to cause you much personal harm, but a loose, wobbly toilet is still something you should fix since it can eventually lead to a water leak and damage your home. Most of us haven’t ever removed a loose toilet before or even have a clue how it’s done. So, fixing a rocking toilet by say, replacing or repairing a broken toilet flange may seem daunting. Don’t despair, if you tackle this problem with a mindset that all you are doing is fixing your wobbly toilet, then you can focus on that task and accomplish something you never thought imaginable in a do it yourself project. So without further ado, let’s see what may be causing your toilet to be loose and how to fix it.

Broken toilet flange causes rocking toilet Your wobbly toilet may be moving because the mounting bolts that hold it down have nothing to grab onto anymore. You might think your loose toilet bowl is held down to the floor by a couple bolts. While this is true, you should know that the bolts don’t go directly to the floor. Instead, they secure to a toilet flange. Think of this flange as a strong metal or plastic ring. It’s this piece that is bolted to the floor, and also sometimes secured to the drain pipe called a “bend”, which is made of sturdy iron.. Now, you might get lucky and just be able to tighten down these bolts, but if the bowl is rocking or as been for a while, it’s time to take a look at the flange underneath. In this how-to article, you’ll need to start with lifting up your loose toilet from the floor. This isn’t so bad, just be sure to turn off the water supply valve first. Second, give it a flush to drain the bowl water. And third, undo the bolts holding down the toilet. After lifting up you’ll be able to see the broken toilet flange that caused the unsturdy toilet.. You have two choices here: Fix the broken or cracked toilet flange or replace the broken flange altogether.

Fix broken toilet flange – this is usually the more popular choice mainly because it is easier and can really do the trick if your broken toilet flange is iron or metal. The part you’ll need is an adapter called a super flange or spanner flange (see here). This is a semi-circle piece that fits over or underneath your broken toilet bowl flange. It’s job is to provide a new hole for the mounting bolts to hug onto. Pick one of these up (or two if you discover that both sides of your toilet flange are broken), using the previous link or visit your local hardware store. Follow the directions, and your rocking toilet will be solid again.

Replace broken toilet flange – you may be one of the lucky ones who finds that their broken toilet flange is beyond repair (e.g. is cracked or split into several pieces), or that it is old and corroded. Again, this isn’t a terribly difficult task. A new toilet flange will give you years of solid toilet mounting. Assuming again that you’re now looking at your broken toilet flange, you can remove it by unscrewing the bolts (should be three or four depending on the model) that hold it to the floor. In older, vintage homes, you may not have any bolts holding it down as it was secured with lead (molten when poured in around the bend pipe). If this is the case, you’ll need to use a chisel and hammer to break the iron flange out of position. Be very careful not to damage the main pipe, called a “bend”. After removing the broken iron flange, simply place in your new toilet flange. Models with rubber gaskets (seals) and brass rings will be the best here. Just make sure the flange is flush tight with the top of the floor, otherwise your toilet will wobble. Follow the easy instructions that come with your product, being sure to tighten each of the four bolts a little at a time so the rubber gasket goes down evenly around the bend pipe.

Don’t forget that whenever you lift up your toilet, you’ll be breaking the wax seal that keeps water from leaking. Simply clean off the old one and insert a new one. Or better yet, replace with a a wax free seal for cleaner, better installation.

Loose or broken closet bolt making toilet wobble As probably the easiest fix, your loose toilet may simply be due to your loose toilet mounting bolts needing to be tightened. Simply remove the small plastic bolt caps at the base of your toilet (they will be on each side, and can be pried off with a small screwdriver). You’ll see a nut, and it should be unmovable with your fingers. If either of these nuts is moving, tighten them down with a socket wrench. No need to be as tight as your muscles can muster, since the material your toilet is made from can crack under too much strain.

If these bolts are actually broken, however, you’ll need to replace them. The bolts can be purchased by themselves, so don’t feel like you need to buy a whole toilet flange repair kit. Just remove the old bolts and insert the new ones. The best kind will be made from brass.To do this correctly, you will need to lift the toilet from the floor, so you will need to purchase a new wax seal to replace the one you’re breaking apart by removing the toilet. This will be a good time to inspect your toilet flange too.

Poor install can cause a toilet to wiggle Your loose toilet troubles could be related to the way your toilet was last installed. This can happen if you have your bathroom floor redone, and the level or height of the floor changed. If so, check that they didn’t shim the toilet to raise it up. This is not a solid install and can easily lead to a toilet that moves when you sit down over a short time. Follow the instructions for replacing a broken toilet flange. You may have to carve out some of the tile or other flooring around the edge of the drain hole so that you can place a new flange down into the hole since the old flange may have been positioned higher for the old floor.

As with any do it yourself project, if fixing a loose toilet seems complicated and you wish to hire a plumber, at least review this article so that when the plumber explains the problem you’ll understand more what he’s doing. You can even inspect that it’s done right and ask educated questions so that your rocking toilet doesn’t return any time soon!

source: http://homerepairgeek.com/toilet-repair/loose-toilet-fix.html