Anonymous

“ Large leaks in a pipe may require cutting out the damaged section and installing a new piece of pipe. At least one union will be required unless the leak is near the end of the pipe. You can make a temporary repair with plastic or rubber tubing. The tubing must be strong enough to withstand the normal water pressure in the pipe. It should be slipped over the open ends of the piping and fastened with pipe clamps or several turns of wire. ”

“ Two important features of a frostproof hydrant are: (1) The valve is installed under ground—below the frostline—to prevent freezing, and (2) the valve is designed to drain the water from the hydrant when the valve is closed.
Figure 3 shows one type of frostproof hydrant. It works as follows: When the handle is raised, the piston rises, opening the valve. Water flows from the supply pipe into the cylinder, up « 5 » through the riser, and out the spout. When the handle is pushed down, the piston goes down, closing the valve and stopping the flow of water. ”

“ Dripping faucets are the most common plumbing problem. Normally a new washer is all that is required. If water leaks around the stem, either the packing is loose or needs replacing. To repair the faucet, first shut off the water at the shutoff valve nearest the particular faucet. ”

“ Use of electric heating cable is a good method of thawing frozen pipe, because the entire heated length of the pipe is thawed at one time.
Thawing pipe with a blowtorch can be dangerous. The water may get hot enough at the point where the torch is applied to generate sufficient steam under pressure to rupture the pipe. ”

“ When water freezes it expands. Unless a pipe can also expand, it may rupture when the water freezes. Iron pipe and steel pipe do not expand appreciably. Copper pipe will stretch some, but does not resume its original dimensions when thawed out; repeated freezings will cause it to fail eventually. Flexible plastic tubing can stand repeated freezes, but it is good practice to prevent it from freezing. ”

“ The tubing must be dry before it can be heated to soldering temperature. Leaks in places not readily accessible usually require the services of a plumber and sometimes of both a plumber and a carpenter.
Tanks
Leaks in tanks are usually caused by corrosion. Sometimes, a safety valve may fail to open and the pressure developed will spring a leak.
While a leak may occur at only one place in the tank wall, the wall may also be corroded thin in other places. Therefore, any repair should be considered as temporary, and the tank should be replaced as soon as possible. ”

“ Figure 8.—Connection of water closet to floor and soil pipe. Tank "Sweating"
When cold water enters a water closet tank, it may chill the tank enough to cause "sweating" (condensation of atmospheric moisture on the outer surface of the tank) . This can be prevented by insulating the tank to keep the temperature of the outer surface above the dew point temperature of surrounding air. Insulating jackets or liners that fit inside water-closet tanks and serve to keep the outer surface warm are available from plumbing-supply dealers. ”

“ Shutoff valves are usually provided on the water closet supply line, on the hot- and cold-water supply line to each sink, tub, and lavatory, and on the water heater supply line. Drain valves are usually installed for water-supply piping systems and for hot-water storage tanks.
A pressure-relief valve should be installed for the water heater storage tank to relieve pressure buildup in case of overheating. ”

“ When drains have become partially clogged due to lack of water to transport all solids through them, large buckets or other containers should be used to flush them. Water should be poured fast enough to nearly fill the drain. ”

“ The washer is made of material such as rubber or leather. Examine the washer seat. If nicked or rough, it may need refacing.
If the float-valve assembly is badly corroded, replace it.
Figure 7.—Water closet (toilet) flush tank. Float Ball
The float ball may develop a leak and fail to rise to the proper position. (Correct water level is about 1 inch below the top of the overflow tube or enough to give a good flush.) If the ball fails to rise, the intake valve will remain open and water will continue to flow. Brass float balls can sometimes be drained and the leak soldered. ”

“ Handle the material with extreme care and follow directions on the container. If lye spills on the hands or clothing, wash with cold water immediately. If any gets into the eyes, flush with cold water and call a doctor. ”