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Re-Building a Globe Valve

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At the request of a you-tube viewer I decided to shoot this short video on how to re-build a globe style shut-off valve. These valves which are found in almost every home use a typical bib washer which seal up against a smooth surface called the seat. If the seat is in sound condition you can usually replace the rubber washer and the valve would be operational again. If however the seat is pitted, cut or nicked etc. it would have to be replaced. Unlike full port valves (ball valves) these are restrictive to the water flow because the water would enter through bottom of one side up past the seat and then out. In general most shut-off valves sit their until their needed and then first person to come along and use them, causes them to leak from somewhere.

If you choose to repair rather than replace a globe valve make sure the seat of the valve is in sound shape or your efforts will be futile. Trust me, been their done that! If it’s been in service for a numbers of years I can almost guarantee that the screw that holds the washer in place will break. If that happens you have no choice but to drill it out and re-tap it to accept a new brass bib screw. If you get lucky you may be able to knock the broken screw piece through into a hollow cavity in the valve. If not, go get your drill! It’s also good practice to replace all the packing inside the packing nut and the gasket around the stem that screws into the body of the valve. Back in the day I used graphite packing which works very well, but today I see more and more Teflon rope being used Either will work just fine.

When installing stem back into the valve body, make sure it’s in the fully open position or you’ll risk damaging the washer and stem or both. You also should pay attention to where the washer sits to make sure it’s sitting inside the little recessed cup. If that recess is corroded or missing, I strongly suggest trying to find the little brass cups to place the washer before screwing it back into the stem. Without that cup the washer will just spread out beyond the valve stem and eventually fail. If your motivated and have the room, my choice would be to replace the globe valve with the 1/4 turn ball valve. On the other hand if you find it’s to difficult to replace then by all means go ahead and rebuild.

It’s not difficult and if you should run into a problem you can always reach me at info@bobsplumbingvideos.com.

Also be sure to subscribe to my newsletter for money saving tip’s and receive my free series- “The Seven Things You Shouldn’t Pay a Plumber Plumber To Do”.

Until next time…
HAPPY PLUMBING!

Removing a Frozen Fill Valve Nut !

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So you probably won’t run across this problem to often in today’s world of plastic plumbing parts, so when a you-tube subscriber mentioned he couldn’t remove a plastic coupling nut from his fill valve aka “ballcock” I thought it’s time for a video!

Before we get into removing a frozen fill valve nut here’s a quick history lesson.

Back in the 70’s plastic components were not as popular as they were in today’s plumbing world and the material of choice was good old American made brass. Most of the better companies supplied a brass lock-nut and a brass coupling nut to connect the water supply tube. Eventually and in an effort to save money, some of the companies started shipping these ballcocks with a white metal nickel composite lock-nut and coupling nut.

The problem is that when you connect to dissimilar metals on water carrying components, a process called electrolysis takes place. It would literately fuse the two metals together and make it virtually impossible to break apart. When this happened which by the way was quite often, the only way to separate them would be to cut them off. So whether you were replacing the fill valve or just replacing the water supply tube, you more often than not ended up grabbing the hacksaw and proceeded with the task at hand.

To be honest before I grabbed the hack saw I would always set up a straight 6″ pipe wrench inside the toilet tank and position it at the base of the fill valve with the handle up against the toilet tank. I then would proceed counter clockwise with a second offset 6″ pipe wrench and try to loosen the nut. Bottom line is sometimes I got lucky and sometimes not. The thing is you can’t really put gorilla force on it because you always ran the risk of cracking the tank.

Anyway check out the video and hopefully if you ever find yourself in this position, these tips will help you get the job done with minimal pain.

As always you can send any questions to info@bobsplimbingvideos.com, I’ll be happy to answer them. Until next time,
HAPPY PLUMBING!

How To Repair Or Replace A Faucet Spray Hose

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Traditional faucet spray hoses are pretty heavy duty and as a rule will last a lifetime. But their will be the occasion when one needs replacement so I shot this short video to make you aware that all faucet hose connections are not the same. The hose I’m featuring in the video you’ll find on a traditional two handle or single handle faucet, but the methods for connecting them are different.

So, let’s crack on and learn how to repair or replace a faucet spray hose

Once you determine that you need a new hose and before you run to the home center or plumbing supply for a replacement, it would be a good idea to take a look up under the sink to see exactly what type of connection you’re going to need. Nothing worse than going out and getting all the materials, returning and finding out you’ve got the wrong replacement parts. As a rule most traditional hoses come with a 1/8″ male threaded connection that screws into the base of the faucet.

But be aware that many of single lever faucet manufacturers used a 1/4″ nipple extending down from the faucet base that had a 1/4″ threaded union type connection at the end. The hoses that came with these faucets utilized a ground joint and a 1/4″ coupling nut that screwed onto the end of the male threads extending from the faucet. The solution in connecting the 1/8″ male thread of a traditional hose to the 1/4″ male thread extending from a single lever faucet is to use a 1/4″ X 1/8″ brass reducing coupling and the problem is solved!

Check out the video and remember to get up under the sink and take a peak to make sure you’re picking up the right parts for the right job.

If you still have questions about this or any video you see on this site, please drop me a line at info@bobsplumbingvideos.com.

I look forward to hearing from you.
HAPPY PLUMBING!

8 Great Resources For Your Next Bathroom Renovation

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In addition to the routine service and repairs I perform daily, I also offer complete bathroom renovation services to my valued clientele.

The Bathroom Renovation!

When a client inquires about renovating their bathroom, I will initially set up a convenient time to meet with them at which time we will discuss the scope of the work as well as the budget for the project.

Bathroom Renovation Once I have an Idea of how extensive the renovation will be, I will then construct a proposal spelling out in detail the scope of the work as well as the payment schedule. Once my proposal is accepted the process of coordinating and scheduling all of my sub-contractors begins.

This includes but is not limited to the demolition, removal and carting away of the existing bathroom, coordinating the carpenters, tile-men , electricians, inspections and of course the plumbing so that the entire project flows seamlessly.

Sounds like a relatively easy task, but in the real world challenges will always present themselves and it’s all in how you handle these challenges that separates the weekend handyman from the licensed, professional contractor.

Whether you’re renovating a bathroom, kitchen or any room in your home, the process can sometimes be daunting but with due diligence your renovation can be a pleasant experience.To help you in the process, I’ve put together Eight Great Resources I think will help take some of the fear of home renovation.

Take a look, tell me what you think and if you have any questions you can always reach me at info@bobsplumbingvideos.com.
HAPPY PLUMBING!

1. The DIY Network and 2. HGTV

The DIY Network and HGTV are two great resources for you to start with.
They offer everything from design ideas and can even help with where to find the most popular materials used in bathroom remodeling. Be sure to include them in your due dilligence:

3. This Old House

This Old House is another great source on the trials and tribulations of home renovation. I’ve watched this program since it was introduced and still watch it today. I love the interaction between the different personalities on the show and feel that they provide some great no-nonsense advice when it comes to any type of renovation you’re considering.

4. Popular Mechanics

Popular Mechanics has was around way before my-time and is still going strong today. I subscribed to their magazine religously, but now use their website as a valuable resource when gathering information for various projects.

5. Houzz.com

I found this on Houzz.com and it points out things to be aware of when you’re considering home renovation. Good information is something you can’t get enough of when considering large scale renovations.

6. Bob Vila

Bob Vila was the original host of This Old House and has since branched out to create a great website called bobvila.com. In addition to some great content he also has some great videos I think you’ll find useful.

7. Delta & 8. Moen

When it comes to faucet selection, not only do I look for a quality products who’s parts are readily available but I look for quality companies who provide exceptional customer service. Delta and Moen are the two companies I use the most in my bathroom renovations. They make a reliable, repairable product that’s readily available from any reputable supplier.

This is a good starting point for you to consider before jumping into the renovation game, in my next article I’ll give you my personal picks on bathroom fixtures i.e. toilets, lavatories, tubs, showers etc.

Stay Tuned!

What is Plumbers Putty & When Should I Use It?

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Never heard of plumbers putty? So what is plumbers putty exactly?

Plumber’s putty іѕ аn adhesive / sealant thаt іѕ used fоr sealing various plumbing jobs.

It іѕ extremely convenient tо uѕе fоr а variety оf purposes, аnd саn even be used by а layman. Most often, one wоuld uѕе іt tо seal thе space bеtwееn faucets аnd counter-tops, оr when setting sink and tub drains.

It іѕ а watertight material whісh makes іt аn excellent choice аѕ а sealant fоr thеѕе purposes. Aраrt frоm thе aforementioned uѕе, thеrе аrе many оthеr uses оf plumber’s putty.
Bесаuѕе іt’s аn adhesive / sealant, plumber’s putty finds іtѕ uѕе іn numerous plumbing jobs.

It іѕ hоwеvеr, extremely soft, аnd thеrеfоrе ѕhоuld nоt bе used іn areas whеrе high water pressure occurs. It іѕ still watertight, and bесаuѕе іt’s ѕо soft, іt саn bе easily removed bеfоrе іt dries.

Plumber’s putty has а clay base, аnd consists оf linseed oil. Sоmе mау consist оf fish oils, talc, аnd limestone. check out ѕоmе оf іtѕ uses.

what is plumber's puttyThе prime uѕе оf plumber’s putty іѕ tо create a seal between a faucet and a kitchen counter-top.

Bесаuѕе оf іtѕ oil content it’s best used on formica countertops and should be avoided on granite and marble as it will stain those surfaces. If you do have a granite or marble countertop you should look to use a water based silicone sealent.

It саn аlѕо bе used tо seal self-rimming stainless steel kitchen sinks tо countertops. Apply thе putty оn thе base оf thе sink edge, аnd place іt іn thе space created tо fit thе sink. Uѕе pressure as you tighten the hold down clips on the sink and when the excess putty squeezes out, just trim it with a non-metallic putty knife.

Just like setting sinks, I use putty to set sink drains, tub drains, faucets and even use it on the bolts that secure a toilet tank to a bowl.

It’s insurance that I guarantee will avoid future leaks. One word of caution is when setting a stainless steel sink or working on a stainless steel counter-top, use plumbers putty specifically designed for use with stainless steel.

A lot оf people аrе concerned аbоut thе uѕе оf plumber’s putty vѕ. silicone. I personally feel thе former іѕ always а better option whеn compared tо thе lаttеr. On thе оthеr hand, bесаuѕе plumber’s putty stains marble аnd granite surfaces, уоu mау opt to use the water based silicone which seals considerably wеll.

Plumbers putty is much more forgiving іf уоu wish tо reverse а plumbing job уоu mау have done wrong, thе putty tends to remain pliable making іt possible to correct a mistake. A lot оf people аlѕо confuse plumber’s putty wіth Teflon tape.

In effect, Teflon tape іѕ used tо seal pipes frоm thе outside, аnd іѕ а good option fоr pipes thаt receive heavy pressure. Bесаuѕе plumber’s putty remains pliable, іt іѕ nоt а good choice fоr pipes thаt receive heavy pressure.

Aѕ mentioned earlier, plumber’s putty іѕ а great choice for the professional plumber as well as the weekend do-it-yourself plumber,аѕ іt іѕ very easy tо uѕе. If уоu still have questions, speak tо thе sales people іn thе plumbing supply or home center уоu frequent tо find оut whеthеr іt wіll bе suitable fоr thе purpose уоu want tо uѕе іt fоr.

Thеу ѕhоuld bе аblе tо answer уоur questions аnd give уоu а fair idea оf whеthеr оr nоt іt wіll bе useful. You can also shoot an e-mail to info@bobsplumbingvideos.com and I’ll be happy to help!

HAPPY PLUMBING!