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October 31, 2007

Q: Ed, I have a strange problem. What would cause mold to form on the inside of the toilet tank above the water line? It's not in the bowl, just the tank. Phyllis (Michigan)

A: This can be a tricky problem! In order to grow, mold loves a moist, dark, warm area. In most cases where I have seen this problem, the toilet tank water has been raised to lukewarm temperatures for some reason, which completes the triangle for the three things that may attract mold. Tank water can warm up due to the toilet tank being located directly over a heating source. Some toilet-water feed lines have hot-water mixer valves on the water supply to cut back sweating of the toilet tank. Either way, that could heat up your tank water. Check to make sure you don't have lukewarm water in your tank and address the problem if you do.

Also, if your toilet is broken and running constantly, it may account for extra moisture at the top of your tank. Check for that, as well.

Finally, you can purchase some good additives that may control tank mold. Be careful, though; some additives can shorten the life of the rubber parts in your tank.

I'm sure we'll get letters from a lot of people with this same problem, and if I hear a good solution to an oldie-moldy toilet tank, I'll be sure to pass it along.

Posted by Ed Del Grande at 5:31 PM | Comments (0)

Lukewarm water raises some hot topics

Q: Hi, Ed. First let me tell you thanks! For single mothers like myself, your column and book are full of professional information that helps us finally figure out and understand many of our house problems on our own. My daughter and I just moved into a small house and the shower water will only get lukewarm while the rest of the house faucets in the bathroom and kitchen get scalding hot. It's a one-handle shower valve, and my old valve was a three-handle set-up. Any ideas on how we can get the shower water hotter? Jane (Florida)

A: Thank you, Jane. When I wrote my book Ed Del Grande's House Call , I pointed out that what homeowners really want and need is real information from real contractors. Not fluff thrown out by actors, as you see so often these days. Fluff never helped anyone, so let me tell you straight out on how to deal with your problem.

First, the main concern I have is that you described the water temperature in the rest of your house's fixtures as "scalding hot." That is not a safe condition. Manufacturers of water heaters recommend that temperature settings for water heaters not exceed 120 degrees F under any condition. Most water heaters even have a little drawing of a hand under a hot faucet and the print says something like, "Danger, hot water can burn!" I know that sounds like basic advice, but this is a serious warning that many homeowners overlook. So the first thing you need to do is have your water heater temperature lowered to your manufacturer's safe hot-water temperature range.

I know what you're thinking; in fact, everyone out there is saying, "Wait a minute, Ed. If she can't get a hot shower now with a very high water temperature, how is she ever going to get a hot shower with an even lower water temperature?" Great question, and to understand the answer, let me explain to you how most modern one-handle anti-scald shower mixing valves work. (By the way most three-handle mixing valves may not have anti-scald protection. Every mixing valve should be checked by a licensed plumber to ensure safe operation.):

Modern one-handle anti-scald tub and shower valves have balancing water-flow pistons and/or thermostatic mixing controls built into the valve. These controls protect the user from excessive hot-water conditions. Many of them also have a built-in stop settings; the handle cannot be turned past a certain point. That would account for lukewarm shower water.

The good news is that most tub/shower valves can be adjusted and reset to match your water heater's temperature. That should give you back a reasonable hot shower. Since we are talking about adjusting your water heater and resetting your mixing valve, I suggest you call a licensed plumber to take care of both issues with one service call; that should save you a little money.

The best non-fluff information I can give any homeowner about working around their own house is to know when you should call in a professional. Trust me, when it comes to your family's safety, you don't want to get yourself into hot water by fooling around with equipment and controls that you're not familiar with.

Posted by Ed Del Grande at 5:22 PM | Comments (0)

More noise than heat

Q: First time question: My wife and I live in a house with an old steam radiator system. It's very noisy to say the least and as the old saying goes, it "can wake the dead" on a good night. A friend of mine says that there is nothing that can be done because steam heat is noisy. I know steam can bang and clang, but this is way over the top and we need some sleep. We'll be thankful for any ideas that don't involve using ear plugs since that is all we have come up with. Henry (Tennessee)

A: Oh Henry! I know what you are talking about: A noisy steam heating system can sound just like a a football player hitting a steel pipe with a sledge hammer. And that's appropriate, because a steam system does use large steel pipes to carry the steam throughout the house.

Usually there is a big steam feed pipe and a smaller return pipe to carry any condensation water back to the boiler. Some systems may have gravity draining feed pipes that should also remove feed-line water to give the steam an open path to the radiators. Either way, if pockets of water build up in the system piping and radiators, or worse yet, the steam system is overfilled with water, you can get some heavy-duty clanging and banging when the hot steam meets the cooler water.

You will need a licensed heating technician to properly drain the pipe system and radiators. The technician also will set the correct water level and show you how to maintain your steam system.

The good news is that even though steam systems are noisy by nature, you should be able to quiet yours down to reasonable levels. Any strange heating system sounds should be checked out promptly to ensure safe operation. You'll not only get some sleep at night; you'll rest easy as well knowing everything's working fine!

Posted by Ed Del Grande at 5:17 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Odors from below

Q: Dear Ed, Never miss your column and recently I read your article about smelly bathrooms where odors may come from the water system due to high levels of sulfur. But what causes bad odors from the drains? I seem to have a bad problem from time to time with sewer gases and end up pouring bleach in the drains to stop the odors. Is there something wrong with my septic tank? Frank (Massachusetts)

A: Hi, Frank, and thanks for being a loyal reader! First, please stop pouring bleach down your drains. In my opinion it's never a good idea, especially if you have a septic tank. Septic systems thrive on organisms that keep the system composting, and bleach may disrupt the cycle. We all need to think about what we pour down our drains to protect the environment in general.

Also, I have a feeling that you may just be resealing the fixture trap-water level with the bleach. Water may do the same thing to stop the bad gas odors. Let me explain: All plumbing fixtures should have U-shaped traps built in or just below the fixtures to trap water. The water plug in each fixture trap acts as a seal to stop sewer gasses from coming into the home.

Now, if the water level in the trap drops to a low level for some reason, sewer gases may enter the dwelling until the trap is resealed. What may cause a trap to fail? Most of the time, it's a seldom-used plumbing fixture (like a guest shower or sink) where the trap water simply evaporates. Refilling the trap with some water should fix this problem and running the water in the fixture at least once a month should maintain the trap seal.

Broken or leaking traps can also account for low water levels. In that case, the fixture trap needs to be repaired or — better yet — replaced. Toilets have a built-in trap, and if that internal trap ever cracks and/or leaks, unfortunately the toilet will have to be replaced.

Clogged and/or broken plumbing system vents or a lack of any plumbing vents at all also can account for odors and water being sucked out of traps. If this is the case, the vents may need to be serviced or replaced to correct the problem.

Finally, and I have seen this first hand, a careless plumber may have forgotten to install a trap at the fixture, and a new trap will have to be installed.

We can suspect the traps, but with all plumbing systems, odors may be tricky to locate and can emit from an area you never expected. So, don't put up a stink with me if the smell ends up coming from somewhere else!

Posted by Ed Del Grande at 5:10 PM | Comments (1)

October 17, 2007

Something Smells in the Bathroom

Often we have questions that strike a nerve with people across the country, producing a lot of passionate responses from our readers. A little while back my articles on "critters we find in our toilets" produced hundreds of responses from our readers who wanted to share their experiences of unwanted bathroom guests with us. This was a very funny subject, and we all got some good laughs from the stories we selected for the articles.

Last week's column has generated a similar response from our readers, but this time the subject is not as funny. It also underlines the potential shortage of fresh clean water we may face if we all don't start conserving this precious resource. The question that started all this was about smelly shower water. I explained to the reader that before you can address this problem, you need to figure out if the odors are coming from the drain lines or the water lines.

Overwhelmingly the responses came in to tell me that they had similar problems and it turned out to be the house water system, not the drains, that created the foul odors. They wanted to share what they found in their own house and hopefully it could help others. Before I get into some of the great information that came in, please note that it's a good idea to have your water tested on a regular basis and if you smell, see or suspect anything wrong with your water, have it tested right away before you continue to use it for drinking and bathing. Also, keep in mind that the following information is from our readers. Every home is different and problems need to be addressed by a licensed plumber in your area.

Okay, now that we have that clear, let's get back to the cloudy, smelly shower water. Overwhelmingly, the readers agree that the main cause for their smelly water has been from water systems that contain high amounts of sulfur. Testing confirmed that, and to top it off they said that their plumbers also found that in many cases the sulfur in the water was reacting with galvanized water lines and/or magnesium anode rods in the water heater. This reaction seemed to intensify the sulfur odor, which sometimes can create a "rotten egg" smell.

Professional water treating companies can install water-softening systems and carbon filters that can greatly help the quality of your water. Plumbers can change the old water lines, anode rod or water heater. Well companies can also address and treat wells for better water quality.

Ether way this is a job for the pros, but because of all the letters and information you all sent, a smelly water problem may now be a lot easier to pinpoint and fix. That good news will be a breath of fresh air for many homeowners!

Posted by Ed Del Grande at 11:35 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

October 11, 2007

Cool Baseboard for Bathroom

Q: Ed, I just installed a new bathroom, and for heat we tapped into the existing hot water baseboard line, looped it to the bathroom area with a few feet of baseboard and then ran it back to the system. Now that everything's up and running, it seems that the new section of baseboard never gets hot! We installed vents and keep bleeding the lines, but still no luck. What can we check next? Bill (New York)

A: Bill, remember that the name of your type of baseboard system is commonly called a "forced hot water system" — the key word being "forced." A circulator pushes the water through the pipes or "zones" of the system, and each is piped according to specifications to get an even flow of water through the system.

When you tapped into the present loop, you may have not configured the piping so that an even flow would reach your new radiation. Bleeding the air out usually will not help, since this is probably a flow problem.

I always remind homeowners what they can do themselves and what they should not do. In my book, any heating system is best serviced and altered by licensed professionals only. I recommend calling one in your area. They can install the necessary piping and/or controls needed to split the flow of hot water evenly throughout your system.

Posted by Ed Del Grande at 3:27 AM | Comments (0)

October 9, 2007

Smelly Shower

Q: Ed, Every time we start the water running in our shower, we get a rotten smell for about a minute. After a minute the smell goes away and when the shower sits still all day with no running water there is no smell. Since I'm on a slab I can't look under the shower to check the trap without breaking up the floor. Before I demo the shower, is there anything else I can try? Bill, Oregon

A: Bill, before you start ripping up the bathroom I would try a simple test to pinpoint if it's your shower drain or shower water that is creating the odor. Remember this just a basic test for shower stalls only, not tub/shower units, and I recommend working with a licensed plumber to find the exact cause of this problem.

Have your plumber take off the shower drain strainer and block the drain hole with a wet rag. With the trap sealed, run the water without overfilling the shower. If you smell the odor you can suspect the water may be the culprit because the shower trap and drain are sealed. If there is no odor then you can suspect the trap and drain.

Once you get a better handle on the area of the problem, that may save you from unnecessary demo work and alert you to a more serious problem with your water. You need to address this problem right away and if you suspect it could be your water, don't use the water until your plumber can check out the system and test the water.

Posted by Ed Del Grande at 11:05 AM | Comments (16) | TrackBack

Shades of Gray

Q: Hello Ed, I have read in your past columns how you have solved disagreements between couples when it comes to home building and remodeling. You have cornered the niche market of "Marriage counsler/Building consultant" and now I need your services. We are building a house and are in the process of picking out the plumbing fixtures for our master bathroom. We have agreed on the color (Gray) but have noticed that even though the color name is the same, there is a difference in color shades between the fixtures we have picked out. My husband says that's just the way it goes, end of story. I say there has to be a better solution to match up different fixtures so they all look the same. OK, who's right and what do we do? Jean and Freddie, Floridia

A: Yes Jean, it's true. I do feel like my second hat is a marriage counselor and my high success rate is due in fact because I tend to point out to men that in most cases that I have seen, women are usually right. I'm not purposely trying to do that, it's just that you can't argue with the facts.

Before I give you the ammunition you need to tell your husband "I told you so," I must point out to you that your husband does have a valid argument. Whenever you mix and match different materials, (For instance, cast iron and fiberglass.) the plumbing fixtures will have different textures and densities and the light will reflect off them differently. Plus the fact that one manufacturer's impression of a color may be a shade different from the other company's impression of that same color.

Put all this together and yes, there may be some shade differences in the same color and that's just the way it is. However, you are not the only one that has been concerned over this issue and that's why some manufactures offer "suite collection" fixtures to solve this issue.

Suite collections are designed to be sold as a bundle (Sink, tub, toilet, shower, etc.) for the same bathroom. The manufacturers have designed these fixtures to nearly match perfectly with each other in style and color, so you do get a very professional and well-coordinated look for your bathroom. So, you were right, there is another way. I'm sure your husband will now be a very "suite" guy and will gladly look into this solution for your concerns!

Posted by Ed Del Grande at 11:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 2, 2007

Fixture colors: Plain vanilla or almond joy?

Q: Hi, Ed. I'm a young contractor and I really respect your opinions. I'm going to start building homes. What do you think is the best plumbing-fixture color to use for new homes? I don't want to go with the same old white fixtures you see in so many new houses. I need to consider colors that my potential customers will accept. Warren (New Jersey)

A: Always nice to hear from contractors, Warren, who want to go above and beyond the call of duty! I say that because I hope you realize that color fixtures are generally a little more expensive than standard white fixtures, so you will have to include that difference in your budget.

Fixture colors are, of course, best picked out by the homeowner, but if you're building the home before it's sold, you will need an attractive color that will be slow to go out of style and will be easy to keep clean. Every potential homeowner will look for those three color components and over the years I have found one color that in my opinion fits the bill. (Drum roll, please!) The color I like for plumbing fixtures is... almond!

It's a very easy color to keep clean, because it hides the water spots so well. Many of the rich fancy colors can actually highlight water spots, giving the fixture a messy look. Almond is also easy on the eyes and in all my years, I have never seen almond go out of style. Try saying that about pink or orange fixtures!

Many people may not agree with me, and the final decision will be yours, but for what it's worth I say fill the house with almond joy!

Posted by at 11:53 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack

Missing shut-off valve shuts down job

Q:Dear Ed, I love your new House Call book. It has given me the confidence to try my hand at changing my bathroom faucet. You say that preparation and good judgment are always the key to keeping out of trouble. So the first thing I did was to check out my piping under the sink, and I made a judgment call to stop the job. Guess what? I have no shut-off valves under the bathroom sink! I checked out the kitchen, and there are no water valves under there eitherl! How do I change the faucet now? Linda (New York)

A: Thanks, Linda. I'm glad you took my advice about job preparation. As I say in the book, you can head off big problems by doing some "homework before you do some home work." I'm always amazed when people tell me that they have no isolation valves next to a plumbing fixture.

Isolation or "stop" valves at every plumbing fixture are required by code in most areas of the country and are key for doing repair work without disrupting the entire house. Yet, in many older homes or in new homes for reasons unknown to me, the fixture stop valves may be missing. This can turn simple repair jobs into much bigger projects. Without stop valves at places like your bathroom and kitchen sinks, you now have to turn off water to the entire house, drain the plumbing system and then refill and purge the system just to replace the faucet or make faucet repairs. Worse yet, if you have an uncontrollable emergency leak at a fixture without stops, once again you have to shut down the water for the entire house until the leak can be repaired!

Now in your case, since there are no faucet stops and since you need to replace your old faucet anyway, I would recommend installing new stop valves along with the new faucet. This can be done one of two ways. If you're lucky, the water pipes under the sink will be threaded and once the old faucet is disconnected, new valves can be screwed onto the existing pipes. Then the new faucet will attach to the new stop valves.

If you're not lucky, you'll have copper or PVC piping. If so, the water pipes will have to be cut and prepped up for the new stops to be soldered or glued into place before you install the faucet. Either way can be a tricky job and you may be opening up a can of worms, so I would consult a licensed plumber to do this job.

However, now you can explain the problem to the plumber over the phone so the plumber can come over with all the necessary materials needed to install the fixture stops. That is will be a big help to them.

Good job! Checking things out first not only saved you from getting into big trouble; it may also save you a little money when the plumber finally fixes your "non-stop" problem!

Posted by at 11:52 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 1, 2007

Contractor Septic Worries

Q: Ed, I'm a young contractor, and I just built my first home for a client with a septic system. Usually my homes have sewers, so I don't worry about drainage failures since the town sewer main is very reliable. However, I now find myself worrying about a septic system failure once I move on. How do I address this topic to let my clients know I did everything to code, but now it's their system and they need to be responsible for maintaining it? I want to keep good relations, but I also don't want to keep worrying about something I can't control. Bruce (Indiana)

A: Hi, Bruce. In most areas, the plans for a septic system are drawn up by local engineers and installed according to local codes with all the necessary permits by licensed septic contractors. Then the entire system is inspected by the proper authorities and "green tagged," which simply means approved for use.

You said you did everything by the book, which means you should have a paper trail that you can put together for the homeowner and share that information with them. While I cannot comment on what your local warranties or responsibilities are for new installations, I can suggest that you sit down and educate your clients on the limitations of a septic system over sewer systems and recommend a regular maintenance schedule for the pumping, additives and inspections that they will be responsible for after they move in and for the future. Your septic subcontractor should be happy to help you with all this, since I'm sure he'll want the new customer.

You sound like a contractor who really cares for the people you work for. Keep that passion, and you'll have people waiting in line for your services!

Posted by Ed Del Grande at 12:09 AM | Comments (0)

Hot Idea for Faucets

Q: Hi Ed, I don't know if anyone ever told you this, but you are a cool guy to share your building experience with all of us. Because of that, I want to share an idea I have for faucets with you. Hopefully I might be on to something. I noticed that by the time I wait for hot water to come out of my faucet, my hands are already washed. How about we put electric heaters in the faucets so we get instant hot water? Is that possible or am I missing something? Steven (Massachussetts)

A: First, Steven, thanks for calling me cool. I'll make sure I pass that info on to my 17-year old- son!

As far as your faucet idea, the good news is that you do have a great idea. The bad news is that there have been several versions of your idea on the market for many decades. While they don't necessarily have heaters directly in the faucet, the concept is the same. There are a couple basic versions that you can choose from to get almost instant hot water from a faucet or shower and here they are:

The first is called a point-of-use water heater -- simply a small electric water heater that is installed in the cabinet directly under the faucet. This basically works the same way as your ide, and it is more cost-effective than trying to put a powerful on-demand heater into a faucet.

The second is called a re-circulating hot water system. There are two versions. In new construction you actually install a feed and return hot water line to each fixture with a circulator looped into the main water heater tank. That keeps hot water circulating throughout the home until it's needed. Hotels have used this concept for years. For existing homes without hot-water loops, new on-demand systems incorporate mixing valves at the fixtures that actually use existing cold water lines as returns back to the water heater. A circulator runs only when needed to draw hot water to the fixture.

All of these systems can be complicated to install, and a plumber should be consulted for any on-demand hot water project. The benefit to having almost-instant hot water is, of course convenience, but there are also huge water-saving opportunities because cold water is no longer wasted down the drain while you wait for your hot water.

It was a great idea, Steven — just a little too late!

Posted by Ed Del Grande at 12:04 AM | Comments (0)