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December 31, 2007
Circulating Comment
Q: Hello, Ed. I'm a professional contractor and I just read your article about a hot-water to cold-water crossover problem in a kitchen sink after a remodeling job. (Note: This is where hot water can come out of both the hot and cold faucets.) I was reminded of similar situations I have encountered as a builder of new homes. I would like to submit my thought on this topic.
Although this may not be the standard crossover problem where a hot and cold water line may be incorrectly connected to each other, I have seen some of the new hot water re-circulating systems, which are designed to deliver instant hot water, cause a similar problem with some faucets. Often the farthest plumbing fixture from the water heater is the kitchen sink, and this is where a plumber may place the pump or crossover/return line of the hot- to the cold-water side for return to the water heater, completing the loop. When the hot water faucet is turned on, hot water is instantly available to this and other fixtures along the run.
But the sacrifice is that some warm water within this cold-water side return may be making its way back to the water heater and may be dispensed out the cold side until purged. There are different systems that do monitor the temperature of this return water and restrict its flow to minimize the amount of warm water transferred to the cold side. Sometimes,just explaining how things work to homeowners will help them know whether or not they have a problem. Jerry
A: Thanks, Jerry! The re-circulating systems you talk about are great water savers since water is not wasted while you wait for it to get hot. Like all system equipment, though, they need to be installed according to the manufacture's instructions to work properly.
Remember, a hot-water crossover problem can be an unsafe situation and should be checked out right away by a licensed plumber.
Posted by Ed Del Grande at 1:50 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Whirlpool Romance Gets the Cold Shoulder
Q: Ed, my wife and I love your column and enjoy reading it together with our morning coffee. Also, we are pretty good handy people around our home. So good, in fact, that we recently installed a whirlpool in our bathroom with very little help. After all our efforts and expecting a very romantic evening, we started to fill the whirlpool and then seemed to lose all hot water at about the halfway point of the tub.
The hot water eventually came back on but by then the water in the tub and our romantic plans had cooled off. Our water heater is only about six years old, could it be wearing out already? It has worked fine up until now, how can we fix it? Bob and Tammy (Washington)
A: Hi, Bob and Tammy, and thanks for being loyal readers! I do get a lot of letters like this and feel that I have to remind everyone once again on how to tackle a job that may be a little out of your league. First, I applaud your efforts and your willingness to work around your home.
However, as you know from reading my (Scripps/Howard) newspaper column and my book, Ed Del Grande's House Call, along with project information, I constantly remind people to consult with contractors on larger projects. Consulting with a licensed contractor does not necessarily mean you cannot do the work yourself; ii simply means that you have an expert to guide you through all the ins and out of the project, such as code information and pulling permits. (You did pull a permit, right?)
Many contractors also work as consultants, and the fees will vary depending on how much you use them for the job. You may know how to install something, but if you don't know the back-up system requirements for the fixture, you may end up in hot water. Or, in your case, you may end up in cold water!
What seems to be happening with your whirlpool is a very simple oversight. A bigger tub needs a bigger water heater to fill it. Don't be embarrassed; I have seen a lot of people overlook the fact that most whirlpools hold a lot more water than a standard five-foot tub. Installing a new larger whirlpool and hooking it up to a home's existing standard 40- or 50-gallon water heater will usually leave you with a lukewarm tub of water.
Do not raise the temperature of the water heater, since this may create scalding water throughout the house. The solution to your problem is to install a water heater large enough to fill the whirlpool while still maintaining the safe manufacturer temperature settings in the tank. Depending on the whirlpool, usually a 75- to 100-gallon water heater may do the trick. Because you are now working with fuel-fired heating equipment, this is the time to call in a licensed plumber to help you from here.
Don't worry, you will be able to get this fixed. So, let's keep a positive attitude when you explain the problem to your plumber. Don't say the whirlpool is half empty; say it's half full!
Posted by Ed Del Grande at 12:50 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
December 24, 2007
Trouble Spouting up in the Tub
Q: Ed, we recently moved into an older home and have a problem with the tub. The noise from water dripping out of the spout is driving us crazy! The spout is the kind with the diverter button, which we are not used to. If you can give me any information on what we can do ourselves before we have to call a plumber, that would really help us out. Rick (Canada)
A: Hi, Rick, and a big hello to all my friends in Canada! Believe it or not, I have received several letters from homeowners in Canada with the same problem. There is one thing you can try that may be a simple fix.
The type of spout you described has a built-in diverter valve. When you pull the lever up, it diverts water up to the shower. The key is that when you finish with the shower and shut off the water, you need to push the lever down to drain out the shower feed line. If you don't drain the line, the water may slowly drip out of the spout for hours.
However, if you notice that the water never stops dripping, or even after you drain the shower water line it still drips constantly, you may have a mixing valve leak. A mixing valve leak needs to be addressed by a licensed plumber ,since it is now a temperature control valve issue. But try the simple diverter setting first, and you may save yourself a service call.
Posted by Ed Del Grande at 9:55 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Sink Gets Hammered
Q: Dear Ed, thanks for being here to help out not only homeowners, but us contractors as well! I'm a licensed handyman and recently I was doing work in a customer's bathroom. Unfortunately I dropped my hammer in the bathroom sink. The good news is that the sink is cast iron and did not crack. The bad news is that it did chip a bit of the enamel finish off the cast iron. My question is: Can cast iron sinks be repaired? The customer is a friend of mine and will go for the repair if can be done, otherwise I owe them a sink. Sal (Tennessee)
A: First off, Sal, you are a lucky contractor to have such an understanding customer. I have had clients that put up a stink because they felt that the color of the caulking was a shade off from the color of the fixture. No matter how I tried to explain that different materials will reflect slightly different colors, it didn't matter; they still complained. So, if you have a customer that is willing to forgive you for dropping a hammer, I would do anything I could to keep that customer!
Another lucky break is that it was not a porcelain or a china sink. Once a fired-clay-based sink is cracked or chipped, usually there is no way to fix it and it will have to be replaced. More good news is that yes, cast iron sinks can be repaired as long as the cast iron frame is not damaged. Chips in cast iron can be filled in with special resins and fillers that can be colored to match the sink and buffed to a smooth finish.
This does two things: First, it restores the sink to a normal-looking finish, and second, it covers and protects the exposed cast iron from rusting. However, this is not a job for the normal homeowner or contractor. Usually this job is done by a professional fixture-repair person that is more of an artist than a service person. If you call your local plumbing supply house they can usually recommend the right person for the job.
Or find the make and model of the fixture, and see if the manufacturer has a service rep in your area that can also make the repair. This is a service that you will have to pay for, since it was not a factory defect.
But, all in all, that was a pretty lucky chip shot you took in the sink. In this case, it sure beats a hole in one.
Posted by Ed Del Grande at 9:46 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 17, 2007
Santa's Contractor Check List
Q: Dear Ed, my wife and I love to read your column together and we get some great tips and a few chuckles here and there from your advice. Believe it or not, it's my wife that does all the handy work around the house; when it comes to home improvement I have two left thumbs and usually they will end up bruised! So, I pass on the physical labor but do help with coaching her on the projects.
We're going to remodel the kitchen and do plan to work with a few contractors. With that in mind I recently bought your book, Ed Del Grande's House Call, for her as a holiday gift. Naturally I looked through it and was very impressed with the "Hiring a Contractor" chapter and in particular the "signing a contract check list." I think this is information every homeowner should have. How about giving your readers everywhere a nice holiday gift and write a special column with your "signing the contract check list" that we can cut out of the paper and hang on the wall? Bill and Jean (Indiana)
A: Thanks, Bill, for getting my book, and yes, I'd be happy to share my building-contract checklist with everyone! Here it is:
Ed's 10 Things to Consider when Signing a Contract with a Building Contractor
(From Ed Del Grande's House Call; Viking Studio)
1. Contact a lawyer before you sign the contract, just to cover your bases.
2. If you have a good blueprint, incorporate mentions of it into the contract (i.e.,"as per approved plans or blueprints").
3. Include the starting date of the work and "finish by" completion date(s).
4. Include a detailed description of the project, the brand names and/or grades of materials to be used, and who supplies what materials.
5. Indicate who will pay for any government fees, taxes and/or permits.
6. Include the total agreed price of the main project; a payment schedule; and how extra work or job changes will be invoiced and paid for.
7. Clearly state who will pay for extra equipment like cranes, delivery trucks or dumpsters and who is responsible for keeping the jobsite clean.
8. Clarify material and labor warranties. Spell this out completely, especially if the homeowner is supplying any materials or fixtures.
9. Clearly state who pays the subcontractors for extra work; whose insurance the subs will work under; and a copy of the contractors insurance.
10. Finally, make sure both parties sign the contract!
(It will surprise you how many people forget number ten!)
Remember this list is just a quick rundown of some topics and not an actual contract. You may also want to add other details in your contract, like any special free extras that will be thrown into the job by the contractor and/or other issues that pertain to your type of building or remodeling job. When in doubt, see tip #1!
Happy Holidays to my friends around the world! Ed Del Grande
Posted by Ed Del Grande at 11:24 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 10, 2007
Kitchen Island in Hot Water
Q: Hi, Ed, you rock! I'm a new homeowner and I've read some pretty interesting stuff in your column and learned a lot. Here's one for you that has us all stumped, including my plumber:
We recently remodeled the kitchen and also put in a beautiful island sink. At first I loved the new sink, but now I notice whenever the island sink faucet sits for a while and you turn on the cold water, hot water will come out of the cold faucet side for about forty-five seconds, then it gradually starts to cool down. Also, the hot water side always has instant hot water every time you turn it on. What is causing this? Hope you can shed some light on this. Thanks, Ed. Rich (Florida)
A: Hi, Rich. Even though you sound like a stable person, I regret to inform you that "your worlds may be colliding"! The key to your letter was that you stated this was a kitchen remodeling job with an additional sink installed. Any remodeling job can mess up the plumbing if you're not careful, plus with the second sink installed, mistakes may happen.
Sounds to me like somewhere in the new water lines or at one of the appliances or fixtures, you actually have a "cross-connection." A cross-connection is when the hot and cold water lines somehow get connected to each other. Once this happens, you get a problem called "crossover." That means that the hot water will cross over and actually fill the cold water lines with hot water. This can be a very dangerous problem since both sides of the fixture can be supplied with hot water. (As you have seen first hand.) This may explain why after running the faucet for a while, cold water is restored. It also explains why the hot water lines are always hot, because they are constantly supplying the cold water lines with hot water.
Like I said, I think your two separate worlds (Hot and Cold) are colliding. I know this all sounds complicated, because it is. I believe even your plumber may need a little help in finding the cross-connection and they should consult with the building inspectors. I'm sure permits have been taken out for this job, and when you get inspectors and licensed subcontractors working together to bring things up to code, problems usually get solved quickly.
Without seeing the job, I cannot tell you exactly where your problem is, so this is something you have to work out with your local plumber. But don't wait! This is an issue that can easily affect every fixture in the home. And turn your water heater down below 115 degrees F to be on the safe side. Remember, according to most safety instructions, water heaters should be set to 120 degrees F or lower for safer operation.
The good news is once the crossover is located and corrected, things should go back to normal instantly and your island sink will once again become a paradise!
Posted by Ed Del Grande at 3:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 3, 2007
Ants in the Showerhead
Q: Ed, how do I get rid of ants coming out of my shower head? And why are they there to begin with? I have to run the shower for at least five minutes before I can climb in. Please help; I want throw up! Candice (Alabama)
A: Wow, this is a new one on me, Candice, and it tells me that you need an exterminator and not a plumber. As for feeling sick to your stomach about this problem, just think of them as tiny free plumbers cleaning out water deposits from your shower head. (Just kidding!)
My guess is that the ants are not coming out of your shower head, but they are actually going in your shower head in search of water. You do need to trace where they are coming from to eliminate the problem because new ants will keep showing up from the colony to get more water. In the past I have had success with professional ant bait products that the ants take back to their nests and that will usually destroy the entire colony.
Looks like your ants have found a nice clean source of water and they don't plan on leaving anytime soon. So, it's up to you to take back your shower from them. I feel for you since I have had my battles with critters in the past, and it can be very stressful. But stand your ground, do what you got to do, and hopefully very soon you won't be bugged anymore when you have to take a shower!
Posted by Ed Del Grande at 12:15 AM | Comments (3)
Kitchen Sink is not Soldering
Q: Ed Del Grande, you are the plumbing icon for all us amateur plumbers! Please help me. I'm trying to connect my kitchen sink pipes to the main line in my basement. After shutting down the water and emptying the pipes, my soldering is still hindered by water vapors and steam still in the lines. Bottom line, I can't get the solder to melt. How can I stop this from happening? Also, once I do get the sink hooked up, I travel to Florida for the winter. What is the best way to stop the trap water in the drains from evaporating? I'm tired of coming home to a smelly kitchen every spring! Bob (Ohio)
A: Thanks for the vote of confidence, Bob. I do have some great advice for you on both questions. First, you are correct that even after you drain out water lines, there is still a lot of moisture left in the pipes. When you heat the pipes with the torc, that moisture is converted into steam and, unless you have a place for the steam to escape, two things can happen. Number one is the expanding steam can separate the new fittings from the pipe or — worse yet — move the fittings enough to create an inferior joint. Number two, because of the trapped moisture, the pipe and fitting may not get hot enough to "run" the solder.
This is why I always recommend calling in a licensed plumber to do any soldering work. A licensed plumber will know that you need to open any valves down line to release the steam vapors or to use "vent couplings" when soldering to existing lines. Vent couplings have a built-in, screw-on vent cap that allows the steam to escape. Like all soldering, working with vent couplings requires knowing all the proper safety procedures and should be done only by a licensed plumber. The fact that you are not familiar with all the soldering techniques points out to me that you will benefit from calling in a plumber to finish this job.
However, the second part of your question — about how to slow down trap evaporation when you leave your home for winter — is something you should be able to do yourself. Home centers sell a product for winterizing homes, boats and trailers that basically is a "non-toxic" antifreeze that you pour down the drain to seal the traps. See your local supply house sales people for specific product details, instructions and information. I have had very good success with plumbing winterizing products like these in the past, and come spring time, you simple turn on the fixture and the trap flushes out with water. Make sure the product you buy is also eco-friendly because we all need to be aware of what we put down our drains.
Good luck with your sink and good luck in Florida. Someday I'd love to worry about how I'll be able to winterize my house while I'm away enjoying a tropical climate. Until then, all I'm worried about now is getting a new snow shovel. So, even with your sink problems, I think I'm the one who should be asking you for advice!
Posted by Ed Del Grande at 12:08 AM | Comments (0)
