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February 22, 2009
Getting an Early Start on the Plumbing Business
Q: Ed, I'm a big fan of your column, and I'm currently in high school. I want to be a plumber but need some guidance as to the best way to get into the field. Is there a way I can start before I'm 18? Can you help steer me in the right direction?
-Rick, California
A: Rick, you do need to check with your local plumbing inspector for the exact rules and regulations in your area. But, right off the top I can tell you to stay in high school or switch to an equivalent trade school to get your high school degree.
Nowadays, plumbing is a very complicated trade, and any good licensed plumbing company will look for an educated candidate to enlist in their apprentice program. Once you do graduate high school, you have basically two choices. First, you can go to work for a licensed "Master" plumber full time as an apprentice while taking some evening classes to prepare you for the "journeyman" test. Or, you can go on to higher education at a technical school full time, then after graduating look for employment as an apprentice.
You'll need to weigh the options and the time line to see what program will be the best for you. Basically, the apprenticeship can take between 2 to 4 years before you can test for the journeyman license. Then, after another 1 to 2 years as a journeyman, you can test for your master's. Earning a "Plumbing Master's" is not easy, and the tests are at a very high level of learning. The process from start to finish can take 3 to 6 years of round-the-clock hard work.
Now you know why I constantly say "Always hire a licensed Master plumber!"
Posted by Ed Del Grande at 1:39 PM | TrackBack
February 21, 2009
Are Attractive Faucets Just a Pipe Dream?
Q: Hey, Ed. I need help with a constant problem. I'm on my third bathroom faucet in about five years. It seems that my chrome bathroom faucets have a habit of developing corrosion, and the spouts look ugly and dull long before the parts go. Is there anything that can be done to delay this process once it begins? I keep trying to polish them daily but to no avail.
-Charlie, Texas
A: Sorry, Charlie, but I think some bad decisions on your part may be a big reason behind your faucet problems. First, when you buy a new faucet, I recommend that you pay the extra money and invest in a high-end faucet.
High-end faucets with a well-known manufacturer's name, usually will offer several types of quality finishes along with attractive styling. The faucets themselves are made with heavy-duty materials and special finishing processes that really stand the test of time.
Some popular high-end faucet finishes right now are brushed chrome and brushed nickel. The brushed look can hide day-to-day fingerprints, and even if it's years old, can look like it's brand new with little maintenance.
Inexpensive faucets, by comparison, are usually made with plastics and lightweight materials with a painted-on chrome finish. The money you may save up front on a bargain faucet is usually spent a couple years later down the road when you have to replace it. From the sounds of it, it looks like you are learning this lesson the hard way.
I recommend that you look for a new quality faucet with a PVD finish. PVD stands for "Physical Vapor Deposition" and that is the multistep process used to create a high-end faucet finish. You probably need a science degree to explain and understand how this PVD technology works, so I won't attempt it. But all you need to know is once this type of finish is applied, it's practically indestructible.
Now, the second thing you need to do is to stop polishing your faucets so much! Regular light wiping with a soft cloth is all you should need. Constant polishing with abrasives may wear on a faucet's finish rather than to help preserve it. This can be a vicious cycle when a wear spot shows up and it's mistaken for a dull spot. Then, many homeowners will aggressively keep polishing that "dull spot" only to wear the finish completely off the faucet.
Bottom line, Charlie: In the future, buy a really good faucet and (for the most part) leave it alone.
Posted by Ed Del Grande at 1:30 PM | TrackBack
February 20, 2009
Valves Stuck? Put Down the Hammer!
Q: Ed, I wonder if you can tell me what to try next. I need to turn off the water to my toilet so I can replace the fill valve in the toilet tank. The water valve shut-off handle at the toilet will not budge. I went in the basement to try down there and I can't turn off the valve at the water heater either. Then I went to my water main valve and that won't budge. I have banged all the valves really hard with a hammer to no avail. How can I fix this toilet?
-Dan, Kentucky
A: First thing, Dan, is to put down the hammer. Second thing, unless your toilet runs on hot water, leave the water heater alone. Third thing, right now the toilet is the least of your problems.
It seems that you may have very hard water, and water deposits have seized all the water shut-off valves in your home. This usually occurs from lack of use, and after years in the open position your valves are now stuck.
You have a very scary problem, because if you get a big leak there may be no easy way to stop the water before it causes major damage to your home. You need to contact your local water department to find your outdoor shut-off at the curb or have them shut down the water for you. Once the water to the house is off, you'll need to work with a plumber to replace all the stuck valves since they are probably in very bad shape.
The toilet parts can be replaced while changing the toilet water valve, so don't worry about that now. Also, have the plumber install a "whole house" water filter or look into a "water softening system" to help remove some the minerals in your water.
Finally it's a good idea every few months to turn the new valves on and off to keep them in working order. Don't wait on this job -- if you don't replace these stuck valves very soon, you could be stuck with a flooded house!
Posted by Ed Del Grande at 1:25 PM | TrackBack
February 19, 2009
A Real Original
Q: Hello, Ed! I have an antique claw foot tub in my second bathroom with the original faucet fixtures and shower head complete with the circular shower ring attached to the ceiling. It has not worked in years. I'm selling the house, and I'm told that this tub should be in working order to pass the inspection. I don't want to spend a lot of money on this, so my question is where can I find replacement parts for a good price? Thanks for any ideas and advice.
-Will, New York
A: Hello back, Will... but it's probably good-bye to your request of finding original replacement parts for your old claw foot tub. I don't want to say that it's impossible to find the old parts, but I have never had any luck finding or working with very old tub fixtures.
I've worked on many old claw foot tubs, and the best luck I had with saving these tubs is to completely strip the tub of all the old plumbing fixtures and hardware. Once the tub has been stripped down to just a shell, I've hired subcontractors to refinish, repaint, and update the exposed surfaces. Then, I start from scratch to hook up a new drain/overflow assembly, tub valve, and shower head/curtain rod assembly.
The good news is that new hardware and tub faucets are still available to fit most of the old style claw foot tubs. However, you need to find tub valves with scald protection or add anti-scald controls. You must check with your local plumbing inspector to see what is required to complete this job according to local code.
If this all sounds complicated, that's because this is not a small job and you may be opening up a big can of worms. Now, a second option could be to completely remove the old tub, and install a new modern tub and/or shower stall unit. This should give you the best payback, but you're still looking at a good sized project.
Finally, since this is a second bathroom and you haven't used the tub in years, another option may be to completely remove the old claw foot tub and cap the water and drain lines. In this case you'll just basically be doing the demo work, and you will gain a lot of space in the bathroom.
Sorry to say that I have no ideas for a quick fix on this job. Remember, whatever you do needs to be done correctly and by the book so your home will pass inspection. Maybe others can learn from your predicament. The lesson here is to invest in your home while you're still living in it. That way you'll get to enjoy the remodeling job yourself for a while.
Posted by Ed Del Grande at 1:21 PM | TrackBack
February 18, 2009
Danger in the Attic
Q: Ed, I recently re-piped my home water lines. I had to run some water lines in the exposed attic, but now that the cold weather is here I'm concerned about the pipes freezing. Do you have any suggestions about how I can protect them?
-Paul, California
A: Oh no, Paul --winter is not the time to think about how to protect your pipes! I wish you had written sooner!
Good protection from water line freeze-ups starts with laying out the job to avoid running lines in exposed areas (like an attic). Good plumbers usually will try to keep all water lines in areas that stay warm. If a line has to go in a place like an outside wall or across a ceiling, the pipe should be kept inside the insulation layer closer to the drywall.
Having lines exposed in the attic is almost like running them outside, and if you live in a very cold area this can be a disaster waiting to happen. If the pipes do freeze and split, water can pour from the ceiling down into your home.
If possible, get some insulating sleeves around the pipes and fittings. Also, I would install another layer of thick attic insulation on top of the pipes and joists across the entire attic to create a "blanket" over the water lines. This is no guarantee, since any water line will freeze if it gets cold enough -- even if it's insulated.
Finally, I'd keep the heat up above 68 degrees F in the area under the pipes. Warm rooms can radiate more heat up into the attic. I'd rather pay a little higher fuel bill and get a little more protection than have to deal with a flood!
Posted by Ed Del Grande at 12:58 PM | TrackBack
February 17, 2009
Mystery in the Shower
Q: Ed, I need a plumbing detective, and I hope you can help solve my shower mystery. My wife and I are having problems with our newly remodeled shower.
Last year we had our old tub removed and I made a new five-foot custom shower stall in its place -- complete with two separate shower valves, shower heads, and personal showers. It looks and works great, except we have a problem with the hot water becoming sparse as we shower. We usually start out fine, then have to turn both mixing valves up all the way up after only about ten minutes.
We never had this problem with the old bathtub shower even when we did two showers in a row! All we did was install new mixing valves. Shouldn't the new valves work better than the old mixing valve? How can this happen?
-Hank, Tennessee
A: Hank, with any mystery there are the usual suspects involved. When you run out of hot water, the usual suspect in most cases may be your water heater.
Now, your water heater is probably working fine, and that may be throwing you off track. However, you're failing to see the obvious issue. With 2 new mixing valves installed, you have basically doubled the water use in your shower when both valves are running, and that can drain your water heater about twice as fast as one mixing valve.
Many homeowners fail to realize that when upgrading a shower to multiple heads or installing larger whirlpool tubs, the house water heater may need to be upgraded as well, or else you can easily run out of hot water.
Plumbing is all about flow rates, and water heaters need to be sized correctly to accommodate those flow rates. In your case it seems that you overlooked the supply and demand of hot water needed for your new shower setup. You can confirm this by running both showers and when you feel them cool down, check the outgoing hot water supply line from your water heater. If the hot water supply line is also cooler, your mystery is solved.
I hope you have a little money left over from the original job, because the solution is to have a properly sized larger water heater installed by a licensed plumber -- or you can even have a second water heater installed "in line" or "in series" with your present water heater. Either way this will give you a larger reservoir of hot water and your new showers should work fine. A licensed plumber can also check out if your present water heater is set properly and operating correctly.
Follow local codes, never raise a water heater thermostat to unsafe levels, and always follow the manufacturer's instructions. Bottom line is that whirlpool tubs and multiple shower valves use more water than standard fixtures, and it may take some extra cold cash to get more hot water!
Posted by Ed Del Grande at 12:51 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
February 16, 2009
Diverting the Issue
Q: Ed, please help! We recently purchased a 15-year-old home, and in the guest bath when trying to shower, more water runs out of the tub spout than does the shower. My husband is afraid the we will have to open up the walls since there is no access panel. Is there a simple solution to this problem that he can fix?
-Ruth, Vermount
A: I may have some good news and some bad news for you. The problem you describe is usually a diverter valve issue. The diverter valve diverts the water from the tub spout to the shower. Some diverter valves are located in the main mixing valve assembly and some diverters are located in the tub spout itself, where you pull a lever.
The good news is that this is usually a simple job for a plumber to fix and the wall should not have to be touched. The bad news is that since your husband did not know of the diverter and was ready to open up the wall, he may not have the experience to tackle this project without some help.
The job will include trouble-shooting the type of diverter in your tub/shower, locating and picking up the correct replacement parts, and installing those parts according to the manufacturer's directions.
I suggest your husband work with your plumber on this one. If he learns from this job, he can try future diverter repairs. Please note that diverters can fail from time to time -- and even when they're working correctly, for safety reasons a little stream of water may drain from the tub spout when the shower is on.
Posted by Ed Del Grande at 12:33 PM | TrackBack
February 15, 2009
Take Comfort in Higher Toilets
Q: Dear Ed, My husband recently fell ill and I had to get him one of those thick plastic raised toilet seats. It fit on my toilet and raised it up about four inches. Now that it's been installed for a few months, we find it's awkward for us to use -- and it is difficult for me to keep clean. The entire family shares this bathroom and it's stressing everyone out. Do you have any suggestion? We are sensitive to my husbands needs and we are on a budget, but we also need a workable solution.
-Audra, Georgia
A: I am sorry for your husband's illness and I'm reminded that many of us take so much for granted.
Your husband, like a lot of people in this country, does require what's called a "special needs" toilet. A special needs toilet is a higher toilet, and the extra height does make it a little easier to get on and off the seat.
Standard toilets are usually about 14 inches high without a seat, and special needs toilets can be about 3 to 5 inches higher than that. The thicker toilets seats you mentioned are an easy and inexpensive way to raise the height of a standard toilet. However, for long term use or a more convenient solution, replacing the existing toilet with a completely new special needs toilet is another option that should fit your families needs.
In the past, these higher toilets were very expensive, pretty straight-forward looking, and usually the only color readily available was white. Plumbing product manufacturers do understand that more and more families are looking into special needs toilets, and they have really stepped up to the plate to offer a wider range of features. For instance, new styling and colors are now available that should match just about any existing bathroom. Also, many of the special needs toilets are now called "comfort height," and they are marketed more as a family toilet that is comfortable for everyone to use.
Since they are becoming a popular option, the prices have come down a bit, and the labor to install a special needs toilet should be the same as for a standard toilet. But, please remember that replacing an existing toilet is still a lot bigger project that just replacing a toilet seat. I know you are on a budget so I recommend that you find a licensed plumber in your area to get a written estimate first. Also, a well-respected plumbing company may offer you a payment plan to help ease the costs, so don't be afraid to ask.
I know when I was on the road in my plumbing truck, the best payback I received was when I knew my work and understanding actually changed someone's life for the better. And to all you hard working plumbers trying to make a living out there, please keep in mind that good business usually follows a good deed!
Posted by Ed Del Grande at 12:28 PM | TrackBack
February 14, 2009
A Cure for Sweaty Windows
Q: Ed, we live in a cold wet climate way up north. Our basement is very musty and damp. This year when the temperature has not been below freezing, all the windows in the house get soaking wet. We use a dehumidifier during the day and even open up some windows a bit to circulate the air, but we can't stop the sweating! The windows are old and may be part of the problem, but before we replace them what else can we try?
-Lilly, Newfoundland
A: Most moisture problems in a home usually relate to a wet basement problem. A wet basement can equal a wet house, so first start in the basement.
I would check your "three g's" -- the gutters, grading and ground water. Make sure all your gutter downspouts drain at least four feet away from your home. Gutter extensions can usually take care of that. Make sure the grading of the land around your home always pitches away from your foundation. Make sure your basement has a vapor barrier for the floor (no exposed earth), and in wet climates a sump pump is a must to remove ground water from your basement.
Also, move your dehumidifier into the basement and run it 24/7 with the drain hose emptying into your sump pump pit for automatic draining. Upstairs, keep the windows closed and make sure you always use your bathroom exhaust fans, especially when showering. I hope that this advice helps to keep your windows high and dry!
Posted by Ed Del Grande at 11:16 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
February 12, 2009
Plumbing Help for Our Friends up North
Q: Hi, Ed. We love reading your column in Canada and now we need some help. I'm moving my toilet (and all its piping) in the second floor bathroom to the opposite side of the bathroom. It will go across floor joists that I will not be cutting through as I will be running the drain piping above the present floor and then building a new raised floor. I'll have to install two tight bends (elbows) in the waste piping to accomplish this new routing along with minimum pitching to the present drain hook up. Is it OK to use the 90-degree bends in a toilet drain?
-Peter, Ontario
A: Greetings, and thanks to you and all my Canadian friends!
Peter, I'm a firm believer in keeping toilet drain lines in place for bathroom remodeling jobs. Toilet drains are usually the largest drain lines in a home at three to four inches in diameter. Moving them (especially on upper floors) usually will open up a big can of worms as you seem to be finding out.
In most cases, floor joists will have to be drilled and/or cut, and usually that may not be possible to meet codes without extra support added. Your idea of building another floor on top of your present floor, while creative, can also pose some major questions for this job.
First thing that comes to mind is weight -- can your present floor support all the weight of another raised floor on top? How about the six to eight inches the floor may have to be raised to fit a large drain, what will happen to your ceiling height, window height, and door entrance to the bathroom? What about resale value effect to your home -- will the raised floor be a turn-off to a potential buyer? What type of permits will be required for the job?
These are serious concerns that you will have to discuss with your local building inspector to see if this job is even possible to attempt.
Now, to your original question. Usually, according to most building codes I have seen, waste lines need to be turned with sweeping fittings like 45 degree bends, not standard elbows. You may be able to install two 45 degree fittings together, to make what's called a "sweep 90," but that does take up more space and must comply with your local codes.
I would seriously rethink your bathroom design to try and leave the present toilet drain in place. Bottom line: meet with your local inspector before you start this job. If it's allowable, and you still insist on moving the toilet, make sure you add up all the extra costs first, so you don't get floored by your new bathroom floor job when the bills come in.
Posted by Ed Del Grande at 11:08 AM | TrackBack
February 10, 2009
Sleepless in Chicago
Q: I recently moved into a downtown Chicago apartment, and everything has changed from what I have been used to growing up. Recently when my steam heat comes on it sounds like a football player is hitting my radiator with a sledge hammer. It keeps me up all night! Is this normal, and is there anything I can do to stop this? Or do I have to get the building supervisor to work on the boiler?
-Dan, Illinois
A: Welcome to the big city Dan! Yes, from what I've heard, banging noises from steam heating systems is a common complaint, but in many cases they can be quieted down a bit.
The most common cause of banging noises in a steam system is when the room radiators or steam lines get flooded with water instead of draining back to the boiler. Steam can produce a very powerful force, and when the hot steam from the boiler comes in contact with colder water in the radiators it can cause problems.
You need to call your building's plumber or pipefitter as soon as possible to try and drain the trapped water. Servicing any heating system, especially steam heat, is a job for licensed heating professionals only. But, the good news is that once the water is removed, the radiators should stop singing "I'll hammer in the evening, all over Chicago land."
Posted by Ed Del Grande at 2:43 PM | TrackBack
February 8, 2009
Shower of Power
Q: Hi, Ed. I'm thinking of taking out my five-foot tub and building a big shower with several different spray heads around the walls and in the ceiling. What professional tips should I keep in mind when designing the stall?
-Andy, New Jersey
A: Andy, the first tip I can give you is to make sure your custom shower unit runs as efficient as possible. I take the issue of conserving water very seriously and promote conserving water with speeches across the country.
However, I understand that homeowners have the right to install what they want for plumbing fixtures as long as it meets your local codes. It's all about choice and I'm the guy that can show people that it is possible to have a luxury shower stall and still save water in your home.
My first recommendation is that since you are doing a major remodeling job in your bathroom anyway, make sure you install new water saving faucets and a high-efficiency toilet as well. The water savings from your new "high efficiency" toilet and faucets may offset or exceed the extra water use in your custom shower right there.
But don't stop at that. In the custom shower, you can also use high-efficiency showerheads as well. A standard showerhead uses 2.5 gallons of water per minute. "Performance" showerheads are designed to use 1.75 gpm and can still deliver a very strong spray. That can give you about 25 percent in water savings per showerhead!
So, four performance showerheads may use the same amount of water as three standard heads. Finally, (and here is the big one!) incorporate diverter valves -- or two mixing valves -- into the shower to "zone" the system. A zoned custom shower will allow different parts of the shower to operate independently, and this will save water because all the heads may not be on at the same time. On high-end custom showers, a computerized mixing valve called a "DTV" (digital thermostatic valve) may be used to automatically move the water around multiple zones.
Also, make sure you work with a licensed plumber on your project to ensure proper water pressure and draining for your shower stall. Bottom line when it comes to large shower stalls: If designed properly, you can cut down on custom showering water use, and still have a blast in the shower!
Posted by Ed Del Grande at 2:38 PM | TrackBack
February 6, 2009
Too Much Air in the Water Lines
Q: Dear Ed, we seem to be having a problem with air getting into our plumbing system. The faucets will actually spit out pockets of air, and no matter how long I keep them on to purge out the line, it won't stop. We had a handyman check out the plumbing and he said that it could be the water softener system that I have installed right after the well pump and pressure tank unit. However, he had no clue on what to do next. Do you have any suggestions?
-Bill, New England
A: Hi, Bill. My first suggestion would be to call a licensed well company as soon as possible since air in the system could lead to more serious problems, like burning out your pump.
The big clue I got from your letter was that it appears your well pump is installed inside your home and is set up to "pull" the water from your well instead of "pushing" it up from a pump installed in the well itself. With your setup, if you have a leak in the well intake line, your pump may be sucking in air -- and that could be your problem.
Also, if you want to check out your water softener, there should be isolation valves installed to bypass the unit. Once the unit is bypassed, if you still get air, you can rule out the water softener.
A good well company will know all these tricks and if my hunch is correct, they can also replace your well intake line... and that should "air out" your plumbing system.
Posted by Ed Del Grande at 2:31 PM | TrackBack
February 5, 2009
Still Dueling Over Dual Flush Toilets
Q: Hi Ed, I just read your column on dual flush toilets, where the toilet has 2 buttons. One button for a full flush at 1.6 gallons and one for a half flush at .8 of a gallon, and it will net out at 1.3 gallons per flush. You also said about half of American households are still using toilets that flush with over 1.6 gallons per flush and switching form an old water-guzzling toilet to a high-efficiency toilet could save six to ten thousand gallons of water a year!
Ed, I'm a big fan, but this is where we disagree. Whether a 1.3 GPF toilet is capable of saving six to ten thousand gallons of water per year versus a 1.6 GPF toilet, I'm not sure. By my math, that's assuming about 55 flushes per day. My family of four is probably good for about 20 flushes a day. Are your math figures off or are my math skills slipping?
-Jason (California)
A: Thanks Jason. I've received a flood of well written letters just like yours asking about the math used to figure out how much water can be saved with a dual flush toilet. It seems that there is a little confusion as to the correct figures needed for the equation, so I'll be happy to go into more details.
Newer water-saving toilets by today's standards use 1.6 GPF, and HETs (High Efficiency Toilets) use 1.3 GPF or less. However, old water-guzzling toilets use "over" 1.6 GPF, and that can be anywhere from about 2.5 to 3.5 GPF. The key phrase that many of my readers missed, and you yourself used in your question is "over 1.6 GPF" and there is the math issue.
If you use 1.6 as your top-end figure, the math will be off. But, if you use a figure "over" 1.6, the math should make sense. For instance, the water saved per flush from a 2.5 toilet versus a 1.3 toilet equals 1.2 gallons per flush. At your figure of 20 flushes a day you may save 24 gallons a day, times 365 equals 8,760 gallons of water per year.
I hope we didn't bore anyone with all these math figures, but we need to point out the amount of water that can be saved by upgrading to new high-efficiency toilets. Please, everyone out there, look past the math and see that we all need to start conserving water, and getting rid of your old water-guzzling toilet should make you "flush with pride!"
Posted by Ed Del Grande at 1:53 PM | TrackBack
February 2, 2009
Frozen Heating Pipes
Q: Ed, we just had a disaster at our home! We have a three-zone forced hot water heating system, and one of the heating zones froze up and split. We do not want to go through that again, and the plumber told us that he can add special nontoxic antifreeze to the heating system to prevent this from happening again. I'm new to the area and I have never heard of this, can this be done?
Bill, Vermont
A: Bill, first check with your building inspector to see what nontoxic antifreeze products are allowed to be used in your heating system as per local codes. You also (per code) may need to have the proper backflow controls installed at the boiler before anything can be added to your heating system water. Plus, permits may be required, so do your homework before you have any work done in your home.
I need to stress that antifreeze used in residential or commercial forced hot water heating systems needs to be approved for safe use in those systems, and it is a special nontoxic mix that is installed by a licensed heating professional only. Do not use any other type of antifreeze or try to do this job yourself.
The good news is that when properly pumped into and mixed into a forced hot water heating system, it does help protect heating lines from freezing and is commonly used in very cold climates. So, if your building or plumbing inspector gives you the "green light" to have this job done, this can be your "red light" to future heating line freeze ups!
Posted by Ed Del Grande at 5:46 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
Waterless Urinal Mystery... Solved!
Q: Hi Ed, I consider you my pen pal plumber, and I need a plumbing mystery solved. On a recent visit to our new public library, I had the privilege of using a "waterless urinal." My question is, how exactly do they work? Also, what about odors, mineral deposits, and cleanliness issues that all urinals deal with? I can't see that happening without a fresh water wash down.
Dave, Florida
A: First, let me congratulate your local library for installing a waterless urinal. Like the name says, there are no water lines installed to these types of fixtures.
Studies show that for every waterless urinal installed in a heavy use public setting (like an airport or mall), the water savings per urinal can be a staggering forty-thousand gallons of fresh water per year!
With all that water savings, there is a little extra maintenance work required, and this will answer part of your question. Since there is no "wash down," daily maintenance is required for most waterless urinals. This involves a quick spray over the urinal with a special cleaning agent to sanitize the bowl and cut down on urine odors. Since most public urinals are cleaned daily, this is not a big deal to the maintenance staff. In a residential setting, keeping the spray bottle close to the urinal makes this an easy job as well since no wiping of the fixture is needed. That's the recommended cleaning routine.
For trap maintenance, and to clear up the second part to your question, most "liquid seal" waterless urinals need to be washed out and reset once or twice a month. Or, if it is a "filter cartridge" type unit, the filter needs to be changed according to the manufacturers instructions. With liquid seal urinal traps, a special pine-scented fluid floats inside the drain trap, creating an odor trapping plug. Since urine is heavier than the liquid seal, it passes through the seal and finds its way down the drain while the seal fluid stays in place.
With the resealing process, a small bucket of water is poured into the urinal to wash out the old seal and any urine deposits, then new trap seal fluid is simply poured back into the trap and you're good to go.
So, it seems the "number one" mystery of the day is solved and with this new information I hope more and more people start looking into waterless urinals as a way to save a lot of water!
Posted by Ed Del Grande at 5:30 PM | Comments (22) | TrackBack
