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PLUMBING
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Q: I recently noticed some water stains on the ceiling of my living room. I'm not sure where they came from, but the ...
Americans enjoy easy, take-it-for-granted access to some of the cleanest, clearest water in the world. Still, even wa...
When you take glasses out of the dishwasher, do you notice hazy white polka dots? What about your faucets—are they co...
Homeowners rarely do their own plumbing, right? Wrong. Nowadays, intrepid do-it-yourselfers rely on their own skills ...
For much of the latter 20th century, household plumbing systems depended on copper pipe—a difficult-to-master buildin...
It's almost second nature: You turn on the shower and go off to do something else, knowing full well that it will tak...
Q: When the water reaches the fill level in my washing machine and the agitation cycle starts, I always hear a loud s...
Let’s face it: Dealing with a clogged toilet is about as much fun—but, unfortunately, just as necessary—as a root can...
Q. When I fill a glass of water from my faucet, it looks cloudy. What's with all the the murkiness? More importantly...
Most homeowners never think about maintaining their sinks—at least, not until it starts to drain agonizingly slow and...
To state the obvious, hot water plays a vitally important role in daily life, making it possible for households to en...
Q: I’ve noticed a rotten smell coming from my bathroom lately and can’t figure out the source. Do you have any idea w...
You want to save money on utility costs and do your part to conserve energy, but some energy upgrades are so expensive that you may never see a payback in this li...
Why does it seem like the times you really need a plumber are late at night, early in the morning, or on weekends, when fees can cost twice as much as normal. Cha...
Maybe you dream of upgrading to a modern jetted model, or simply want to switch to a stall shower to gain square foot...
Here’s an unpleasant thought: Our household drains see all sorts of horrors on a daily basis—hair, dirt, grime, and f...
Have you ever been spooked by strange banging, clanking, or thumping sounds coming from your water pipes whenever you...
Homeowners are accustomed to dealing with all types of uncertainties, but there are at least two things you can consi...
If everything you try to clean somehow ends up coated in a soapy film, there's likely a rational explanation—hard wat...
You're standing over the kitchen sink or next to the shower, all the while waiting, waiting, and waiting for the hot ...
If it looks like a snake and moves like a snake, it probably is a snake, right? Or, perhaps, its toolbox doppelgänger...
Homeowners who live in seasonally cold climates dread having their pipes freeze. At the very least, a frozen pipe can...
Of all the challenges encountered in a severe winter, a frozen pipe may be the one that strikes the most fear into th...
Starting or ending a long day with a weak shower is deeply unsatisfying. Still, when other around-the-house fixes ran...
You know that little knob on top of the bathtub spout? It's tiny but not insignificant, as it performs the vital role...
If you’ve ever tried using nothing but a hacksaw to cut through PVC pipe, you know it can be challenging. Often, part...
Sure, there may be calm before the storm, but afterward, once the dark clouds have given way to sunshine, there's oft...
Does the water coming out of your faucet look a bit like the Mississippi River after a rainstorm? There are at least ...
Protect your home with a little added insurance—insurance that doesn't cost a nickel—by making sure everyone in your ...
Quick-connect, push-fit plumbing has been taking a bite out of local plumbing trades, as homeowners discover the ease...
In the United States, we are fortunate not to have to think much about water quality. Most of us simply turn on the t...
Adding a toilet to your basement not only adds convenience, but it can also boost the value of your home. But before ...
Homes make strange noises on a regular basis, from groaning and creaking to popping and scratching. As a homeowner, you should be able to tell whether that noise ...
If a plumbing pipe ruptures inside your home, it's likely going to be a disaster. But properly installed pipe insulat...
Chances are that, somewhere along the line, you've had to deal with a clog in your kitchen drain. Even if you make a ...
If you know anything at all about pipe insulation, you know that it goes a long way toward preventing frozen pipes. T...
If you want to make sure you'll have hot water whenever you need it, it's a good idea to flush your water heater ever...
On chilly mornings, do you get impatient waiting for water from the faucet to get hot? If so, maybe you should think ...
If you're building a new house or replacing the aging pipes in your existing home, consider the benefits of a ManaBlo...
Scalding injuries are one of the top reasons people show up at emergency rooms with burns. Listen to BOB VILA ON PREV...
Ever hear a banging noise when you shut off faucets in the house? The problem could be what plumbers call "water hamm...
While we often take a hot shower or bath for granted, it's important to note that up to 20% of a household's annual e...
Homeowners looking to maximize the efficiency and life expectancy of their heating and cooling systems may want to co...
Here's how to install a hot or cold water shut-off valve under your sink. Apply plumbing sealant to the shut-off thr...
Here's a great device for keeping your home energy dollars from going down the drain. A drain water heat recovery dev...
If hard water is a problem in your house, you might want to look into getting a water softener. The scale in your wat...
Homes make strange noises. They’re built of many different materials — glass, concrete, wood — that expand and contra...
I just drained my water heater for the first time since it was installed back in '89. . . 24 years ago! The water cam...
The water heater is the home's unsung hero, reliably operating behind the scenes to make possible many of the modern ...
Here is the best way of joining copper pipe yourself. First, use fine sandpaper to clean the inside of the fittings a...
Stop—don't panic! You, too, can unclog that drain with these easy steps for banishing the backed-up sink and toilet.
Wondering why your water smells funny, tastes bad, or stains your plumbing fixtures, cookware, dishes and laundry? Read on!
Everyone is talking about “on demand” these days, but the buzz has moved well beyond movies and videos and into the w...
Low water pressure can be a real annoyance—the shower subsides to a trickle, the washing machine takes eons to fill, ...
Plumbing makes possible the cleanliness we know today. Yet solving some kinds of plumbing problems involves sink trap...
Connections are made between sections of iron pipe using threaded fittings. The walls of copper pipe, however, are to...
Electrical, plumbing, and HVAC rough-ins should take roughly two to three weeks. The insulation will happen in a day ...
Efficient ProductsManaging the country’s water supply is a rising concern, yet many Americans are unaware of how much...
Plumbers work with three basic categories of supplies. There are the supply pipes, that deliver the clean water into ...
The faucet—whether it's in the kitchen, bathroom, or behind the bar—acts like a mini dam, holding back a pressurized ...
Polyethylene cross-linked tubing, better known as PEX, is a fine addition to the industrious do-it-yourself plumber's...
For anything from small plumbing repairs to running lines for a whole house, there are lots of reasons PEX tubing bea...
If you’re paying through the nose for hot water in your house, you’ve probably already thought about replacing your c...
Frozen pipes that burst and cause water damage in your home can happen in all but the warmest areas, and often when y...
'Tis the season for freezing pipes, and that's not just for folks in colder climates. Listen to BOB VILA ON FREEZING ...
As you ready your house for the colder months ahead, don’t forget about your water system. When water freezes, it exp...
If you’re looking for a quick and inexpensive way to give your kitchen a pick-me-up, replacing the sink faucet might ...
If your home is like most in the U. S. , you’re spending a fifth of your energy dollars heating your water. If your w...
Showers account for more than a fifth of the water Americans use every day. You can conserve more of this precious re...
If you hear banging or knocking when you turn the tap on and off in your home, you could be straining pipes and coppe...
We all know that life would be very different without that wonder of modern science: the toilet. But when it acts up,...
What Causes the Clanging?Water hammer is a common cause of banging pipes. In plumbing where water pressure is high, s...
Grace tweets, “The bathroom sink in my 1890s Victorian is draining really slowly. What’s the best way to get things f...
It's your call when it comes to selecting toilets, sinks, and other plumbing fixtures for your renovation. But a coup...
Be Gentle on Old Drains A partial clog can be cleared by cleaning out the drainpipe. Older plumbing can be damaged by...
Whether you are building a new home or retrofiiting an older one (like me), take time to evaluate the hot water syste...
Some friends of mine moved into a new house and had a couple of issues with their bathroom. The sink drain was a litt...
Put the phone down! There's no need to call the plumber. In only six simple steps, you can unclog a drain that no longer flows as freely as it once did.
Plastic pipe requires a minimum of tools and experience. If you can use a tape measure and a hacksaw, you can proba...
Depending on what part of the world you're from you may have heard sink disposals referred to as "garbage disposals,"...
Changing or installing a new faucet is a fairly simple home improvement task, even if it does require contorting your...
A big farmer's porch will run the whole width of the house. Bob discusses the boiler, which will heat the domestic hot water, radiant floor heating, and hydro-air...
While the house is being dried out, fiber-cement siding is put in place, as well as a cellular PVC trim that has the look of wood boards without any of the hassles.
The home's concrete-slab floor is constructed with foam decking and connected to PEX tubing that will heat the home. The ReddiForm foam blocks enable a single con...
In the master bath, Bob reviews the appropriate design choices made by homeowner and contractor Nick Beasley for this period home. A new low-flush toilet is insta...
The unusually shaped room with original beadboard that sits under the roof’s eaves will be adapted from its prior use as a home office to be a child’s bathroom wi...
Bob meets with HVAC and plumbing contractor Frank Iadarola to review the HVAC and plumbing systems and discuss how to begin the remodeling process.
Bob and plumbing and heating contractor Frank Iadarola review the air handler and bathroom in-floor radiant heat.
Bob tours the showroom with the founder’s great-granddaughter, and then visits the factory to see how the vitreous china is manufactured.
Bob meets with the installer of the new HVAC system to discuss how it filters air and reduces energy costs.
Bob reviews the work done on the existing plumbing in the basement and the replacement of obsolete brass water pipes.
Bob reviews how keeping water out of the basement is a central concern in any basement remodeling project.
Bob discusses the best ways to discard debris and unwanted items before starting a renovation.
Bob revisits the techniques and products used to keep the basement dry.
Bob discusses the installation of a basement half-bathroom, including wiring, plumbing, and radiant heating.
Bob joins Dan Gerry to install a jetted soaking tub in the master bath.
Bob works with Bob and Dan Gerry to install kitchen sink fixtures. Then the ceiling fan is put in and a Square D All House Surge Arrester is installed.
Bill Jasper joins Bob for the installation of a removable Baby Barrier pool fence.
Bob meets with Lenora Campos of Toto USA, the largest toilet manufacturer in the world. Campos introduces Toto's Mercer line of residential fixtures, giving speci...
With much of the demolition having been completed, Bob walks through an open, loft-like space, which was dark and cramped feeling pre-demolition. Carlos Leuchtman...
Bob reviews the site preparation process with the on-site contractor, Michael Sheils.
Ron Boffoli from Cape Cod Vacuum Supply installs the components for a central vacuum system.
Bob tours the master bath with an eye towards the luxury appointments, including the double vanity fixtures, granite countertop, and Wellborn cabinets.
Plumbing and heating contractor Doug Buchanan is ready to install the Kenmore Elite dishwasher and the Kohler Dickinson sink (with garbage disposal).
Back at the Cobb Hill co-housing community, Bob meets with builder Kevin O'Hara, who shows Bob the enormous Gard wood gasifying boiler that's just arrived.
The developer and the plumber guide Bob through the equipment-laden boiler room.
The final connections are made to the new kitchen appliances, including a garbage disposal and a gas stove.
Bob meets with plumbing contractor, who demonstrates how all the waste lines come together in a residence and how they exit the house.
Bob meets with plumbing contractor Craig Rinaldi and Mary Moffroid (from Controlled Energy), who are installing a tankless hot water heater.
The old flooring in the Gothic Carpenter-style home in Elmwood has been removed. Bob outlines the process of installing the new floor and discusses the new suppor...
Plumber Kevin Hanley reviews the installation process for a pedestal sink and antique toilet in the new half-bath. And electrical wiring is pulled through the wal...
Bob joins Jack O'Leary to review the rough-in plumbing and electrical work, and, together, they install a roof vent.
Bob meets with Tom Florence, who's installing the Flo-Well septic system. The tank is much lighter than with concrete systems, costs about 20% less, and will last...
Bob and contractor Bob Ryley tour the exterior of the cabin, whose exposed wood surfaces will pose some problems for the builders. The plumber installs a drain li...
Bob checks in with plumbing contractor Jim Timino, who is running PVC pipe for the rough plumbing. Along the way, Jim demonstrates how to properly cement, or glue...
A vent pipe is installed in the ranch's roof. A hole is cut and a shield is added to create a weather-tight seal around the pipe and roof shingles. Down in the ba...
Bob joins the plumber as he installs a shower stall in the kids' bathroom. After drilling the drain hole, the plumber demonstrates how to properly attach a metal ...
The plumber Steve Bowton shows Bob how to sweat a joint in copper plumbing.
Bob looks on as plumbing contractor Steve Bottazzi removes the old boiler and installs a new state-of-the-art system. At 280,000 BTUs, it is three times as strong...
Bob observes plumbing contractor Steve Bottazzi install a lavatory (faucet and sink) in a bathroom vanity.
Bob must handle an overloaded septic system by replacing the clogged tank as well as the old leach field. Also, carpenter Bob Ryley demonstrates how to install a ...
Bob joins plumber Bob Hubbard, who is replacing the cast-iron drain lines with PVC pipe. Hubbard demonstrates how to glue or cement PVC fittings together, before ...
Bob goes over some of the rough plumbing work that needs to be done in the Cape Cod house.
Plumber Tom Higham demonstrates how to join copper plumbing for the bathroom lavatory.
Plumber Don McPoland shows how the new water service is connected to the house.
John Martin (from WarmZone) is on-hand to show Bob how the medium density fiberboard (MDF) faced with reflective aluminum shielding, and precut channels for the h...
General contractor Tim Berky installs the white oak, tongue-and-groove floor. Since the flooring will be nailed over the hyrdronic heat system, it is critical to ...
The extensive new deck will have multiple levels and various sections. General contractor Tim Berky digs holes for the footings before setting them in concrete.