Archive for the ‘Plumbing Design’ Category

Many first time home renovators are intimidated with copper plumbing because of its unforgiving nature. While it is true that copper can sometimes be a little tricky to work with, it is also a very stable, resilient and versatile plumbing material. Unlike plastic pipes, copper pipe takes special tools and practiced skills to get it right. Just be aware that you will be using a red hot soldering torch with equally hot solder in order to “sweat the joints” probably in a tight or enclosed cupboard space. But it’s not as intimidating as it sounds. Once you learn to respect the medium, soldering copper tubing will just be another skill you can use in your arsenal of tools when remodelling or renovating your bathroom. Read the rest of this entry »

We have all flushed our toilet and without a second thought, left the bathroom to the sound of the toilet bowl refilling with water and went about our daily business fully expecting the bowl to fill then miraculously shut itself off, only to find ten, fifteen or even twenty minutes later that there is still a sound coming from our bathroom when all should be silent. So you trod back to your lavatory with a quizzical look on your face only to find the tank is filled but the water is still running. This is not only annoying but could also turn out to be costly with all the water you are wasting. If this happens first check the handle and trip lever to make sure the assembly that is connected to the flush ball is not malfunctioning. Make certain the flush ball is properly seated on the ball seat. The two things that could cause this leak are: the ball seat being corroded or the float ball may be punctured and may have excessive water inside, hindering it to rise up to the correct level. Read the rest of this entry »

Plumbing pipes and fittings in modern bathrooms are predominantly made from some type of plastic material along with supply lines made of copper but it was not always so. If your home was made before 1950, you more than likely have cast-iron drainpipes with galvanized steel water supply pipe lines that sometimes even included branch drain lines too. The only problem with this material was that even though galvanized pipe is extremely strong, its shelf life was only about fifty years due to the fact that the joints frequently rusted and leaked and the build up of minerals in the pipes reduced water flow and occasionally even clogged the channel. Read the rest of this entry »

There are a couple of drain pipe materials and fittings you can use for the plumbing in your bathroom including: plastic pipe, copper piping and black ABS pipe. Installing plastic drainpipe (PVC) is cheaper and easier to install than copper piping but the trade-off is that it takes a little more planning because once the pipe is glued, it cannot be adjusted. The only way to correct the problem would be to cut out the section and start from scratch again which is why it is important to make a preliminary drawing of your drain pipes and vent assembly before attempting to put your plumbing pipes together. Read the rest of this entry »

There are standard dimensions of drain and vent pipes and common plumbing codes that must be followed to make sure your bathroom plumbing is functioning safely and at optimal capacity. When a drain line is properly sized, the line will only be half full under full load which provides a sufficient water level to move and carry any solid materials that may be at hand in the waste. When the upper half of the pipe is open for the free transfer of vent air, this helps facilitate the proper velocity of the flow. If you plan on doing any major plumbing renovations in your bathroom, at the very beginning of your planning process you should get the latest information on local plumbing codes from your municipal building department. These codes were established to ensure your safety and proper installation of the plumbing materials. If you do not follow these plumbing codes, your bathroom reno project may turn out to be unhealthy and potentially dangerous as well. Read the rest of this entry »

Arrgh, my drain is backed up in my toilet again! So what are some easy home remedies for opening clogged drains in your bathroom? Well, the quickest and easiest thing to do is grab your typical plunger. The process is pretty straightforward, you know the drill. What you don’t want to do however, is to vigorously plunge up and down like a jack hammer. The most effective way to clear your drain is to cover the drain opening completely with the bell-shaped head of the plunger and push down firmly but gently, then come up quickly and forcefully creating suction. Normally the suction of the upwards movement will pull what ever is stuck in your drain back up into the bathroom toilet, tub or sink. It should be noted here that some tubs and sinks have overflow outlets that must be plugged with a sponge or wet towel before you can use  your plunger effectively. Read the rest of this entry »

Most people would agree that heating and cooling systems are two important factors for those looking to purchase a new home and are an integral part of having a comfortable indoor living environment. Down at the Calgary Home and Interior Design Show I was looking for someone to explain to me the importance of ventilation in your home and ultimately your bathroom. It was at this point that I came across L & K Plumbing & Heating Ltd. a full service plumbing and heating contractor dedicated to complete home comfort by maintaining just the right temperature and sustaining good quality indoor air in your residence. Read the rest of this entry »

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While tankless water heaters have been around in Europe for many, many years they have not until recently in the last couple of years taken root in North America. You can have a whole house tankless water heater system or a combination of whole house and point of usage models. According to Hansen Plumbing and Heating at the Calgary Home and Interior Design Show, the Navien tankless water heater is 98% efficient because it only heats water when called upon. In essence the Navien system senses the demand for hot water flow and starts the water heating process. Unlike old technology water tanks that heat and reheat the same water 24 hours a day, this is more like hot water on demand. Read the rest of this entry »

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One of the most common plumbing emergencies is a burst water pipe. Are you looking for a quick fix. Here’s what you can do to make a temporary repair to quickly solve the problem if this happens to your pipes in your bathroom. Whether it’s a gushing geyser from an accidental cut in a copper pipe when doing bathroom renovations or a tiny pinhole leak in an old cast-iron pipe, it needs to be fixed right away before it causes unnecessary water damage. The very first thing you should do is turn off the water to your pipes so that you can gauge the problem and hopefully make the necessary repair. Sometimes you might get lucky and all you have to do is tighten a fitting. The optimal solution would be to replace the damaged section of the pipe but if that can’t be done right away because you don’t have the replacement pipe then a temporary solution is to patch the pipe until you can get what you need. Read the rest of this entry »

Showerhead leaks can be the result of one or more combination of issues. The most common problem occurs when you have just installed a new showerhead but failed to use Teflon tape or pipe thread compound when threading your shower onto the gooseneck pipe that protrudes out of your bathroom wall. Here the leak occurs at the joint where the showerhead connects to the gooseneck pipe coming out of your wall. A leak may also occur when your showerhead gets clogged from calcium build up or you may need to replace your showerhead washers. All in all fixing a leaky showerhead is pretty basic. All that is normally required is a few fundamental plumbing tools and materials like Teflon tape, thread compound, an adjustable wrench, a screwdriver and maybe a new washer. Read the rest of this entry »