Solving Home Plumbing Problems - Softcover

Gary Branson worked as a contractor for many years before turning his talents to writing and editing. He worked as an editor of Black & Decker's Home Improvement Series, including Home Plumbing Projects and Repairs, and was senior editor for Family Handyman magazine. He is the author of Popular Mechanics 101 Quick Home Improvement Tips and 125 Ways to Handle Home Emergencies.

Introduction

From New York to London, from Los Angeles to Tokyo, the cities of the world share a common beginning: they grew along the shores of major waterways, and for good reason: people need water for survival. Today, modern residential plumbing assumes a daily water usage of 75 to 100 gallons per person, per day. We also need water for commerce, for industry, for agriculture and for transportation. We require a delivery system to deliver water to us, and we need a drain/waste system to remove wastewater.

Among ancient cities, Rome had one of the most sophisticated water-distribution systems. The Romans developed aqueducts to bring potable water -- water fit for human consumption -- into the city. The word aqueduct comes from "aqua," the Latin word for water, and "duct," the Latin word for a canal or tube.

Lacking the resources and technology to make copper or steel pipe, the Romans made water distribution pipes of lead. Today, health considerations prohibit the use of lead water pipes. There is a modern reminder of the use of lead for pipes: the Latin word for lead is "plumbum," the root of the English word "plumbing."

In this book we help the reader to understand the entire home plumbing system. Because plumbing is one of the most expensive systems in a house, do-it-yourself plumbing repairs and maintenance can result in money in your pocket. This is because plumbers charge a lot for their services. Seventy-five percent of the average repair bill is for labor, 25 percent for materials. The high labor costs translate into significant savings if you do the work yourself. We also emphasize the fact that the greatest savings can result from simple preventive maintenance procedures, which the homeowner can employ both to save money and to avoid unnecessary repairs.

Before you undertake plumbing tasks, it's helpful to know that you can make repairs and replace fixtures without obtaining a permit from the building department. However, for major alterations or additions, such as adding a bathroom, you must obtain a permit and call for periodic inspections. In the U.S., each state has a plumbing code dictated by the state health department intended to protect public health concerns.

Working Safely

Note also two safety tips. When soldering copper pipes, you will be working with a soldering torch with an open flame. Be extremely careful when using an open flame near wood framing or other combustible materials. Keep a water hose or fire extinguisher handy for use if needed. Better still, opt for plastic pipe and fittings to avoid having to use an open flame.

Your house plumbing begins with metal delivery pipes buried in the earth, and exits with a metal pipe waste system. This means that the metal plumbing pipes provide the ultimate electrical ground. To avoid a dangerous or deadly electrical shock, you should not use corded electrical tools on or near metal plumbing pipes. Instead, use battery-powered hand tools. If your home is plumbed with plastic pipe, this warning does not apply, because plastic is not an electrical conductor.

Finally, service people state that more than one-half -- one source estimates 75 percent -- of appliance service calls come from people who simply forgot to plug an appliance in, or to turn the water and power on. So, before you call for help, make sure you've done these things.