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Home improvement and renovation tips

Plumbing tips

Next few weeks, we'll give you quick tips galore. Let's start with some plumbing pointers.Be prepared for emergencies. If you have a sudden leak in a pipe, you can patch it temporarily with some rubber patching tape. This strong, stretchable material is a great quick fix for a leak in a supply or drain line. ...

Plumbing pointers and tips (Part II)

We started into some plumbing tips last time. Here are some more things to think about and do when you're working on your pipes.Wire warning: You may come across a ground wire clamped to pipe you're moving or removing. The wire is more than likely inert, however, if a short circuit should suddenly occur, that ...

Plumbing pointers and tips (Part I)

Here are some things to remember when you're working on the water supply or the drains in your house.If you're starting a project, now's the time to save yourself work later. Get lots of shutoffs and install them wherever you think you might like to shut off the supply to an appliance, fixture or room.When ...

How to build a drainage system 2 – more tips

Last time we talked a bit about planning your ABS or PVC drainage system. Here are some more tips on laying out and assembling the system.When changing direction on the horizontal, try and keep the change of direction even more gradual. A sharp corner on the horizontal is a good way to clog things up.Plan ...

How to build a drainage system – plan it

Thank goodness for plastic drains. ABS and PVC pipes and fittings have made the heavy work of running drains in your house easy for the average Joe or Jill. Here are some tips on working with them, and on drainage in general.Check the code beforehand. The regulations for the Drain/Waste/Vent (DWV) system are strict, and ...

How to survive the one-toilet bathroom reno

Planning a bathroom renovation? Here's a tip you'll thank us for. If you don't already have one, build a second bathroom first. Just kidding, but you should plan on minimizing the amount of time the toilet's out of service.Maybe you're doing renovations behind or above the toilet and you need it out of the way. ...

Plumbing vents and what they do

Believe it or not, one of the most important parts of your drainage system is up on your roof. Those things that look a bit like anorexic chimneys are vents -- the V in your drain-waste-vent (DWV) system.Vents help protect you from gases in the sewer system. To begin with, they allow sewage gases to ...

Trunk o' Tips – abs cutting tips, painting tip

Thought we'd reach into the tip bag today to help you through some tough situations.Cutting ABS pipe is easy when you have a lot of space; you just use a hacksaw (or a backsaw, which can give you a straighter cut). But what if you have to retrofit something in a tight spot? Make sure ...

How to stop a toilet from constantly running

Water running on and on into your toilet tank is both irritating and wasteful, but it's usually easy to fix. If water runs constantly, it could be draining into your overflow pipe, which you can see by lifting the tank lid. Lift the float ball (a plastic ball attached to a horizontal arm) to see ...

Soldering tips and techniques

It may seem the easiest water supply connections are plastic and pressure fitted. However, soldering can be just as easy.You'll need a propane torch, which consists of a cannister and a valve attachment which screws into the top. You'll also need a roll of lead-free solder, solder flux, an inexpensive pipe cutter and steel wool ...