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Water Pumps Help Prevent Flood Damage
Think water pumps and you probably picture pools, aquariums, and hot tubs. What about flood damage from rain, melting snow, living near the ocean, or an overflowing appliance? It doesn’t take much of a crack in the foundation or from an upper floor for water to amass and destroy your home.
There are floor level and submersible water pumps, also recognized as “sump” pumps. Use a flow chart to determine what model would be most efficient, in terms of GPM (gallons per minute it can remove) and length of discharge line. The discharge line releases the water outside, and should not have the fluid return directly back to your foundation, create a problem for neighbors, or depending upon where you live, flood into the sewer system.
When not in use, check on the line periodically for damage or in colder months, for freezing. Pipe insulation and Styrofoam are two easy ways to protect the line, as well as trying to keep it below ground frost level. Water pumps that have screens to catch clogging material, and float switches to adjust to changing levels of fluid, eliminate additional concerns that may come from an already messy situation.
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The Stove Pipe Safely Regulates Wood Burning Heat
What’s the secret to a well-functioning wood burning stove? The venting system, otherwise known as a connector or stove pipe. It should be in an interior direct vertical line from the stove to where it’s connected to its exterior venting outlet. Determine the proper gauge by measuring the interior diameter of the flue, and install with its “male” end down. This configuration prevents the toxic residue, creosote, from accumulating onto the floor or the stove’s surface.
Stove pipe is needed for the chimney pipe to then be installed through the point of exit, which would be the ceiling or wall. Choose between a single pipe that provides at minimum 18 inches of clearance from the wall, or a double, better suited for smaller rooms, with a clearance of 6 inches minimum. Single and double models cannot be combined, so if height requirements need to be achieved, a heat shield, adjustable slip joints, or specially made shears can reduce the fitting.
A decorative flue cover nicely conceals where the stove pipe has pierced the wall, and both the damper and the draft control adjust the heat and cooling outputs.
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Plumbing Supplies Keep Everything Flowing
How extensive is your set of plumbing supplies? Are you ready for on-the-spot tasks or repairs? Plumbing involves more than just a plunger, “snake,” or drain stick for clogs. Ideally, you should have angle or straight-stop shut-off valves under each sink, so that you can attend to individual repairs instead of shutting off all water.
Having a spare float valve kit saves time and maintenance interruption if there are sudden toilet tank issues. Different styles of tools may be required for working with pipes. Round or long nose, tongue and groove, and slip joint pliers, socket, pipe, and crescent wrenches, and hack and circular saws make for comprehensive plumbing supplies.
If you’re more experienced or interested in a greater level of plumbing, yoke or chain vises, power threading machines, and soldering, flaring, and crimp tools further your collection. Add pipe cleaning abrasive cloths to your plumbing supplies, and you’re prepared for anything.
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Plumbing Fittings Augment Clear Drains
The simplest way to know that plumbing is on par is if there are no clogs or a noticeable decrease in draining flow. Plumbing fittings take care of that. For bathtubs, overflow tubing and drain fittings should keep everything balanced, while a closet flange takes care of toilet drainage. A trap primer maintains seals so that toxic gases do not build up, and is aided by a sanitary tee, which helps the water continue to go into the traps.
For plumbing fittings that are at 45 degree angles, a wye tee (as its name suggests) sets the course. A prime example of a wye and 45-degree elbow is the combo tee, a curvature that provides easier access for an auger or snake should blockage occur. Do you always have to remove major components or pipe systems to get to a clogged drain? Not necessarily, if you have a clean-out. Your set of plumbing fittings would not be complete without a few of these. All it takes is several add-ons to have the water flow where and how it belongs.
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Connections Run Smoothly with Proper Pipe Fittings
Pipe fittings are a plumber’s trusted friend, for they are the connections that help maintain continuous flow. Fittings with exterior threading are known as males, and those with interior threading are females. For everything to work properly, pipes and their fittings must be compatible materials, so match accordingly with brass, chrome, copper, galvanized, PVC, and stainless steel.
If using PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) piping or fittings, a copper crimp ring adapts all components. Elbow pipe fittings are usually at 45 or 90 degrees, and nipple fittings extend straight connections. Female threaded caps and male threaded plugs are used to close off pipes.
Other common pipe fittings that you may need for your plumbing are couplings and unions. Regular couplings connect pipes that are of the same size, reducers connect different sizes, and compressions are used to prevent leaking from the connected valve or appliance. Unions are used to easily detach pipes for repairs. With just a little practice, you’ll soon be an expert.
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