Archive for April, 2010

How To Fit A Bath and Wash Basin, Tips, Advice

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A good knowledge of plumbing techniques and some understanding of building construction would be an advantage.

Be careful not to strain yourself whilst manoeuvring the appliances. Ensure that all metal pipes and fittings are cross-bonded with 6mm squared sheathed earthing wire. Protective goggles, gloves and ear defenders may be neededfor some operations.Changing your bath and washbasin gives you the ideal opportunity to re-style your whole bathroom.Plan your new installation thoroughly. If you only have one bathroom in the house, the work must be carried out efficiently to minimise the time that the amenities are unavailable. If you have any concerns, ask professionals to carry out the work. The methods described here refer to the separate removal and installation of each fitting. However, inpractice it is more convenient to strip out the room first, then carry out the new installation.Preparing the room

Clear the room of all storage units and fixtures, such as towel rails and blinds. If the bath has a shower screen, remove it. Take up carpeting, but leave sheet vinyl in place until all the fittings have been removed. If you plan to install new lighting or an extractor fan, make the alterations at this stage.The bath and basin are connected to the plumbing by water-supply pipes and wastepipes. These pipes must be disconnected before the fittings can be removed. First shut off the hot and cold supply.If your house has old lead pipes, make the most of this opportunity and ask a plumber to replace them with copper or plastic plumbing.Removing the old bath

Remove the bath panels to reveal the plumbing. Open the taps to drain them, then disconnect the supply pipes. Place ashallow bowl under the bath trap to catch the water, then disconnect the wastepipe.If the connectors cannot be unscrewed, saw through thepipes. Also, cut through the old bath overflow.If the bath has been sealed against the wall with flexible sealant, cut through this with a craft knife. Pull the bath out from the walls. If the bath has adjustable feet, it may help to lower these first.Unless a heavy cast-iron bath is worth salvaging, it is easier to move it by first breaking it up into manageable pieces. Cover the bath with an old blanket and strike it with a club hammer. Protective goggles, gloves and ear defenders should be worn during this operation.Once the bath has been removed, extract the old overflow pipe from the wall and repair the hole with mortar and plaster. Also, remove old wall tiles and prepare the walls for retiling.When applying new wall tiles, measure out and cut a groove in the plaster to inset the rim of the bath. This ensures a good waterproof joint.- Fitting the new bath

Before fixing a new bath or its panels, remove the protective covering and check thoroughly for damage or colour faults. Any claims made after the bath is fitted will not be accepted by the manufacturer.To add stiffness, most moulded plastic baths have a baseboard bonded underneath and a wooden frame bonded beneath the rim. A cradle kit is usually supplied for self assembly. Following the manufacturer’s instructions, fit the cradle legs to the frame and baseboard. Also fit the centre support leg, if supplied

Tips For Avoiding Water Damage

If you’ve ever experienced water damage, or if you know people who have, then you likely know that the aftermath of a flood or plumbing accident isn’t pretty – or cheap. As with most unpleasant things, taking preventative measures to avoid water damage in the first place makes sense. Not only are most of the water damage prevention steps easy to perform, they are generally inexpensive, if not free!

Before you begin, consider some of the common causes of water damage: drips, leaks, and clogs. With these root causes in mind, inspect your house and take action! This may involve a bit of work on your part such as cleaning out rain gutters and clogged drains, and it may require a few trips to the hardware store to buy new hoses, caulk, washers, and fittings. However, your efforts are well worth doing as a simple overflow could cost you hundreds of dollars in water damage mop up costs and repairs.

Dealing with Drips

While drips and leaks are similar, let’s address them separately. When inspecting your home for drips, use your sense of hearing as you inspect the following areas:

Look for signs of water and listen for the telltale sign of drips. Sometimes the repair is as simple as tightening a water valve while other repairs may require new fittings, hoses, or washers. Replace any hoses that show signs of deterioration such as brittle washing machine hoses.

Dealing with Leaks

Like drips, you’ll find leaks in bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, and other areas where water lines run. However, leaks can be more difficult to detect. After all, a slow leak may not make a drip, drip, drip sound. In fact, the leak can be well hidden, slowly causing damage. Look for signs of water leaks by inspecting areas around windows and appliances for signs of moisture. You may notice damp carpet, water stains, or mildew. Basement leaks and seepage are also common, so be sure to check your basement, using your sense of smell as you search for signs of water damage.

Repairing leaks can be as simple as caulking a leaking window or replacing a leaking pipe. Ignoring leaks almost always leads to further damage.

Dealing with Clogs

Clogs are responsible for water damage due to overflows. After all, if a drain is clogged, water has nowhere to go. Typical areas to clean and maintain for preventing clogs include:

Regularly inspect drains and gutters and clean out the gunk as needed. Use a plumbing snake to clear clogged pipes and keep a toilet plunger handy for clogged toilets.

These are easy water damage prevention steps that you can take today to prevent costly water damage cleanup and repair costs tomorrow.