Plumbing discussions and local services.
bbiker70
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RE: Touchless taps and other faucet surprises
I’ve had a few tenants call about touchless faucets acting up - usually it’s the batteries or the sensor getting blocked by something random. Honestly, I stick with manual ones in my rentals. Less to go wrong, and you do...
RE: Plastic Vs. Tile-Ready Shower Bases: Which One's Less Hassle?
I’ve had tenants call about both - cracked plastic pans and chipped tile. Honestly, the subfloor prep seems to make or break either option. If the base isn’t level, you’re asking for trouble with plastic. With tile, it’s...
RE: My Pipes Burst at 2 AM - Ever Had a Midnight Plumbing Nightmare?
Pipe bursts in the middle of the night are the worst - been there, and it’s never just a quick fix. I agree, silicone tape only buys you a little time, especially if the pipe’s wet or the leak’s more than a trickle. What...
RE: When is it time to swap out old pipes?
Can relate way too much. A few years back, I thought I could get away with just patching a couple leaks in one of my rentals. One drip under the kitchen sink, then a week later, a “mystery” stain on the living room ceili...
RE: When the Toilet Floods at Midnight: My DIY Save
I hear you on the stackers feeling like a quick fix sometimes. I’ve had my share of late-night surprises with toilets and honestly, that “squish factor” you mentioned is no joke - too much wax and you’re cleaning up for ...
RE: finally figured out my boiler plumbing - anyone else find it tricky?
Colored plastic tags are my go-to too, even if they’re not winning any green awards. I’ve tried just about everything else - cardboard, painter’s tape, even those little chalkboard labels (which lasted about as long as a...
RE: my shower's gone rogue and sprays everywhere but down
Metal shower heads really do hold up better over time, especially if you’ve got hard water. I’ve had a few tenants call me about the “sideways spray” and it’s almost always a combo of mineral buildup and those cheap plas...
RE: are water-saving toilets really worth the hype?
Check for a leak before attributing a high bill to flush volume. EPA's leak guidance describes adding food coloring to a toilet tank: color appearing in the bowl within ten minutes indicates a leak. Flush promptly afterw...
RE: Kitchen sink disaster - DIY or call a plumber?
Yep, learned that lesson the hard way myself. Last year, thought I'd tackle a simple leak under the kitchen sink - just a worn gasket, right? Watched a couple of tutorials, seemed straightforward enough. But halfway thro...
RE: sink's spraying water everywhere - what do you grab first?
You're spot-on about the main valve - it's definitely not something you want to mess with regularly. I've had tenants accidentally damage older valves by turning them too forcefully or frequently. Usually, your best bet ...
RE: Eco-friendly plumbing options: composting vs. low-flow toilets
Maintenance and ventilation are still the big unknowns for me with composting. I’d need to understand how the waste must be handled and disposed of before counting garden reuse as a benefit. For a low-flow toilet, what w...