Plumbing discussions and local services.
literature724
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RE: When is it time to ditch your old water heater?
Had a similar thing happen in one of my rentals - looked fine, but tenants started complaining about the hot water running out halfway through a shower. No leaks, no rust, just... not enough hot water. Ended up opening i...
RE: Battling stubborn tree roots in your pipes? Here’s what worked for me
Tried the foaming root killer a couple years back after a plumber swore by it - honestly, it did slow things down for a while. Didn’t totally solve it, but I got a good six months before the next clog. Not magic, but bet...
RE: Battling stubborn tree roots in your pipes? Here’s what worked for me
I get where you’re coming from about being cautious, but I’ll throw in a different angle. I’ve had a few rentals with 50s and 60s clay lines that just kept getting root blockages every couple years. Tried the camera, did...
RE: Getting water pressure back: my experience with a booster pump
I’ve actually tried both cork and those thick rubber mats under a booster pump in one of my rentals. The rubber ones definitely held up better - cork started to crumble after a year or so, especially in the basement wher...
RE: my shower's gone rogue and sprays everywhere but down
Funny thing, I’ve actually had better luck with the old-school metal showerheads. They’re not “eco” on paper, but I swear they last forever and don’t clog up as fast. Maybe it’s just luck, but I wonder if all these “wate...
RE: Finally won the battle against invading tree roots
I’ve had mixed luck with liners, honestly. One time, I thought I’d save myself a headache and went with a liner for a rental’s old clay pipe - looked fine at first, but a year later, roots found their way right through a...
RE: What if your street flooded because drains were clogged?
Had a duplex on a corner lot that taught me this lesson the hard way. Tenants called at 2am - water pouring in from the street, and by the time I got there it was basically a river outside. Turns out, someone had tossed ...
RE: Plumber emergency: DIY quick fixes or call the pros?
Yeah, drain snakes have saved me more times than I care to admit. I remember one tenant who kept flushing baby wipes (despite multiple reminders 🙄). Baking soda and vinegar didn't stand a chance there - had to sn...
RE: Water pressure woes - anyone else dealt with this?
Had a similar issue last winter - went to shut off the main water valve in the basement, and it was practically fossilized. Probably hadn't been touched since Reagan was president. Ended up wrestling with it for half an ...
RE: Rusty water heater woes - repair or replace?
Funny you mention that - I had a similar experience a few years back. Had a rental property in an area notorious for hard water, and the tankless heater there was constantly giving me headaches. I was convinced it was ju...
RE: Plumbing hacks to keep your pipes happy all year round
I've messed around with epoxy putty a couple times - once on a rental property where the tenant called me at midnight about a leaking pipe under the sink (of course it had to be midnight...). Honestly, it held up surpris...
RE: finally figured out my boiler plumbing - anyone else find it tricky?
Stronger straps only deal with whether a cover blows away. They don't establish that the covering is safe around the appliance, and they shouldn't be used to hold boiler components or pipework in place. The protection an...
RE: anyone tried sustainable plumbing upgrades at home?
Interesting points, especially about the soap ingredients. I've had a slightly different experience though. A couple years back, I switched all my rental units over to eco-friendly soaps and shampoos (trying to do my par...
RE: old pipes and fixtures - can they actually be recycled?
I've reused old copper pipes a few times around my properties, and while the patina is nice, sometimes sealing can be helpful. One time, I had these old pipes I turned into garden trellises - they looked great at first, ...