When do you need to drip faucets
Preventing & Thawing Frozen Pipes
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Frozen Pipes
Frozen Pipes
Learn how to prevent water pipes from freezing, and how to thaw them if they do freeze. Learn how to prevent water pipes from freezing, and how to thaw them if they do freeze.
Why Pipe Freezing is a ProblemWater has a unique property in that it expands as it freezes. This expansion puts tremendous pressure on whatever is containing it, including metal or plastic pipes. No matter the strength of a container, expanding water can cause pipes to break.
Pipes that freeze most frequently are:
- Pipes that are exposed to severe cold, like outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines, and water sprinkler lines.
- Water supply pipes in unheated interior areas like basements and crawl spaces, attics, garages, or kitchen cabinets.
- Pipes that run against exterior walls that have little or no insulation.
Before the onset of cold weather, protect your pipes from freezing by following these recommendations:
- Drain water from swimming pool and water sprinkler supply lines following manufacturer's or installer's directions. Do not put antifreeze in these lines unless directed. Antifreeze is environmentally harmful, and is dangerous to humans, pets, wildlife, and landscaping.
- Remove, drain, and store hoses used outdoors. Close inside valves supplying outdoor hose bibs. Open the outside hose bibs to allow water to drain. Keep the outside valve open so that any water remaining in the pipe can expand without causing the pipe to break.
- Add insulation to attics, basements and crawl spaces. Insulation will maintain higher temperatures in these areas.
- Check around the home for other areas where water supply lines are located in unheated areas.
Look in the garage, and under kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Both hot and cold water pipes in these areas should be insulated.
- Consider installing specific products made to insulate water pipes like a "pipe sleeve" or installing UL-listed "heat tape," "heat cable," or similar materials on exposed water pipes. Newspaper can provide some degree of insulation and protection to exposed pipes – even ¼” of newspaper can provide significant protection in areas that usually do not have frequent or prolonged temperatures below freezing.
- Consider relocating exposed pipes to provide increased protection from freezing.
- Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.
- Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of the reach of children.
- When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes.
Running water through the pipe - even at a trickle - helps prevent pipes from freezing.
- Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst.
- If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.
- If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, suspect a frozen pipe. Likely places for frozen pipes include against exterior walls or where your water service enters your home through the foundation.
- Keep the faucet open. As you treat the frozen pipe and the frozen area begins to melt, water will begin to flow through the frozen area. Running water through the pipe will help melt ice in the pipe.
- Apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater (kept away from flammable materials), or by wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water.
Do not use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or other open flame device.
- Apply heat until full water pressure is restored. If you are unable to locate the frozen area, if the frozen area is not accessible, or if you can not thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber.
- Check all other faucets in your home to find out if you have additional frozen pipes. If one pipe freezes, others may freeze, too.
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Drip…drip…drip…How Many Dripping Faucets Should You Have?
This is a question we hear a lot when it comes to homeowners doing what they can to prevent frozen pipes in their home.
The truth is, you only need to allow one of your faucets to drip. This faucet should be the farthest away from the area where water enters your home through the pipes.
When do you let your faucets drip?
When a cold wave hovers around or below 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-6 degrees Celsius), it’s time to let at least one faucet drip. Pay close attention to pipes that remain in attics, garages, basements or crawl spaces because temperature levels in these unheated interior areas usually imitate outside temperatures.
The pipes that will cause you the most problems when it comes to breaking, bursting, and freezing are the ones located in basements, crawl spaces, attics, kitchen cabinets, and garages. This is because they are exposed and don’t have the insulation that other pipes in your home do.
Here are some useful tips to prevent you from ending up with frozen pipes:
1.) Drain, remove and store all of your outdoor hoses.
2.) Walk around your home and secure any other water supply lines that are in unheated areas (both inside and outside).
Any hot or cold water pipes should be insulated.
3.) After removing stored chemicals and placing them in a secure location out of the reach of children, you can leave your kitchen and bathroom cabinets open so the warm air in your home can get to the plumbing.
4.) If temperatures drop dramatically, allow cold water to drip from a faucet served by exposed pipes. This helps prevent pipes from freezing.
5.) Keep your home at a reasonably warm temperature during the day and throughout the night.
But Can One Dripping Faucet Really Save the Day?
If it’s the right one.
The dripping faucet should be as far away from the water source as possible so the water will flow through the entire length of the system. If you aren’t sure where the incoming water source is located, setting any faucet to drip will help. A common misconception is that the drip prevents water from freezing because it stays in motion when it’s running through the pipes.
Although this helps, the truth is that at extreme temperatures water can freeze even while it is flowing. The real reason a dripping faucet can help prevent pipes from bursting is that the constant drip relieves pressure that is building up in the pipes between the ice blockage and the faucet, and helps to prevent them from bursting when the pipes begin to thaw.
What To Do If You Think Your Pipes Have Frozen
When you turn on your faucet and nothing comes out, you may have a frozen pipe. If this happens, the best thing you can do is leave the faucet on and call the plumbers at Rooter Man right away. If you suspect one of your pipes has burst, you should turn off the water at the main shut-off valve, still leaving the faucets on.
If you have questions, or you are simply unsure of the state of your plumbing, don’t hesitate to call our experts. The sooner we can inspect your plumbing, the sooner we can stop or prevent a major mess in your home. We have extensive experience when it comes to treating pipes that are affected by weather conditions.
We are here to help so call us today — or Visit Rooter Man online, or contact us at 504-464-0145, for more information.
The faucet is dripping, what to do if the faucet is leaking - Armashop.ua
There is nothing more irritating when water drips from the faucet. This negatively affects the nervous system of the tenants of the apartment, and increases the consumption of energy resources, for which you have to pay.
The faucet is leaking: causes and repair technology
If the faucet is dripping, the breakdown is solved in two ways:
1) call a plumber;
2) fix the leaks yourself.
Those who chose the last option should first of all figure out why the water is dripping from the tap, since there can be many options:
- Poor quality faucet installed. Buying cheap plumbing in order to save money will soon turn against you in the form of a failed product. The water tap is leaking due to poorly fitting components or extremely poor quality gaskets, which actively wear out under the influence of water pressure.
- Incorrect installation. The result of a leaking ball valve may be a violation of the installation technology or banal inattention. Do not be surprised if an expensive branded ball valve drips - it was not installed correctly. If there is little experience and no skills, do not take risks, call the master. nine0022
- Violation of operation. In 70% of cases, the breakdown is the result of improper handling of the device. Strong pressure, twisting the valve at a curved angle, applying a lot of force to the spout will lead to a quick failure of the product.
- Natural wear. Over time, the parts and assemblies of the locking device are subject to wear, the gaskets are worn out, and as a result, water flows from the tap. What to do in this case? Periodic inspection of the equipment and regular maintenance with the replacement of worn components will help prevent an unforeseen situation. But almost no one does this.
They remember him when the "lamb" of the crane flows. nine0022
What to do if the faucet drips in the kitchen
A single-lever mixer is usually mounted here. The result of a leak in 50% of cases is a violation of the integrity of the gasket and rubber or damage to the locking elements.
How and what to do so that the faucet does not drip? You need to buy a repair kit and replace the damaged product. We shut off the water. Then the crane box is disassembled. If it's a worn gasket, change it.
If a leak is observed in the area where the sink and faucet are joined, the most likely cause lies in a defect in the sealing ring. You will need to remove and replace the seal. Given the design differences between the devices, it is advisable to read the manufacturer's instructions. nine0003
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Otherwise, the liquid will leak out and the expected effect will not happen. If there is water with rust and mechanical impurities in the pipeline, open the tap and let the water escape for a couple of minutes. Simple manipulations will remove blockages and improve pressure.
Experts advise to replace the crane box or the entire crane. To replace, you will need a screwdriver to unscrew the screw located on the flywheel under the plug. To unscrew the faucet box, you need a pipe wrench.
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Having changed the gasket and assembled the device, carefully open the supply at the inlet and observe whether water continues to drip from the tap.
How to fix plumbing if leakage has not stopped? Without hesitation, you need to contact the services of a plumber and remember the technology of work in order to repair similar breakdowns on your own in the future. We looked at why the faucet drips in the kitchen and what steps should be taken.
What to do if the tap in the bathroom is leaking
Types of shower and bath faucets:
- valves;
- swivel single lever;
- ball;
- shower faucet.
For repair work, have on hand:
- Phillips or straight screwdriver;
- open end wrench set;
- pipe wrench;
- sealant tape;
- repair kit (gaskets, crane box). nine0107
- With worm box. The movable threaded stem during rotation acts on the hexagon, thereby sealing the junction of the gasket and the seat - there is a bottleneck here. The gasket will quickly fail if handled carelessly. The locking device is also not reliable, so when buying an axle box, purchase a repair kit for seals. nine0022
- With ceramic inserts. The stem is stationary. The box has 2 ceramic washers with semicircular cutouts.
- The plug is unscrewed with a screwdriver.
- Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the locking screw to remove the valve handle. nine0022
- Use a pipe wrench to unscrew the decorative barrel (usually nickel). In order not to scratch the nickel surface, wrap the keg with textile material and only then turn.
- Remove the bushing and evaluate the appearance of the gasket. Usually the problem lies in it. Also, the crane box itself often breaks.
- When assembling the assembly, wrap the threads with 4-5 layers of sealing tape to ensure a tight seal.
- The decorative caps are removed.
- The screw securing the handle of the device that controls the cartridge is unscrewed.
- Unscrew the nut holding the cartridge.
- Cartridge replacement in progress (make sure cartridge and seat holes match). nine0022
- The water supply valves are closed.
- The lever is dismantled, which is fixed with a screw (sometimes the handle is simply unscrewed).
- The gasket is being replaced and the winding is updated with a fum tape. nine0019 The device is assembled in reverse order.
- Plumbing functionality tested for leaks.
- In case of intensive use of plumbing, we recommend inspection and maintenance every 3-6 months. nine0022
- Due to poor water quality and the presence of mechanical impurities, install cleaning filters.
- Turn off the water supply first. This is best done at the riser of the plumbing system. If there is a shut-off valve upstream of the tap, close it. nine0022
- Loosen the screw with a screwdriver and remove the lamb, which is held on the stem of the bushing valve with a screw and washer. Photo crane box below.
- Loosen the union nut holding the valve box in the body of the instrument. To do this, use a wrench for six. In modern designs, this nut is an integral part of the axle box, so you can not remove it, but immediately unscrew the latter.
- Pull out the bushing valve.
- Remove the rubber gasket that is located under the upper wide part of the valve bushing, and install a new one in its place. The main thing is that the gasket fits snugly against the metal surface of the seat of the valve body.
nine0022 - There is another gasket that is installed at the bottom of the part, and with its help, water is turned off due to the tight fit of the gasket to the seat (recess) in the lower part of the body.
- Carry out all installation steps in reverse order: reinstall the bushing valve, insert the wing and fix it with the screw.
- Remove the lever that is screwed to the body of the appliance. The head of the screw can be made to fit a screwdriver or wrench. Therefore, all these tools will be needed in the process of repair. nine0022
- Ball valves have a decorative dome-shaped gasket under the lever. It is not fixed by anything, so it is removed by hand. If necessary, use a screwdriver to pry the part.
- In cartridge designs, the working body is held in the valve body by a clamping nut, and it will have to be unscrewed and removed.
- Remove ball and cartridge from mixer by hand.
We repair the valve faucet
This type of plumbing most often fails, but the repair cost will be lower due to the use of rubber seals for stuffing boxes and locking parts. Although experts recommend more effective silicone seals, this will not affect the service life.
There are 2 types of valves:
Specialists distinguish between the following failures of the faucet mixer. Let's consider them in detail.
Fault #1. The valve does not block the flow, causing water to seep through the gooseneck. The reason is the wear of the seal on the crane box. To fix the problem, you need to buy seals (rubber or plastic). And it’s better to keep a repair kit in the house so as not to waste time buying when a breakdown occurs. Choose flexible rubber seals.
Rigid products quickly become unusable. nine0003
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If the tap in the bathroom drips, what should I do? Procedure:
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Why does the faucet drip when the water is turned off? Possibly a loose connection. Add a few layers of sealing tape and carefully tighten with a pipe wrench. The main thing is not to overdo it with the tightening force and the amount of sealing tape.
Fault #2. A valve is leaking. We find the area where the liquid leaks. If the tightness or integrity of the thread is broken, the axle box is unscrewed, the worn seal is removed, new layers of fum-tape are wound, the knot is assembled and tightened. If a leak comes from the stem, the clamp nut is unscrewed, the seal is replaced (it is better to take a moistened linen cloth).
Why water drips from the tap in the bathroom: defects in the single-lever valve
These instruments are easy to use and maintain. In this case, the ceramic cartridge is replaced as it cannot be repaired.
What to do if the faucet in the bathroom with a single-lever valve is leaking?
Procedure:
What to do if a ball valve leaks
Ball valves are the second largest single lever valve in sales. They are characterized by reliability and durability. The service life depends on the quality and design of the parts. Plumbing performance is greatly affected by pollution and mechanical impurities contained in water.
We recommend installing coarse and fine filters, which are metal meshes, in front of the locking device. They allow you to trap large solid and microscopic inclusions. nine0003
How to fix a leaking ball valve
Usually, threaded ball valves that are used on pipes in an apartment are not repaired. Their design consists of two halves of the body, which are pressed in at the factory with a special glue, so at home it will not be possible to achieve the desired tightness.
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How to fix a leak in the gander-shower faucet
The appearance of a gander-shower leak indicates the need to change the gasket and perform a number of manipulations:
If water is leaking from the hose, there is only one way out - replacement.
Conclusion
Here are a few simple tips that can significantly extend the life of the product:
If you bought a new faucet and it leaks after installation, feel free to contact the seller and demand a refund or exchange of products. In our article, we looked at what to do if the faucet is dripping. We hope our information will be useful.
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Faucet dripping - causes and solutions
Faucet
The phenomenon of water dripping from a faucet in the kitchen or bathroom is common.
This causes inconvenience: drops gradually spoil plumbing; the sound of dripping water cuts the ear over time; and there is a possibility that the water will rush in with pressure and then serious problems will arise that will require an immediate solution. In the article, we will consider the causes of a leaky faucet and how to eliminate them. nine0003
Causes of leaking water faucet and how to fix them
The most common cause of leakage is a rubber gasket, which creates a tight joint between parts of plumbing fittings. Rarely, this applies to inexpensive low-quality faucets, cracks appear on the body. In this case, there is no point in repairing the device. It will have to be replaced with a new one.
Another reason is the poor quality of the supplied water: it is rusty or contaminated. Particles undissolved in water damage the rubber gasket, making it thin and slitted. This is where the water starts to flow. nine0003
Ways to fix a leaking conventional water faucet
To repair the faucet, you will need a set of rubber gaskets, which is sold in the store.
Such a set is inexpensive, so purchase it in its entirety, and do not look for a gasket separately. Although it is sold in stores as a separate item.
Repair steps:
Now you need to check if everything is done correctly: open the valve on the water supply to check if the faucet is dripping. Usually, replacing the gasket is a 100% guarantee that the device will no longer drip. Bad - if the drops still appear. It means that something was done poorly or incorrectly. You will have to redo or look for an equivalent replacement for the crane. nine0003
Faucet repair
The faucet, like a type of faucet, is also subject to leakage problems. But keep in mind that the mixer is two bushings in one case of a plumbing fixture. This means that you will have to change two gaskets at once on different axle boxes.
Attention, if the cold water faucet is leaking, replacing the cuff will solve the problem. But if the mixer is being repaired, then it is necessary to immediately change the gasket on the box with hot water. After all, the likelihood that it will fail soon is quite high. nine0003
Consider a single-lever type of mixer. Structurally, a device of this type is very different from the previous one, because it does not contain a bushing crane. Instead, balls made of metal or cylindrical cartridges are installed. Both elements have three channels: one for hot water, the second for cold. They are connected at the workplace to the third channel, which is the outlet for diluted water.
Water tightness is provided by special cuffs made of rubber, similar to short tubes. They are installed between the inlets of the channels in the cartridges and the mixer body. It is the cuff tubes, failing, that cause fluid to leak from the tap. The task of the repair is to change the cuffs.
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The causes of ball mixer failure include corrosion of the ball itself. Cartridge faucets often start to drip due to wear on the thread of the clamping nut that holds the cartridge inside the body of the device. Ball valves do not have such a nut, so this reason is absent in their designs.
Single Lever Faucet Repair Sequence
The second type is usually beyond repair.
The cartridge will have to be replaced with a new one, since this element is inexpensive. When replacing and buying a new one, pay attention to the dimensions and material from which it is made. The best option is a ceramic cartridge, it will last longer. The new part must be identical in shape and size to the old one. nine0003
The working body of the ball valve is inspected for serious defects: cracks, dents, corrosion areas. If none are found, install the ball in place.
The main reason why the faucet drips is because of the rubber collars. Regardless of whether they are whole or not, if you dismantled the mixer tap, change them to new ones. Then reassemble. Here it is important to correctly assemble the valve so that the channels of the working body coincide with the corresponding holes on the body. nine0003
After installing the repaired faucet in place and when the water is turned on, the faucet may work noisily. The reason for this is incorrectly selected cuffs. Most of the time they are larger.
