When should you leave faucets dripping
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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When Should You Drip Your Kitchen Faucets?
One of the easiest ways to prevent frozen pipes this winter is by leaving the drainage system on a slow drip.
This means keeping one or more faucets on at around five to ten droplets per minute to alleviate pressure in the plumbing system.
Sinks, showers, and other faucets are all great candidates for this winterizing process.
It sounds easy, but homeowners should follow Warner Service's tips for the best process. This includes knowing the appropriate time to drip the faucets. Here's a list of the few times when it's important to leave the inside faucets on a slow drip to prevent freezing this winter.
Before Freezing Weather Occurs
An important time to drip your home faucets is before freezing weather occurs. For example, if you know that the overnight temperature is planning on dropping to an alarming 32 degrees Fahrenheit, leave a faucet or two on a slow drip throughout the night. As a hint, if you’ve left it to the right amount of drips-per-minute, the dripping won't be loud and should be barely noticeable.
By doing this, you sleep soundly knowing that you took plumbing precautions and won’t need to keep waking up to check the dropping temperature.
This is also a good idea if you know cold weather is going to hit overnight or while you’re at work, out to dinner, or otherwise not thinking about your home’s plumbing system for a long period of time.
During Ice, Snow & Sub-Freezing Temperatures
It's important to drip the faucet during sub-freezing temperatures, ice storms, and any degree of snow. Keeping that faucet drip shouldn't be too big of a plumbing problem, but here’s what you need to know.
The most crucial faucets to drip during extremely cold weather include those that align an outside wall or are in a non-heated area of your home. For most homes, this includes a kitchen or bathroom sink or tub. You might also consider areas like utility rooms, attics, laundry rooms, or garage sinks as prime candidates for drip duty.
When You're Going Out Of Town
Are you planning on going out of town for the holidays this winter? Leave a water faucet that's located as far away from where water enters your home on a slow drip.
The reason the location matters is that being far away from the source requires the entire system to be pressurized and prevents freezing.
Also, keep the programmable thermostat set no lower than 58 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure warm, circulating air and not-frozen pipes. Also, ask a friend or family member to stop by and check for any plumbing problems every few days - especially if you know cold temperatures, ice, or snow are in the forecast while you're away.
Other Important Plumbing Tips To Know
Dripping the faucets is one weather precaution you need to take to keep plumbing problems from occurring. Insulate all exterior and interior piping that has the potential to freeze, and take caution before bad weather strikes by draining and cleaning the hot water heater, checking for existing leaks, and getting the advice of a trained professional plumber if you notice any plumbing problems.
Do you need help with winterizing your home? Do you want to ensure your home’s plumbing is in top shape this winter? Do you have a plumbing emergency that needs immediate attention?
Contact our knowledgeable and friendly team at Warner Service today to schedule a plumbing appointment.
You can also subscribe to our weekly blog for more tips. Click on the button below to get started:
Close the tap. How can you save liters of water? | Society
Vasily Pervunin
2094
Photos from public sources
Annually increasing tariffs for housing and communal services force us to revise the norms for the consumption of resources, including water. This does not mean that you need to start washing once a week, and use the water after washing clothes to flush the toilet. You can often save money by simply changing your daily habits without compromising your established lifestyle. nine0005
Specialists of Minskvodokanal told how it is possible to reduce spending on consumed water.
BATHROOM
First of all, pay attention to the faucet.:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19504246/05_faucets_drip.jpg)
Often we ignore that an open or faulty faucet is dripping. It is estimated that from a slightly dripping faucet (about 10 drops per minute) at least 160 liters flow out in a month. Therefore, it is important to eliminate all leaks by ensuring the tightness of the faucet, as well as teach yourself and children to tighten the valve tightly after using water. nine0005
Do not leave the faucet constantly open when brushing your teeth. Ideally, for these purposes, you can use a cup by filling it with water for rinsing your mouth. This will save up to 15 liters per minute, that is, about 750 liters per week in terms of four family members. The same recommendation applies to shaving. Turning off the faucet while shaving can save up to 380 liters per person per week.
Do not open the faucet all the way while washing your hands. In addition, if possible, to save money, you should use cold water, since hot water is more expensive. For example, you can wash your face with cold water. So it will turn out not only to save, but also to temper the body.
True, this recommendation is only suitable for healthy people. nine0005
Give preference to the shower over the bath. It is estimated that the average person will need three times more water to take one full bath than a 5-7 minute shower. By the way, you can save money by turning off the tap while soaping the body. If you still cannot do without a bath, try filling it not completely, but, for example, half. Saving water at each dose will be up to 20 liters.
It is worth noting that high-quality aerator-sprayers installed on faucets (including showers) also allow you to use less water. And when using a shower handle with a water flow interrupter, it is possible to reduce water consumption by another quarter. nine0005
BATHROOM
In the bathroom, first of all, pay attention to whether the toilet bowl is leaking. Otherwise, up to 260 liters of water can be lost per day, and over 16,000 liters per year!
Significant water savings can be achieved by installing a combination toilet with a 6/3 liter double flush.
Thus, a family of four will be able to save up to 24,000 liters of water per year. In addition, what can be thrown into the bin should not fall into the toilet, saving water in this case will be up to 25 liters per day. nine0005
KITCHEN
In the kitchen, the first recommendation is the same as in the bathroom - check the faucet for leaks.
When washing dishes, it is better to use a sink stopper, this will help to reduce water consumption by about three times compared to washing under running water. You can go the other way: when washing dishes by hand, fill one of the sinks (or some other container) with water and detergent and rinse in another sink under a small pressure of running water. This way you can save up to 60 liters of water per day. nine0005
If you have a dishwasher, try running it on a full load to save up to 60 liters of water. By the way, a high-quality dishwasher can save up to 60% of water, in contrast to washing dishes by hand under running water.
Vegetables and fruits should be washed in a container filled with water (for example, with a small amount of natural vinegar added for disinfection) and then only rinsed under running water.
WASH
Washing in modern washing machines uses water more sparingly than when washing by hand. At the same time, it is advisable to use the washing machine at full load, if possible, setting the required level of water supply.
Although front-loading washing machines are more expensive than top-loading machines, they use one-third as much water.
How much is wasted?
| Dripping faucet | More than 160 liters per month |
| Brushing teeth, shaving with an open tap | Up to 15 liters per minute |
| Leaking toilet cistern | Up to 260 liters per day |
| Washing dishes under running water | Up to 60 liters per day |
| Taking a bath instead of a 5-minute shower | Up to 50 liters at a time |
water saving
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How to fix a faucet in the kitchen, in the bathroom: we eliminate drips or leaks
Even the most reliable faucets begin to leak water over time - they leak or drip.
It is not always necessary to call a plumber to fix a faucet. Most breakdowns can be fixed on your own. But, before you repair a dripping faucet, you need to understand its design and workflow. nine0005 Repair the crane with your own hands-the task of medium complexity
Content of Article
- 1 Types
- 2 Independent repair of the valve crane
- 2.1 Replacement of rubber laying
- 2.2 WATER ON THE CHTOK
- 2.3 WATER IS OF
- 9 How to fix a cartridge faucet
- 3.1 Replacing the cartridge
- 3.2 If the water flow is too weak
Species
Let's start with definitions. There are faucets and faucets in the bathroom and not in the kitchen. Taps only supply water, mixers also allow you to regulate its temperature by mixing two streams - cold and hot water. In this article we will talk specifically about cranes and how to repair them. Repair of mixers is very similar, but has its own characteristics.
By the way, you can read about the repair of single-lever mixers here. nine0005 There are several types of faucets for the bathroom or kitchen:
They have different devices, so the repair, even with the same damage, is significantly different. Therefore, each of the species will be considered separately.
DIY valve repair
Valve valves can be called classics of water supply. And, although they are gradually being replaced by new designs, there are still plenty of them. Their internal structure has not changed over the decades. Only the design has changed - it has become more diverse and refined. Today you can find both the most common models and very exotic ones. nine0005 Construction of valve taps
Taps of this type are still used today, as they are simple and reliable, they serve not for years, but for decades. If all the “stuffing” is of good quality, all that can fail during this time is gaskets. Replacing them is the main way to repair a faucet.
Replacing the rubber gasket
If the faucet in the kitchen or bathroom continues to drip when the valve is completely closed, the reason is most likely the gasket on the valve that has lost its elasticity (see photo in the next paragraph).
She stopped snuggling tightly against the saddle, which is why the water continues to flow and sometimes the tap does not just drip, but even flows. Repair the faucet in this case - replace the gasket. To do this, you need a wrench, or better - an adjustable wrench and a set of gaskets. nine0005 Before you fix a dripping faucet, turn off the water supply (you can completely, you can only in this branch, if possible). Next, it is useful to make sure that the water is still blocked. Water does not flow - we begin repairs. You will need a wrench or adjustable wrench. They will need to unscrew the head housing (the upper part of the housing).
Works better with a wrench. In order not to damage the surface during the operation, wrap it with a soft cloth, and then apply the key. Unscrew the head, remove the valve. Now you can replace the gasket or install a new valve. You pry the old one with something sharp - you can use a screwdriver with a flat blade, you can - with an awl, etc.
nine0005 When choosing a gasket, please note that its edges must be beveled at about 45°, otherwise the plumbing will make noise during operation. If this is not in your arsenal, you can trim the edge with something sharp - a knife or scissors.
Replacing the gasket in the faucet in the picturesIf a suitable gasket is not available, it can be cut from a sheet of dense rubber (porous is not suitable). The thickness of the rubber sheet or gasket is 3.5 mm, the inner diameter is slightly less than the stem diameter, the outer one should not protrude. Don't forget the 45° beveled edges. nine0005
After installing the gasket, put the valve in place, tighten the head. The new models do not require a winding on the thread. Moreover, winding is contraindicated - it can cause a crack in the body. If an old crane from the times of the USSR is being repaired, tow is placed on the thread, lubricated with packing paste, then twisted. After that, you can gradually turn on the water.
Sometimes the opposite story happens with this gasket on the valve - water does not flow or barely oozes.
In this case, the gasket flew off the stem and blocked the flow of water. First, you can try to open / close the tap a couple of times, and if it doesn’t help, you need to repeat the operation described above, that is, repair the tap by replacing the gasket. Just remember to remove the old one stuck to the saddle. nine0005 Water dripping from under the stem
If water drips from under the valve, the seals are probably worn out. There are two ways to fix a faucet with a leak from under the stem. To begin with, you can try to twist the head housing more tightly. They do it again with a wrench. It is undesirable to use pliers, as traces remain after them. Tighten the head as far as possible (just don't overdo it).
Construction of the valve cockIf the thread is tightened to the maximum, and water continues to ooze, it is necessary to replace the gaskets on the stuffing box. To do this, first tighten the tap to the limit, then remove the tap head again, pry something sharp and remove both rubber rings, replacing them with new ones.
nine0005 Water does not shut off
If the gasket is changed, but the water does not shut off, when the tap is rotated, the thread is stripped, it is necessary to change the stem - the thread on it has worn off. There are two options here - replace the stem itself or completely the entire valve head.
Seat may have a water holeIf the threads are intact, the gasket is new but the faucet is leaking, inspect the seat. It may have a hole in it. It is formed gradually - it is washed out by water supplied with high pressure. If the gasket is not pressed tightly in some place, a sink will form in this place. Sometimes water undermines the entire circumference, forming sharp edges, which quickly damage the gasket. The gully and sharp edge must be removed. Take a regular screwdriver and run it along the edge to dull the sharp edge. The same operation can be done with a nut file or a piece of fine-grained sandpaper. The main thing is to achieve a smooth (as far as possible) and non-sharp edge.
nine0005 How to repair a faucet with a cartridge
Most often, faucets with one lever are installed in the bathroom or in the kitchen. They are also called flag or single-lever. For opening / closing the water in it, a special device is responsible - a cartridge, because they are also called cartridge.
Cartridge faucetThere are two plates with holes inside the cartridge. The lower one is fixed rigidly, and the upper one is movable. A rod is attached to it, and it, in turn, is attached to the handle. Turning the handle, we move the rod, and it shifts the movable plate, which opens / closes the water and changes its pressure. nine0005
If there is a problem with such a faucet, it can only be repaired by replacing the cartridge. The main problem in them is that they start to flow - water oozes or drips from under the handle. To repair a leaking or dripping cartridge faucet, you need to replace the cartridge. The only way.
Replacing the cartridge
Turn off the water first, then remove the handle.
To do this, first remove the colored plug - it closes the screw. Having unscrewed the screw, the handle is pulled up, separating it from the stem. After the handle is removed, unscrew the clamping ring - it holds the cartridge. Now it remains only to take it out. nine0005 Then, together with the cartridge, you need to go to a store or market, buy exactly the same. The new one must match in size, the holes in its lower part must have the same shape and location. In general, you need to find an exact copy.
How to disassemble the faucet with a cartridgeAssembly is in the reverse order:
- put the cartridge (strictly vertically, turning a little around its axis so that the protrusions in the body fall into the recesses on the cartridge),
- tighten the clamping nut; nine0125
- install the handle;
- screw in the fixing screw;
- insert the plug.
An initial check can be made after the pressure ring has been installed.
