Posts tagged: plumbing
How To: Make a Mini-Snake for Your Bathroom Drain.
By Chrisjob
Tiny plumbing problems in the kitchen or bathroom sink may require the work of a professional, OR, you may be able to get them figured out with one of these: a handmade mini-snake for minor plumbing drama. This simple combo of some thin stainless steel wire and a pair of needlenose pliers might just de-gunk your drains, and then stores easily for future use. "Simply bend several individual wires (not strands) out in different directions from the » READ MORE
Don't It Yourself: Never Try These at Home.
By Chrisjob
The New York Times highlights several projects that an unskilled homeowner should NEVER tackle, not even to save money. "With the sour economy has come a class of ambitious do-it-yourselfers who are tackling things that, before the days of rampant penny-pinching, might have been left to paid professionals....And while there is no national database that tracks do-it-yourself home injuries in recessions, experts say that there does seem to be an in » READ MORE
DIY: Plumbing Pipe Furntiture.
By Chrisjob
The only thing cooler than a DIY project is a DIY project that exploits materials intended for an entirely different use.
Rory on Apartment Therapy Boston takes such an approach with pipes and fittings from the plumbing department. Going way beyond simply using straight lengths and end flanges for legs, this desk incorporates a fine design inspired by the limitations of the medium.
To create your own version, simply check out the pipe fitting » READ MORE
How To: Pipe Part Candlesticks.
By Chrisjob
So, there's this show on the DIY Network, "Creative Juice" and the hosts are probably totally cool in real life, but they try waaaaay too hard on camera. But yesterday, it came while performing the most unpleasant of household tasks -folding laundry- because my wife dumped the basket of clothes on top of the remote. (I'm sure there's a button on the box, but I have no idea where it is) So, I was preparing myself for double-irritation city...and I » READ MORE
How To Fix Pipes.
By ChrisjobPipes can be temperamental -they can leak, sweat, freeze, or make loud noises. But unlike electric work, many common plumbing problems can easily be overcome by the well-prepared DIYster.
Thanks,
The Glass Faucet
By DIY Maven
Each of James McKelvey's glass faucets are hand blown of lead-free crystal. They're available in 7 standard and 200+ custom colors. Visit glassfaucet.com to find a dealer near you or to contact James' studio directly.
How to Make a Toilet Tank Sink
By DIY Maven
The only way to describe Greg’s toilet sink hack over on Instructables is ingenious–and totally DIY-able! Check out the video of the sink in action. Too funny!
FREE Expert Plumbing Advice!
By DIY Maven
Do you suffer from leaky toilet syndrom? How about low shower pressure disorder? Have no fear, Bob the Plumber is here, and his advice is free. Basically, Bob answers people’s most pressing plumbing problem questions and posts them on his website for the benefit of all. Another Q & A plumbing site is Ask Your Plumber. It’s not as good as ‘Bob’, but it’s definitely worth a look.
33 Time Saving Home Improvement and Repair Tips
By ChrisjobTool and hardware site Toolbarn offers 33 tips to save yourself "time, money, and aggrevation," when maintaining and improving your home.
Includes suggestions for:
- Painting and Sanding
- Plumbing
- Drywall and Spackling
- Woodworking and Finish Carpentry
- Electrical
- Ladder and Ladder Safety
Flush your toilet with your sink water!
By DIY Maven
Gray water is another term for the used water that goes down our sinks, tubs and shower drains. Black water is another term for the water ‘and stuff’ that goes down our toilets. Now, with the Aqus Toilet System, available through Vivavi, we can accumulate the grey water from our bathroom sinks and use it to flush our toilets–thereby turning grey into black. According to the website, using the recycling system ‘can reduce water usage in a two- » READ MORE
Turn your water faucet into a drinking fountain
By badbadivy
My kids like to gross me out by sticking their heads under the faucet and getting a drink of water. I used to do that when I was a kid to gross my mom out, too. Now, with this new faucet attachment, the gross-outs can stop.
For 4 bucks, you can get a snap on attachment that allows you to use your faucet as a drinking fountain. This is so totally one of those "why didn't I think of that?" kind of things.
Via Boing Boing
How To Safely De-Funk-i-fy Your Drains
By DIY MavenHave you ever walked past your kitchen sink and got a whiff of funk? You flip the disposal switch and hope that will take care of the stench, but the malodorous cloud remains, emanating, we assume, from foodbits caught in your P-trap. Here’s an easy and SAFE way to eliminate the problem.
All you need is some baking soda, vinegar (the cheapest you can find will do nicely), and a few cups of boiling water.
First, sift a cup or so of soda directly i » READ MORE
Toilet-paper-less Toilets?
By DIY Maven
I had no idea there was such a selection of pop-on bidets out there. Hygiene for Health carries nine different models of these toilet seat/bidets and the ‘Church Purite 1898’ model just happens to be on sale right now for 409 bucks. Why is it called ‘Church’? Because it’s quiet? Because it’s clean? Although it's probably named after some guy named 'Church', I'd like to think it's named for the fact that it baptizes your backside with every use. » READ MORE
If I had a urinal in my house...
By DIY Maven
If I had a urinal in my house, I’d have one of Clark Sorensen’s rather girly urinals. (Don’t you just love an oxymoron?) Anyway, after ruminating--literally--over the shape of the traditional urinal, Clark was inspired. By using flowers as his models, he has created a "perfect contradiction-taking a mundane, even ugly object and transforming it into something different, even something beautiful."
And beautiful they are. Too beautiful to use » READ MORE
Plumbing of age: what every first-time homeowner should know about the sewer system, part two
By bruno
Our septic series continues. If you haven’t already, you may want to read the first part, well, first. Part 2: Snakes, worms, and severe burns.
In the morning I awoke with the sudden realization that I couldn’t do the one thing I wanted to do most: use the toilet.
I thought of going outside, but it was broad daylight, and my neighbors are not that friendly.
Bodily fluids are great motivators, though, so, at 7:30 in the morning, I lur » READ MORE
Plumbing of age: what every first-time homeowner should know about the sewer system, part one
By bruno
I wrote this essay shortly after moving into my house, and I'm digging it out after being reminded by another first-time-homeowner's post about the joys of main-line backups. Part 1: The sewer never sleeps.
There was poop coming out of a hole in my basement.
I came home near midnight. I had some papers I wanted to put away. I went down in the dark, and when I stepped off the last stair, I heard a splash. No big deal, though. I’d had lit » READ MORE
Install this in your powder room!
By badbadivyOther people think it's creepy, but I think it's brill. It's a sink that goes on the back of your toilet, that uses the water that would be filling your toilet tank for handwashing purposes. It's a great idea for conserving water, and my kids would think it's so cool, they'd probably actually wash their hands after using the bathroom without me telling them to.
At $99-$119, I call it a bargain. Check it out here. There's also free shippin » READ MORE
Tip: Plumbing Fixture Sources
By sparkieTip: When you buy plumbing fixtures, try to get them at a local plumbing supply house vs a Big Box store. I learned at a pro plumber website that quality of items are lesser at Big Box in some cases. Example: Faucet manu make the same faucet but use plastic parts for Big Box and metal for pro suppliers. Even tho they look exactly the same, they may not be.
Bathroom sinks: I needed a very shallow sink for my current bath remodel. I wen » READ MORE
Help your new plumbing pay for itself
By alexrussell
The price of copper has skyrocketed, and it's not an all bad thing. There are great alternatives to copper when it comes to re-piping your home, so there's no real need to pay any premiums there. But why not take advantage with the old copper pipe you're going to replace?
Scrap metal recyclers in Seattle, where I am, are paying upwards of $1.75 or so per pound for scrap copper. This is what they'll pay you for what you'll probably throw away an » READ MORE
Plumbing--Replacing Galvanized Pipe
By sparkieHi,
Wanted to tell you what I have done this week. I am starting the renovations for my house, which I affectionately call my "Foreclosed Palace" (colonial revival cape cod, I think. The former owner was a crackhead carnie. His loss, my gain, I guess.
I replaced the original galvanized piping to the 2nd floor bath w/ plastic. I do not sweat solder copper pipe. Well, I can do it but I don;t trust my soldering, unless I might be making a sprin » READ MORE
