Replacing a water heater... to power-vent or not to power-vent? That is the question. [more inside]
posted by sesquipedalia on Nov 4, 2009 - 15 answers

Tell me about your shower filter - why'd you get it and does it do what you wanted? [more inside]
posted by Lesser Shrew on Oct 8, 2009 - 9 answers

I have a cast iron valve on a basement water (cold supply) line that is leaking. It's an antique so there is no repacking it and in a fairly inaccessible location so cutting it out and replacing it is bound to be an expensive nightmare involving a real. This valve is redundant and does not need to be functional. I was wondering if there is a product (I'm thinking a gooey oakum type thing) that I can wrap around the valve stem to form a seal? This will have to work in a wet environment as there is no way to turn the water off before the leaky valve.
posted by cedar on Oct 6, 2009 - 13 answers

[PlumbingFilter] Ack! The toilet sprang a leak and is now acting like an impromptu bidet when flushed! What is the proper way to fix this? (more inside) [more inside]
posted by Nanukthedog on Sep 23, 2009 - 9 answers

I need a referral to a plumber in Minneapolis who can do a good job replacing my 1930 toilet. Also need a roof repair, sidewalk, and tree removal. [more inside]
posted by Juicylicious on Sep 20, 2009 - 9 answers

How do I keep my kitchen drain from clogging? I already have a good strainer, but I keep getting these grease clogs. Is there some safe chemical or homemade concoction I can use on a regular basis? [more inside]
posted by exhilaration on Sep 10, 2009 - 20 answers

How do I go about installing plumbing in a cabin from scratch? [more inside]
posted by letahl on Sep 4, 2009 - 13 answers

What did I botch when reconnecting the pipes under my kitchen sink, causing them to start leaking? Picture included below, with the leak indicated. [more inside]
posted by swrittenb on Aug 23, 2009 - 14 answers

Is there some sort of extension I can put on my shower head to make it sit higher on the wall? [more inside]
posted by DMan on Aug 13, 2009 - 6 answers

How does one go about finding a good plumber anyway? [more inside]
posted by Teira on Aug 5, 2009 - 13 answers

The latest issue of Good made me feel like I use water wastefully. Is it more cost/eco-effective to retrofit my existing toilets with a dual-flush kit, or should I go for a latest-gen low-flow dual flush toilet. [more inside]
posted by mccarty.tim on Aug 3, 2009 - 10 answers

What's the best way to go about replacing my kitchen sink and faucet? [more inside]
posted by aburd on Jul 27, 2009 - 8 answers

My shower (an in-stall water heater) sometimes smells like something rubber is burning. It's a strong acrid smell that I only notice while in the shower and usually only after a sweaty workout. There is no sign of smoke like you would expect with burning rubber. Is this just some sort of weird sweat and treated water chemical reaction? Anybody heard of something like this?
posted by srboisvert on Jul 24, 2009 - 11 answers

Plumbing filter: When I'm running the shower, the cold water handle creeps up by itself until the water is tepid. How do I fix it? [more inside]
posted by cgs on Jun 25, 2009 - 4 answers

how do you fix a leaky faucet?
posted by tangyraspberry on Jun 24, 2009 - 7 answers

Can I fix my lead plumbing? The plumber says, "No." [more inside]
posted by Midnight Skulker on May 6, 2009 - 8 answers

In my second year of first-time home ownership and husband and I are thinking we need to do a little spring cleaning around the house. Other than a minor plumbing issue in the bathroom we have had (knock on wood) zero problems with the house. In an effort to keep up this track record, what trouble spots should we look for in the house? How do you know if the roof is in good shape? What are typical home maintenance needs? [more inside]
posted by amanda on Apr 28, 2009 - 13 answers

What can I do to investigate a sudden drop in water pressure (or flow) in the second floor only of my house before I call a plumber this Monday? [more inside]
posted by maudlin on Apr 11, 2009 - 9 answers

I was recently out of the country on vacation. The tenants at my rental property had a plumbing emergency while I was unreachable, and I suspect they were taken advantage of. What options do I have? [more inside]
posted by puddleglum on Mar 25, 2009 - 7 answers

When our pool equipment runs, it triggers the sound of a leaky pipe in a wall adjacent to our hot water heater. By triggering the valve on the hot water heater when the water to the house is off, I can stop the noise. How can I fix this? [more inside]
posted by pokeedog on Feb 15, 2009 - 5 answers

Why is my shower pump suddenly starting up when the shower is off but hot water is used elsewhere? Can it be stopped? [more inside]
posted by tulipwool on Feb 8, 2009 - 3 answers

Bubbling toilet and a back flow preventer! Could we be held responsible for other units getting backups from their toilets if we put a back flow preventer on the plumbing? [more inside]
posted by DorothySmith on Feb 2, 2009 - 12 answers

Drain snakers, how much longer should I mess with this bathtub drain before I call a plumber? [more inside]
posted by jessamyn on Feb 2, 2009 - 27 answers

What type of toilet seat hardware is easiest to keep clean and also doesn't break? [more inside]
posted by jenfu on Feb 1, 2009 - 10 answers

How does one get various threaded pipe fittings and plumbing parts to line up properly? [more inside]
posted by jclovebrew on Jan 27, 2009 - 4 answers

What kind of high pressure metric plumbing fitting is this? [pdf link (85kb) | jpeg link (60kb)] [more inside]
posted by KevCed on Jan 25, 2009 - 14 answers

asking for a friend: dueling showerheads & the main one is losing. [more inside]
posted by msconduct on Jan 21, 2009 - 4 answers

How do I shave without a sink? [more inside]
posted by indiebass on Jan 14, 2009 - 29 answers

the ground above my sewer line sank about 4" while I was at work today. There's no smell. Do I need to get this fixed on Saturday, or can it wait until Monday? [more inside]
posted by comah on Jan 9, 2009 - 12 answers

My toilet is constantly backing up with soap and water to the point where it overflows and floods my condo! What is the problem? What are my legal options? [more inside]
posted by DorothySmith on Jan 4, 2009 - 16 answers

What particular types of calls do plumbers earn the most profit on? [more inside]
posted by BirdD0g on Dec 26, 2008 - 7 answers

Plumbing problem. Broken glass fell down my sewer line when the toilet was removed... what do I do? [more inside]
posted by purenitrous on Dec 23, 2008 - 8 answers

I replaced a toilet about a week ago and since then I've been hearing little pings in the bathroom-- like what you might hear coming from a cooling ceramics kiln. I've noticed it three times. There are no visible cracks in the toilet. Is this normal? Or is my new Plebe (seriously!) toilet going to suddenly bust up?
posted by Mayor Curley on Dec 16, 2008 - 6 answers

I am really dumb, and I cannot figure out how to get the stopper back into my bathtub. I live in a new apartment, and I am not used to this style of bathtub stopper. It looks just like this. I pulled it straight out, but when I go to put it back, it doesn't seem to lock on to anything, and I can't get it to sit flat. Is there some trick to these? Feel free to describe it to me as though I were a three-year-old child because I think that is the only way I will understand! Thank you.
posted by foxinthesnow on Dec 2, 2008 - 7 answers

What can I use to dampen vibrations from a water pipe? [more inside]
posted by bondcliff on Dec 2, 2008 - 8 answers

As part of a home remodeling project, I'm having a second bathroom installed. Officially, I'm supposed to get a permit and inspection for the work. What are the consequences if I skip this? This is in Seattle. [more inside]
posted by molybdenum on Nov 20, 2008 - 20 answers

My shower arm rusted inside the nut and snapped off--teflon tape and epoxy putty have not helped repair damaged threads in the nut and even with a new arm my shower is leaking everywhere. Should I try "goop" or just call a plumber? [more inside]
posted by MsChanandlerBong on Nov 19, 2008 - 6 answers

Is my home's water pressure (90 psi) too high? 90 year old house with mostly PVC piping. In prep for a replacement hot water heater I measured the water pressure by the washing machine. The pressure gauge showed 90 psi, which seems high. How much of an issue is this?
posted by smelvis on Oct 29, 2008 - 6 answers

Why is my bath not hot anymore? [more inside]
posted by ottereroticist on Oct 19, 2008 - 5 answers

When I turn on my shower, water still pours out of the bottom faucet. What gives? [more inside]
posted by itchie on Oct 15, 2008 - 10 answers

Should I be getting a break on my rent because my kitchen pipes are clogged? [more inside]
posted by Who_Am_I on Oct 10, 2008 - 6 answers

How much higher would a water utility bill be with a toilet that runs 24 hours a day? [more inside]
posted by kmtiszen on Aug 9, 2008 - 11 answers

Help me best attack a clogged vent stack. [more inside]
posted by mmascolino on Jul 22, 2008 - 11 answers

I just moved into a new apartment. The shower head looks like this. I am not used to using this kind of shower head, as I always had the kind with a long hose. I hate this shower head because it sprays water on me constantly when I shave my legs. Anyway, I want a long hose, but the apartment has very strict rules about replacing the shower head. They even do periodic check-ins to make sure it hasn't been replaced! So, is there any sort of product that I could just fit over the current shower head without doing any actual replacing of it?
posted by waywardgirl on Jul 4, 2008 - 23 answers

AskMe, I need a new toilet! The one we have now just isn't cutting it, so to speak... [more inside]
posted by DMan on Jul 2, 2008 - 20 answers

what's-it-called-filter: I want to add a water spigot for gardening away from the house, rather than having it come directly out of the wall. What should I be searching/asking for?! [more inside]
posted by epersonae on Jun 18, 2008 - 8 answers

Bathroom remodel question: does one really need a bathtub? [more inside]
posted by mumkin on Jun 16, 2008 - 51 answers

My toilet blocks repeatedly, what to do? [more inside]
posted by Artw on Jun 11, 2008 - 20 answers

What in the world is wrong with our bathroom shower? [more inside]
posted by geeky on May 30, 2008 - 12 answers

Should I use helpful bacteria to unclog shower and bath drains? [more inside]
posted by bad grammar on May 18, 2008 - 13 answers