Tag Archives: exterior plumbing

Plumbing Cutting & Soldering Pipe

Place the Cutting wheel tube over the pipe and tighten the handle so that the pipe rats on rollers and the cutting wheel is on the marked line.

Turn the tubing cutter one rotation so that the cutting wheel scores a continuous straight line around the pipe.

Rotate the cutter in the opposite direction , tightening the handle slightly after every two rotations , until the cut is complete .

Remove sharp metal burrs from the inside edge of the cut pipe , using the reaming point on the tubing cutter, or a round file .

Clean the end of each pipe by sanding with emery cloth . Ends must be free of dirt and grease to ensure that the solder forms a good seal.

Clean the inside of each fitting by scouring with a wire brush or emery cloth .

Apply a thin layer of soldering paste flux end each pipe, using a flux brush . Soldering paste should cover about 1 inch of pipe end .

Apply a thin layer of flux to the inside of the fitting . Assemble each joint by inserting the pipe into the fitting so it tight against the bottom of the fitting sockets . Twist each fitting slightly to spread soldering paste.

Use a clean dry cloth to remove excess flux before soldering the assembled fitting.

Preparer the wire by unwinding 8 inches to 10 inches of wire from spool . Bend the first 2 inches of the wire to a 90 degree angle .

Open the gas valve and trigger the spark lighter to ignite the torch. Adjust the torch valve until the inner portion of the flame is 1 inch to two inches long.

Move the torch flame back and forth and around the pipe and the fitting to heat the area evenly .

Heat the other side of the copper fitting to ensure that heat is distributed evenly . Touch solder to pipe . Solder will melt when the pipe is at the right temperature .

When solder melts remove the torch and quickly pus 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch of solder into each joint. Capillary action action fill the joint with liquid solder. A correctly soldered joint should show a thin bead of solder around the lips of the fitting.

Allow the joint to cool briefly , then wipe away excess solder with a dry rag, Caution Pipes will be hot If joints leak after is turned on , disassemble and resolder.

Valves should be fully open during all stages of the soldering process . If a valve has any plastic or rubber parts remove them prior to soldering .

To prevent valve damage , quickly heat the pipe and the flanges of the valve, not the valve body . After soldering , cool the valve by spraying with water .

Turn off the water and drain the pipes by opening the highest and lowest faucets in the house. Light your torch. Hold the flame tip to the fitting until the solder becomes shiny and begins to melt.

Use the channel type pliers to separate the pipes from the fitting .

Remove old solder by heating the ends of the pipe with your torch . Use a dry rag to wipe away melted solder quickly.

Use emery cloth to polish the ends of the pipe down to bare metal. Never use fittings.

Plumbing and Sewer Line Pipes Installs

Plumbing problems can create considerable damage such as drywall , waterproofing , and pipes that need to tie into at the sewer lines. While some do-it-yourselfers enjoy the challenge of fixing even the toughest problems , many homeowner would rather leave the dirty work to a professional plumbing company. Before calling for help , you should know some basic plumbing concepts and problems.

Shutting off the water for winterize or emergency

Shutting the water is an important action to take in an emergency. Most homes have a main water shutoff valve located next to the water meter that can be used to stop water flow to the house . All family members should know the valve’s location and how to use it . It should should also be periodically checked to ensure proper function. Most plumbers fixtures have individual shutoff valves located in their supply lines .

Plumbing Problems Common Issues

Drain cleaning. Depending on the cause and location of a clog, drain cleaning may or may not be effective. Additionally , because clogs in multiple places can contribute to the problem , successful clearing one problem spot might not solve all of your long-term plumbing problems.

Toilet clogs Toilet clogs can often be cleared with a toilet plunger . If, however , the clog is too difficult to remove with a plunger , plumbers can use special tools special tools called augers, or snakes. Snakes are long ,flexible spring-like tools that are inserted into the clogged drain and rotated to manually break break up the clog.

Grease clogs. Grease clogs may represent a more difficult problem . Grease clogs usually occur in the two-inch drain pipe connecting the kitchen sink to the main four inch drainpipe that handles toilet waste and leads to the sewer. Because the washing machine pump forces water into the same two-inch drainpipe , a grease clog is commonly misdiagnosed as as a clogged washing machine drain line. Because grease naturally sticks to the walls of drain lines, it is relatively difficult to remove.

in some cases , the most economical feasible alternative is to replace the two-inch drain line. However , because of the high cost of replacing the line, the first attempt at alleviating the problem is to use a plumber’s snake to punch a hole through the grease as possible . Because this repair cannot remove all the grease as possible. Because the repair cannot remove all the grease , in time drain repeatedly re-clogs . If the same drain repeatedly clogs, you may need to replace the line.

Clogs in the main main sewer line .
Broken seal, joints , or pipe sections are the primary causes of most sewer line clogs . These breaks allow tree roots to penetrate and grow in the line, gradually blocking the flow of water and waste. The only way to remove all the roots from the line is to replace it, which is very expensive . In many cases, enough of the roots can be cut from the inside of the line with a sewer machine to open up the flow . Unfortunately because damaged roots an grow back in a fertile environment the line often ends up re-clogging . Furthermore , because some partially cut roots tend to shift position over time , the line may re-clog quickly.

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