Plumbing Repairs: Basic Tips & Tricks

A correctly designed and installed plumbing system is nearly trouble-free. When a problem does occur, many simple plumbing repairs can be done by the homeowner with a few modest tools.

Tools

The following tools are needed for basic plumbing repairs: flathead and Phillips screwdrivers, small and large crescent wrenches, pliers, valve seat grinder, valve seat wrench, packing and valve seat washers, O rings, auger or snake, and a pipe wrench.

Find Your Shutoff Valves

Most plumbing systems provide a number of shutoff valves within the home. It is a good idea to become familiar with their locations in case of an emergency. Sinks and lavatories will have individual shutoffs for both hot and cold water supplies. Toilets will have just one shutoff, usually found under the toilet tank. Hot water can be shut off at the water heater. In addition, most houses will have a main water shutoff at the street, or near the water meter. Be aware that you may need a special wrench for this valve. This type of wrench is available at most hardware stores or home centers.

What to Do During an Emergency

Overflowing Toilet Tank
A toilet tank overflowing into the toilet bowl will continue running long after flushing. Remove the tank lid and inspect the toilet tank valve and flapper. Sometimes the float needs adjusting, and other times the valve or rubber flapper (sometimes called a toilet tank ball) will need to be replaced. Check the rubber flapper and the tank valve seat (bottom of tank) for signs of wear or corrosion on the seat.
Begin repair by closing the water supply shutoff valve, and turn the handle clockwise. Most toilet valves and flappers can be replaced with simple tools such as a crescent wrench, a screwdriver and a pair of pliers. It is important to note the manufacturer of the toilet and its age. The underside of the tank lid will have the casting date (the age) of the toilet. You can now choose the correct repair parts for your toilet. Read the directions carefully when installing the new parts. Most replacement parts are now plastic and only require a finger-tight fit plus a quarter-turn with a wrench. Applying too much torque will mean another trip to the hardware store for parts.

Stopped Sink Drain
Use a rubber plunger to force the drain open. If this fails, then apply a chemical drain-opener. If that is also unsuccessful, then it's time to remove the trap or goose-neck fitting under the sink. Some models will have a drain plug. If yours does, then place a pail under the trap to catch the water, and remove the plug. Use a bent coat hanger wire to remove the debris, which is usually hair and grease. If it becomes necessary to remove the entire trap, then use a crescent wrench or pipe wrench, remove the nut at the top of the trap (nearest the sink drain), and unscrew the trap from the pipe extending from wall. Remove the trap and clean as needed. Reassemble the plug and trap. Then, run very hot water down the drain for five minutes to clean the drain.

Unclogging a Main Drainpipe
Sometimes fixture drains back up due to a blockage in one of the main drainpipes, rather than in the sink drain.
If this is the problem, then locate the nearest Drain/Waste/Vent clean-out plug. Remove the plug and drain all the water from the blocked line. With the clean-out plug removed, insert a garden hose and attempt to clear the drain line. If this is unsuccessful, then insert a plumber's auger, which looks like a wire spring with a handle at the end, and rotate to clear the blockage. If the blockage persists, then the next step is a plumber's snake. These are available in both a hand-operated version and a motorized version, in lengths up to 100 feet. Hardware stores will have the hand-operated models, and rental yards will have the motorized ones. You can always call the plumber as a final resort.

Dripping Faucets
Most faucets leak for one of two reasons: The washer at the valve seat is damaged, the packing washer around the handle is worn, or both. Some modern faucets use a rubber O ring instead of a traditional washer. It is a good idea to keep a supply of O rings and washers in your repair kit.
Start by removing the faucet's handles. Most faucet handles and knobs are removed by unscrewing or unsnapping the top cap, and then unscrewing the knob or handle from the stem. Turn off the water shutoff valves by turning the handles clockwise. Remove the packing nut from the stem, unscrew the stem and check the packing washer, seat washer and valve seat for wear. The seat washer will unscrew with a flat screwdriver. If the valve seat is worn, then it can be resurfaced with a valve seat grinding tool. These are inexpensive and available anywhere plumbing parts are sold. Some modern faucets have removable seats, which unscrew either with a large flat screwdriver or a square valve seat wrench (also inexpensive). It's a good idea to replace all washers at this time. Reassemble, turn on the water supply and check for leaks.

Pipe Leaks
Pipe joints that have corroded and pipes that have frozen or burst will leak. Tightening a threaded joint or soldering a soldered joint may fix the problem. Burst pipes can sometimes be repaired by using a repair coupling or a clamped-on patch. An emergency patch can be assembled from several hose clamps and a small section of garden hose or a scrap of rubber. This temporary fix will get you through an emergency, but the pipe still has to be replaced. Galvanized or brass pipes can usually be unscrewed and replaced. Copper pipes will require soldering. If you are uncomfortable with soldering, then call a plumber.