Q&A
Q. Can I install my own bathroom faucet?
A. Some faucets are easy to install, others can be quite difficult. It mostly depends on your access to the plumbing. If you are installing a bathroom faucet into a new sink, chances are it will be simple because you can put in the parts before placing the sink.
If the sink is already in place, your only access is from underneath. A tool called a basin wrench can extend your reach, but it's still an awkward task.
Read...
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Q. Is there a difference between bathtub and sink stoppers?
A. Yes there is! Although the stoppers in sinks and baths look similar from the outside, the mechanisms hidden within the drains are somewhat different.
You raise and lower sink pop-ups with a knob usually located near a faucet handle. The knob is actually the head of a lift rod fastened to a clevis, a connecting bar.
The clevis connects to a pivot rod and ball assembly, that is, a rod that runs through a rubber pivot ball and slopes slightly uphill to the tailpiece of the stopper.
Q. Can you help me with re-modeling
A. When plotting any plumbing addition, you must consider code restrictions, the limitations of your system's layout, and, of course, your own abilities. If your planned addition is across the house from the existing plumbing, you'll probably need to run a new secondary vent stack up through the roof, and a new branch drain to the soil stack (see bottom right) or to the main house drain via an existing cleanout. If possible, tie a bathroom sink, tub, or shower stall (although not a toilet) directly into an existing branch drain instead, which will save on labor and demolition costs.
Once you've devised a strategy for tying into your existing plumbing system, the next step is to study possible access routes for running pipes to the locations for new fixtures or appliances. To do that, you'll first need to bone up on some basic house anatomy. Read...
