Fixing The Plumbing For A Bathroom Drain - You Can Do It

Water released by a faucet makes a circuitous journey

. It pours out of a spout, shower head or kitchen-sink hose, sometimes going through an aerator where it mixes with air to produce a splashless stream, then flows past a stopper or pop-up plug, onward through a strainer at the base of the bowl or tub into a water-filled trap below, and finally enters the house drainage system.

Compared against the faucets that set the entire process going, these flow-and-drain fixtures are comparatively easy. Locating a difficulty spot is simple and the roles that really must be done are sometimes easy repairs or replacements. You don't need to shut off the water supply for these jobs--just close the taps tight.

The difficulty of the jobs, when difficulty arises, is in getting at a fixture and reassembling its components in the correct order. Some of the fixtures between are nestled under sinks, basins and tubs, where work space is cramped and special tools may be needed to unscrew fasteners. Others consist of intricate combinations of small parts, which must be fitted together precisely.

The combination of sink spout, aerator and spray shown here presents the full range of these problems. An aerator unscrews easily from the end of a spout and should be removed periodically for cleaning, because minute amounts of grit in the water supply will quickly clog it. But an aerator will not do its job if its internal parts are replaced incorrectly.

The spray head also contains an aerator; here, clogging can block the action of the diverter valve that switches water from spout to spray. Concealed in their base of the spout, this valve is the most delicate component of the entire assembly.

Like aerators--though far less often--it can clog up, and even a clean valve will not work if its covering fills with grit or dirt. If you have cleaned both aerators and still have problems--low or uneven water pressure, or a failure to switch smoothly from spout to spray and back again--go to work on the diverter valve.

The sturdiest, simplest component of all--the spray hose--is, paradoxically, the hardest to work with. Replacing the hose calls for tight maneuvering under the sink, often between two adjoining faucet pipes. In these close quarters the plumbing tool called a basin wrench may offer the only way of getting at the nut that holds the hose in place.

by: Alex Dundan

POST COMMENT

Your Plumbing System Should Be Checked Periodically Strawberries In Your Home Garden 5 Questions To Get Answers To Before Accepting Any Work From Home Typing Jobs 4 Reasons Why You Need Quality Bathroom Accessories Buy Cutlery - Tips When Outfitting Your Kitchen And Dining Room Floor Rugs Are A Fantastic Way To Spruce Up Your Home Home Remedies For Panic Attacks: Natural Cures For Panic Attacks All About Cleveland Carpet Cleaning Big Ticket To Wealth - Extra Income From Home The Fluctuation Of The Values Of Real Estate Foreclosures Are Offering An Opportunity For You That You Can Get By Working At Home Currency Moves May Imperil China's Home Textile Firms Heat Your Bathroom Economically