Toilets, etc. (Fixtures and Appliances)

TOILETS

A flush toilet is probably one of the most frequently used devices of modern man. People who live in a locality where toilets are the norm probably use them several times each day from the time they are about a year old. In spite of all of this use, the mechanism remains a mystery to many. If you are one of those people who must call a plumber whenever trouble occurs, read on and the mystery will be solved for you.

When you flush the toilet, a lever lifts a ball or flapper from the valve seat at the bottom of the tank, allowing the water that has been stored in the tank to rush into the bowl. The water rising in the bowl flows over the high point in the trap creating a siphon effect that sucks the contents of the bowl through the trap into the sewer line. As the water level in the tank drops, the float ball drops with it, opening the supply valve (ball-cock) to allow more water into the tank. When the tank is empty, the tank ball or flapper falls back into place in the valve seat so the tank can refill. As the tank is filling, a small stream of water—too small to create a siphon effect— squirts from the bowl-refill tube, down the overflow tube and refills the toilet bowl to the level of the trap. When the tank is filled to the water level line, usually marked by the manufacturer, the float ball closes the ball-cock, and the toilet is ready for its next use.

If you notice your toilet isn't flushing completely or that it fills almost to the rim and then drains more slowly than usual, start working on it right away. It has probably developed a partial clog, which it's much easier to clear than a toilet that's completely stopped up. If you get a clog in your toilet, it's probably an emergency.

Repairing a Toilet

Problems other than clogs are usually associated with the mechanism in the tank. One of the most common problems is water continuing to run in the tank when it should have shut off, First, remove the cover from the tank and put it carefully in a secure place. It can easily be broken. Flush the toilet and watch how the mechanism works. As the tank refills, you will see that the water rises too high, begins flowing into the overflow tube, and doesn’t shut off. The water doesn’t shut off either because the ball doesn’t rise high enough to close the ball-cock valve or the valve is defective.

Pull up on the ball. If the water shuts off, your problem is either that the ball has water in it or it's set too high. Unscrew the ball from the end of its rod and shake it. If it has water in it, replace the ball with a new one. If there’s no water in the ball, the rod holding the ball needs to be adjusted lower. Some mechanisms have an adjustment screw on the ball-cock that you can turn to lower the rod. If not, bend the rod to lower the ball. The ball height should be adjusted so the water level is ½ to 1 inch lower than the top of the overflow tube or at the water line marked in the tank by your manufacturer.

If when you pull up on the ball you feel pressure and the water still doesn’t shut off, the problem is the valve. If the valve looks like it's in good condition, it may be just a worn washer, which you can change just like the washer

appears broken, don’t try to fix or replace it with a new one; install a new self-contained plastic flush mechanism (see drawing).

To install this type of mechanism with an adjustable float cup, close the shutoff valve on the water supply line beneath the toilet tank. Flush the toilet to empty the tank. Slip an adjustable wrench or pair of locking pliers onto the nut at the bottom of the ball-cock assembly. With another wrench, loosen the nut under the tank that holds this assembly to the tank. Remove the old assembly and put the new plastic one in its place. Before tightening down the new assembly, be sure the washers are in good shape—not cracked or hardened.

Another common problem with toilets is the tank ball or flapper on the end of the trip wire not seating properly in the drain. The result is that either the tank never fills up or if it does, there is a constant and irritating gurgle. To correct this, flush the toilet to empty the tank and then hold the tank ball up with a piece of string or wire to keep the water shut of f. Unscrew the tank ball from its guide rod, clean the valve seat, and screw on a new ball. Or better yet, replace the tank ball with a flapper. The flapper is less prone to misalignment and very easy to install. These flappers are available in any plumbing or hardware store. They just clip around the base of the overflow pipe, and a chain attached to the flapper hooks onto the flushing lever.

Correcting a Sweating Toilet Tank

Moisture may build up on tanks when cold water flowing into the tank cools the porcelain enough to condense water from the warm bathroom air. This is called sweating. It can be more than just a nuisance. The dripping moisture can loosen floor tiles and soak the subfloor, resulting in rot.

The easiest solution, and an effective one unless the water coming into the tank is extremely cold, is to line the inside of the tank with a layer of insulating foam. Half-inch thick Styrofoam or foam rubber works quite well. Drain the tank and wipe it completely dry Then use epoxy

How to Bend a Float Ball Rod: To lower the water level, bend the float ball rod so the ball is lower, in a faucet. If the valve is corroded or resin cement to affix the insulation to all four sides, It should reach well above the water line and not interfere with any of the mechanisms. Let the cement dry thoroughly before refilling the tank.

If the tank still sweats, you can tap into a nearby hot- water line and let hot water mix with the incoming cold water. Put a reducing tee in both the nearby hot-water line and the cold-water supply line to the toilet. Then connect them with a mixing valve and a pipe one size smaller than the existing lines (see drawing).

Another alternative that would cost less in the long run than heating a lot of extra water would be to buy a replacement tank unit. They come already insulated and complete with all the internal mechanisms for about $9000. They are easy to install and come with an instruction sheet.

Replacing a Float Ball with a Plastic Mechanism; New plastic mechanism

Replacing a Toilet Seat

The only problem here is that occasionally the bolts holding the seat will become corroded and be difficult to remove without damage to the finish on the toilet. If they don’t come loose easily, squirt some penetrating oil on them and let them set overnight. If they still won’t budge, even when you use a socket wrench, saw them off with a hacksaw. Put a piece of cardboard between the saw and the porcelain so it isn’t damaged.

Replacing a Toilet Seat

1. Loosen the nuts and remove the old ball-cock assembly.

2. Remove the tank ball assembly from the overflow pipe and unhook it from the flush arm.

3. Put the new plastic mechanism in place according to its instruction sheet.

4. Slide the new flapper into place at the bottom of the overflow pipe and hook the drain to the trip lever.

When you select a new toilet seat, it's a good idea to have the dimensions of the bowl and the position of the bolt holes, Either carry the old seat with you to the store or trace the outline of the bowl and the position of the bolt holes on a piece of heavy cardboard and take that with you.

Replacing a Toilet

If you have an old-style toilet that's noisy or if your old toilet has been giving you trouble on more than rare occasions, you might consider replacing it with a new- style toilet. Replacement is really not all that difficult, and it's certainly less expensive than calling the plumber all the time.

Each manufacturer’s product has its own differences, but toilets are all variations on four basic designs. As you might expect, the newer, quieter, more efficient designs are also more expensive. A toilet lasts a long time, how ever, so you may feel the more expensive style is an economy in the long run.

The oldest style toilet still in use is the wash-down style. It is noisy, not very efficient, and has a minimum amount of water surface in the bowl so the porcelain area of the bowl is easily soiled. In many areas, wash- down toilets are no longer allowed by code, and you probably couldn’t find one even if you wanted one.

The reverse trap toilet is a step up in efficiency and quietness, it has a deeper trap, and more of the bowl area is covered with water. These may be available in some places as “economy” toilets, but even they are now becoming harder to find.

The siphon jet toilet was a great leap in efficiency. It is identifiable by a small hole below the water line used to direct a jet of water into the trap, starting a quick, powerful siphon that pulls the water and waste material from the bowl. This toilet is quieter and uses less water than the reverse trap toilet.

By far the quietest, most efficient, and most expensive toilet made today is the siphon-action or one-piece toilet. Instead of a little hole and a jet of water, this toilet has an elongated hole at the side of the bowl. Water from this opening starts the siphon with a swirling movement. This style has steeper sides and a rounder bowl bottom, providing maximum water surface area and making it very difficult to soil the sides of the bowl.

For information on various alternative toilets, such as waterless and up-flushing toilets.

Removing the old toilet. Replacing a toilet is more time- consuming than it's complicated. To have plenty of time, allow yourself four or five hours for the job. Start by turning the water off under the tank and then flushing the toilet. Use a sponge to remove as much water as you can from the bowl and the tank. Disconnect the water supply line from the bottom of the tank, If the water supply line goes to the tank directly without a supply stop valve, plan on installing a new supply stop and connecting it to the new toilet with a flexible connector.

It your old tank is wall-mounted, remove the spud pipe or elbow connecting it to the bowl. Unscrew the nuts from the hanger bolts inside the tank and lift the tank out

of the way. If the tank is mounted on the bowl, unscrew the bolts that go through the bottom of the tank and through the back lip on the bowl, and you will be able to lift it right off.

Before removing the bowl from the floor, measure the rough-in distance from the wall to the two bolts at the base of the bowl. If you have an old toilet and there are four bolts, measure the distance to the back ones. It is normally 12 inches. If your measurement is different, explain this to the person selling you a toilet, who will recommend a proper replacement.

Unscrew or pry the caps from the bolts and remove the nuts. Then straddle the bowl and rock it gently from side to side to loosen the wax seal. When it’s free, lift the bowl straight up and hold it that way, so water doesn’t spill from the trap as you carry it carefully out of the house,

With a knife or other convenient tool, remove all the wax and other accumulated stuff from the floor flange. Do this job thoroughly to avoid leaking around the flange when you install a new wax gasket.

Installing the new toilet. Take your new toilet out of the box and lay the bowl upside down on a bed of news papers. The vitreous china will scratch, so do your best to protect it. Put on the new wax gasket. Press it firmly and evenly over the horn (water outlet), with the tapered side fitting against the base of the toilet, If the floor flange is recessed into the floor, get a wax gasket with a plastic sleeve attached that fits down into the flange. Slip new hold-down bolts into position on the flange and , if necessary use plumber’s putty to hold them in an upright position. Put a thick layer of plumber’s putty all around the edge of the toilet base.

Kinds of Toilets: Wash-down toilet; Reverse trap toilet; Siphon jet toilet

Alter double checking to be sure there is no more packing paper inside the bowl, turn the toilet over and set it smoothly and evenly in place on the flange. Twist it back and forth slightly to smooth out the putty and then sit on it to force the gasket down onto the flange. Set a carpenter’s level on the bowl and make sure it's level both from front to back and from side to side. Slip thin metal shims under the base to get it level and to eliminate any rocking. When it’s firmly in place and level, tighten the nuts on the hold-down bolts. Be very careful here. You want the nuts snug, but not too tight. If you do tighten them too much, they can crack the bowl, and there is no plumbing supply house in the world that will give you a refund or a new bowl if you crack it by tightening the nuts. You will have to buy a new toilet, Double check the level to be sure it hasn’t moved.

To mount the tank on the bowl, place the rubber cushion on the bowl so it lines up with the bolt holes. Push the cone-shaped rubber gasket over the tank’s flush out let, and set the tank in place. Put the rubber washers on the bolts and slip them through the bottom of the tank and the bowl lip. Put rubber washers on the ends of the bolts and screw on the nuts. Again, tighten them until they are snug but not too tight.

All that remains now is to hook up the water supply line. If the new tank is lower—which is often the case when the old toilet had a wall-hung tank—put an elbow on the stub-out, a 4- to 6-inch nipple on the elbow, and then another elbow and close nipple to which you’ll attach the supply stop (see the drawing). Connect the sup ply stop to the tank with a flexible connector. If the stub- out is copper tubing, you will have to sweat on a brass adapter or use a compression fitting.

Removing an Old Toilet: Rough-in distance; Hanger bolts; 1. Rock the bowl to break the seal with the floor. 2. Twist from side to side and lift off. Washer; Shutoff valve. 3. Stuff the drain with rags to hold sewer gas inside the drain pipe.

Installing a New Toilet—Level; Brass adapter

LAVATORIES

Repairing a Bathroom Sink

This is a no-win proposition. If the sink itself is chipped or cracked or part of it's broken off, it can be repaired, but the result isn't usually very satisfactory. Consider any repair to be temporary—designed to last only until you get around to putting in a new sink.

A small chipped-off area or a crack can be filled or covered with appliance repair enamel or plastic tub and tile sealer. Be sure the area to be fixed is very clean, dust- free, and dry before applying anything. The enamel comes in a small tube with a brush attached to the cap. It comes in white and colors to match enameled kitchen and laundry appliances. These colors will sometimes match—or come close enough to—the colors of bath room fixtures. Get the little brush full of enamel and let it flow into the crack or chipped place. The enamel will have a rounded edge that will be visible when it dries, but we told you it wouldn’t be perfect. The plastic sealer comes in a tube and is normally available in white only. It is designed to repair the grout around bathtubs and showers. Squeeze a little into the crack or chip and smooth it with your finger. It, too, will show when you’ve finished, but you can hope it won’t be as apparent as the chip or crack. And even if it's seen, it will look like you have tried.

If a piece is broken off, like a corner or an edge, or you have a chip that fits in the place it came from, it can be replaced with epoxy resin or super glue. Again, be sure the surfaces are very clean and dry, Coat one surface or both, depending on the label directions, and press the pieces together firmly. Hold the repair together with masking tape for an hour or so (even if the directions say the glue sets instantly) and don’t get water on it for several hours. Overnight is best. This method also works for broken ceramic soap dishes, toothbrush holders, and toilet paper holders.

Removing an Old Lavatory

The first step is to disconnect and remove the drain pipe and supply pipes. Remove the P-trap by loosening the compression nuts and sliding the pipes apart. If the trap has a plug at the bottom, remove it and let it drain into a pall before you take it apart. If it doesn’t have a plug, set a pail beneath it to catch the water as you take it apart. Close the supply stops and remove the supply tubes by unscrewing the fittings at the stops and at the bottom of the faucets. If you plan on using those same pipes on the replacement sink, protect the finish by wrapping tape around the nuts before you apply the wrench or pliers.

Old-fashioned pedestal or wall-hung sinks aren't usually screwed down. They are heavy enough that their weight keeps them firmly in place and , of course, the pipes hold them, too. With all the pipes disconnected, you should be able to just lift the sink of f the pedestal or wall bracket.

A few words of caution are important here, Old ceramic or china fixtures are very heavy. It would probably be in your best interest to have a helper assist with the lifting and carrying. If you are removing a very old wall- hung sink, the wood behind it, to which the metal hanger is screwed, may be rotten. The pipes may be holding the sink up. Have your helper hold onto the sink when you remove the pipes so if that's the case, the sink won’t fall on you.

The pedestal may be just standing on the floor, it may be bolted, or it may be grouted into the tile. If it’s set into the tile, you may have a section of flooring to replace as well as a fixture.

Installing a New Lavatory

There are still wall-hung lavatories—you may even be able to find one that will hang onto your old wall bracket. But as long as you are going to the trouble of replacing a fixture, you should select one that gives your bathroom the look you want. You can probably find one that's more utilitarian as well. The four basic kinds of lavatories are wall-hung, leg-stand, pedestal, and cabinet-mounted. The leg-stand type is hung on the wall but has adjustable legs in the front for additional support and for decoration. The cabinet-mounted sink comes in a large variety of shapes and sizes. You can buy one already installed in a cabinet or ready to install in a cabinet you buy separately or make yourself.

Removing an Old Lavatory

Most wall-hung or pedestal sinks can just be lifted off once the drain and supply pipes are disconnected.

Each sink will have an instruction sheet with diagrams and templates for the placement of any holes, supports, or brackets that are needed. The faucet assembly, pop-up stopper, and tailpiece for the drain are easier to attach before the new lavatory is mounted. Set it on the floor with several layers of newspaper or card board under it to protect it from scratches. Attach the faucet assembly as shown and screw the pop-up drain stopper and tailpiece in place on the bottom.

The wall-hung sink is very easy to install. You simply hang it on a bracket. The bracket, however, must be attached with great care to provide a solid support. It not only must hold up the sink but also the weight of the water it holds and your weight against it as you lean forward to look in the mirror for another wrinkle.

To hold the bracket adequately, nail a 1 x 8 board directly across two or more studs. Recess it into the studs so it will be exactly flush with the surface of the wall after the sheetrock or plaster is applied. The top of a standard sink or the counter top that holds one is 31 inches. They can be installed as high as 35 inches for a taller-than- average family or one that has no children, Look at the diagram enclosed with the sink to see how high from the floor the 1 x8 board must be to hold the bracket and the sink at the height you want it.

The place where lavatories are attached to the wall must be sealed with caulking compound or grout. Water seeping between the sink and the wall can cause a lot of damage in a very short time.

The leg-stand sink is installed the same way as the wall-hung sink except that the wall bracket need not be as strong. The legs are able to support a great deal of the weight.

Some pedestal sinks just stand on the floor. Their own weight and the pipes hold them in place. Others are bolted to a bracket or flange that has been screwed to the floor. Still others are supported by a wall bracket as well as the pedestal, similar to the leg-stand sink. Place the pedestal, and wall bracket if there is one, as instructed on the sheet accompanying the sink. It will tell you how far the sink must be from the wall and the minimum distance to a wall on the side.

There are many types of cabinet-mounted countertop lavatories and clamp assemblies to hold them in place, There are self-rimming sinks that are set on top of the counter, sinks that have a stainless steel rim connecting them to the counter, under-the-counter sinks, and counters and sinks that are molded all in one piece. Each manufacturer has its own styles and designs, and there are many variations in sizes, shapes, and methods of installation. Each lavatory will have an instruction sheet with any necessary diagrams or templates to help you position and install it. If mounting clamps are needed to hold the unit in place, these, too, will have instructions attached.

Installing a Wall-Hung Sink

2. Recess a 1x8 board into two or more studs to hold the bracket securely.

3. After the sink is mounted, seal the wall-sink. Joint with caulking compound or grout.

In all cases, except when the counter top and sink are one molded unit, you will need to apply a bead of sealing compound or grout where the lavatory and counter top meet. Apply the sealing compound, usually to the rim of the sink, before it's set in place. Wipe off the excess after the unit is secured. Apply grout between a self-rimming sink and the tile counter top after the sink is in place and secured.

The next step is to attach the faucets to the new sink, if you haven’t done it already, and hook them up to the hot- and cold-water supply stops.

Next, install the P-trap assembly. The parts you’ll need for this are as follows:

Tailpiece. If you’ve bought a faucet assembly that includes a pop-up drain stopper, a tailpiece with the stop per built in should be in the box with the faucet. Other wise you will need to buy a tailpiece along with the P trap, P-trap. This consists of the trap itself and the waste arm.

When these pieces of tubing are put together, they form the “P” shape that gives the fitting its name. Along with the tubing, two machine-threaded slip nuts, one pipe- threaded slip nut, and three rubber washers come with the unit.

Adapter. Since the waste arm and all these parts are 1½-inch tubing, the pipe-threaded slip nut needs 1½- inch pipe threads on the drain stub to make a proper connection. If the stub coming out of the wall is 1½-inch threaded pipe, you won’t need an adapter. If the stub is copper tubing or plastic pipe, you will. The plastic pipe adapter is cemented to the stub. The copper tubing adapter is sweated on.

If you didn’t attach the tailpiece to the sink before it was set in place and if an adapter must be cemented or sweated to the stub, do these things next. Then, to install the P-trap you first put a slip nut and washer on the tail- piece, slip the longest side of the trap onto the tailpiece, and finger tighten the slip nut onto the trap threads. Second, put the pipe-threaded slip nut and washer on the waste arm, slide the straight end into the drain stub with the bent end pointing down, and finger tighten the nut onto the stub. Put the third slip nut and washer onto the bent end of the waste arm. The trap can slide up and down a little and turn on the tailpiece, and the waste arm can slide in and out of the drain stub. This should give you enough play to manipulate the trap and waste arm until their ends meet and you can screw the third slip nut onto the short end of the trap. Tighten all the slip nuts snugly, but not too tight, with a wrench.

And finally, connect the pop-up stopper assembly if one comes with the faucets you’ve chosen. Put the stop per assembly together as shown in the drawing and ad just it so it opens and closes properly by loosening the clevis screw and sliding the clevis up or down on the lift rod.

For instructions on installing a new lavatory either next to or in a room adjacent to an existing lavatory see below.

P-Trap Assembly and Pop-Up Stoppers: Washer; Waste arm; Lift; Stopper lever; plug; Threaded rod; Spring clip; Pivot rod; Rocker arm

Bathtubs

Old bathtubs were made of porcelainized cast iron. Later they were made of enameled stamped steel. Now, in addition to cast iron and steel, they are being made of acrylic and fiberglass reinforced plastics. Not only are the new plastics warmer and more comfortable to the touch, they are less expensive, lighter in weight, and easier to fabricate in more intricate shapes.

Repairing a Tub

Bathtubs themselves don’t often need repairing. A clogged or maladjusted drain, a chip in the porcelain, or loose caulking around the tub is usually the extent of it.

If the tub drains slowly or not at all, the problem could be the stopper mechanism. In addition to the good old rubber plug, there are two main types of stoppers on bathtubs. One is called a pop-up and the other a trip lever. Both are controlled by a locknut on a threaded rod. Repeated opening and closing of the drain can cause the nut to loosen and move. This can result in a leak in the stopper or in slow drainage. These mechanisms can also collect hair and lint, which slows down the draining. Take them apart and clean them before you do any adjusting. If you have a rubber stopper, the drain is probably clogged with hair. Use a trap-and-drain auger to clear it.

Many codes do not allow you to install new trip-lever drains. In this type of drainage arrangement, the plug is in the overflow pipe and works by dropping straight into a seat at the base of the overflow. If the adjusting nut has worked its way up, the plug will not fit tightly in the seat and water will leak through when the plug is supposed to be closed, lithe nut has worked down on the threaded rod, the plug would fall into the seat, possibly at some crazy angle, and the only way to get it out would be to fish it out with a piece of bent wire or to take the drains apart. To adjust the nut, unscrew the overflow plate that has the stopper lever on it, Lift the plate and pull the whole mechanism out of the overflow pipe. It usually won’t take much of an adjustment to correct the problem. It must be done simply by trial and error.

A pop-up drain stopper has similar linkage to that of a trip-lever drain. Instead of a stopper at the end of the linkage in the overflow pipe, there is a spring. This spring hits the end of a rocker arm that's connected to the stopper in the bathtub drain. The spring pushing down on the rocker arm opens the drain stopper, and the stop per falls into the drain when the pressure of the spring is removed, lithe drainage of the tub is slow, do not try to correct it by removing the stopper plug. The plug is de signed to keep small objects from being swept into the drain where they can cause clogs. To adjust the drain, unscrew the overflow plate that holds the stopper lever and pull out the linkage. Then pull out the stopper and the rocker so you can check and clean it. Remove any hair that has accumulated on the linkage and check the rubber washer around the edge of the stopper. lithe rubber isn’t soft and pliable, replace it. When you put the rocker arm back into the drain, be sure the curve of the rocker is down. To make the stopper rise higher in the drain, lengthen the rod by loosening the locknut and unscrewing it a little. To make the plug fit tighter, shorten the rod by screwing it in farther.

If the porcelain on your bathtub is chipped, buy some appliance repair enamel at the hardware store. The enamel and how to use it's described for the repair of lavatories.

If the grout around the tub is loose or missing, you’ll need a tube of plastic tub and tile sealer and caulking. Clean away all the loose and discolored caulking with a screwdriver or putty knife. Be careful not to scratch the tub or wall tile. Let the crack dry for several hours or overnight or dry it thoroughly with a hair dryer before you apply the plastic caulk. While you are at it, check to see that the grout between any nearby tile isn't loose. If you find loose grout, scrape it out, too. Cut the tip of the nozzle for a moderate-sized bead; about 3/16” right. Hold the tube at a 45-deg. angle and push it along the edge of the tub in one continuous line as you squeeze. If you can do each side of the tub in a continuous motion without stopping, the line of caulk will usually be much smoother and neater.

Replacing a Tub

Before you decide to replace your old tub, read this and then study your old tub so you’ll know what you are get ting into. There are free-standing tubs and tubs that are built into two or more walls, usually three. Most tubs are placed on the subfloor while the house is being built and flooring—tile, linoleum, and so forth—is laid so it contacts or is attached to the tub. A free-standing tub (one that’s not attached to the walls) can't be removed without doing considerable damage to the flooring that it contacts. A free-standing old tub that has feet sits on top of the floor, and when you disconnect all the pipes, you can just carry it away—if you are strong enough. If you have a built-in tub, both wall and floor damage will occur when you remove it.

Even if you can remove your tub without damage to the walls and floor, the installation of a new tub will still require considerable planning and rebuilding of the walls and floor where the tub will go. When selecting a new tub, take a very detailed plan of your bathroom to a plumbing fixture showroom. Be especially careful with the dimensions of the area where the tub will go so you select one that will fit with the least amount of rebuilding of walls.

Some of the largest manufacturers make cast iron tubs in the most modern designs and colors. They are the most expensive, the heaviest, and by far the most durable. One will probably last you and your grand children until everyone is tired of it. Stamped steel tubs are less expensive, lighter, and still very durable. How ever, they will chip and dent more readily than cast iron tubs. Plastic or fiberglass tubs are the least expensive, lightest in weight, easiest to install and , of course, the least durable. Although they have a strong resistance to chipping, they scratch rather easily and their glossy surface will dull with time and cleaning. Gritty cleansers will dull them instantly, and once the surface is dulled or scratched it's difficult to ever get it looking good again.

Removing a Bathtub

Removing the old tub. First disconnect all the pipes. If the tub has feet you can just disconnect the pipes and carry it away—with a little help, of course. If it's attached to the floor and wall, you will have to strip away the tile, sheetrock, and whatever down to the studs within several inches of where the tub makes contact. If you have a cast iron tub, you can break it up with a sledgehammer. Be sure to wear eye protection, gloves, and heavy clothing to protect yourself from flying cast iron. A steel tub will have to be lifted out and carried away in one piece. The only way to tell the difference when the tub is in place is to tap on it. The steel will ring or sound hollow, while the cast iron will sound solid like a rock.

Installing the new tub. When the old tub is gone, all the debris is cleared away, and the studs are clean and free of nails, you can proceed with the installation. The new tub should fit exactly between the studs. If the space is too long, build out the wall at the foot of the tub with new studs. This can become a convenient shelf for your sponge and shampoo.

If you had a really old-style tub with the faucets and spout attached to it or if you want the faucets and spout in a different place, you have some plumbing to do, too. All new tubs have only two holes: the drain and the over flow. The faucets, spout, and shower are always mounted in the wall above the tub, All the piping for these must be in place and connected before you put in the new tub.

Select the kind of faucets, spout, and shower head you want and install them according to the instructions accompanying them and the drawings of typical installations shown here. Included will be the hot- and cold- water supply pipes; hot and cold valve assembly; a diverter valve to turn on the shower, either between the faucets or on the spout; the shower pipe with a special elbow and brass screws securing it to a cross brace; and pipe stubs onto which the tub spout and shower head will attach.

Often local building codes will require that there be access to the supply and drain pipes servicing a bathtub. When your bathtub is on the ground floor, this access can be from the basement or crawl space beneath the house. Cut a hole one foot or so by 6 to 8 inches through the subfloor next to the wall under the head of the tub. If your bathroom is on an upper floor (or if you prefer), build an access door or removable panel in the wall of the next room or hall next to the head of the tub (see the drawing).

The tub you buy will have an instruction sheet and any diagrams or templates necessary to place the holes, cleats, and so forth. Most steel and plastic tubs have flanges that are designed to rest on 1 x 4 or 1 x 6 cleats nailed to the studs. Be sure these boards are placed exactly at the right height to hold the flanges and that they are perfectly level. Cast iron tubs won’t need these cleats.

Before setting the tub in place, make certain you have plenty of room to work on the drain. Even on an upper floor, you can remove quite a bit of subfloor next to the wall at the head of the tub. It doesn’t support any thing anyway. Lower the tub carefully into place so the flanges, if there are any, rest on the cleats and secure them with screws through the holes in the flanges. Next you can connect the drain.

Strip away the tile and sheetrock down to the studs and lift the old tub out.

Tub valve assembly

Hot-water supply

If you are making a new or drastically changed installation, be sure to install a trap and be sure the tub’s overflow connects with the tub drain before the trap, not after. Use lots of plumber’s putty to seal the tub drain. Put it under the rim of the drain in the tub and under the tub. Do not tighten the compression nut too hard or it may crack the porcelain; just make it snug. See the drawing for a typical drain installation. Finally, slip the drain plug mechanism into place, and that’s it, Once you refinish the walls and floor, you will have completed the project.

Tub/Shower Rough Plumbing for Water Supply

Bathtub Drain Arrangement

Shower Stalls

If a shower stall needs repairing, it's usually a matter of cracked tile, loose grout, or a leaky shower pan. The tile and grout are fairly simple to take care of, as discussed. The leaky shower pan is unfortunately not a problem you can usually repair. When you finally discover that a shower pan leaks, it has most likely been leaking at least a little bit for a long time. The leaking water has probably damaged the wood structure sup porting the shower. The only successful way to fix it's to tear out, inspect, and repair all the underpinnings and start over.

When the usual way to make a shower stall floor was with tile, building codes and inspectors were very demanding in their requirements because water standing on a tile surface will always seep through eventually. Lead, copper, or elaborate hot-mopped shower pans were required, and they were given strict tests before being approved. If you want to install a tile floor in your shower, contact your local building department for all the regulations.

With the advent of molded plastics, fiberglass, and steel shower stalls and sturdy plastic bases even for tile showers, a secondary waterproof shower pan became unnecessary, and it's no longer required by most codes. Because each manufacturer makes these shower stalls in its own way, the installation instructions will vary. Be sure to read and follow to the letter the step-by-step instructions that come with the shower you choose. Be especially careful to make all measurements accurately and all the framing square and plumb.

The supply piping and drain lines for the showers must also be accurately placed. Use flexible copper tubing for the supply lines so minor adjustments can be made at the time of final placement of the stall and the pipes

Tile showers, too, have become relatively easy to install. Select a plastic shower pan that's the size of the shower you want and frame the stall to fit it exactly. Set the pan in the bottom and connect it to the drain line as shown. Cover the framing with waterproof (green) sheet- rock, being sure the sheetrock covers the lip at the top of the pan to within ¼ inch of the curb Cover the sheet- rock to a height of at least 6 feet with the tile of your choice, and you have a shower stall. Setting the tile in a waterproof mastic and applying the grout is a rather easy do-it-yourself project Your local tile dealer will be delighted to give you instructions.

Tile and Fiberglass Showers

Shower curtain rod

3-piece fiberglass shower stall

Flexible

copper

supply

tubes

— Molded

shower base

Waterproof green sheetrock

Kitchen Sinks

What most often needs repair on a kitchen sink are chips in the enamel finish, leaky faucets, leaky drain lines, and leaky or defective strainers. See below for leaky faucets and P-traps. The repair of chips in the enamel finish can be accomplished with matching an appliance touch-up enamel available at your hard ware store.

Replacing a Sink Strainer

If your sink strainer either will no longer hold water in the sink or it leaks water under the sink, it’s time for re placement. If the metal is corroded or any rubber parts have deteriorated, you should replace the stopper basket or the whole unit. If it’s leaking water under the sink, you may only have to replace the gasket or bead of putty between the body of the strainer and the sink bottom. In either case, here’s how.

An installation like this, where the sink is set on the plywood cabinet and then the tile is placed over the rim of the sink, makes the sink very difficult to remove.

Check under the sink to see if your strainer is held by three screws in a retainer or by a single large locknut on the strainer. Loosen the slip nut holding the tailpiece between the sink and P-trap and slide it down onto the P-trap. Remove the retainer screws or loosen the locknut by turning counterclockwise. If you don’t have a pipe wrench big enough, drive the locknut open with a hammer and a piece of wood wedged into one of the notches on the nut. With a screwdriver, pry the strainer out from the top. When reinstalling or putting in the replacement, make sure the sink is completely dry. Coat the underlip of the strainer with a thick bead of plumber’s putty or install a new gasket. Press the strainer firmly into place and then replace the retainer or nut underneath. In tightening the nut, the strainer can be held in place by slip ping the handles of a pair of pliers through the strainer and putting a screwdriver between the handles to apply counter force.

Installing a New Sink

Installing a new kitchen sink can be a very easy matter

A sink set on top of the plastic laminate counter top and held in place with special clips and screws is easy to remove.

Kitchen Sink Installation

Hold the strainer with pliers and a screwdriver to loosen the locknut.

or a messy one, depending on how your old one is set on the counter. If your old sink is self-rimming and is set on top of the tile or plastic laminate or if it has a stainless steel rim around it, you have a fairly easy job.

Any tile or plastic laminate counter top on top of the sink’s rim will have to be removed before you can re move the old sink. This means you will have to replace the counter top as well as the sink. If you must do this, be sure to replace the counter top before you install the new sink so the same problem doesn’t occur in the future.

Installing a new kitchen sink is like installing a new lavatory with a few exceptions. Most kitchen sinks have two compartments that drain into the same line (see the drawing for the various ways to make this connection). The faucet assemblies for kitchen sinks are a little different, too. They are usually larger than bath room faucet assemblies and often have a spray hose in addition to the faucets. See the drawing for how these are assembled.

Ways to Connect a Double Sink to a Single Trap

DISPOSERS

Garbage Disposer Drain Installation

Garbage disposers are fairly controversial as far as building and plumbing codes are concerned. When they first became popular in the early sixties, almost all new houses were equipped with them. In recent years, expanding populations in many areas overloaded marginal sewage disposal facilities and the additional discharge of garbage into the system became intolerable. Local codes in these areas forbid the installation of disposers. In other areas, where sewage disposal systems are adequate, some local authorities feel that disposers are more efficient in handling this waste than the garbage collection system, and they require their installation in new construction and major kitchen remodeling. Be sure to check the situation in your area at the planning stage.

Garbage disposers are designed to fit the standard 3½- or 4-inch drain outlet of kitchen sinks, and they re quire a nearby 120-volt grounded electric outlet. Units from various manufacturers differ greatly. However, each comes with detailed installation instructions, which you should study carefully and follow exactly.

• CAUTION: The combination of water and electricity is very dangerous. Always be sure the electricity is shut of when you do any work on an appliance that connects to both the electrical and plumbing systems. Be sure everything is exactly as it should be, especially the ground connections, before you turn the electricity back on.

Some codes that allow waste disposers require separate trap and drain pipes when you have a two-compartment sink. Others allow the disposer and the other sink to discharge into the same trap as long as a directional tee is used where they connect (see the drawing). If your sink only has a single compartment, you can in stall the disposer onto the existing trap. There are usually no additional code requirements.

Directional tee; Faucet Assembly

Dishwashers and Washing Machines

A dishwasher is another of those appliances which connect to both the electrical and plumbing systems and pose a great danger of shock. It requires a nearby grounded electrical connection or receptacle.

Dishwashers come in two basic styles, portable and built-in. Some of the portable ones are designed so they can be built in at a later date if the owner wants. These are especially good for renters who are planning to buy a house in the near future. The portable units require no plumbing. The supply hose just snaps onto the kitchen faucet, and the drain line is simply hung over the edge of the sink. Because no permanent connections are made, no permit is required and code requirements do not apply. A built-in unit does not necessarily require a permit, but its installation is often covered by some rather stringent code requirements.

Repairing a Dishwasher

The basic maintenance procedure on a dishwasher involves cleaning the water jets on the sprayer, Unscrew the nut holding it, lift the sprayer out, and use a piece of wire to pick out any food particles wedged in the holes.

If the washer will not run at all, check the door, The door must close properly and tightly to close the door switch. Wait a few moments. The machine may just be between cycles. Also make sure nothing is jammed against the spray arm. If it still doesn’t work, it isn't a plumbing problem. Call a professional to fix it.

If the dishwasher overt ills, there are a couple of things to check. Most machines are protected against overfilling by a float switch that closes the solenoid valves when the proper water level is reached. A float connected to a switch rises and falls with the water level. Jiggle the float, which is usually located in a front corner of the tub, to be sure its arm is free. If the arm is free and the switch still doesn’t work, it's probably defective. Buy a new one at your appliance dealer and replace it.

If your washer won’t drain, what you do depends on how the washer empties itself. Some are drained by the motor reversing itself and pumping the water out. Others just have a drain in the bottom, and the water flows out by gravity. If yours has just a gravity drain, find it and clean it out. For a reversible motor pump, you’d better call a repair person.

Dishwasher leaks are usually either in the gasket around the door or in the water supply hose. If the gasket is cracked or broken, replace it. If the hose leaks, check the clamps first and tighten them. If it still leaks, replace the hose.

If the cycle and timer switches seem to be faulty, there is usually nothing you can do without a mechanical inclination and a service manual for that particular washer. It might be better to call a repair person.

Installing a Dishwasher

Installing a built-in dishwasher isn't very difficult. All dishwashers come with detailed instruction sheets. Some manufacturers make theirs especially simple and even illustrate them for the do-it-yourself homeowner. Some municipalities require a permit and an inspection to install a built-in dishwasher, so check out your local regulations.

The space required is that of a standard kitchen cabinet: the opening must be 24” deep, at least 24” wide, and 34½” high. The opening must be square and plumb. A dishwasher will not work properly fit the frame is distorted or not level. In addition to the cabinet opening, you must prepare the electrical, hot- water supply, and drain connections before installation. The electrical connection must be a grounded junction box into which the dishwasher can be wired or a receptacle (outlet) for a three-prong plug.

Parts of a Dishwasher

Dishwasher Installation

Dishwasher

Most dishwashers are connected to the hot-water supply line and should have their own supply stop even though there is a built-in valve near the water inlet. Dish washers also need to be connected to the kitchen drain line. Any units that have a pump to discharge waste- water must also have-a drain line that rises to the height of the top of the washer. This high loop prevents a back up of wastewater into the dishwasher if the sink gets clogged. Some codes require an air gap fitting on this high loop to prevent siphoning. Even if it’s not required by your local code, you should consider installing one. The air gap assembly mounts on the counter above the rim of the sink. Some sinks have an extra hole near the faucet assembly for this purpose (see the drawing). The drain line should also be connected to a special “dish washer tee” that you have installed on the tailpiece of the kitchen sink or, if you have a garbage disposer, to the special opening on the side of that unit.

Installing a Washing Machine

A washing machine is always a free-standing appliance that can be added, moved, or replaced at any time. Most building codes now require that new living units be provided with all the connections necessary for the installation of a washing machine. All you need to do if you live in one of these units is screw on two hoses, connect a drain hose, and plug the machine in.

If you live in an older house that does not have these connections, they are relatively easy to install yourself. Look at the drawing to see what is needed and refer below for how to do it. The standpipe and air chambers or shock absorbers are very important in this installation. Don’t leave them out.

Washers have solenoid valves to turn the water on and of f. These valves open and close instantly, not gradually like a faucet. Air chambers or shock absorbers on both the hot- and cold-water pipes minimize noisy and destructive water hammer when these valves operate. If possible, install the hose bibs where they can be reached when the washer is in place, The hoses and solenoid valves will last longer if the water is turned off between washing days.

The standpipe provides protection from back-up and siphoning like an air-gap fitting does on a dishwasher. Prefabricated 2-inch standpipes are available from your dealer in several lengths. They have a built-in trap and are designed to fit into a standard 2-inch drain pipe.

When you have made all the connections and your washer is in its permanent position, it must be leveled. Check it from front to back and from side to side with a carpenter’s level. Threaded pads can be turned to raise or lower each corner of the washer.

The only kinds of trouble we can deal with here are those involving the plumbing, that's , the hoses and fit tings that connect the washer to the water supply and drain lines. If the trouble is within the machine, you will have to consult another guide or call a professional re pair person.

If the washer won’t fill or fills very slowly, check the supply stops in back of the washer. Someone may have turned them oft. Those valves must be open all the way for the washer to fill quickly. If the valves are on, but the trouble persists, check the hoses. Be sure they have not been bent too sharply, kinked, or squashed between the washer and the wall or a pipe. There is one more thing to check if the hoses are all right. Turn the supply stops off and unscrew the hoses from the washer. Just inside the hot- and cold-water inlets you will probably find screens, which keep sediment and water pipe debris out of the washer. If the washer has been there for a long time or if you’ve been working on the plumbing system, they could be clogged. Clean the screens or replace them. If everything is clear this far and you still have a problem, it has to be inside the washer—probably a solenoid valve. Check a repair manual or call a repair person.

Washing Machine Connections

Sometimes a washer will drain when it isn't sup posed to. If it was installed without a stand-pipe so the drain hose never rises higher than the water level in the washer, it's possible that the water is being siphoned out. Obviously you need to put in a standpipe or at least raise the hose so it's higher at some point than the washer’s water level.

Ii you find water leaking from the washer, check all the hoses and connections in back of the washer. If a hose connection has vibrated loose, tighten it. Replace any old and leaking hoses. If a supply stop has a stem leak, see below for how to replace the packing. lithe leak is from the washer itself, it's probably from a pump, the drain valve, or the tub seals. Check a repair guide or call a repair person.

Hot-water supply

WATER HEATERS

Your water heater is one of the biggest energy users in the house. Only the furnace or central air conditioner uses more. Proper care and maintenance will save you money, energy and grief by keeping it working efficiently and smoothly for a long time.

Make it a practice to drain a bucket of water from the drain spigot at the bottom of the heater every couple of months. This keeps sediment from accumulating in the bottom and reducing the heating efficiency.

At least once a year, test the temperature/pressure relief valve by pulling up or pushing down on the handle. If hot water spurts out the overflow pipe, it's working. If your heater doesn’t have a temperature/pressure relief valve or an overflow pipe, it's imperative that you install one (see the drawing).

All the late-model water heaters have an energy cutoff device that automatically stops the power or fuel to the unit if the water becomes dangerously hot. It pre vents the water from boiling, building up steam, and possibly bursting the tank. If you find that the water has be come hotter than you want it and turning down the thermostat doesn’t make it any cooler, you probably have a defective thermostat. Call a professional to replace it.

A rumbling sound in the heater is another indication that a defective thermostat may be allowing the water to get too hot. Check the thermostat to see that it didn’t accidentally get pushed to the maximum. If not, turn the heater off immediately and call a professional.

If you begin to get rusty water from the hot-water faucet and not the cold, it indicates corrosion in your hot- water tank. Drain the heater until the water runs clear and you’ve removed the sediment buildup. If there’s a lot of rust, your heater probably has terminal corrosion and you should start budgeting for a new water heater.

Installing a New Water Heater

If you are installing a water heater in a new location rather than where your old heater was, here are a few things to consider. You can put an electric water heater almost anywhere as long as there is an approved power supply and a place for water to drain should it leak or overheat. Building codes prohibit installing a gas water heater in an occupied room that's normally kept closed to outside air, such as a bathroom or inside laundry room. Put the heater as close as you can to the bathroom or laundry where the hot water will be used. Don’t put the heater in an area exposed to outdoors where it could freeze when it isn't being used.

If a gas water heater is installed in a closet or other enclosed space, it must be ventilated as prescribed by the building code. Codes usually recommend two vent openings, one at the top and one at the bottom of the door or wall. Each opening must have a minimum area of 100 square inches with a width to height ratio of two to one. The building code also prescribes minimum clearances between the water heater and combustible materials. These are usually 1 inch at the sides and back; 6 inches in front; and 18 inches from the top of the tank. Codes usually stipulate that a gas water heater located in a garage must be raised 18 inches off the floor to prevent leaking gasoline or oil fumes from contacting the pilot light.

When planning the piping for a water heater, re member that the cold-water supply pipe to the heater must be at least 3’ pipe, and it must have a shutoff valve in a easily accessible location near the heater. The pipe carrying hot water from the heater may be as small as ½-inch but ¾-inch is probably desirable. Both the hot- and cold-water pipes should have a flexible hose or union near where they connect to the heater.

If you are installing a gas heater, be sure the gas piping meets all code and gas company requirements. The piping must have an easily accessible shutoff valve nearby and be connected to the heater with an approved flexible connector.

When you have your new water heater and are ready to put it in, shut off the water and fuel supply to the old heater. Drain the tank completely through the spigot at the bottom and then disconnect the unions or flex hoses that go to the hot- and cold-water pipes. On oil or gas- fueled heaters, remove the draft deflector or collar that links it to the flue pipe.

Unless you’ve had some indication that it's defective, the temperature/pressure relief valve is still good. Check the manufacturer’s recommendations, and if the old valve is compatible with the new heater, remove the overflow pipe and the valve to use on the new heater.

Remove the old heater and set the new one in place. If the pipe fittings on the new heater don’t line up with the old pipe hookups, you may want to add a pipe nipple or two. Or if the new heater is too low, you can put some stout wood blocks or bricks under the feet to raise it. The best way to hook up both the water and gas is with flex-pipe connectors. Unless there is a drastic change in the configuration of a new heater, you just bend the connectors a little to fit; you don’t need to add or subtract pipe or fittings.

Temperature/Pressure Relief Valve on a Water Heater

Temperature/pressure relief valve

How to Install a Water Heater

3. Disconnect the water pipes and gas supply pipe (or electric cable) and remove the draft deflector collar.

When all the connections are made, turn on all the valves. When the tank is full of water, turn the power supply back on, and it’s ready to go. With a gas heater, use soapy water to check all the gas connections for leaks and light the pilot.

Insulation

To save energy and money, your water heater and at least some of your hot-water pipe should be insulated. If the storage tank of your water heater feels warm to the touch, it's losing heat. If it’s in a closet or laundry room within the area of your house you heat during the winter, this isn't too bad because the lost heat is helping the furnace by contributing to the space heating within your house. On a hot summer day however, you may not appreciate the extra heat, especially since you are paying for it. If the water heater is in an unheated basement or on an open porch, it's really losing a lot of heat and wasting a lot of energy.

All commercially available water heater tanks have some built-in insulation. Electric heaters usually have about 2 inches of insulation, and oil and gas-fueled heaters commonly have about 1”. These heaters tend to lose from 20 to 35 percent of their heat through the walls of the tank, If they are in a location exposed to cold outside air, it can be quite a bit more. This amount of heat loss can account for $5 to $6 of your gas or electric bill each month.

A single roll of 3½” thick R- 11 fiberglass insulation and a roll of duct tape to attach it will cost about $30 and will be more than sufficient to wrap a 60-gallon water heater. This $20 investment will usually pay for itself in about a year and save you both money and energy for many years to come. You can buy precut kits or preformed insulating jackets to fit most water heaters, but the job is so simple that most people don’t consider them worth the extra cost.

If you are going to insulate your heater, make sure it's equipped with a temperature/pressure relief valve. The additional insulation may allow the water to over heat if you don’t use any hot water for a while. Most state and local codes require these valves. Even it yours doesn’t, it’s still a very good idea to have one on your heater.

When insulating a gas or oil-fired water heater, don’t block the pilot light or access to any controls. Do not put the insulation where it’s exposed to the burner flame or -Flue

4. Move the old heater aside and put the new heater in piece. Connect all the pipes again, using new flexible tubes.

Flexible tubes

2. Drain all the water from the tank.

Gas supply

Insulating a Water Heater

No insulation on top of obstructs air flow to the burner. Don’t put insulation on the top or near the flue pipe. On an electric heater, you may put insulation on the top, but do not cover the control panel. Before you cover the name plate on your heater, take a note of the name, model number, and serial number just in case you need to call for service or want to order a new part for it.

When insulating your water heater, you may as well spend a utile more time and money and insulate some of the pipe, too. Insulate at least the first 10 feet of the hot- and cold-water lines connected to the heater. If your heater is in an unheated area, insulate the pipe until it goes into the heated part of the house. This will not only save fuel and money, but will minimize the length of time you will have to wait for hot water to come out of the faucet after you turn it on. To insulate the pipes, you can use pre-slit foam sleeves or adhesive-backed foam tape that's made for the purpose. Or you can cover your pipes with a combination of ½-inch thick vinyl foam and duct tape.

For more information about insulation and other ways to save energy see Energy-Saving Projects for the Home.

Solar Water Heating

If you are thinking of doing some energy saving in your home with solar power, water heating might be the best place to start. Even at its most complex level, solar water heating is less expensive than solar space heating, and since hot water is needed all year around, the cost is amortized more rapidly. A simple non-storage system is impractical for most households. The average daily consumption of hot water in the United States is about 10 to 15 gallons per person. This use includes washing machines, dishwashers, and bathtubs, which consume a disproportionately high percentage of our hot water and operate principally in the morning and evening hours when non-storage solar water heaters aren't effective.

As with any other solar energy adaptations for the house, conservation should be your first step because it requires the least effort or expenditure in proportion to the savings it returns in both energy and money. Less use translates into a need for smaller storage capacity and smaller collector area relative to the proportion of hot water supplied by the system. By the same token, greater use means the need for greater collection ability and facilities for storing more water or storing it for a greater period of time. With solar-heated water, the energy savings are reflected directly and immediately in the size, complexity, and cost of the system you install.

The best kind of water heating system for you, of course, depends on your particular circumstances. A useful rule of thumb to remember is that in the United States, a well-engineered solar water heating system, in stalled and used properly, can supply a typical house hold with close to 100 percent of its summertime hot- water requirements, about 25 to 30 percent of its winter requirements, and between 50 and 75 percent of its annual hot-water needs. The cost of a solar hot-water system will run in the vicinity of $3,500 to $5,000. installed. Your eventual savings will depend on the way you use water and the cost of your present water-heating system. Passive systems. The simplest form of a practical solar water heater is called a bread box collector. The solar heat is collected and stored in the same unit. There is no transfer from one part of the system to another. However, all storage heaters lose at night the heat they collect during the day. Storage heaters are essentially passive systems except at the use or distribution stage. An elementary mechanism, like a faucet, allows user control.

The bread box has been around in one form or another for about half a century, but its basic design re mains the same. The storage heater is usually located above the water outlets. This way gravity does all the work and the system is kept as simple and inexpensive as possible. It has one or more tanks, which are painted black, contained in an insulated box covered at the top and usually on the south face by double or triple glazing. The box is opened, generally by hand, in the morning to expose the glass and tank to the sun. It is closed at night to minimize the loss of heat. The tank can be filled by some independent method, such as a hose, or can be connected to the main water supply of the house. The insulated, solar-heated water in the tank is unlikely to freeze in most areas. However, if you live in an area subject to deep freezes, you probably shouldn’t use this system. In any case, insulate the pipes that carry water from and to the heater. This will minimize ordinary heat loss and guard against freezing.

Solar heat can be collected at a point below the storage tank and transported to the tank by thermo-siphoning. This action relies on gravity, taking advantage of the fact that warm liquid rises and cooler liquid falls. In thermo-siphon systems, cool water is warmed by the solar collector at the bottom of the system. It rises and is piped to the top of the storage tank. As it cools, the water falls to the bottom of the tank and reenters the collector. Water for use in the house is tapped from the top of the storage tank, where it's warmest. The continuous cycle raises the temperature of the water in the storage tank as long as the sun shines on the collector, How long the solar-heated water remains warm after the sun ceases to shine depends on the capacity of the storage tank and how effectively the tank is insulated.

For an electric heater, add enough here to attach the top.

Gas heater Electric heater

Bread Box Collector

Active systems. Most solar hot-water systems available commercially are active systems, which use pumps to circulate the water. They are also equipped with controllers that turn on the pumps only when the sun is heating the water in the system.

The pumps most commonly used are 1 1/2 to 1/36 horsepower depending on the number of collectors, size of pipes, and height difference between the storage tank and the collector. The controllers used to activate the system measure the temperature difference between the coldest part of the water storage tank and the warmest part of the collector. The pump is turned off or on by signals from the controller. To activate the pump, the collector needs to be about seven degrees (F) warmer than the storage tank. This temperature difference means there is heat to be gained in the collector, and the water is moved to retrieve it. As long as the temperature difference remains, the pump will stay on and the water will be sent to the collectors to continue the cycle. When the sun sets or is covered by clouds, the water in the collector becomes cooler, and the controller shuts down the pump until the sun again comes out, and the collector becomes warmer than the storage tank.

Auxiliary systems. Auxiliary solar water-heating systems are connected to an existing hot-water system. The water supply that would normally enter your water heater as cold water is first piped into the solar heating system. When you turn on the hot-water faucet, water is drawn from the solar storage tank into your gas or electric water heater. The heater’s thermostat has been set for the temperature that you want your hot water to be delivered so it heats the entering water to that temperature. For instance, if the water comes into your house from the water company at 60 degrees and you have your heater’s thermostat set at 130 degrees, as soon as the solar system has heated the water to 100 degrees about half of your water heating has already been accomplished. Any heating done by the sun is that much less work required by gas or electricity.

Heat exchangers. If there is any possibility that freezing or near-freezing temperatures might reach your solar system, insulation is critical. It takes only one cold night to burst pipes that may require complete replacement to repair your system. One sure-fire way to prevent your solar heater pipes from freezing is to fill them with anti freeze solution. Unfortunately, you can't drink anti freeze and live to enjoy a bath in solar-heated water.

To get around this difficulty, heat exchangers are used. The most common heat exchanger is made of copper tubes immersed in a storage tank within the house, The antifreeze solution, or transfer fluid as it’s called, is pumped through the solar collector to pick up heat and then through a heat exchanger coil in contact with the potable water supply in the storage tank. The heat in the transfer fluid is picked up by the potable water in the tank, and then this heated water is piped into the gas or electric water heater as in the auxiliary system just de scribed. There is no contact or mixing between the transfer fluid and the potable water. Whatever you do, do not allow antifreeze into your household water supply.

Reflective

Double-glazed for insulation Reflective

Tank painted black

Valves

(normally open)

Bypass valve (normally closed) water

Thermosiphon Water Heater

Active Solar Water Heater