Plumbing

Main Water Shut-Off Valve

The main supply valve, usually located where water enters the house, controls the flow of your entire system. It will be specifically pointed out during your homeowner orientation. Make sure everyone in your household knows where it is located and how to turn it off in an emergency.

Quadrant Homes will not be responsible for the failure of any fixtures resulting from careless or improper use, such as disposing of non-soluble or bulky matter through your toilet. Use only safe and proper disposal methods for grease, lint, diapers, rubbish, hair, etc. If your toilet stops up, follow steps listed in the section on drains, or call a plumber immediately.

Interior Water Shut-Off Valves

Intake valves for fixtures are located nearby, usually behind the toilet, under the sink, etc. Turn off the water supply at this point when making repairs.

Leaks

If you discover a leak, turn off the water supply at the nearest intake valve. If the leak is in your yard or garage, you need to turn off the water at the meter.

If you cannot determine and remedy the cause of the leak, call the plumbing contractor or contact the Homeowner Service Department. Minimize damage by mopping water, extracting it with a shop vacuum, catching it in a bucket, pulling up carpets to dry, etc.

Toilets

A toilet that doesn’t flush properly or runs too much may need a simple water level adjustment. Remove the tank top lid carefully and adjust the float. Either free it from binding or adjust the float screw until the proper water level and shut-off are achieved. In time, the intake valve washer may need replacement, or you may need to replace the ball or clean the ball seat of rust or dirt.

Clean regularly to prevent discoloration. Use commercial cleaners made especially for toilets and use according to directions. Never mix cleaners with household bleach, and do not use toilet cleaners on any other fixtures.

“Water Saver” Toilets

New “water saver” toilets require special care regarding the use of products that may be incorrectly labeled as “flushable” by the manufacturer. These toilets have a maximum of 1.6 gallons. Therefore, for some solids, you may need to flush more than once. It is wise to only use single-ply toilet tissue with these toilets and refrain from using them to dispose of any other type of items, even if the items are identified as flushable.

Washing Machine Hook-Up

Before hooking up your washing machine hoses, we advise flushing the water system to clear it of any solder or other material that may remain in the pipes. Simply hook up a garden hose to each faucet and turn it on full force. We recommend also flushing other lines by opening faucets at all sinks, tubs and showers to remove any remaining fragments prior to personal use.

After you have hooked up the washing machine, please tighten down the packing nuts on the valves to ensure against water leakage. Each time the valve is turned on or off, the packing nuts must be tightened. Check them periodically.

Frozen Plumbing Prevention

When temperatures are below freezing, you will want to take preventive measures to keep your plumbing in good working order. Frozen plumbing interrupts your water supply and can damage property. Become familiar with these procedures:

Locate Your Main Shut-Off Valve – You can stop excessive flooding and water loss by turning off the main shut-off valve which controls the flow of all water into your pipes. Protect your water heater and other appliances affected by water shut-off.

Insulate Exposed Pipes and Faucets – Outdoor faucets and pipes that lead to them should be wrapped with suitable insulation materials. Secure the wrapping with string or wire and cover the wrap with plastic to keep out moisture. Disconnect and store all hoses. Wrap pipes and faucets in unheated areas, such as garages or crawl spaces, in the same manner. Close air vents to crawl spaces to prevent circulation of cold air.

Indoor Precautions – Do not allow indoor temperatures to drop below 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Locate the faucet furthest from the main shut-off valve and turn it on to just a trickle. This keeps water moving through your system and helps prevent freezing. Be aware this may add to your water bill, however.

Procedure for Vacant, Unheated Houses – Turn off the main shut-off valve, then open all faucets to drain the water lines. Drain and pour anti-freeze into sinks, tanks and toilets.

If the Pipes Freeze – Once the pipes are thawed, remove the wet rags and rewrap the pipes with dry insulating material to prevent refreezing. Methods of thawing pipes that require an open flame are extremely dangerous, and we strongly urge against it.

If the Pipes Burst – Turn off the main shut-off valve to control flooding and prevent further damage.

Bathtubs, Sinks and Showers

If any of these drains plug up, first use a plunger. The rubber cup of the plunger must cover the drain opening, with water above the level of the cup. Rhythmically work the plunger up and down 10 to 20 times to build up pressure in the pipe.

This is more effective than sporadic, separated plunges. You will also need to cover any overflow outlet, using an old rag, and close up the other drain if it is a double sink.

When a plunger doesn’t do the job, you can try a plumber’s snake, available at hardware or plumbing stores or through a rental agency. The snake may loosen the debris enough to pass on through the pipes, or the debris may attach itself to the end of the snake. Turn the handle of the snake in the same direction, pulling out as you did inserting, to keep any material from dropping loose on the way up.

If either of these methods partially opens the drain, try pouring boiling water down the drain (or 140-degree water for plastic pipe) to see if it can finish the job. If it is still plugged, you need to find the trap under the fixture, probably accessible through a small panel in an adjoining closet wall or floor. Use a bucket or pan to catch the water as you open it. A wire may dislodge the debris at this point, or you can insert a plumber’s snake.

Caustic soda, as used in commercial drain cleaners, should not be used for a completely stopped up drain. It will combine with grease from soap or food wastes to form an insoluble compound. If you use a caustic drain cleaner and then have to use a plunger to open up the drain, the chemicals will be a hazard.

If the drain is still plugged, locate the nearest clean-out plug beyond the trap. These plugs are located along the drainlines throughout the house.

The first place to look for a problem with stopped up drains is in the trap located under each fixture. This curved pipe serves as a water barrier to prevent sewer gas or air-borne bacteria from backing up and entering your home. If you have any fixtures that are used infrequently, it is a good idea to run water through occasionally. This will replace evaporated water and keep the barrier intact.

You can help prevent drains from clogging by keeping hair and other debris out. Once a month run hot water through the drain to flush it. You can first put in 3 tablespoons of washing soda with a little hot water and let it stand 15 minutes before flushing it generously. NEVER pour grease into a drain or toilet.

Toilet Clogs

The steps for unclogging a toilet are the same, except the trap is built in and less accessible; and rather than a plumber’s snake, you use a coil spring-steel auger which you can buy or rent from a hardware or plumbing store. The auger works best with 2 people, one holding the auger and the other turning the handle. Insert the point into the trap, turning the handle as it goes down. It will either break up the blockage or catch it so you can remove it. Keeping the lid closed when not in use will help prevent foreign objects from accidentally falling in and causing a stopped up drain.

Never flush hair, grease, lint, diapers, rubbish, sanitary napkins, etc. down toilet drains. Such waste stops up the toilet, waste lines, and sanitary sewer lines.

Faucets

Because faucets have moving parts, they are likely to need repairs sooner than non-moving fixtures. You can extend the life of your faucets by treating them gently. Avoid force when turning water on and off; use normal hand pressure only. New houses often have dirt or metal in the water lines which can damage faucet washers. We recommend keeping a supply of various size washers on hand to be prepared to change washers when needed.

Aerators are attached to faucets in kitchens and bathrooms to reduce splashing and cut back on water use. They collect bits of debris from the water supply and will need periodic cleaning. Simply unscrew the aerator from the end of the faucet, remove any debris and rinse washers and screens, replace them in their original order and screw the aerator back on the faucet.

Leaky faucets waste water and cost you money. Most leaks can be fixed by replacing washers, but single-control faucets may need the cartridge replaced. You can find washers at hardware stores, but you may have to go to a plumbing supply store for a replacement cartridge.

Before you begin, be sure to turn off the water supply at the nearest intake valve. With a wrench, unscrew the large nut at the top of the faucet, taking care not to mar the plated surface. Unscrew the internal assembly. At the base of the assembly, a small, slotted screw holds the washer in place. Use a small screwdriver to remove the washer; replace the washer with a new one of the proper size. Check for loose material or debris in the seating area. Replace the inner assembly and the large nut and tighten carefully. Turn the shut-off valve back on and check for leaks.

Water Conservation

Water conservation saves both water and energy, since energy is needed to heat water and run appliances.The following tips are offered to aid you in your conservation efforts:

• Every time a toilet is flushed, 1.6 gallons of water go into the sewer. A toilet should not be used for things that ought to go into a wastebasket.
• A partially full bathtub uses far less water than a long shower, while a short shower uses less than a full tub. Most shower heads pour out between 5 and 10 gallons per minute.
• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving to avoid wasting more water.
• Always load your dishwasher to capacity before turning it on. Most models use between 15 to 25 gallons per run.
• A typical washing machine will use 40 or more gallons to wash each load. You should, therefore, load to the maximum to best utilize the water.
• Repair all faucet leaks promptly to avoid letting valuable water run down the drain. Just a slow drip can add up to 15 to 20 gallons a day, while a 1/16-inch faucet leak wastes over 100 gallons in 24 hours.