Part 4

Electric heating cable can be used to prevent pipes from freezing. The cable should be wrapped around the pipe and covered with insulation.

Thawing

Use of electric heating cable is a good method of thawing frozen pipe, because the entire heated length of the pipe is thawed at one time.

Thawing pipe with a blowtorch can be dangerous. The water may get hot enough at the point where the torch is applied to generate sufficient steam under pressure to rupture the pipe. Steam from the break could severely scald you.

Thawing pipe with hot water is safer than thawing with a blowtorch. One method is to cover the pipe with rags and then pour the hot water over the rags.

When thawing pipe with a blowtorch, hot water, or similar methods, open a faucet and start thawing at that point. The open faucet will permit steam to escape, thus reducing the chance of the buildup of dangerous pressure. Do not allow the steam to condense and refreeze before it reaches the faucet.

Underground metal pipes can be thawed by passing a low-voltage electric current through them. The current will heat the entire length of pipe through which it passes. Both ends of the pipe must be open to prevent the buildup of steam pressure.

CAUTION: This method of thawing frozen pipe can be dangerous and should be done by an experienced person only. It cannot be used to thaw plastic tubing or other non-electricity-conducting pipe or tubing.

REPAIRING WATER CLOSETS

Water closets (commonly called toilets) vary in general design and in the design of the flushing mechanism. But they are enough alike that general repair instructions can suffice for all designs.

Flushing Mechanism

Figure 7 shows a common type of flushing mechanism. Parts that usually require repair are the flush valve, the intake (float) valve, and the float ball.

In areas of corrosive water, the usual copper flushing mechanism may deteriorate in a comparatively short time. In such cases, it may be advisable to replace the corroded parts with plastic parts. You can even buy plastic float balls.

Flush Valve

The rubber ball of the flush valve may get soft or out of shape and fail to seat properly. This causes the valve to leak. Unscrew the ball from the lift wire and install a new one.

The trip lever or lift wire may corrode and fail to work smoothly, or the lift wire may bind in the guides. Disassemble and clean off corrosion or replace parts as necessary.

Most plumbing codes require a cutoff valve in the supply line to the flush tank, which makes it unnecessary to close down the whole system (fig. 7). If this valve was not installed, you can stop the flow of water by propping up the float with a piece of wood. Be careful not to bend the float rod out of alignment.

Intake (Float) Valve

A worn plunger washer in the supply valve will cause the valve to leak. To replace the washer--

Shut off the water and drain the tank.

Unscrew the two thumb-screws that hold the levers and push out the levers.

Lift out the plunger, unscrew the cup on the bottom, and insert a new washer. The washer is made of material such as rubber or leather.

Examine the washer seat. If nicked or rough, it may need refacing.

If the float-valve assembly is badly corroded, replace it.

Float Ball

The float ball may develop a leak and fail to rise to the proper position. (Correct water level is about 1 inch below the top of the overflow tube or enough to give a good flush.) If the ball fails to rise, the intake valve will remain open and water will continue to flow. Brass float balls can sometimes be drained and the leak soldered. Other types must be replaced. When working on the float ball, be careful to keep the rod aliened so that the ball will float freely and close the valve properly.

Bowl Removal

An obstruction in the water closet trap or leakage around the bottom of the water-closet bowl may require removal of the bowl. Follow this procedure: