Part 2

Figure 2 shows an ordinary 3/8-inch, 4-ball-handle compression faucet for a washstand. To replace the seat washer, shut off the water to the faucet and open the faucet one or two turns of the handle. With a monkey wrench on the hexagonal part of the stuffing box unscrew the stuffing box from the body of the faucet. Lift out the stem, replace the old washer with a new one, as previously described, and screw the stuffing box into the body.

A worn washer with constant leakage over the seat of a compression faucet, together with grit lodging there, often causes the seat to become cut, nicked, and grooved. The trouble occurs more often in hot-water than in cold-water faucets. Such seats can easily be reground or squared with a simple seat dressing tool, two types of which are shown in figure 3, A and B. A seat dresser with four cutters for different-sized faucets costs about $2, and its use saves buying new faucets. To dress the seat of a faucet, unscrew the stem from the body to the faucet, as above described. Screw the adjustable, threaded cone of the tool (see fig. 3, A) down into the body of the faucet, as shown in figure 3, C, thus centering it over the seat. With the hand, as shown in figure 3, D, gently rotate the wheel handle at the top of the tool several times, and the cutter on the bottom of the stem squares the seat. Turn the faucet bottom side up and shake out the cuttings. Reassemble the faucet and turn on the water to wash out any remaining cuttings.

Seat washers are subject to damage from metal filings left in newly installed water pipes. A good plumber, before screwing up a piece of pipe, always stands the pipe on end and raps it with a hammer to clear the bore.

Figure 4, A, shows an ordinary half-inch lever-handle Fuller faucet which closes with the pressure. As shown in figure 4, B, the bottom of the spindle is eccentric, so that slight turning of the handle moves the rubber ball to and from the beveled seat. To replace the ball shut off the water to the faucet. Unscrew the body from the tailpiece with the hands or with a monkey wrench on the hexagonal part of the body of the faucet. It may be necessary to apply a wrench to the hexagonal nut on the tailpiece and press the wrench downward to prevent unscrewing the tailpiece. Unscrew the stem nut, which holds the brass cap and rubber ball on the stem. Put on a new ball and replace cap and nut. Red rubber balls are considered to be better than black balls for hot-water faucets. Avoid using too large a ball, as swelling of the rubber may hinder the flow. Screw the faucet into the tailpiece. Just before the joint closes or "makes up", wrap a little string packing or candle wicking around the thread on the faucet to make the joint water-tight.

TOP WASHERS AND PACKINGS

A top washer or packing; snugly fitting the stem is necessary to prevent leakage upward through the cap nut when a faucet is opened. If the space is too tightly packed, the stem binds, nudging it hard to operate the faucet; if too loosely packed, water spurts from the top of the cap nut. Figure 5, A, shows a soft rubber-and-fabric top washer suitable for the compression faucet shown in figure 1. This washer is one-eighth of an inch thick and rests on the top of the body of the faucet, making a water-tight joint when the cap nut is screwed down. Just below the soft washer and inside the top of the body a thin brass washer is placed to take the wear when the faucet is fully opened. These washers are separated in the illustration but are together when placed in a faucet.

New faucets of the kind shown in figure 1 usually have the top washers shown in figure 5, B. The rubber washer fills the space beneath the cap nut, and the thin fiber and brass washers are for the purposes described above. If no top washer is available, the space may be packed with candle wicking or soft twine, to which a little mutton or beef tallow should be applied to lubricate the stem, to preserve the packing, and to make it more impervious to water.

When placing the top washer or washers on a compression faucet of the kind shown in figure 1, it is unnecessary to shut off the water provided the faucet is closed. With the right hand keep the faucet closed and with a monkey wrench in the left hand unscrew the cap nut. Unscrew the handle screw and remove handle and cap nut. Put on new washers as shown in figure 5, A, or 5, B, and reassemble the parts.

Figure 5, C, shows the stem packing for the washstand faucet shown in figure 2. The packing space is very small and is filled with candle wicking lubricated with tallow. There is a thin brass friction washer in the bottom of the stuffing box, and a hexagonal packing nut screws into the top of the box. To renew the candle wicking, keep the faucet closed. Unscrew the packing nut with a monkey wrench, wrap a little wicking around the stem, and screw the packing nut down against the wicking and into the stuffing box.

Spindle packing for a Fuller faucet (see fig. 4) is shown in figure 5, D, and consists of three collars or rings obtainable from plumbing dealers for a few cents. A lead ring or packing about one-eighth of an inch long goes first (lowest) on the spindle; then a rubber-and-fabric composition packing about one-fourth of an inch long; then a brass packing about one-fourth of an inch long. Screwing down the cap nut compresses the composition packing, and the metal packings take up friction and wear. To put in new packings, shut off the water from the faucet and remove the handle and cap nut, as described in connection with compression faucets.

STOP AND WASTE COCKS

Figure 6, A, shows an adjustable socket-lever handle, ground key, flat way, stop and waste cock to shut off water to part or all of a piping system and to drain the higher situated pipes from which the flow is cut off. A stop and waste should always be placed on the house supply pipe just inside the house or the cellar wall. They are very useful on branch pipes from a cellar or kitchen to upstairs or back rooms subject to freezing temperatures or other temporary discontinuance of the supply. Figure 6, B, shows the disassembled parts, all of which except the handle are brass. The key or plug is ground to a water-tight fit in the body of the cock, and water is turned on or off by giving the handle a quarter turn. Turning the handle crosswise of the pipe shuts off the supply, and the dead water drains back through the small round hole in the side of the plug and out the waste tube.

Many stop and waste cocks have broken or bent handles or are otherwise rendered useless, because people do not understand them. As received from dealers, the nut on the bottom of the plug is generally screwed up tight, making it difficult or impossible to turn the handle and plug. Long periods of disuse frequently cause the plug to stick fast in the body. The plug is easily loosened by slightly unscrewing the bottom nut and striking the lower end of the plug a few light blows with a hammer. Slight leakage caused by wear of the plug or dirt around it may be prevented by cleaning the plug and tightening the bottom nut. A plug badly worn from long or continual use can be reground, but it is usually better and cheaper to get a new plug or a complete new cock.

BALL COCKS

Figure 7, A, shows an ordinary compound-lever ball cock to control the water supply in a flush tank. The float ball and the seat washer on the bottom of the plunger are the only parts likely to need repairs. The buoyancy of the float is the force which lowers the plunger, shutting off the water as the tank fills. A leaky, water-logged float holds the plunger up, permitting constant flow and waste of water. A small leak in a copper float can be soldered; but if in bad condition, the float should be replaced by a new one. A good copper, bakelite, or hard-rubber float 4 by 5 inches costs 25 to 50 cents.

Figure 7, B, shows the plunger and washer-holder cap which screws on the bottom of the plunger. The washer should be of soft rubber or leather, because the force which holds it to its seat is not heavy. The cap is thin brass. To replace the washer, shut off the water and drain the tank. Unscrew the two thumbscrews which pivot the float-rod lever and plunger lever. Push the two levers to the left, drawing the plunger lever through the head of the plunger. Lift out the plunger, unscrew the cap on the bottom of the plunger, insert a soft, new washer, and reassemble the parts. The cap may be so corroded and weakened that it breaks during removal from the plunger. A new cap is then necessary, and it is well to have one or two on hand. When putting a washer on a ball cock, examine the seat to see that it is free of nicks and grit. The seat may need regrinding, as explained under compression faucets.

FLUSH VALVES FOR LOW TANKS

Figure 8 shows a common type of flush valve for a low tank. Probably no other plumbing in the home needs attention so often. It is under water and subject to fouling and neglect. The hollow rubber ball gets out of shape and fails to drop squarely into the hollowed seat. The handle and lever fail to work smoothly or the lift wires get out of plumb, causing the ball to remain up when it should drop to its seat. To remove these difficulties, stop inflow to the tank by holding up the float of the ball cock or supporting it with a stick. Drain the tank by raising the rubber ball. If the ball is worn, out of shape, or has lost its elasticity, unscrew the lower lift wire from the ball and replace it with a new one. A 2-1/2-inch rubber ball costs about 25 cents, and a new one should always be kept in the house. The lift wires should be straight and plumb. The lower lift wire is readily centered over the center of the valve by means of the adjustable guide holder. By loosening the thumbscrew, the holder is raised, lowered, or rotated about the overflow tube! By loosening the lock nut and turning the guide screw, the horizontal position of the guide is fixed exactly over the center of the valve, these adjustments are very important. The upper lift wire should loop into the lever armhole nearest to a vertical from the center of the valve. A tank should empty within 10 seconds. Owing to lengthening of the rubber ball and insufficient rise from its seat, the time may be longer than 10 seconds and the flush correspondingly weak. This trouble may be overcome by shortening the loop in the upper lift wire. A drop or two of lubricating oil on the lever mechanism makes it work more smoothly.

CLOGGED PIPES

Rust and dirt in water pipes are more or less successfully removed as follows: Tie a piece of small, stout cord to each end of a 2-foot length of small chain. Each piece of cord should be a little longer than the length of pipe to be cleaned. Attach the free end of one of the cords to a stiff steel wire and push the wire and cord through the pipe. By means of the cords pull the chain back and forth through the pipe, and then thoroughly flush the pipe with clean water under strong pressure. Long lines may be opened at intervals and cleaned section by section.

Other methods are: Using a swab or wire brush attached to a small steel or brass rod; flushing with a powerful hand pump; or filling the pipe with diluted muriatic acid and allowing it to stand in the pipe long enough for the acid to act. If the treatment is unsuccessful it should be repeated. A mixture of 1 part of acid and 7 parts of water allowed to stand overnight in 1,000 feet of badly rusted 1-inch pipe has given good results. After the acid treatment the pipe should be flushed long and thoroughly with clean water to remove as fully as possible all dirt, rust, and traces of acid.

When new piping is put in, abrupt turns are sometimes made with =T= branches instead of elbows. The unused leg of the branch can be closed with a screw plug, thus permitting easy access to the interior of the pipe.

=Caution:= When a stop and waste (or valve) on a water service is closed to permit cleaning or repairs, care should be taken to prevent the formation of a vacuum in the high parts of the water piping and the connections to plumbing fixtures; otherwise siphon action may draw pollution from water closets having water-controlled or seat-operated flush valves and from bathtubs, washbasins, laundry tubs, or other fixtures in which the spout (discharge end of the water line) is lower than the fixture rim, or worse, below the fixture overflow. Vacuum and siphon action may be destroyed by opening the highest connected faucet or an air cock in the top of the water line or by equipping the system with suitable automatic vacuum breakers.

All waste pipes and traps are subject to fouling. Dirt collects in the bottom and grease adheres to the sides. The usual way of clearing ordinary fixtures traps is to unscrew the clean-out ping, as shown in figure 9, and wash out the obstructing matter or pull it out with a wire bent to form a hook. Small obstructions are often forced down or drawn up by the use of a simple rubber force cup (sometimes called "the plumber's friend") costing 30 to 60 cents. This device is shown in figure 10. The cup is placed over the fixture outlet and the fixture is partially filled with water. The wood handle of the cup is then worked rapidly down and up, causing alternate expulsion of the water from beneath the cup and suction upward through the waste pipe and trap. If a trap and the waste pipe from it are clogged with grease, hair, or lint, it is best to open or disconnect the trap and dig out the greasy matter with a stick. The use of chemical solvents in waste pipes is explained in Farmers' Bulletin 1426, "Farm Plumbing."

A variety of inexpensive flexible coil wire augers and sewer rods are available for removing obstructions--mainly newspapers, rags, toilet articles, grease, garbage, or other solids--from traps, waste pipes, sewers, and drains. The growth of roots in sewers and drains causes much trouble which better workmanship in making the joints would have avoided. Augers and rods come in various sizes and lengths. Stock lengths for clean-out augers for closet bowls are 3, 6, and 9 feet and cost from $1 upward. Figure 11 shows two kinds of flexible augers for general purposes. The upper is 4 feet long and has a small steel cable from the handle to the wire hooks. The hooks can be drawn into the coil, thus facilitating entry into a trap. The lower auger is 8 feet long, has a crank handle and corkscrew point generally preferred for closet-bowl work. Placing a few sheets of toilet paper in the bowl and then flushing usually indicates whether the obstruction has been dislodged.

Flexible coil steel waste-pipe cleaners commonly come in diameters of 3/16, 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, and 5/8 inch and in lengths of 6, 9, 15, 25, 50, and 100 feet. The 3/16-inch size in 9-foot length without handle or corkscrew point costs about $1. The 1/4-inch size in 9-foot length with automatic grip handle costs slightly more. The small sizes are very useful in sink, lavatory, and bathtub traps and waste pipes.

Flat steel sewer rods, equipped with either an oval or a revolving spear point and an automatic grip handle, come in stock lengths of 25, 50, 75, and 100 feet, in widths of 1/4 to 1-1/2 inches, and in thicknesses of 1/16 and 1/8 inch. A rod 1/16 by 3/4 inch and 50 feet long costs $4 to $5; a rod 1/8-inch thick, costing $5 to $8, is desirable for ordinary sewer-cleaning purposes. Round sewer rods of 7/8-inch hickory or ash in 3- or 4-foot lengths with hook couplings and simple sewer brushes and root cutters are described in Farmers' Bulletin 1227, Sewage and Sewerage of Farm Homes.

THAWING PIPES