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The homeowners guide to Plumbing, Episode #1, Organization.

Frank The Plumber

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Feb 19, 2011
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2,644
Location
Chicago.
In the world that you and I live in there will always be the constant distraction, the forgotten item, the over looked maintenance schedule.

There will always be two types of person, the proactive minded maintainer and the oops I'm in trouble victim.

I get the unique opportunity to view each of these types of people. I know first hand that the proactive maintainer saves money by acting upon a situation rather than having a situation act upon him.
He saves in service charges and their cost, insurance premiums, minor incident damage and he saves in lost work time as he takes less time away from work to address the little or sometimes fantastic mishaps that occur in his day to day life. I say he but ladies this especially applies to you, most incidents require a large amount of heavy moving and brutal work to clean up, so let's have you if no one else organize your home for services and maintenance, my Mrs. in particular gets a red Faced I'm gonna die look from all of this, so let's keep you safe.

Ok, I captured you at saves money, so let's show you how.

Any mechanical device apparatus or doo dad that we use in our homes has a service life. This could be determined by the number of times a switch can cycle or just the composition of the make of the item

One prime example of this would be a device that many of us regard as a blessing yet a demons creation, the old venerable sump pump. You either love or hate this contraption. Love it for working or hate it for not.
Alright.....how old exactly is your sump pump?
Have you written down, I dunno?
That would be a problem.

The average sump pump has a cycle life capacity of 500,000 cycles per a major pump techs just off his collar confident endorsement.
Hey that's a lot, why worry?
If your pump goes on and off 5 times in one minute during a ground water saturation event (heavy to moderate rain) would that be a problem?
Want to do a little math quiz? 5 x 60 x 24 x 365...........That is a big number is it not?
Now it's most likely that you would not be cycling this often on a regular basis, if you are cycling this often you may have a design problem.
You can see however that you could consume the life expectancy of this mechanical servant quite rapidly. This is why we need to know how old it is.

This system of organization is not so difficult, any of use who has a common kit or bill paying procedure can simply go through their homes, take an inventory of the mechanisms that serve us and construction a system for their convenient replacement before they fail.
You might say, hey if it ain't broke don't fix it. OK, I agree, that is an enticing way to go about the subject. And that is why during the last rain event here I replaced 42 sump pumps in 7 days, every one in a basement under a foot of water minimum. Sadly you now are going to need to service almost every mechanism in the basement due to flood water encroachment.....You'll come around...I have faith in you.

Some of the items that need to be on your list of mechanisms will include:

Sump pumps; Replace every 5 or 6 years, have the floats checked every 2,

Battery back up pumps: Same applies

Back up Batteries: Wet 5 to 6 but have them checked at 3 years for voltage, have them cleaned every year.
Sealed replace at 4 to 5 years. Clean the contacts and have them checked annually.

Flood stop devices: Clean annually or after each rain event that could cause a flood, replace at 4 years.

Check valves: Replace each time you change a pump.

Flexible gas connectors: Replace per the manufacturers recommendation or at 8 years minimum, if the maker says 5 that does not mean 8 cause I say 8, follow their recommendations.

Ejector pumps: Ejector pumps should be inspected every year or so to be sure no detritus is being captured on the float mechanism, 6 years for a service life is about it for these. You could say, I don't hardly use it. Ok, but look at the environment it is sitting dormantly in, non use of a bearing motor in that environment is worse than a properly cycled life. The gaskets are still being reacted upon as well.

Faucet washers or cartridges: About 10 years

Dish machine hoses: I've seen a lot of delivery men use hoses that have been under a machine for 30 years. What do they care? About 10 years on a soft hose or out with the old machine.

Flexible white plumbing connectors: Minimum of 5 years and out, if they are puffed or crunchy or do not flex get them out of your home. Replace them.
Braided connectors: All types 10 years and out, same applies, these are just jacketed, there is still a cheap plastic hose in there. not more than 10.

Wash machine hoses: 8 years. these are just black garden hoses, that get old and crack and flood your house.

Toilet flapper: Large diameter such as Toto or early Kohler replace the flapper at 3 years. All others replace at 5 years.

The simplest thing to do is to start from this point forth tracking these items replacement. If you do not know how old something is, ask yourself have I ever replaced it? How long have I lived here? 20 years? Yeah buddy I have a stitch of work to do, 3 or 4 years, I should get my act together, start with a date of now and slowly and systematically start to replace these items.

Keep in mind, it is not only the plumbing items that are consumed. There will be a whole list of gidgets gadgets and gizmos to consider from the heating man to the appliance service tech.
I am sure that you could feel overwhelmed by the concept of replacing all of these things and wonder why or just say, hey this man is just angling towards work. Fact is, in the end you will replace these items at the same frequency, or interval, you will just be inconvenienced less and find catastrophe less.

You will be a happier person in the end and you will put out a lot fewer personal keep sakes momentos and valuables at the curb after a rain event.
 
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theoldwizard1

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Feb 22, 2011
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SE MI
I guess i have been living a charmed life. I am currently exceeding many of your recommendations.

Do those flood prevention washing machine hoses really work ? Not the fancy system with the sensor and the electric valves. What do you use at your house ?
 

ambenz

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Dec 12, 2010
Messages
3,999
Location
NW Chicago Suburbs
Great advice Frank!
I have dates on everything downstairs from pumps and water heaters, to washer hoses to air filters.
Preventative maintence allows me to fix a potential problem..."At MY Convenience."
When was the last time you vacuumed out the refridgerator coils??? Might save some energy.....
 

theoldwizard1

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Feb 22, 2011
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SE MI
A year ago my wife started complaining that the gas dryer was not working properly. I asked when was the last time she cleaned the hose. That went on for a week, until she pulled the hose and vacuumed it out.

(BTW, she was right ! The gas valve would open the first time, but never again during that cycle.)
 

brewchief

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Sep 20, 2008
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2,223
Location
Michigan
Since I'm about overdue for a sump pump do you have any brand recommendations? I deal with several plumbing suppliers so even if a brand is pro only I shouldn't have much trouble sourcing one.
 
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Frank The Plumber

Frank The Plumber

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Feb 19, 2011
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Location
Chicago.
Septic systems are not something that I have much contact with being in a large city with a combined sewer system. They should also be on a preventive maintenance list.

The flushing of a hot water heater, if you choose to do it should be done every 6 months from the point of purchase date. Many people wait 3 years or so and feel that there is nothing to flush until then. By that time you have already solidified a large amount of calcareous formation on the tank bottom and it is hard to flush it through the drain port.
Either flush often and on a regular schedule or don't bother, because if you only flush a heater every several years you are only flushing the bit near the valve.

I personally install and endorse Hydromatic Sump Pumps and Zoeller Sump Pumps, these 2 pumps are both still made of a majority of USA components and have served me well. There are a lot of other fine models out there, these 2 are just my most familiar.
Be sure to install a new check valve as well, the flappers stick and break over time.
 

Orangestang

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Dec 22, 2010
Messages
525
Location
Glendale ,AZ
Most people don't worry about stuff till it breaks then they freak out when it does and wind up paying some service guy double time when it does, also not everyone has the skills to fix/replace things like most of us here. I to love Zoller sump pumps they last a long time but I also have one as a spare sitting new in the box ready to go. I also keep a flame sensor and a igniter on hand for my furnace.This year my power has been out 3 times from 1-4 days so my generator is always ready to go too. My neighbors know they can count on me when the power goes out. I have one neighbor thats has an oxygen concentrator that I power up for her.I'm the guy that seems to have everything to help everyone out when needed and I don't mind.
 
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rickairmedic

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May 31, 2005
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Location
louisville ,Ky
Zoeller sump pumps are made right up the road from me here in Louisville and I agree they are the best one out there in my oppinion.


Rick
 

BBQ&Love

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Nov 12, 2010
Messages
1,061
Location
Texas
Couple notes Frank. For sewage ejection systems (tank and pump) I switched over to the Liberty PRO370. Love them!

I lived and worked for awhile in an area where on this one water system it was common for water heaters to last 14 to 24 years. On the next water system over, they were lucky to get 7 out of the cheap ones. I remember removing an old water heater because we couldn't readily source the element. (Old coil in a dry well type of set up. They wanted hot water that night.) No leaks and my boss had first recorded working on it 24 years earlier. It was older than that. I cut it open with a torch and scooped up the sediment. Less than a cup. Never been flushed.

BTW, in that same area, no one used dielectric unions and never any problems.

For myself, when I install my own WH the first thing I do is yank the dip tube out and install my own homemade one with a curve on the bottom. Then I replace the drain valve with a 3/4 nipple, a ball valve, a 3/4 MIP x Male Hose Thread Adapter, and a brass hose cap. Couple times a year (time change) I hook a hose up and let 'er buck for a minute or two.
 

mrobins297aaa

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Sep 20, 2010
Messages
3,285
Location
south east michigan
Good post Frank, lots of good advice.

I've got a 11 year old Bradford white hwh and its been in the back of my mine all this year that maybe its time to replace it, I'm on a well with a softner and propane so that probably makes it worst.
 

AdamH

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Nov 1, 2010
Messages
81
Location
Scituate, RI
Very informative post! Along with the sewage ejector pump, does the pit itself have an expected lifetime or is that something that should not fail?
 
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Frank The Plumber

Frank The Plumber

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Feb 19, 2011
Messages
2,644
Location
Chicago.
I suppose that you may think that the pit should last a long time. I have to relate that I have seen pits that had broken down. Generally the actual pit is not something that would sneak up on you out of no where and fail on you. I think it should be inspected periodically,say when you swap the pump , but not given it's own criteria towards maintenance.
 

rburke65

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Nov 10, 2007
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12,342
Location
Canfield, Ohio
The wife and i were at Home Depot for whatever....She likes to get "in" and then "out". Me.....I just like to walk around, look, shop...I don't have to buy anything...just shop. She says I've been looking all over for you! What are you looking at? Water heater, (we have a well) because ours is getting old and I think I'd rather have a new one sitting there, ready to go when I am ready to change it out and not wait for it to start leaking. WELL that is the dumbest thing I've ever heard.....why would you get rid of a perfectly good water heater? So we leave without the tank. 9 days later, we come home from work, and she goes to the basement to get something from the pantry and lets out a big scream.....there is water all over the FINISHED basement floor. The bottom of the tank had a hole in it and been leaking all day. Thank you Jesus. I wasn't so dumb 9 days later. What a mess. All the carpet soaked, and had to be pulled up, carpet cleaners in to suck up water, padding all trashed, legs of some of the furniture damaged, had to contend with the mold issue. She says...so when did you ever listen to me? So, yes, change that water heater.
 

theoldwizard1

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Feb 22, 2011
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SE MI
I to love Zoller sump pumps they last a long time but I also have one as a spare sitting new in the box ready to go.

Best advice you can give to anyone who relies on a sump pump for a dry basement !

I also keep a flame sensor and a igniter on hand for my furnace.
My Carrier furnace flame sensor has a bad habit of getting "coated" with something and then failing. The solution is to clean the sensor with some fine sandpaper. Works every time.
 

mpire

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Nov 21, 2008
Messages
1,827
Location
Florida
We don't have basements here in Florida, so I don't really have to worry about all that stuff.

It doesn't freeze the pipes either.

I did put in a mini-split in the master bedroom recently to make sure I kept the wife on ice.

I am the kind of guy who will take my time and buy the best deal and won't rush into buying whatever the A/C people are selling just to get the A/C back on in the house.

The wife would scream and shout and raise hell till I got it fixed at any cost.

My A/C is 11+ years old and the only surviving one that was installed by the builder in my neighborhood. I figure it will go any week now, but I won't be in a hurry to replace it. I will probably wait and see what you guys tell me to do.

The hot water heater is in the garage, so if it breaks it will just get the bottoms of my tires wet. No issues there.

What about those heat pump water heaters? Are they any good? My neighbor came over to borrow my torque wrench yesterday and said, "You still got the original one? Cool!"

I also clean and service my A/C every 6 months but I have yet to service the water heater. Never knew I could.
 
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