Don’t try this at home! Except that people have used these unusual techniques — and more — to fix a leaky toilet until they could call a plumber or run to the hardware store for a replacement part. You can manage without a kitchen sink for a day — there’s...
Homo sapiens is a poopin’ species. We eat, we poop, and some of us have jobs. Yet only recently in human history have we effectively disposed of sewage (poop and water plus other stuff). Philadelphians built their first crude sewer system in 1740. Ironically,...
Chemical drain cleaners are a go-to DIY plumbing solution for homeowners with blocked or slow drains. However, they come with risks and can damage your pipes and septic systems if you don’t know what you’re doing. How Chemical Drain Cleaners Can Damage...
A plumbing disaster, if you’ve ever experienced one, is unforgettable. Even traumatic. Imagine your panic when the living room floods at 10 PM and the shut-off valve fails to stop the flow. Many plumbers offer 24-hour service. Still, they may not arrive in time...
Toilets clog for all kinds of reasons. Sometimes, they seem to clog out of spite. More likely, someone put too much paper in the bowl, or the sewer pipe is getting long in the tooth and working at reduced capacity. Most toilet clogs are minor and need nothing more...
Bummer. There’s a leak in the line connecting the toilet to your home’s water supply. A visual inspection tells you the problem stems from the threaded connection between the water line and the bottom of the toilet tank. Or the problem may lie with the...