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Drains

Select and install a sink, faucet, and drain in the kitchen or bath with these helpful tips and step-by-step instructions. Also, check out the instructional video for draining your water heater. This simple maintenance routine makes a water heater last longer and allows it to heat water more efficiently.

Featured

Removing a Bathtub

If your tub is chipped, difficult to keep clean, or just plain ugly, consider refinishing rather than replacing. You'll probably find several companies in the phone book that use various methods. Check samples of their work and read their guarantees carefully. Note that no refinishing method can

"… cover plate. If a drain assembly is attached … pull it out. (A drain assembly with … directly to a drain trap or, in older … disconnect the drain you may need to … Use a strainer wrench to remove the … unit from the drain line. Depending … cut through a pipe . Remove the WO … there are tub faucet handles, leave …"

Articles

10 Steps to a Sink and Faucet

… pliers Crescent wrench Screwdriver Jigsaw … and towel Sink Faucet Strainer set … off, turn the faucet on to let water and pressure drain from the lines … existing sink and faucet from plumbing. Use a crescent wrench (or a basin …

Bathroom Specs

… horizontal runs of drain and vent pipes … A standard bathtub is 60 inches … diameter PVC pipe for the main drain and the short … inch main drain , and some … than plastic pipe . However … horizontal drain ; codes may … heater to the shower , water pressure …

Accessibility Considerations

… reach the sink's drain plug. The top … A one-touch faucet with a pullout … approved seat in a bathtub . Usually it … detachable handheld shower unit so someone … while sitting. A shower usually provides … solid seat. A shower curtain is usually …

Videos

Draining Water Heater

Danny Lipford: How to drain a water heater.

Thu, 15 Jan 2009|More from Home & Garden
|Drainfound at0:21

we use a lot more efficiently. All you have to do is drain the water heater every year or so. And we featured this idea on our show a couple of years ago. We were amazed of how many e-mails and letters we received and kinda made us realize that a lot of homeowners are not aware of the little bit of work that it takes to drain your water heater. Here's what happens, all those gallons of water that runs through your tank, they do have minerals and a little bit of sediment here and there, and that will settle down in the bottom of the tank. And it just makes it work a lot harder, which is the reason it costs you a lot more money to have all of that hot water. But all you have to do in order to drain your water heater is, if it's electric like this one, turn the power off that comes in to the water heater. If it's gas, turn your gas off. Then, you want to turn the valve here on top that you're supply line going into it completely off. Then, like I've done here earlier and hook up a water hose right to the bottom valve. Now, you may have one that looks like this or maybe one that looks like an outside faucet that you hook this up. Then, you turn this on to start the draining process. Then, you have a pressure release valve right here on top that you wanna open up; that prevents any vacuum from preventing the water from running out. Then, it will take a little while. This is a 30-gallon water heater. It will take a little while for all of it to drain out. And once it's completely drained out and the water stops coming out the other end, then, turn this back on, and

Slide Shows

Replacing a Bathtub

… existing drain Tools Drill … strainer wrench , putty knife … Skills Making drain connections … s putty, pipe -thread … Check the drain and replace … overflow pipe to open or close the drain . A brass … strainer or drain flange … strainer wrench . Clean away …

Clearing Drain Lines

… tightly around the drain opening. Seal any … If more than one drain is stopped or runs … to auger the main drain . Call a professional … it through a main drain Tools Hand-crank … auger, adjustable wrench , pipe wrench , perhaps a …

Bathroom Faucet Repair and Installation

… with a pop-up drain stopper assembly … single-handle faucet usually has copper … tubes to the new faucet using two wrenches … underside of the faucet body. Lower the … use a basin wrench to tighten the … disconnect the drain body from the … making sure the drain body faces the … strap. Apply pipe -thread tape …

Working with Cast-Iron Drain Pipe

… tightened around the cast-iron pipe and the plastic piece to hold … permanent joint. Cast-iron pipe is heavy, so work carefully … hex screwdriver or torque wrench Skills Good carpentry skills … require the use of a torque wrench , which will stop tightening …

Installing an Upflush Toilet

… gravity to drain , it has an … house’s drain . Prestart … adjustable wrench , PVC saw … and running drain and vent lines … unit, PVC pipe and fittings … the vent and drain in a code … the discharge pipe to the backflow … the house's drain in a code … Connect the drain and vent pipes … for a tub/ shower and a sink …

Kitchen Faucet Repair and Installation

… Screwdriver, adjustable wrench , groove-joint pliers, basin wrench , putty knife Skills … water and remove the drain trap Materials New faucet , plumber's putty, pipe -thread tape, masking … underneath use a wrench or pliers to hold …