Plumbing and Building Queries????? S.A.

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Originally Posted by journeyman Mick

Bricks,
I've posted a real enough question about "O" rings and your aversion to my use of them.

Mick

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Mick, O-rings wil work if put on as you described and if the fittings are in good enough condition.
Here are just some of my problems with them,
IF you overtighten the fitting, you can tear the O-ring
The fittings have to be in good condition and you need 2 flat surfaces that mate together pretty well.
You need to have the right size in your tool box.

However they will produce a clean looking joint, good for inside your bathroom.

Probably better than an O-ring would be a flat rubber washer, they are almost the same but will have a larger surface area to make the seal and im assuming would be harder to tear.

I think thread tape is a better solution because it will work pretty much everywhere you need to seal a thread regardless of condition and size, and if it looks a bit hairy, it can be trimmed with a stanley knife. Ive hav'nt used an o-ring or flat washer that wasnt included as part of the tap, spout etc, and have often had to replace them with tape due to my overtighting them and therefore ripping them.

My preference is, 1 thread tape, 2 flat rubber washer, 3 O-Ring, 4 LOXEAL paste (hard to undo). Hemp is my preffered joint on really big stuff.

:hpydans:

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Originally Posted by felixe

So in my experience the duct tape works, because if it didn't I wouldn't have the house and the computer to post this story.!!:D :D :D

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Ive seen crazy stuff like that done in emergencies as well felixe, im assuming that it was fixed soon after?

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Originally Posted by OBBob

C'mon this was destined to be a 10 pager from the first post!! :)

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Kinda like the Friday thread without the humour and with even less meaning..................But for some strange reason I keep on reading this crap.................... must get a life..................must get a life....

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Originally Posted by bricks

No hard feelings pawny you just give me the %$#Ts and i think you know what pushes my buttons.

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I have that effect on a lot of people. Believe me when I say that I'm not singling you out.

Perhaps I should get a life.

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Originally Posted by bricks

Kiss Kiss hug hug all that jazz.

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Well I like jazz so maybe we've got something in common.

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Originally Posted by felixe

This duct tape idea may not be as "far fetched" as you all would believe.

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Yeh, there's not a lot of pressure in a gas line.

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Originally Posted by Bleedin Thumb

Kinda like the Friday thread without the humour and with even less meaning..................But for some strange reason I keep on reading this crap.................... must get a life..................must get a life....

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It's the unfolding drama that's so addictive. Perhaps we should both just watch Days Of Our Lives instead.

I'm used to another forum where heated debates are often the norm, and it's amusing watching people lose their composure.

As I've said. I should get a life.

I saw Eric Clapton on friday night , Blues and cool.

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Originally Posted by bricks

I saw Eric Clapton on friday night , Blues and cool.

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Ah you like blues as well. Eric Clapton is pretty cool. (So is Richard Clapton) Is he touring at the moment, or is he a mate of yours?

I like your title as well. La-da-dee, la-da-dar. I’ve got that coming in at the moment. Gypsy Woman by Crystal Waters.

Hey, we’re getting on alright now. Believe it or not I stuck up for you just recently. Someone sent me a PM saying “That bricksy’s not even a plumbers @rsehole”, but I stuck up for you and said “Yes he is”.
j/k :wink:

Can I use PEX for my hot and cold water?

:D

You can:2tsup: but its a bugger getting it thru all those little lollies.:wink:

Uh, what?:?

Oh, sorry I thought it was PEZ!!:doh:

Just keeping this one going - only 4 pages to go!:D

Now look what I've done ...

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Originally Posted by silentC

Can I use PEX for my hot and cold water?

:D

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I can not find any leagal or operational reason why you cant use pex for your hot and cold water.

As the fittings and pipe basically is the same for all types of hot and cold water pipe in terms of design, you can always write out a list of items; tees, elbows, joiners etc that you require. Then go to your local plumbing outlet, ask them what most plumbers are using in your area, the should know because they sell the stuff. If you need to identify an existing product, take a good photo with you.

Hi Bricks

Me again, how are you, good I hope. Anyway serious question -

I know how to fix / replace the taps inside the house. But, what do I do to fix the outside taps that are leaking from the top of the casing at the base of the handle? Notice I didn't say thingy or oozy what!:2tsup:

Oh they only leak when the tap is on.

Celeste

If its a cheep tap- you can't fix it just replace it.

Good taps ( still only $20 max)- if its badly rusted then replace
if in good condition;

turn of the water,

unscrew the top half of the tap

hold the top half and turn the tap as though your turning it fully off ( clockwise), eventually you should see a little black O-Ring around the shaft as it screws out.
Pull this off and replace it with the same size ( I think it's a 5/8 O-Ring ) but take it to the local hardware store and match it with a new one.

change the washer while your there.

Put some thread tape around the thread on the top half and screw it back in.

P.S.
-I never change these O-rings for one reason, It's cheaper and easier for me to replace the whole tap.

- when you screw a new top half in, turn the tap as tho your opening it a little so that the new washer isn't damaged as you tighten it up.

Hi Bricks

Thanks for that.:2tsup:

Celeste

Hi Bricks

I have another Q. I may have made a boo boo.

Ok, bathroom had a bath & shower on one side, that whole side of the bathroom was sunk 50-60mm. therefore giving you a shower base of 50mm tiled and the bath low.

I took out the bath and put a new one at the end of the room, took out the shower screen. (and I chickened out using the brick, made a wooden frame for the bath)

Now, I had a sunken section where the new vanity and shower is to go.
I decided to extend the shower waste and fill the whole thing up with cement (cement slab floor) as it was easier than trying to work out the exact measurements for the vanity and allow me to put in a 600mm. I did it yesturday - man mixing 120kg of cement by hand is hard work!!:oo: Note I have made a slope to the shower waste.


I was speaking to girl friend re above last night, when something dawned on me.

I planned to have a new screen made to just sit on the floor, is this LEGAL or do I need to have some sort of base?:?

quick reply: I can't say, it depends on where you live.

Practical answer. No matter where you live It's a good idea to have drainage from the floor area outside your shower. I do not know of anywhere that specifically states you must have separate floorwates for outside ( this doesn't mean it's not true where you live).

Not having drainage to the main floor of your bathroom ( where you drip all over when you get out) is not a good idea.

Having a compleately flat floor is how we do disabled and elderly showers here in S.A also some high rise apartments aswell I have seen done that way, As far as I know it's not illegal anywhere.

Just make sure that water can travel into your shower recess and down the floor waste. maybe have the shower built with a 5mm gap under the door or made with weep holes in the frame. Ive see both of those plenty of times.

Hi Bricks

Thanks for that, :2tsup: I ended up ring a plumber to get advice - apparently all is OK and he said the same as you, to have some sort of access into the shower for the outside water.

Curiously, we built a new house 04 and the ensuite is open to the bedroom (I have a couple of chest high glass block walls at the entrance - added later) the tiler has a row of 1/2 tiles at the entrance that have been kicked up ? He also did this in the shower (the water does not run off propertly pools in the corners rrrrr!) and the powder room??

Is this a new trend or did he muck up the levels?

I am floating 19mm bamboo down the hall, this will leave me with a drop of 9-10mm into the bathroom, so I plan on laying the last 2 rows of floor tiles at the doorl after the bamboo is layed and then lay them kicking them up to match the bamboo.

Does that sound OK??:? I know your not a tiler, but I expect you see what tricks they use.

celeste

Usually I see a peice of tapered marble or hardwood put in the doorway outside the bathroom.
But if you already have the tiles up maybe get some epoxy or nonshrick grout and just add to the falls already there youll need to scabble the concrete to get a good bond but it will feel like a better job to walk on.

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Originally Posted by bricks

turn of the water,

unscrew the top half of the tap.

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Before you do this turn the tap to fully open to take the valve off the seat

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Originally Posted by bricks

hold the top half and turn the tap as though your turning it fully off ( clockwise), eventually you should see a little black O-Ring around the shaft as it screws out.
Pull this off and replace it with the same size ( I think it's a 5/8 O-Ring ) but take it to the local hardware store and match it with a new one.

change the washer while your there.

Put some thread tape around the thread on the top half and screw it back in..

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Do not put thread tape on the thread as it is a parallel thread and sealed by the washer , only ever use thread tape on a tapered thread .

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Originally Posted by bricks

- when you screw a new top half in, turn the tap as tho your opening it a little so that the new washer isn't damaged as you tighten it up.

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open the tap fully as a little may not clear the seat, (better safe than sorry) and then you are sure you are tighterning down on the washer and not the seat

Rgds