Renovation 4th Edition

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Renovation 4th Edition Page 81

by Michael Litchfield


  Pop-up

  P R O T I P

  away from ledgers supporting

  Water nut

  stopper

  it underneath.

  If your area gets hard freezes,

  3

  you should drain outdoor spigots

  /8-in.

  Flange

  supply riser

  and indoor supply pipes in under-

  heated areas such as crawlspaces

  and garages. To make pipe drain-

  Trap arm

  ing easy, slope supply lines

  slightly downward and install

  stop and waste valves at the low

  Threaded drain body

  point of the line. These valves

  Locknut

  have small threaded caps that

  you can loosen to drain the line

  Drain tailpiece

  and thereby avoid split pipes

  Slip-nut coupling

  caused by freezing water.

  Angle stop

  P-trap

  connect the risers loosely to the threaded faucet

  stems, allowing you to reposition them if needed

  when attaching their lower ends to the angle stops.

  For rimless and self-rimming sinks, first set the mounting device

  zzzzzz sink-mounting Details

  Set the unit. Sink (or lav) installations vary,

  or sink edge in plumber’s putty, which will compress.

  depending on whether the unit is surface

  mounted, under mounted, flush mounted, wall

  RIMLESS SINK

  mounted, or set atop a pedestal. Self-rimming

  Sink rim

  units are among the most common. Once you’ve

  Plastic laminate

  Sink lip

  attached the hardware, apply a bead of silicone

  caulk to the sink lip, turn the unit over, and press

  it flat to the surface (or underside) of the coun-

  Rim clip

  ter. Some sinks need nothing more to secure

  them, although many have mounting clips

  Plumber’s putty

  similar to those shown at right. Wall-mounted

  or caulk

  models slip down into a bracket, which must be

  SELF-RIMMING SINK

  lag-screwed to blocking attached to studs—

  preferably let into the stud edges. Level the sink

  Clear

  silicone caulk

  front to back and side to side.

  Enameled cast-

  iron sink lip

  Connect the drain. With the sink or lav in place,

  Granite or marble

  connect the drainpipe. To the drain stub sticking

  out of the walls, glue a threaded male trap adapter,

  Plywood or backer-board substrate

  which will receive a slip coupling. Slide the trap

  arm into the coupling, but don’t tighten it yet.

  The other end of the trap arm turns down 90°

  and, being threaded, couples to an adjustable

  UNDERMOUNT SINK

  P-trap, which you can swivel so that it aligns to

  Cast-iron/

  the tailpiece coming down from the lav. The other

  Cultured marble,

  porcelain sink

  end of the P-trap has another slip coupling, into

  Corian®, and so on

  which the sink tailpiece fits. When trap pieces

  Sink clip

  are correctly aligned, tighten the slip couplings.

  Kitchen sinks are much the same, except that

  the upper part of a sink tailpiece is threaded to

  plumbing

  347

  SeTTINg a PedeSTaL SINk

  Check the sink for level one last time, tighten the lag

  screws to secure the sink, and connect the supply risers

  top and bottom.

  It usually takes several tries and some

  fine-tuning to level the pedestal,

  level the sink in two directions, and

  tighten to the bottom of a strainer body. To drain

  lag-screw the sink to a 2x blocking

  double sinks, use the hookups shown in “End-

  let into the studs.

  Outlet Continuous Waste,” at left. Back-to-back

  lavs or sinks can also share a common drain, by

  using a figure-5 fitting as shown on p. 333.

  Because the slot in the bank of the pedestal is narrow and

  Connect supply pipes. To each supply pipe

  the wall is close, there won’t be enough room to tighten

  stub-out, attach a shutoff valve, typically an angle

  slip-nut couplings on the drain. Instead, after starting the

  lag screws, lift and support the front of the sink while a

  stop with a compression fitting. Slide the angle

  helper slides the pedestal forward. after connecting the

  stop’s 1⁄2-in. socket over the stub-out, and tighten

  drain fittings, slide the pedestal back and lower the sink.

  the fitting so that the ferrule inside compresses

  and forms a positive seal. Alternatively, you can

  sweat 1⁄2-in. male threaded adapters onto the

  stub-outs, wrap Teflon tape on the threads, and

  screw on a shutoff valve with a 1⁄2-in. threaded

  female opening.

  Riser attachments depend on whether you

  zzzzzz end-outlet Continuous waste

  11/4-in. or

  install rigid chromed tubing, which inserts into a

  11/2-in. tailpieces

  compression fitting on the angle stop, or a flexi-

  Slip-nut

  ble braided supply line, which has nuts on both

  trap adapter

  ends. Rigid tubing must be shaped with a tubing

  Sanitary tee

  bender and cut to exact length, whereas braided

  supply can be easily twisted or looped so it fits.

  Elbow

  Total pipe length includes

  fitting sockets.

  P-trap

  FLaWed Toilets

  A common assembly for double sinks

  save fixture invoices and shipping boxes until

  or lavatories.

  you’ve inspected fixtures for flaws. You’ll need

  both to return defective units. apart from

  chipped enamel or cracks, the most common

  toilet flaws are a foot that is not flat, a

  deformed horn, or bowl and tank surfaces that

  don’t mate correctly.

  348 Chapter 12

  P R O T I P

  zzzzzz Factory-Installed Tank-to-Bowl Connection

  Don’t overtighten closet bolt

  Ballcock

  nuts or you’ll crack the porcelain

  (fill valve) stem

  Overflow tube

  on the foot. once the nuts seem

  Flush valve

  snug, gently try to rock the bowl.

  If it doesn’t rock, the nuts are

  Gasket

  Rubber washer

  tight enough, though you should

  Spud nut

  return after the toilet’s been

  used for a few weeks and snug

  the nuts one last time.

  Tank

  Locknut

  Tank-mounting

  Supply riser

  bolts

  attaches here.

  Rubber

  spud washer

  Brass washer

  Toilet bowl

  Brass nut

  To avoid corrosion, use stainless-steel or brass bolts and nuts.

  InsTallIng a ToIleT

  not visible. Don’t trim the closet bolts until you’ve

  P R O T I P

  attached the tank and tested the unit for leaks.


  When you’re ready to install the toilet, remove

  Mount the tank. Standard two-piece toilets have

  the plastic bag you inserted earlier in the closet

  use only noncorroding

  tanks that bolt directly to bowls. In addition to

  bend to block sewage gases. Place closet bolts in

  (brass or stainless-steel) screws

  bolt holes, tanks have two fittings on the bottom:

  the closet flange if you haven’t already done so.

  and bolts to secure the closet

  a threaded ballcock stem, which is screwed to the

  flange or the toilet bowl; other

  Set the bowl first. Then attach the tank to the

  supply riser, and a larger flush valve, which is

  materials will corrode. To help

  bowl. If you’re reinstalling an old toilet, as shown tightened to a spud nut. Typically, a rubber spud-

  you align the bolt holes on the

  in the bottom left photo on p. 350, leave the parts nut washer covers the spud nut and cushions the

  bowl with bolts in the closet

  connected, and set the toilet as one piece. But if

  tank–bowl juncture to prevent leaks; there may

  flange, buy extra-long, 3-in. by

  it’s a new toilet, setting the base first is easier on

  5⁄

  also be a separate, preinstalled sponge-rubber

  16-in. closet bolts. They’ll be

  your back. Place the wax ring in the closet flange

  long enough to line up easily,

  gasket to cushion the tank and bowl. Tighten the

  so that the ring’s plastic funnel centers in the

  even when the wax ring is in the

  spud nut and position the spud-nut washer, insert

  flange. Some manufacturers recommend placing

  way, and you can trim excess

  the washered tank-mounting bolts into the bot-

  the wax ring on the toilet horn and then inverting

  length without difficulty.

  tom of the tank, and set the tank atop the bowl so

  the toilet bowl, but the wax ring may not adhere

  that bolts line up with the holes in the bowl.

  and the funnel may not align.

  Carefully follow the manufacturer’s instructions

  Have help aligning closet bolts to holes as you about caulking mating surfaces because some

  set the toilet bowl. Don’t rock the bowl when set-

  caulking compounds may deteriorate the gaskets.

  ting it, which could excessively compress the wax

  To prevent the tank-bolt threads from turning

  ring on one side, creating a gap. Instead, press

  and cutting into the rubber washers or gaskets,

  the bowl down evenly, then use a small adjust-

  hold the bolts steady with a long screwdriver as

  able wrench to tighten the nuts gradually, alter-

  you tighten the nuts on the underside of the bowl

  nating sides, until the bowl is secure. Place a tor-

  shelf, using an adjustable wrench. Moving from

  pedo level atop the bowl edge to see if the unit is

  one side to the other, tighten the nuts snugly. Use

  level side to side and front to back. If the bowl

  only brass or stainless-steel bolts and nuts.

  needs shimming, use plastic shims, which can be Connect the water supply, fill the tank, flush the

  chiseled or cut flush to the toilet foot so they’re

  toilet several times, and check for leaks. If there’s

  plumbing

  349

  leaking between the tank and the bowl, tighten

  INSTaLLINg a ToILeT

  the nuts. If there’s leaking only near the foot of

  the bowl, the wax ring may have failed: In this

  case, pull the toilet and replace the ring. If there

  are no leaks, trim the closet bolts and caulk

  around the perimeter of the foot.

  Toilet-supply connections are essentially the

  same as sink or lavatory risers. The standard

  toilet-supply riser is 3⁄8-in. chrome tubing that

  attaches (at the top) to a threaded ballcock stem

  on the underside of the tank and a 5⁄8-by-3⁄8 angle

  stop at the bottom. A better option is a 3⁄8-in. flex-

  ible braided stainless-steel supply line: It won’t

  dry-set and shim-level the toilet

  crimp, attaches to the same fittings, and can be

  bowl before centering the wax ring

  easily disconnected.

  over the closet flange. once the bowl Bidets. A bidet is easier to install than a toilet.

  is placed on the ring, it can’t be lifted

  once water-supply and dWV pipes are roughed in and

  Although a bidet requires hot- and cold-water

  without replacing the ring.

  2x4 ledgers are nailed to the studs to support the tub lip,

  connections, only liquid waste (drain water) is

  slide the tub into its alcove.

  produced, so a 11⁄4-in. drain will suffice. Mount

  the bidet base securely, but it doesn’t need to be

  solidly. The overflow plate inside the tub screws to

  seated in a wax ring. In fact, the drain takeoff is

  a mounting flange in the overflow ell. There are

  similar to that of a tub, which is described next.

  many types of drain cap (stopper) mechanisms;

  follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

  InsTallIng a BaThTuB

  The last drain connection to be made is a

  P-trap, which slides onto the tub tailpiece

  First and foremost, follow the installation

  descending from the tee. Adjust the trap so that it

  instructions provided with your tub. Failure to

  aligns with the branch drain roughed in earlier.

  do so could void your warranty. For most models, Note: If the drain assembly will be inaccessible,

  after framing the three-walled alcove around the

  code requires a glued-together drain joint. The

  tub, attach 2x4 ledgers to support the tub lip on

  only exception allowed is the slip-nut coupling

  three sides. Then cut an opening in the subfloor

  that joins the tub tailpiece to the P-trap.

  for the drain assembly, dry-fit the tub, and check

  for level. For lightweight steel and fiberglass

  Water supply. Next, attach the tub’s supply

  tubs, many installers next remove the tub, apply

  pipes. Level and mount a pressure-balancing valve

  30-lb. building paper over the subfloor, place a

  to the cross brace let into the end-wall studs.

  mortar bed 1 in. to 2 in. thick, and set the tub

  (The valve, also called an antiscald valve, is typi-

  into it. The mortar bed stabilizes the tub and

  cally set at a maximum of 120°F to prevent scald-

  minimizes flexing, which could lead to leaks

  ing.) Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for

  around the drain or surface cracking. Of course,

  attaching the pipe to the valve. Although gate and

  In most cases, set the toilet base

  place the tub in the mortar before it sets so the

  before attaching the tank. Here, an

  ball valves are usually closed when sweating cop-

  already assembled toilet is being reset mortar will conform to the shape of the tub. If

  per pipe to them, balancing valves may need to

  onto a new wax ring after a new tile

  the tub is made of cast iron, on the other hand,

  be open or d
isassembled before sweating pipe to

  floor was installed. after feeding

  don’t bother with a mortar bed—cast iron doesn’t the valve bodies.

  closet bolts through the bowl, apply

  flex appreciably. But it’s famously heavy, so be

  Like most shower/tub valves, a balancing

  even pressure to seat the bowl on the sure to have at least three workers on hand to

  valve has four pipe connections: one each for

  wax ring.

  move it.

  hot- and cold-supply pipes, one for the pipe that

  runs to the shower arm, and one that services the

  drain and overflow assembly. Before the final

  spout. To mount shower arms and spouts, screw

  installation of the tub, preassemble the tub’s drain brass, threaded female drop-eared ells to the

  and overflow assembly and test-fit it to the tub

  cross braces. Because chrome shower arms and

  openings. Slip-nut couplings make adjusting pipe spouts can get marred while finish surfaces are

  lengths easy. Once the tub back is in the alcove,

  being installed, screw in 6-in. capped galvanized

  install the assembly in the tub: Put a layer of

  nipples. The faucet stem(s) and the balancing

  plumber’s putty between any metal-to-enamel

  valve are protected with a plastic cover until the

  joint that isn’t gasketed. While a helper holds the

  finish work is done. Turn the water on and test

  assembly to the end and underside of the tub,

  for leaks. Once you’re sure there are none, you

  hand screw the threaded strainer into the tub shoe are ready to close in the walls around the tub.

  (waste ell). Then use a strainer wrench to tighten it

  350 Chapter 12

  Replacing a Water Heater

  Most municipalities require a permit to replace a

  water heater, primarily because they want to

  zzzzzz Tub Drain-and-overflow assembly

  ensure that the heater’s TPR valve is correctly

  2x4 ledgers

  installed. Even though most local codes allow

  support tub lip.

  homeowners to replace water heaters, hire a

  licensed plumber for this job unless you have a

  Overflow

  lot of plumbing experience. Plumbers know

  gasket

  which brands and hookups require the fewest

  Overflow

  service calls and can assess the condition of vent

  pipes and replace them if needed. Besides, thanks

  to wholesale discounts, plumbers can probably

  install a new unit for only slightly more than it

  Strainer (threaded)

  would cost you if you bought the heater and fit-

  Plumber’s putty or gasket

  tings at retail prices.

 

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