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Coming Soon Video Tutorials

Coming Soon! Tutorials featuring how to replace and install your water heater. When your old tank starts to leak, see how the professionals make this task easier. Cal\'s step by step method will also include the tools and pieces to the project that will make your home life much more relaxing. The toilet replacement video tutorial will show members the process of getting rid of your old water wasting toilet and installing a new one without the headaches typically associated with this project. And finally, do you have frequent drain stoppages? Our video tutorial on drain system issues will teach our members how your system is laid for quick diagnosis of problems. All this and more coming this fall to Cal\'s Plumbing Online. However if you are having any plumbing issues that are not covered by our current crop of tutorials, please join our members program and email Cal or join the online discussions to get your questions answered.

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Posts: 1

Response to Linda From Cal
Reply #2 on : Fri November 07, 2008, 00:13:55

I thought other may like to know about this issue or similar issues that should arise. here is my comment to Linda.

Linda-

Thank you for your inquiry. As long as the original bathtub was working fine prior to it being kinda "mothballed", getting it to work decently again should not be a large project. My first suggestion would be to rebuild the tub valve by replacing the stems and seats on it since you must use a wrench to turn it on. If you can identify the valve, finding parts will be easier. Maybe you can e-mail me a photo of the tub valve and I can help in that way. Secondly, on the drainage issue, you may have to have the line "snaked" or "cabled" to clear any stoppage that is causing the slow drain. You usually can rent "cable" machines from equipment rental yards, but I caution that if it is not something you have done before you should call out a professional to handle it.

If replacing the valve stems does not increase the volume of water coming out of your tub spout then there may be an issue with the water lines to the valve. It is possible that considering the age of the home you could have "galvanized steel" water lines that can scale up badly causing low volume. Unfortunately if that is the case there really is no technology available to ream those lines clean and replacement in typically the option. Good luck to you and tell me how it goes.

Sincerely,

Cal-

Posts: 1

Bathtub Issues
Reply #1 on : Fri November 07, 2008, 00:08:35

Dear Cal, I live in a house that was built in 1950. It was a 2 bedroom-1 bathroom house. In the bathroom there was only a bathtub, no shower. In 1980 we built on a 3rd bedroom and a new bathroom with a walk in shower. We quit using the bathtub and haven't used it since then. Now I have grandchildren and would like to be able to use the tub again but when I turn it on, I just get a trickle of water and I need a wrench to turn the knobs on and off. It also drains very slowly. Is there anything I can do (short of replacing the old water pipes) to clear those old water pipes out so that I can get better water supply and drainage? Is it because of the old pipes and the lack of use that has them all coroded inside? Is there anything I can do (without major expense) to get it running again? Please help! Thanks, Cal. Linda Wurtz

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Coming Soon Video Tutorials

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