Recent content by Barrybpdx

i inherited a toilet rough-in that came out of the floor at an angle. i dry-fitted several different flanges and one of them seemed like it would slide down flat to the floor. but after i glued it up and took my foot off it, one side of the flange is on the floor but the other side is 1/4" or...

i'm doing a big remodel, finishing the 3rd floor attic as living space w/ a dormer bathroom. also moving fixtures in a 1/2 bath in a 1-story section (former porch) off the back of the house. what is the requirement about how far a roof vent needs to be from an operable window? something...

trace the circuit backwards to the point at which it branches to the fan and switch. if the circuit doesn't continue on beyond the fan and switch, then undo the hot and neutral wires that branch to the fan and switch and leave them capped in the box. if there's more stuff past the fan and...

i was thinking it's best to locate the pump next to the farthest fixture. if i put it next to the HWH, then i'm heating (wastefully) the water in the return line, partly defeating the purpose of having the pump. is there a compelling reason to put it at the HWH? noise? appearance?

the ChiliPepper looks like another option, less expensive than the others. didn't have an option for additional hardwired switches. i just called them and the voicemail says that there's a new model coming out today. hopefully they'll get the website updated soon and this new model will accept...

looking for advice on a hot water recirc system. i'm replumbing and can add a recirc line back to the tank rather than sending the un-hot water into the cold line. here's what i'm thinking: - run a hot 'trunk' line that serves the 2nd and 3rd floor bathrooms. - install a pump at the far end...

just scanned through the Brad White product pages. a big difference that wasn't really discussed here is that DV pulls in combustion air from outside. granted this requires a bigger or second hole. Brad White also says they sell an extension kit to allow their DV to vent 8' horizontally and/or...

Can someone point me to a website or something that explains in relatively simple terms the requirements for venting a gas HWH? or does it vary somewhat from unit to unit? I'm just trying to figure out if I can replace my electric unit with gas. it's right on a basement wall perp to the joists...

any chance the tube is leaking and cold water is being refreshed closer to the top of the tank?

below is part of what's required in Portland OR. In bathrooms with sloped ceilings, not more than 75 percent of the floor area is permitted to have a ceiling height less than 6'8", provided an area of 21 inches deep by 24 inches wide in front of toilets and lavatories has a minimum...

for you John Bridge people, this question is also posted there. i've got plastic sheeting as a vapor barrier in my tub/shower, no cbu yet. my 1927 tub doesn't have a flange, so i was hoping to glue the plastic to it. GE Kitchen & Bath 100% silicone didn't stick to either the plastic or the...

several times over the past few weeks the hot water has not been very hot (maybe 100 instead of 116). we don't use a ton of hot water. each time this has happened i've reset the circuit breaker and then the water temp goes back up to 116. neither side of the circuit breaker has appeared...

i'm replacing the 1926 galvanized pipes and i'd like to feel confident about the pipe sizing i'm planning. my goal is to have adequate supply (of course) but not waste too much hot water waiting. - my "fixture units" count is 30 on 3 levels - i think the city is giving me around 40 psi -...

seems like the basic yes/no answer will have to come from my inspector. hj, could you please elaborate? did you mean 'vent pipe' rather than 'drain pipe'? or were you just commenting on how i probably don't get very good drainage now with my 1.5" drain line? the reduction you're referring...

the drain line for a shower is supposed to be 2", right? can it Tee to a 1.5" vent? my 1927 shower has 1.5" from the shower all the way to the 4" cast iron stack. i'm hoping that when i replace the drain line i'll be able to leave the vent in place. please tell me i don't have to replace...