| Case of the Singing Sink: Replacing the Angle Stop and the Supply Line |
| The experts tackle a bathroom with noisy plumbing. |
From "Finders Fixers"
episode DFFX-101 |
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Homeowners Joan May and Kurt Lamond have the bathroom blues: their bathroom sink screeches, screams and sings a high-pitched, annoying song. And, as if jealous of the sink, the toilet flushes and gurgles on its own. To top it all, the shower head just dribbles. The bathroom plumbing is out of control, and it's time to figure out why. Host and home inspector Rick Yerger takes on the tasks and tracks down the symptoms to find the cause of all the racket. Along the way, he explains how to test your home's water pressure.
Materials:2 crescent wrenches
water supply line
brass angle stop
cleaning brush
rags
white vinegar
faucet grease 1. Disconnect the water line where it connects to the valve using a crescent wrench.
2. Next, remove the angle stop -- use two wrenches, one to hold the compression nut and one to hold the angle stop. To loosen, remember to turn the compression nut, not the angle stop (figure A). 3. Remove and replace the crimped water supply line. Use a stronger, reinforced supply line and add a new brass quarter turn angle valve (figure B) (figure C).
4. To reattach the new supply line and angle valve, first remove the compression nut and slide it over the copper nipple. Replace the compression sleeve and tighten using two crescent wrenches -- one wrench holds the angle stop in place, the second wrench tightens the nut (figure D). 5. The stem is the valve that's controlled by the faucet handle. To clean it, first remove the stem, again using two crescent wrenches, one to hold the nut underneath the sink and one to turn the top. Once removed, disconnect the part of the stem for thorough cleaning (figure E). 6. Scrub the stem clean with a brush, removing any caked-on debris before soaking in white vinegar. After soaking, lubricate the working parts of the stem assembly with faucet grease and reattach (figure F).
RESOURCES :
Fluidmaster® water supply line
Website: www.fluidmaster.com
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