Q. The tub faucet works, but no water comes out of the shower. There was a long term leak which caused a lot of mold, so i've pulled out most of the drywall and cabinetry that was affected (moldy). Now the plumbing for the tub/shower is exposed and i would like to repair the bathroom plumbing completely before reinstalling walls. ............is there maybe a newbie site for this sort of thing that someone can recommend. .....or perhaps even give me some idea of where to start and what to look for with this repair? tyia :)

A. If the water is coming out of the faucet itself ok, then the problem is the diverter. On some showers, this is a seperate knob, handle, lever, etc... and on some older ones, its just a pull up stem on the spigot itself, hehe. Do you know where the leak was at originally? Was it fixed, and if so, how? This may be a seperate issue from the lack of supply to the shower head itself. Here are a couple of sites you can check - http://www.ehow.com/articles_2475-plumbing.html?ref=fuel&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=ssp&utm_campaign=yssp_cat http://www.theplumber.com/handbook.html And of course, there's always This Old House, hehe - http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/plumbing Many community/state colleges also offer basic courses in plumbing and other trades, some as short as a few days.... good for any homeowner to check into, if they like DIY :) If you take the diverter valve out, you can usually find a replacement at most hardware, building supply stores, etc. Its handy to take it with you to the store to get the exact type needed. It's probably $10 or less for a new one, depending on brand. You may need a valve wrench like one of these - http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productList&N=0&Ntk=i_products&Ntt=shower%20valve%20wrench You might also try posting some photo's of the plumbing, the valve, etc....to get more detailed answers. Have Fun

Q. I have a broken water heater than needs repair and one of my drains is clogged.

A. Best Plumber Company In North Dallas, Texas is Dagen Plumbing. Dagen Plumbing is a veteran family owned and operated full service plumbing company serving the Dallas Metroplex. We offer a full service of plumbing needs for your home or business. We understand when you have a plumbing problem that it needs to get fixed fast. This means you need a good experienced plumber who is honest, reliable and knows how to treat your home or business like it was their own. This is why we are the only Sanitizing Plumber in North Texas. We sanitize our work area in an attempt to kill 99.9% of bacteria, flu viruses, mold and mildew after every job we complete. With the rapid spread of viruses and germs it is important that you choose a clean sanitizing plumber. Services Provided * Water Heaters * Sewer/Drain Cleaning * Leaks * Faucets * Toilets * Sinks * showers * Sprinkler Repair * Kitchen Remodeling * Bathtubs * Gas/Lines * Septic Tanks * Slab Leaks * Tankless Water Heaters * Water Softners * Leak Detection * Sewer Cameras * Bathroom Remodeling

Q. Bathroom sink pipe sprung a major leak, 15 minutes worth of tap water soaked hardwood flooring, plaster walls and ceilings and ran into some duct work...also we are concerned about the electrical wiring behind ceiling and walls, what are some good characteristics to look for in hiring a contractor who specializes in this type of work? Also, is it typical for the homeowner's insurance to cover the plumbing work? So far, the adjuster says only work to repair damage is covered but not the plumbing that caused the problem...sound right?

A. Your adjuster is correct. Your insurance policy owes for access to get to the plumbing leak and to repair it but NOT for the part itself. Start by making sure your house is dried out properly by a certified water damage restoration company (i.e. ServiceMaster). They will find out where the water damage starts and ends, take moisture reading of your flooring and walls & may place fans/dehumidifiers to dry out your home. After the place is dried out, then address rebuild. If you need paint, drywall, flooring or baseboards...ask your adjuster if they have a "preferred" general contractor that is on the company's preferred program. Go with one of them if they do. Good luck.

Q. My hot water tank is dead.

A. Aye, I hate when this happens: Your water heater goes out all of a sudden, providing not hot water without advance notice; it should be able to tell us in advance of its failure so that it can make it easier for us to schedule a repair that timely coincides with its actual failure. But enough of wishful thinking. Well, you need to have a local plumbing contractor give you the local rate for this project, as the contractor would only be able to more accurately assess the situation. Fortunately, there are plenty of local plumbing contractors seeking to give free estimates with no obligation. It's important that you get a local estimate and not rely on guesses found here on Yah because the cost of material (what is needed to fix the plumbing problem) and labor greatly varies by location. As I said, free estimates from local plumbing contractors are the key to your success in this home improvement repair project of yours. Here's a great link to a handyman site that offers free very resourceful information to assist you in determining the cost of your project, and, ultimately, selecting a local plumbing contractor in an effort to get the best deal for you: INFO ON LOCAL PLUMBING CONTRACTORS: http://yourhandymanzone.com/Your_Handyman_Zone_Free_Estimates_Plumbing.htm I'm sure you'll find the information you need, specifically the tips, useful as it relates to being treated fairly by contractors and exploring the consumer-wise approach of getting free written estimates to find the best contractor in your area. . Source(s): The Internet. Just whatever is available online and what I have on my mind, including the inclusion of relevant sites, like the one cited that came about from my efforts, which is intended to be useful. Helping people get the relevant info they want is great.

Q. Repair leaking anti siphon hose bibb

A. You don’t mention what type it is but I am assuming it is integrated into the hose bib. You can take it apart to see if there is any debris in it, but you may need to purchase a rebuild kit………. the diaphragm and “O” rings do go bad. You may try flipping the diaphragm over sometimes that works

Q. I can't find any type of mobile home repair companies around. I recently bought a rather large mobile home, that needs A LOT of work. It has the potential to be a beautiful home, but it needs some rewiring, some floor repairs, a bit of dry wall, some new carpet, painting, a good cleaning, some new cabinets, a bit of plumbing. I'd like to find someone who can do it all for a set price, can a contractor do this, or who would I contact? I'm hoping to put less than $10,000 into the home. Some of it I can do myself like paint, carpet, drywall, but the wiring, plumbing, and flooring needs an expert.

A. Any competent tradesman should be able to do that stuff. Unless your mobile is very old. most of it will be very much the same as the same stuff in any house and if it isn't then someone with a little experience ought to be able to figure it out. Just make sure you get someone licenced and properly qualified for the plumbing and electrical. Ask around for a good contractor, or simply an experienced carpenter who can assess what order you should be doing things in. What he can't do, you get the electrician and plumber in for. If you can't afford it all at once, electrical is where I'd put my money first because it's a safety issue. Plumbing next, then probably the floor if it's structural. If it's just replacing floor coverings, do that last.

Q. It looks as though the screw broke the flange. But I am not sure. I would like to know what caused the break so that I may correct it. Also, the caulking around the base of the bowl was not level--one side has a thick layer of caulking while the other side is very thin and shallow. Please help!

A. Must have been plastic. You should be able to get a repair for the collar at your plumbing supply house. The wax is un-level either because it was improperly installed or the closet flange sits higher on 1 side than the other. **JD

Q. Hi, I have an above ground pool plus heat pump, filter etc which I have just completed the plumbing on (PVC with PVC cement glue, threads in some places). There is a small leak at the heat pump, just a few drips a minute, but I'm thinking there should be no leaks at all. I've used PTFE tape on the threads and I've tightened by hand as far and it would go, and don't believe I've under or overtightened - however I think it's supposed to go further and perhaps could be a bad thread...? Anyway, I've used some leak repair tape from Halfords and there's still this slight drip. Does this matter? I haven't turned on the filter pump yet... should I, and see how it goes? Such a small amount of water leaking won't really affect the pool water volume/flood the plant room etc but I believe you shouldn't let air into the system... Thanks Ross Thanks for the info but I've already tightened a lot with my hands, putting my full weight, to the point I've actually turned the connecting part (which is also screwed on - difficult to explain). Besides, it's a wide connection, my wrench won't fit round it. But might be worth finding a larger one and holding the other one still with another wrench... Anyway. I tried turning it on. Oh dear. Water sprayed everywhere. Back to the drawing board. Looking at Aquafix Wrap Repair (http://www.trickettmarineproducts.co.uk/repair.htm) - anyone any experience with this? Please don't tell me to 'fix it properly', long story, but there isn't a proper fix available without someone actually making new piping to fit the various different manufacturers different sizes plumbing... that'll teach me to save money by getting different parts from Canada, China and the UK. D'oh.

A. Plastic threads are a pain you need to go hand tight and then use a wrench to finish tightening