Friday, October 10, 2008

Sinks for Useful Kitchens

By Peter Wilson

Having the perfect sink located in your bath or kitchen is very important. You want to choose the one that you really want the first time so that you are not regretting your choice later on. You want to also make sure that the hoses and the plumbing to your sink is in good condition. You will want to do this so that you do not have more problems than what you have thought about. You defiantly do not want to have a leak.

You may want to have a second person with you when you are doing any type of plumbing in your home. You will want them to be ready to shut the main water valve off in case there is a leak at any time.

The main shutoff valve for most of the homes around will be near the curb. You will want to make sure that you know where this is. The hole outside will be rectangular in size and have a cement top on it. This will allow the utility people to get access to it when they need to.

Homes that are located in more rural areas will usually have a well where the main valve is found located outside the home. You should make sure that you know where this valve is before you start your project.

When the water is off you will see that there is a little bit coming out of the hoses and pipes. This is normal and it will subside quickly. You will want to make sure that you have towels down under your sink or have some type of bucket there to catch the remaining water.

Check out the valves and also all the hoses to make sure they are in good shape. Replacing these parts can make all the difference in your plumbing. Make sure that you have a lot of plumbers tape just in case.

The older valves may need to be cut with a saw or a torch. Some of these valves were welded on and you may need to take a little extra time to get them off. If you are having problems you might have to hire a plumber but this is going to be your call.

There may be some calcium build up on the valves and pipes and this can cause a problem or you. This will be a chalky white substance that will form on the plumbing in your bath and kitchen. You might want to make sure that you clean this off or replace the units that it is built up on.

Never pull too hard on any of your valves or pipes. This can cause a break. If something breaks you will need to reseal it or replace it as soon as possible. This is not something that you want to deal with.

After everything is off you should clean the surfaces with some sandpaper or a wool sponge.

For the best part you will want to apply some plumbers tape to the threaded and the flat surfaces where the hoses and some of the valves were removed and replaced. Make sure that you are always threading in the direction that the valve or hose is turned. You want to make sure that the tape is tight when screwing on the valve or hose and do not loose it up. Attach the hoses and tighten up any clamps. You never want to tighten them too much. You want them to be snug but do not over does it.

Then you can turn the water valve on carefully and slowly. Check for leaks and if you have done it right the threads and fittings will be perfect and you will have no leaks around your kitchen cabinets or sink.

It is not always going to be perfect the first time. You may have to take a few times to get it right. Do not get frustrated if you have to do something over because this is a job that you will hopefully only have to do once every so many years.

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