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Banging pipes after a toilet is flushed is a common occurrence in residential properties. Unfortunately, this banging noise is a symptom of a problem that can cause damage to your pipes. Understanding why these noises occur and knowing what you can do to stop the noise can help you take care of your property. In this post, we’ll go over the causes and solutions. What’s Causing the Noise The banging noise you hear after your toilet flushes is very likely caused by a problem known as "water hammer." To understand what’s happening your plumbing, imagine that water flows through your […]
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Floor drains, found in basements all across the United States, don’t get clogged very often. When they do, many clogs can easily be removed as a part of a DIY project, provided that the homeowner has the right tools at his or her disposal. In this tutorial, we’ll discuss the best ways to unclog your stuffed up floor drain. Materials It can be hard to predict the type of tools you’ll need for this project, because it depends on the circumstances of your floor drain. The following tools are a best guess for the types of things you might use […]
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Shower tiles aren’t difficult to install, but if they’re not done correctly you could do serious damage to your bathroom wall. In this post, we’ll discuss the proper way to install tiles. Materials 1×4 Board Screws Drill Level Thinset Trowel Tiles Spacers Tile cutter Tile file Hole saw Unsanded grout Rubber float Sponge Process Before the process begins, you’ll want to check the soundness of the wall to be tiled. Old tiles already on the wall will need to be removed. When this is done, inspect the backerboard for soft spots or signs of rot. If the backerboard is damaged, […]
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Adding a shower to a freestanding tub may sound like a heck of a lot of work, but with the right type of faucet fixture, you can easily tackle this project on a minimal budget and without much fuss. To get started, you’ll need to purchase a freestanding shower and faucet combination, available for purchase through hardware stores, home improvement centers and housewares supply businesses. These fixtures include a pipe that runs up to a freestanding showerhead which is anchored to the wall during installation in order to stabilize the pipe. This setup is commonly used for clawfoot tubs, but […]
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The cold weather is finally here, and all across the Pittsburgh metro area, residents are experiencing problems. School closings. Delays. Frozen pipes. And cold toilet seats. While not life-threatening or important in the grand scheme of things, cold toilet seats can still suck the fun out of life, one chilly flush at a time. If you’re tired of dealing with the cold and are now looking for extra comfort in your bathroom this winter, the following solutions will help you stay warm and happy while doing your private business. Use Toilet Seat Sock Covers For this fun and easy project, […]
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The Nano Membrane toilet may sound like a prop from Star Trek, but it’s an actual invention that could soon change the lives of thousands or millions of people in developing nations. What makes this toilet so great? Read on to find out for yourself. Water-Conservation at its Most Impressive Whereas traditional toilets use water to flush human waste down a series of pipes into the sewer, the Nano Membrane toilet uses no water at all. Instead, an internal rotating mechanism replaces the flush and moves human waste through the unit. Traditional household toilets will use anywhere from 1.28 gallons […]
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Technology has already changed nearly every part of the world, and now, the change is making its way to your bathroom. Wait, what? That’s right. The smart toilet revolution is here. Originally pioneered in Japan, smart toilets are gradually gaining popularity in the US, signaling a paradigm shift in the way we use the bathroom. Of course, only the future can tell if these high-tech wonders will be successful in the long run; for many Americans, the concept of smart toilets is being treated with a healthy dose of suspicion. But smart toilets offer a dramatic departure from our repetitive […]
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Vintage bathrooms. They’re out there. Some people love them, other people hate them. There are, in fact, whole websites dedicated to them. Old dated tile seems to hold up remarkably well, which means that even if you hate the color, it can be hard to justify ripping it out. After all, changing your bathroom tile can cost thousands of dollars. This is what drives some people to seek alternative solutions. Can You Paint Shower Tile? Yes, you can paint shower tile, although you’ll get the best results by painting tile in more low-moisture areas of your bathroom, like the backsplash […]
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Are you working on a bathroom remodel in the next several months? If so, you’ll be making some important and difficult decisions in the coming weeks. If you’re planning to install glass shower doors as a part of your bathroom remodel, then one of those decisions will be whether or not to install frameless or framed glass shower doors. Understanding the differences between these two products can help you decide which kind of shower door is right for you. Weight Frameless shower doors must be strong enough to support themselves, which means that they’re significantly thicker than framed shower doors. […]
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Buying a toilet is not as simple as you might think it is. We’ve put together this toilet buying guide to help educate you about your choices and help you make the right toilet purchase for your bathroom. Low Flow: What You Should Know Water usage standards have changed a lot in the last several years, and low flow toilets are now more than a novelty: they’re a standard. Toilets that use only 1.6 gallons per flush are the federal standard and are available for sale basically everywhere that toilets are sold. Low flow toilets have come a long way […]
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