Now that football season is over (when does spring training start again?), I have a plumbing question for you.
Wife and daughter notice a puddle under the bathroom sink this evening. Water seems to be leaking out of the vinyl(?)flex supply hose at the shut-off valve side (HW). No problem, I shut off the valve and tell them they’ll have to brush their teeth with cold water till I can replace it tomorrow. A little later the DW tells me that the cold water is leaking too. I can’t believe this coincidence, so of course I prove her wrong, at least I thought I did. The faucet is a single handle mixer (5 year old American Standard) and when the handle is in the center position the cold water comes out of the hot water hose. Is this backfeeding normal?
Replies
Actually, yes, it will. The pressure would be low, but the water is being mixed, so the hot valve is partly open.
For some reason I thought there might be a check valve or something to prevent any backfeeding, but I guess it is okay since it is supply anyway, just struck me as odd at the moment. Fortunately I did manage to find an extra one, steel braided no less (should have been on there in the first place). Water is back on and the DW is happy again. The plumber-warrior in me saved the day ;-)
I'm scared of plumbing. Everytime I start to fix something, everything keeps breaking till most of it is new. Like if I tried to shutoff the water the pipe would break off in the wall or something. Then, guaranteed, the new stuff wont be the right stuff, wrong size, thread, sex or something.
LOL. Me too.
Plus the 20 trips you have to make back and forth to the supply house. And if you don't know the lingo when you get there, your toast, "I need one of those whatchamacallits and a couple of those dohickey thingy's".
Like if I tried to shutoff the water the pipe would break off in the wall or something.
Here in the OC the water is full of mineral salts. You can count on any old gate valve used for main water shutoff to be (1) frozen open, (2) have a rime of salt on the gate that prevents full shutoff, or (3) all of the above.
We come with full sets of replacement ball valves, a Stanley 48 organizer full of 1/2 and 3/4 CU fittings, a key to the street box, torch with MAPP gas, those thingies you stuff down the pipe to hold the water back (used to be stale French bread) etc. Last project we changed out two of the three valves for openers.
The angle stops under sinks are usually history. We use solid brass replacements.
I just hit the Depot and grab at least one of everything. What I don't use goes back. Beats finding that you really needed the other sized widget while at the site. The ToolBear
"Never met a man who couldn't teach me something." Anon.
Perless do.I have Perless (Delta) kitchen faucet with pull out spout.The hot water slow to a dribble. I pulled the ball and under the hot side I fished out this piece of rubber that was sort of like a baby bottle nipple with a slot in the end.I could not figure out what it was and called Perless support and they said that it was not part of the faucet.Finally found the instructions and they showed it. That unit comes with copper tubing for the supply lines and it fits in the end. Don't remember the type of connection. But apparently I tighted it up enoguh that I forced it into the line. And it worked OK for years unit ti worked it's way into the valve..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
If the vinyl hose is cracked, you may be able to clamp it shut with a vise grip, or any sort of clamp that will fit.
After having a few problems with the "plastic" hookup pipes, I suggest you replace both with metal (add a little sealer to the ends) or the braided type.
I replaced both with braided. I always use them and was surprised that these were plastic.
Good job! I've seen a few floods from the plastic version1
Yes backfeeding is very common with single handle controls.
Water will take path of least resistance.
Shower wands that have a seperate on/off control on the head are notorious for backfeeding hot water into the toilet.
You should see the look on peoples face when they see their toilet steaming.
“How many observe Christ’s birthday! How few, his precepts! O! ‘tis easier to keep Holidays than Commandments.” —Benjamin Franklin
We had a small locker room/bathroom in one of our garage facilities. The supply side water ran right beside a steam line for a couple of large overhead heaters. When the boiler was running, the cold water line picked up enough heat from the steam line to keep the toilet warm. The mechanics thought it was hooked up to the HW supply, and we had to prove it wasn't every winter. After a few years they began to enjoy having a warm seat in their "library."
Dave