cacher_chick
Test, Don't Guess!

Thanks guys for the ideas. Between them I feel better about tackling this without going to extreme measures. :o I was thinking about investing...

I don't know what that stuff is, but I've seen a lot of bathrooms from the 60's that used it. Once something starts falling apart like that, the...

I have no idea what the permeability of that insulation is. If it is wrapped in poly and tight fit, it seems like the wrong thing to do IMO. Even...

Maybe I should have posted a photo. :) The sill is 2x8, which has an actual dimension of 7-1/4 x 1-1/2. This causes the block to stick out far...

I know what backer rod is. With all due respect, I'm hoping for a better solution than cobbling together 3 pieces of backer rod for every 16"...

Actually, the entire reason XPS foam is recommended is because the foundation walls below grade MUST dry towards the inside of the basement. The...

That would seem simple enough if the top block wasn't hollow. Working from the basement, the seam between the block and sill plate ranges from...

Shocking the well will make it appear even worse. Sometimes the pump needs to run for a few days to really flush out the solids that are suspended...

Around here, Sears just pays local plumbers to act as a subcontractor, so the same guy might show up whether ones goes through Sears or picks an ad...

I have never worked in a basement where the concrete walls were flat or plumb, so the stud walls are always built to the inside of the existing...

When I did this I adhered the XPS directly to the walls and framed regular stud walls inside of the XPS. I avoid any wood touching concrete, to...

You can use a pair of 45's to get more distance between the pipes before they reach the shower valve.

The pipe should not have any waste coming down from the floors above, as it is a vent. The concern with cutting in a new tee is the weight of the...

It always best to know what sink is being used when the plumbing is roughed in. Most new installs here put the trap adapter 15-16" above the floor....

Chances are that to do it right the bend off the wall will have to be cut off. If it's PVC in the wall, the tee might can be bored out with a...

Your diagram is not clear to me but the vent connection must be at least 6" above the flood rim of the highest fixture served. If the pipe has...

Not sure what goes where in your photos, but when installed the bottom of the shower drain sits below the top of the concrete, and the trap must be...

The drain has to be routed to one side or the other so that the vent can come up into the wall. Once it is above 42", it can go horizontal (with...

If you insist on keeping the existing set-up, set a post in the concrete to act as a support for the piping. I would also set a second post to...

If you buy pex, you will also have to buy the tool to install fittings on the ends. The I.D. of pex or cpvc will be smaller than the equivalent...

I cannot see what you are trying to do, but can tell you that the vent takeoff must be vertical. Normally this is accomplished by routing the drain...

Have you actually found any drain tile or are you just assuming it exists? Depending on soil conditions and elevations, many homes do not have such...

I'm not sure about your market, but PVC & CPVC are about the same price here, and CPVC is an approved material in residential supply piping, hot or...

Our sewage treatment facilities would all be overflowing if this kind of connection were "normal". Foundation drains are for groundwater, and must...

That is only appropriate for the hose spigot. An installed irrigation system requires an RPZ back flow preventer.

I'm not familiar with the valve, but in similar situations a glob of plumber's grease works to help hold things together during assembly.

You should modify/extend the existing piping so that it comes to the appliance. PVC is not approved for water supply piping indoors. If the...

I drill a big enough hole to slip a section of copper with a 90 already sweated on one side, and then notch the inside of the corner enough to spray...

Most places would "grandfather" any pre-existing plumbing, but any new installation is required to meet the current code.