# Plumbing Professional Tip of the Day!



## Admin (Jan 4, 2010)

What tips have you learned in your experience as a plumbing professional that you wish you knew earlier? What simple things do you do that save you time, effort, money, or just makes life easier for you? Let's learn from each other and share our tips! 

To keep this thread going come back daily to share a tip and read the latest posts.


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## nhmaster3015 (Aug 5, 2008)

Don't bite your fingernails.


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## tim666 (Mar 11, 2014)

I wash my hands before I pee


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Knowledge isn't free.....charge accordingly.


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Know your costs before you price a job. No guessing!

David


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

I should have bought my camera years ago. Same as my Mongoose jetter.

David


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Spend more time learning the business before I started a business.


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## AKdaplumba (Jan 12, 2010)

Would of joined PZ when I was a second year not a borderline journeyman. So much solid info and great people around here.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

work out of a box truck with a tommy gate on the back of it:thumbsup:

 it will lenghten your life , make your back feel better , and fatten your wallet... 
and shorten your work hours


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## Pacificpipes (Oct 1, 2013)

Don't buy cheap tools.


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## tims007 (Aug 31, 2013)

When in doubt ask for help


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## SchmitzPlumbing (May 5, 2014)

dont work in any trench without a box. getting buried alive sucks and i am glad to still be here to tell you so.:yes:


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## Steveking (May 16, 2014)

Should have married a 80 yr old Jewish widow from Coronado Shores.


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## mrjasontgreek (May 21, 2014)

NEVER trust a poodle.


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## KoleckeINC (Oct 22, 2011)

Paper towels taped around the pistol rod keep it from making too much mess. Auto feeds are priceless. Don't start the rod job on the third floor at 430 or you'll be changing the drain till 7. And thickster ex gloves keep my hands so freakin clean I'll never use anything else.


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## BC73RS (Jan 25, 2014)

Do inventory of material and tools that you carry in your vehicle everyday. Just never know if something gets misplaced.


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## plumbdrum (Nov 30, 2013)

Don't fall for the" go get me a bucket of blue steam" trick

Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


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## Admin (Jan 4, 2010)

If you don't already, consider having a professional website and/or Facebook page to help add to the credibility of your company.


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## PLUMBER_BILL (Oct 23, 2009)

"Stop kissen the Mule and load the wagon."


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

I will make certain that I know where the building's water service shut-off valve is located _before_ I do any work. That way in case I need to turn off the water quickly, I won't be running around trying to locate that valve.

In {20} years in this trade, I've never flooded a building. But I've seen and heard of other plumbers having done it.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Tommy plumber said:


> I will make certain that I know where the building's water service shut-off valve is located _before_ I do any work. That way in case I need to turn off the water quickly, I won't be running around trying to locate that valve.
> 
> In {20} years in this trade, I've never flooded a building. But I've seen and heard of other plumbers having done it.


It will happen eventually:yes:


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Tommy plumber said:


> I will make certain that I know where the building's water service shut-off valve is located _before_ I do any work. That way in case I need to turn off the water quickly, I won't be running around trying to locate that valve.
> 
> In {20} years in this trade, I've never flooded a building. But I've seen and heard of other plumbers having done it.


It happened to me. A 24 story condo building with multiple risers pumped to the attic then valved and dropped back down throughout the building. We were on the 19th floor doing a remodel and had the riser/drop wet columns turned off by the maintenance guy. I happened to arrive about the time my plumber was ready to turn the water back on, he was sent to remove old pipes and shower valves. I told the maintenance man to call me and establish phone communication before he turned the water on. He did not, he turned hot and cold back on full blast without making a call. My plumber assumed old gate valves were sufficient to 'cap off' open pipes were the shower valves were. One was broken and all the sudden we had boiler temp water spraying up at easily 100 psi. A frantic phone call to the maintenance man was reply to with "what?", I said it again, he said "what?", now I'm screaming and he continued to say "what?". Incomprehensible. No one knew where he was at, the elevator required a key to get to that level of the building, no one could comprehend how ignorant he could be and the water was still blowing out everywhere. A bucket was placed over the spray but the water was too hot to stay with the bucket. And still the water poured out. I called building maintenance, building management, the general contractor, the property owner and still the water poured out. The GC and the owner showed up and I proved it to them. 30 minutes into this disaster and the maintenance guy would answer the phone and would still say "what?" when I told him to turn the water off. Finally he stopped in to check out the jobsite and his eyes got big in a hurry when he saw what was going on. Back up the elevator he went and finally the water stopped. Unbelievably most of the water flowed down in the cinder block common wall, through the riser holes in the floors and ended up in the basement. I was thinking millions of dollars but it was mostly drywall and paint damage. Both insurance adjusters got an ear full when they called me. The condo association insurance paid 99% of the damage claims after the details were recorded. That was the worst day of my life.

David


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## panther (Oct 27, 2010)

tim666 said:


> I wash my hands before I pee


Haha.


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## Coolcanuck (Jan 30, 2012)

tim666 said:


> I wash my hands before I pee


I thought I was the only one that did that!


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## Coolcanuck (Jan 30, 2012)

Keep a shark bite ball valves of different sizes in your kit, they can stop a flood when you have a surprise.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

dhal22 said:


> It happened to me. A 24 story condo building with multiple risers pumped to the attic then valved and dropped back down throughout the building. We were on the 19th floor doing a remodel and had the riser/drop wet columns turned off by the maintenance guy. I happened to arrive about the time my plumber was ready to turn the water back on, he was sent to remove old pipes and shower valves. I told the maintenance man to call me and establish phone communication before he turned the water on. He did not, he turned hot and cold back on full blast without making a call. My plumber assumed old gate valves were sufficient to 'cap off' open pipes were the shower valves were. One was broken and all the sudden we had boiler temp water spraying up at easily 100 psi. A frantic phone call to the maintenance man was reply to with "what?", I said it again, he said "what?", now I'm screaming and he continued to say "what?". Incomprehensible. No one knew where he was at, the elevator required a key to get to that level of the building, no one could comprehend how ignorant he could be and the water was still blowing out everywhere. A bucket was placed over the spray but the water was too hot to stay with the bucket. And still the water poured out. I called building maintenance, building management, the general contractor, the property owner and still the water poured out. The GC and the owner showed up and I proved it to them. 30 minutes into this disaster and the maintenance guy would answer the phone and would still say "what?" when I told him to turn the water off. Finally he stopped in to check out the jobsite and his eyes got big in a hurry when he saw what was going on. Back up the elevator he went and finally the water stopped. Unbelievably most of the water flowed down in the cinder block common wall, through the riser holes in the floors and ended up in the basement. I was thinking millions of dollars but it was mostly drywall and paint damage. Both insurance adjusters got an ear full when they called me. The condo association insurance paid 99% of the damage claims after the details were recorded. That was the worst day of my life.
> 
> David


man hate to say it but that is funny,i can just see some cornbread fed maintence guy saying "what" when you are screaming at him.believe i would have had to hit the stupid sob.:laughing:


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## GrtLksPlbr (Aug 12, 2014)

sparky said:


> man hate to say it but that is funny,i can just see some cornbread fed maintence guy saying "what" when you are screaming at him.believe i would have had to hit the stupid sob.:laughing:


Careful, Sparky. Anyone that dense probably has a head full of concrete.:yes:


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## Doubletap (May 5, 2010)

Found this out Friday. If you remove a rusted out p-trap from a bathroom sink the customer can flood the room while your at the supply house. All she has to do is run the water in the next door bathroom that shares a drain with the drain your working on.


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## dclarke (Dec 22, 2012)

Doubletap said:


> Found this out Friday. If you remove a rusted out p-trap from a bathroom sink the customer can flood the room while your at the supply house. All she has to do is run the water in the next door bathroom that shares a drain with the drain your working on.


I've dealt with that in apartment buildings where the maintenance man couldn't fix the drain and left it open till I got there.


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## Stptog (Jul 13, 2014)

Tired of getting wax all over yourself and your tools? 

If you use a putty knife to scrap the old wax off, just hit it with WD-40 and paper towel, the wax just dissapears:yes:


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## Stptog (Jul 13, 2014)

Tired of getting wax all over yourself and your tools? 

If you use a putty knife to scrap the old wax off, just hit it with WD-40 and paper towel, the wax just dissapears


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## mrjasontgreek (May 21, 2014)

Stptog said:


> Tired of getting wax all over yourself and your tools?
> 
> If you use a putty knife to scrap the old wax off, just hit it with WD-40 and paper towel, the wax just dissapears


 
I always use rubbing alcohol for that, cheap to buy and doesn't leave the WD-40 film that makes me break out


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## mrjasontgreek (May 21, 2014)

three 1 1/2" ABS couplings under an electric water heater makes a great set of legs that won't transfer moisture from concrete like bricks, and won't rot out like wood! helps to get the drain up off the floor a bit too.


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## Cajunhiker (Dec 14, 2009)

Use your tub wrenches to tighten or loosen the brass nuts under a countertop that hold Delta sink faucets and handles in place.


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## mrjasontgreek (May 21, 2014)

Cajunhiker said:


> Use your tub wrenches to tighten or loosen the brass nuts under a countertop that hold Delta sink faucets and handles in place.


Jeez I never thought of that! Although I hardly ever install delta anymore...


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## PaulW (Jul 31, 2008)

Call before you dig!


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

If you have a basket strainer that has been there for yrs or maybe it is turning on you,take a grinder with a thin grinding wheel and it will zip right thru the retaining nut underneath,just be sure to stop before you cut all the way thru it,then just take a flat screwdriver and pop it into


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## Nathan901 (Feb 11, 2012)

sparky said:


> If you have a basket strainer that has been there for yrs or maybe it is turning on you,take a grinder with a thin grinding wheel and it will zip right thru the retaining nut underneath,just be sure to stop before you cut all the way thru it,then just take a flat screwdriver and pop it into



Next time if it's on a SS sink, try hitting it with your torch. After a second or two you can push a flatblade right through the pot metal nut. :yes:


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Just install MOENTROL and be a hero..


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## KoleckeINC (Oct 22, 2011)

rjbphd said:


> Just install MOENTROL and be a hero..


Or install an exact temp and be a SUPER HERO! 16 gpm!


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Robert Monro said:


> Tips for plumbing are very essential for everyone, you always check your floor drains on a regular basis since water in the tape can evaporate which permit the sewer gases to come in the house. You always have to save your house from these gas.


You can pour Wesson corn oil in any fd and it will not evaporate and will allow any liquid to go thru the drain


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

sparky said:


> You can pour Wesson corn oil in any fd and it will not evaporate and will allow any liquid to go thru the drain


While corn oil and vegetable oil will work it will also go rancid and smell after a period of time. If you use mineral oil it will not....


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Where do you find mineral oil red??


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## GrtLksPlbr (Aug 12, 2014)

I was taught to use silicone to seal tub/shower doors to a tub/shower module. The problem is that silicone is tougher to work with and make look good than tub/tile caulk. One particular trick I was taught was to spray down a freshly applied bead of silicone caulk with glass cleaner before attempting to wipe it with a smooth, rounded tool like your finger tip or a rounded plastic spatula or scraper.

The glass cleaner creates a lubricating film that keeps the silicone from sticking to your fingers and to any surface that has been sprayed, making for a nice looking finished product.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

sparky said:


> Where do you find mineral oil red??


Tractor Supply, Wally Mart, Drug Stores...


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## plumbdrum (Nov 30, 2013)

sparky said:


> You can pour Wesson corn oil in any fd and it will not evaporate and will allow any liquid to go thru the drain


Ever hear of trap primers??

Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

plumbdrum said:


> Ever hear of trap primers??
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


Watttt dat??????naw never heard of a trap primer:laughing:


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## plumbdrum (Nov 30, 2013)

sparky said:


> Watttt dat??????naw never heard of a trap primer:laughing:


I know some of these modern contraptions don't make it Dow to you backwoods Kentucky boys.

Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

plumbdrum said:


> I know some of these modern contraptions don't make it Dow to you backwoods Kentucky boys.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


Dat right,when you watch a weather forcast and it says there is fungus in the air,in ky the fungus is from everybody runnin around barefoot!!:laughing:


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## infomr (Sep 12, 2014)

Washer-free...


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