CJ BC Plumbing Tips

  Frost-Free Outdoor Faucet? Why You Should Disconnect the Hose Before Winter A frost-free outdoor faucet can help protect your home during cold weather, but the name “frost-free” does not mean the faucet can be ignored all winter. One of the most common fall maintenance mistakes is leaving a garden hose, splitter, timer, or other attachment connected to an outdoor faucet when freezing weather arrives. For many standard frost-free faucets, proper drainage is an important part of how the faucet protects itself from freezing. That means one simple fall task can make a real difference: Disconnect the garden hose before freezing temperatures arrive. How Does a Frost-Free Outdoor Faucet Work? A standard outdoor hose bib usually shuts the water off relatively close to the exterior portion of the faucet. A frost-free faucet is different. On a typical frost-free design, the operating stem extends farther into the building, and the actual shutoff point is located deeper inside the warmer po...

  Water Behind a Tub Spout? How to Find the Leak Before It Damages the Wall Finding a small amount of water around a bathtub spout may not look serious at first. However, water appearing where the tub spout meets the wall should not be ignored. The visible water may be coming from a simple gap around the spout, but it can also indicate a problem with the connection behind the finished wall. The important first step is not to immediately apply more caulking . Before sealing anything, determine when the water appears and where it is actually coming from. As a Certified Red Seal plumber with more than 10 years of hands-on plumbing experience, I recommend approaching this type of problem systematically. A few simple observations can help distinguish surface water from a plumbing connection problem hidden behind the wall. Why Is Water Appearing Around the Tub Spout? A bathtub spout is connected to piping extending through the finished wall. Depending on the installation, the spout may c...

 A sewer smell in a bathroom can be unpleasant and concerning, but it does not always mean there is a major sewer problem. The odor may come from something as simple as a dry floor drain or unused fixture. However, it can also be related to a trap, drainage connection, or venting problem. Before assuming the worst, it helps to identify exactly where the smell is coming from. Where Can a Bathroom Sewer Smell Come From? When I investigate a sewer odor in a bathroom, I first try to isolate the source instead of immediately replacing parts. Common areas to check include: • the bathroom sink drain • the toilet area • the shower or bathtub drain • a floor drain • rarely used plumbing fixtures If the odor is strongest near one particular drain, that gives you an important clue about where to start. Check Rarely Used Floor Drains One of the first things worth checking is a floor drain that has not been used for a long time. A properly trapped drain normally holds water inside the trap. Thi...

  A loud bang from the kitchen when a dishwasher stops filling can be alarming. The noise may sound as if something has struck the wall or a pipe has come loose. One possible cause is water hammer, but a water hammer arrestor should not be installed based on the sound alone. High water pressure, loose pipes, unsupported waterlines, and other plumbing conditions can produce similar noises. The correct approach is to identify exactly when the sound occurs and check the system before choosing a repair. Quick Answer If the banging happens at the exact moment the dishwasher stops filling with water, a fast-closing solenoid valve may be creating a pressure surge in the water-supply pipe. Before installing an arrestor, check the house water pressure, inspect the pipe supports, and confirm that the dishwasher is the fixture causing the noise. What Is Water Hammer? Water hammer is a pressure surge created when moving water stops suddenly. While the dishwasher is filling, water travels throu...

Finding water under your washing machine can be alarming, but it does not automatically mean that the appliance itself has failed. The water may be coming from a damaged supply hose, a loose valve connection, the drain hose, the standpipe, or an internal washer component. Before replacing any part, dry the area and determine exactly when and where the water appears. Correctly identifying the source can help prevent unnecessary repairs and reduce the risk of serious water damage. Watch the video below to see how a plumber checks the supply hoses, valve connections, drain hose, and standpipe. Why Is There Water Under the Washing Machine? A washing machine has several possible leak sources. Two pressurized supply hoses deliver hot and cold water to the appliance, while a separate drain hose removes water during the drain cycle. Because the supply hoses normally remain under pressure even when the washer is not running, a damaged hose or connection can leak at any time. Drain-related water...

If your townhouse was built between the late 1970s and the late 1990s, it may contain Poly-B (polybutylene) water-supply piping. Poly-B was commonly installed in Canadian houses, townhouses, and some condominiums during the 1980s and early 1990s. However, construction year alone cannot confirm whether a home contains Poly-B. Some homes from this period were originally built with copper piping, while others may have been partially or completely repiped with PEX during renovations. As a Certified Red Seal plumber with more than 10 years of hands-on experience in British Columbia, I recommend starting with a careful visual inspection of exposed water-supply pipes. You do not need to open walls, disconnect fittings, or move older pipes just to look for identifying features. The most useful clues are the pipe markings, material, fittings, and locations where different pipe materials connect. Watch the video below to learn where to look for Poly-B piping, how to recognize common identificati...

Finding water around the base of a toilet can make it seem like the wax ring has failed. In my experience, water around the base of a toilet is not always caused by a failed wax ring. The source should be identified before the toilet is removed. Water can travel down from a loose supply connection, shut-off valve, tank bolt, or tank-to-bowl connection and collect around the toilet base. Before removing the toilet or replacing parts, the first step is to identify exactly where the water is coming from. In this guide, I’ll show you a simple inspection process that can help narrow down the source of a toilet leak. Start by Drying the Area Completely Before testing the toilet, dry the floor around the entire toilet base. Wipe the front, both sides, and as much of the rear area as you can reach. Also dry the supply line and the visible connections around the toilet. Starting with a completely dry area makes it much easier to identify where new water first appears. If you skip this st...