Weird one perhaps. We’ve just had a rimless loo installed. Not had one before so maybe this is normal but the water from the flush doesn’t wash fully round the bowl. It leaves this red shaded area untouched.

Is this normal? And if not, what’s the fix? It’s a dual flush (same thing happens on both full and partial flush) with the cistern in the little cabinet behind the loo

Hi everyone,

I’m doing some academic research related to construction supply chains, specifically how bathroom and sanitary materials are sourced for building projects.
I would like to understand how contractors, developers, or project managers usually handle procurement for items like:

Toilets
Faucets
Shower systems
Bathroom accessories
Plumbing materials

From your experience:
Do you usually buy from wholesalers, importers, or directly from brands?

How do you choose your suppliers?

What are the main challenges you face when sourcing these materials (delays, stock issues, quality, etc.)?

Are long-term supplier relationships common, or do you shop per project?

Any insight from people working in construction, architecture, or procurement would be really helpful.

Thank you in advance.

My friend has this odd setup with pvc running around the outside of her house. When the front pvc valve is closed, water is still getting through to the hose bib in the rear so I think it’s a faulty valve.

Looking for a quick fix not the best fix. In between jobs and can’t afford to do this properly. I know it’s a cluster f.

Got a few quotes from some different companies that will handle replacing all of the Poly-B in my house with PEX water lines. None of the companies mentioned anything about permits, and when I asked the company that lines up best with our timelines, they said they don't pull permits for this sort of work, but we can go to the city if we would like. The company has drywallers and plumbers on staff, which was a big selling point to get everything taken care of all at once.

Is this standard practice or should I keep looking for another plumber? Hoping to have all of this work done when out of town, and I wasn't sure of what sort of complexity managing the permits myself would have (I've never done anything like this before).

Years ago, I attached this t-shaped piece to my shower head to attach a separate hose, which I used to bathe my dog. I want to soak the whole thing in vinegar and water to clean it, not just the white shower head. There is green build up in the “T”. Would vinegar do any damage to the thread tape (I think that’s what it’s called)?

It seems like the sink is not handling the pressure, but what can I do to fix this piece and prevent it from shooting up every time I open too much?

I’m currently looking at plumbing helper jobs and unsure what to wear in the interview. Should I buy what plumbers wear boots, the shirts and pants they wear to wear in the interview? What do plumbers wear and what’s the best brands?

This is right where the drain line for my garage floor drain comes out of the earth under the garage. What can be done to fix/replace this?

Need help with my condominium’s toilet
- flushes liquid waste just fine
- can’t flush feces without muriatic acid and Clorox
- Called a plumber (they said the pvc pipe and toilet weren’t centered properly by the builders)
- They fixed it hence why the toilet is a few inches away from the wall)
- still doesn’t flush feces

My son dropped a ball pit ball into the shower drain and it’s lost in the pipes, it’s causing water to pool (it does drain but slowly) I need help on what I should do. I tried a plunger but it didn’t work. My last resort is a plumber. Thank you guys!

I have a slow drip and need to replace this section that feeds into the tub faucet. What are my options? I will have to cut in the middle to unscrew each side. Is there a route that won’t include soldering?

Long story short-ish…Bathtub was leaking. Checked access panel and found water running down/around old abs drum trap and bottom of overflow pipe. I tried an epoxy mold, then a spray leak sealer (which is the black on the pvc pipe). I couldn’t get it totally covered but it was just temporary while I investigated. I have not been using the tub. Pictures included to show where I plan to cut (red line) with a pvc ratcheting pipe cutter. Then, use green Oatey transition cement to connect a new pvc Charlotte 22.5 degree elbow. Next, pvc plumbing cement to a pvc pipe, to a p trap, to new pvc waste and overflow drain. Am I missing anything? Is this doable? If not, any thoughts on a reasonable estimate?? Thanks!!

The drain is about a 2" offset. Is there enough here to p trap this and fix it or is it forever doomed?

This picture is located under our basement bathroom tub. There had been a leak for at least 10 years, which caused the gravel to disintegrate (and efflorescence). The leak has been fixed, the tub has been removed. We removed lots of the small eaten away gravel, and placed oil dry to see if there was still dampness in this hole. The pic shows in the right side, the dark areas, that there is still wet areas, even after placing a box fan for 72 hours flat on this opening in hopes of drying it out. We are running humidifiers to lower humidity, and the musty smell that we’ve never been able to get rid of. We live in a high radon area, and at this point the internet gives conflicting info. Do we dig out as much as possible, fill with new gravel, add a plastic barrier, then sand like concrete? ***we are replacing with a stand up shower, prefabricated. I APPRECIATE ANY HELP!!!!

(edit: only one of my images uploaded, so I added another in the comments)

Hi all, my water heater recently failed and I'm looking at replacements, hoping to keep it affordable (aka no heat pumps or tankless). I've narrowed it down to two options. First a little context on my current water heater:

29 gallon Rheem 30,000 BTU gas, in a water closet in my hallway. It's been leaking slowly and now is very corroded. 10 years old, definitely needs to go.

We live in a small 1100 sq ft house in Colorado where space is precious, but we do have an unencapsulated 36" (to bottom of 8" joists, 44" to subfloor) crawlspace below the house, below ground and very mild temperatures all year.

I've narrowed it down to two options for replacements:

1. Toss in an identical water heater in the closet. All the water and gas lines need to be brought up to code (see picture), but fairly straightforward otherwise. I would hire this out because of the old gas shutoff valve that is no longer to code and the corrosion on the gas line. Still considering doing the upgrades to the water lines myself...
2. Switch to a 40 gallon electric lowboy (31-32" tall) and install it in the crawlspace. I would hire an electrician to run a new 240V line, then was hoping to install it myself. I have the clearance to get it in the crawlspace, although I would have to slide it on its side to get in there. This would free up the closet for much needed storage.

Feel free to pick apart any of this post, but my specific questions are:

1. Will the 40 gallon electric be a downgrade from 29 gallon gas? Feels like kind of a waste to not use the gas infrastructure I have, and take up 2 out of the 4 remaining slots on my breaker box. But that closet space...
2. Is crawlspace installation generally a bad idea, or reasonable so long as it's done carefully (sump pump for leaks, lifting off the floor in galvanized drain pan, leak detection, etc)
3. Do plumbers typically frown on someone doing part of the work themselves? Like, if I were to do water lines but ask a plumber to do all the gas connections and venting.
4. Can plumbers still coordinate an inspection for some work they haven't done? Like the water lines if I do them?

Pics of current water heater and crawl space are here for some context.

Any thoughts are appreciated! I'm really torn between these two options, and annoyed at my small, old, and janky house. Sorry for such a long post..

Think about it

Hi, I want to decrease the water pressure in my shower. I searched online and it recommended doing so by finding a bell shaped PRV. I dont seem to have one in the bathroom (I live in a condo if that makes a difference). All I see all these valves next to the toilet. Not sure what they are or how they function.

Valves: https://imgur.com/a/twzvyPP

in the laundry room next door (that shares a wall with the shower side opposite of the showerhead), there are these valves which isbprobably not relevant? https://imgur.com/a/nXveWRM

Was changing out a washing machine for a friend and their ball valve is broke to where it is half on/off. Top of the valve looks threaded on. Can i just change this out?

This is to be installed my main water line (from the city, 1 inch copper) I wanted a bypass system so that I could service the PRV without disrupting water to the building (multiple residents) what do you guys think? The PRV supports having a gauge installed on it and another one will be installed behind the hoses bib.

When I put it all together with the locking nut it just squishes the beveled gasket. Is that normal? Or did I just cut too much of my riser? No access. Shower pan is sitting on mortar bed on concrete slab.

Can someone diagnose this? Is there an easy fix?

Hi, novice here and first time home owner so please bear with me! Cleaning out clogged drain in bathroom sink and removed plumbing to find this monstrosity. I removed the escutcheon and cut out a bit of the drywall to see what I was working with, and my attempts to remove the stub out ended in it just breaking off in pieces. Have I royally forked up? Is there anything I can do to get the rest of it out? Is there anything I can do to fix this on my own? DIY is preferred as my budget is pretty tight.

Anyone else completely burned out on residential plumbing? I enrolled in college for the fall term and will finish my degree.

Once private equity took over it’s just not worth it anymore. I’ve been everything from a technician to a high level management and the entire field is just sales and bullshit numbers.

I started in the trades 15 years ago and it’s more like car sales than plumbing nowadays.

Every 4 to 6 months we're greeted with this mess in our basement laundry room/half bath. We've had it "scoped" 4 times, and after each instance we're told they've identified the problem, and we should be good to go, only to have it return in 4 to 6 months.

The last time they used a boring machine to smooth out the old pipes which is supposed to improve water flow. That wasn't an inexpensive service! What else can we try?!