Q&A / 

Tankless water heaters may not be as energy saving as you think. A tankless water heater has a large gas appetite. These heaters are sometimes called on demand water heaters. What's more, some people who buy a tankless water heater end up using more hot water and fuel since the heater never runs out of hot water. This tends to erase all of the projected energy savings.

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Undermount kitchen sinks are sleek and gorgeous. Kitchen sinks that undermount below the countertop are perfect for granite, marble, solid surface or engineered stone countertops. A granite undermount kitchen sink is what I have in my own home.

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Cast Iron Tub Repair TIPS Use Stain Solver Certified organic oxygen bleach to clean tub Clear rapid-set epoxy and matching paint works well Off-the-shelf products may work Do a small test first CLICK HERE to Get Tim's FREE& FUNNY Newsletter Repairing a chipped or scratched cast-iron tub is easy. The trick is to use the […]

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Vent pipes are needed to supply air to water pipes. Without proper air replacement, your drain lines could create a vacuum in the plumbing system. Be sure local regulations allow anyone other then licensed plumbers to do work on your plumbing vent piping.

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When it is time to replace your water heater, would a tankless water heater be the best alternative? Tankless water heaters cost more then standard hot water heaters. Be sure to consider the payback period on the tankless water heaters.

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A toilet gets a lot of hard use and often abuse. Fortunately, toilets are simple mechanisms, but toilet problems are bound to arise in a mechanism that gets used so often. Many toilet repairs can be handled by the homeowner. Instructions for do it yourself toilet repair are explained here for ten common toilet malfunctions. If fixing toilet problems is on your agenda, roll up your sleeves, and start here!

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Judy H. lives in OH. She had a great question. "Hi, Tim.  Hope you can advise me.  We have an original porcelain bathtub (57 years old).  In 1990, we had it glazed by BathCrest, who are no longer in business. The glaze has now started to peel around the drain.  I'd like to keep the […]

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I'm a master plumber as well as a builder. Crazy but true. I've been one for over 35 years. Gary, who lives in West Memphis, Arkansas, is remodeling his bathroom and has a question about walk-in shower drains. "I removed a bath tube and going to install a walk in shower. Do I need to […]

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You may not know this, but among other things I'm a master plumber. Yeah, the Ask the Builder founder is a plumber too! I've been one for over 35 years and during that time I've loved installing waste, vent and water supply lines. As you might expect, I've used beefy corded right-angle drills for decades to drill […]

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