Plumbing Tools

Get a close-up, cutaway view of a stop valve, gate valve and ball valve, along with detailed explanations of how they work and advantages and…

Small water leaks at soldered copper joints can be easy—or not so easy—to fix. This article explains the options, including what to…

When kitchen or bathroom faucet repairs go bad, they can be a nightmare. Professional plumbers share their solutions for disassembly and repair…

Water leaks from old galvanized steel water pipe are common at joints, especially when they're joined to copper. Use a dielectric coupling…

To save you time, money and headaches down the road, we collected our favorite tips and tricks for solving common household plumbing problems.…

Replace clogged, corroded water supply pipes to improve water pressure. Begin with the worst spots first, the main valve and meter and the…

Soldering copper water supply lines is not a difficult skill.  Even a rookie can learn to solder leak-proof joints in 30 minutes. The…

How to make leak-proof connections fast, whether you're using PVC, ABS or CPVC. Plus, common mistakes to avoid and how to fix them.

Before you replace a broken hot water heater, check to make sure the thermocouple still works. It's a simple, inexpensive repair that could…

You can fix leaky copper pipe quickly and efficiently with special repair sleeves. We show you how to cut and solder copper supply lines.

Sink sprayers can develop leaks just like any other water line, but they're trickier to spot. The solution usually involves replacing either the…

Whether you're installing a better-flushing toilet or resetting the old one after remodeling, these tips will help you do it faster and with…

With a little practice, anyone can solder copper water pipe. Learn how to cut, clean and flux pipe and fittings, how much solder to use, and…

Aerators are found on almost every kitchen and bath faucet, and if water flow slows or becomes uneven, clogs inside the aerator are usually the…

Stop that annoying drip in its tracks. Here's how to fix a leaky one-arm ball-type faucet in less than an hour and less than $20! We'll show you…

Preformed, one-piece shower bases make installing a new shower much easier. This article explains the process, from ripping out the old shower…

Long used in radiant heating systems, flexible PEX tubing is now becoming popular for water supply lines because it's easy to run through…

Sediment from the bottom of a hot water heater can clog the low-quality drain valves that come with most water heaters. Replacement with a brass…

Do you have low water pressure even though the pipes are new? There are several possible causes, but if nothing else works, install a water…

PEX tubing and fittings are starting to push copper out of home-handyman (and plumbers') toolboxes. Learn tips for working with it and what all…