The ULTIMATE Plumbing Tricks Guide (15+ Tricks)

Here's a compilation of cool plumbing tricks every homeowner should know.

Stuff I used in this video:

2000 Grit Wet or Dry Sandpaper: https://amzn.to/2tODDmp

Milwaukee HoleSaw Kit (28-Piece): https://amzn.to/2T8TF9Q

MagTorch Butane Soldering Torch: https://amzn.to/2T8TF9Q

Food Coloring for toilet test: https://amzn.to/2T8TF9Q

8" Channel Lock Adjustable Pliers: https://amzn.to/2T8TF9Q

3/8" Piggy Back Valve: https://amzn.to/2T8TF9Q

1/2" Compression Valve: https://amzn.to/2T8TF9Q

Step 1: Stubborn Water Marks in Toilet Bowl Trick

If the water coming into your house is harsh, you might have had this problem happen to you already. If you are trying to get your toilet bowl clean with a brush or cloth and it’s not working, get yourself some 2000 grit sandpaper and lightly scrub the watermark until it comes off. The sandpaper is soft enough to not damage the porcelain yet rough enough to remove harsh watermarks like this with no strain, pretty neat huh?

Step 2: Sharkbite Removal Trick

If you’re trying to remove a Sharkbite fitting that’s too close to a wall and can’t fit your dedicated removal tool, get a good length of cord and wrap it behind the fitting and use a flossing motion to remove it, it’ll pop right off.

Step 3:

Drilling out large size holes with a battery operated drill could be quite demanding. To ease the process, remove your hole saw and drill 4 relief holes on the perimeter of the hole using the center bit, it’ll allow for the saw dust to exit from the back of the holes and make the process a whole lot easier.

Step 4: Chrome Flange Trick

If ever you’re going install a chrome flange like this one and it doesn’t wanna seem to go on, turn it around and enlarge the hole first, it’ll make it a lot easier to put it on the right way afterward.

Step 5: Suction Trick

If you need to solder a vertical joint on a pipe filled with water, get yourself a 12” section of PEX and use your thumb at the end of the pipe to suck any water out to be able to solder, and then proceed to soldering.

Step 6: Blocked Drain Trick (hair)

If you have hair stuck in your lavatory or shower drain, here’s a pretty cool trick to unblock it. Grab a tie wrap and notch it every inch or so with a sharp utility knife, the hair will catch on the sharp notches and allow you to pull them out without a fuss!

Step 7: Leaky Flapper Trick

If you suspect having a leaky toilet flapper, grab some food coloring a use a few drops in the reservoir, If you see the colored water in the bowl after a few hours without flushing, you need to replace your flapper.

Step 8: Easy Strainer Removal Trick

Sometimes, your faucet’s aerator could get blocked with debris. Now you could try to remove it by hand but using a pair of adjustable pliers is a lot easier. Instead of using the jaws, turn the pliers around and use the rubber coated handles to grasp it, you’ll have a much better grip and you won’t have to force as much.

Step 9: Piggy Back Valve

If you have a leaky shutoff valve and you don’t know how to solder? Get yourself A 3/8” piggy back valve and install it over the old one, you could close the new valve and it’ll stop the leak until you reconnect it.

Step 10: Find Out Easily

If you have a water meter in your home, here’s neat trick to check if you have a leak somewhere. Take down the number written on the meter and come back after a few hours, if the numbers changed, you should consider investigating!

Step 11: Shower Head Flow Trick

Your shower head lost some pressure over time, here’s a cool trick to restore it. Remove the head and store it in a plastic bag filled with white vinegar for a full day and reinstall it afterward, it’ll break down any deposits and restore full pressure.

Step 12: Stop the Flow

If ever you are trying to solder and can’t seem to stop the water, here’s a last case scenario option. Get yourself a compression valve and install it a bit further down the line you are trying to solder, you’ll be able to close it and stop the water from leaking.

Step 13: Thread, Then Cut.

If you cut some all thread and try to screw a nut on but you’re having trouble, here’s the fix. Thread your nut on first then, cut it and remove the nut. It’ll rethread the cut portion and it’ll allow you to install a nut a lot easier on this way.

Step 14: Stubborn Sticker Trick

And lastly, if you’re on a solder project and encounter a stubborn manufacture sticker as seen here, get your torch to burn off the paper and use some soldering flux to take care of the glue, easy as 1 2 3.