The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California

Care And Repair Of The House

The hot-water tank should be emptied. It usually has a cock in the piping at the top that will allow air to enter the tank and permit the water to be drawn off through the faucet at the bottom.

If the house is heated by hot water or steam, the system should be drained before the house is vacated in winter. Assuming that all of the fires are out, shut off the main water supply at the wall or street, then draw off the water from the boiler by opening the draw off cock at the lowest point in the system. Open the water-supply valve to the boiler so that no water will remain trapped above it. Then, in any hot-water system, beginning with highest radiators, open the air valve on all radiators as fast as the water lowers. In a 1-pipe steam system every radiator valve should be opened to release condensation. When a neating system has been drained, be sure that it is properly refilled before starting a fire under the boiler. (See Ch. X sec. 1)

If the house is left vacant in the summer, it is not necessary to drain the supply pipes or system. Shut off the water at the cellar wall as a precaution against waste of water from a dripping faucet or possible leak in the piping.

4. REPAIRING A LEAKY FAUCET

Tools.

Monkey wrench, screw driver, pliers, and a small piece of cloth to avoid marring the faucets.

Materials.

Fiber, rubber, leather, or special composition washers for compression-type faucets. (Assorted sizes are readily obtained at a hardware store.) Rubber or composition Fuller balls for Fuller faucets. Small quantity of valve-grinding compound (composed of emery dust and grease) for ground-key faucets.

Compression Type.

General description.—The compression type " of faucet is being used almost exclusively in modern household plumbing and is rapidly replacing the Fuller and ground-key types. (See fig. 19.) In the compression-type faucet, the flow of water is regulated by turning a lever, tee, or 4-ball handle, which is attached to a threaded spindle. When the spindle is turned down, the washer or disk attached to its lower end is pressed tightly against the smoothly finished ring, or "ground seat" which surrounds the " flow opening," thus shutting off the flow of water.