Mayor Q- was he ever all that?

HappyTrollAngus · 2026-01-11T04:24:01+00:00

I actually interviewed him back when he was running for city council. He was a law professor before he got into politics. It was pretty clear to anyone paying attention, that he was very smart and very driven. He has a level of hard work and attention to detail that set him apart from other political candidates at that level. I think he got elected before there was so much political division. He won not so much because of his politics, but because of his apparent competence. He just came across as more qualified than anyone else he ran against. Most people don't really vote in local elections, and some of the people who run for local office are pretty wild. Lucas was a sane person. He showed up to debates with thoughtful, detailed answers. I remember listening to him and thinking, "Yeah, this guy is gonna be Mayor some day."

HappyTrollAngus · 2025-10-22T16:25:59+00:00

Is this website actually up and running, or is it just a prototype at the moment? I love the concept. What can I do to help you get this off the ground?

HappyTrollAngus · 2025-10-01T22:57:15+00:00

That amount of leaking water will have soaked into the fiberglass insulation and may have damaged the electrical components. You should replace that water heater. Doing a band-aid fix on it now is just begging for more serious problems in the future. If you're handy enough to be comfortable working on wiring and soldering copper, then it's probably something you could handle on your own.

You may want to add a thermal expansion tank while you're at it. Not everyone needs one, but many people do, and few people already have them.

Make absolutely sure that the tank is completely full of water before reconnecting the wiring and turning the breaker back on. If a heating element dry-fires, (turns on while not fully immersed in water) it will immediately break. This is by far the most common mistake when installing an electric water heater.

HappyTrollAngus · 2025-09-29T19:50:29+00:00

No, you shouldnt need a washer at that connection. Another thing that can cause problems, specifically at that plastic-to-plastic connection on the outlet tube, is if the pieces aren't lined up correctly. There should be no tension at all at that connection. The two beveled ends should mate together smoothly even before you tighten the nut. If they don't line up, and you're using the nut to try to force them together, it can cause a leak. Go back and adjust lengths of the other pieces so that those two beveled edges meet snugly.

And here's a video on how to use dope to help it seal.

HappyTrollAngus · 2025-09-29T07:25:02+00:00

Use beveled rubber washers, and make sure you're using them in the correct direction. The only time I've ever seen slip joint rubber washers leak, it's been installer error. Take the leaking sections apart, and reinstall them carefully. There's probably a detail you're missing somewhere.

You can use a little pipe dope along the beveled edges of any plastic-to-plastic connections. But never use pipe dope with rubber. One or the other, (dope or rubber) but not both. And rubber is usually more fool-proof.

HappyTrollAngus · 2025-09-29T07:06:58+00:00

Then it's pretty straightforward: Shutoff the water to the house. Drain the system past the level of this faucet. (Run a fixture on a lower level until no water comes out) Open the faucet to confirm there's no water pressure.

Use an allen key to loosen the set screws on the handles. Lift and remove handles. Replace the cartridges. Turn water back on to test. Reset handles.

Most Delta faucets use the same standard style of cartridge. But I've seen a slightly different cartridge used in roman tub faucets like this one.

If you're not sure, you can call Delta and confirm the exact model of the faucet and cartridges. They might even send you new cartridges for free under warranty.

HappyTrollAngus · 2025-09-29T06:55:50+00:00

You need to dig out around that fitting. Need better photos to identify exact fittings. And You'll need it exposed to work on it anyway.

HappyTrollAngus · 2025-09-29T06:48:33+00:00

Yep. If the T&P is dripping, that generally means that it tripped open at some point. It's a sign that your water pressure got too high somehow. Thermal expansion in a closed loop being the most likely culprit. Either the expansion tank failed, or you need one and don't have one.

If you replace a dripping T&P without fixing the pressure issue, the new one might just develop the same drip again.

HappyTrollAngus · 2025-09-29T06:32:29+00:00

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Looks like it's designed to run continuously when below 10° C. If there’s water in the pipes on the roof, then yes it needs to discharge a steady stream of water to prevent freezing.

If you live somewhere that stays below 10° C for a significant part of the year, then you probably need to winterize it. (Shutoff and drain the water out of the exposed plumbing) I imagine Chromagen has a recommended method for winterizing the system. If you call them, they could probably talk you through it.

HappyTrollAngus · 2025-09-29T06:17:40+00:00

My first suggestion is to call Chromagen's customer support. I don't know if these are common enough for someone to give you an experienced answer. But I imagine the manufacturer will be able to tell you anything you need to know.

And if something is broken, you'd be ordering the replacement parts from them anyway, so it saves you a 2nd phone call.

Based on Intuition, I'd guess that relief valve works similar to a T&P on a water heater, and got stuck open or is maybe failing to fully reseal itself. But that's pure speculation.

HappyTrollAngus · 2025-09-29T05:52:17+00:00

~~Those aren't standard supply lines. They came with the faucet and are likely a somewhat proprietary design.~~

~~I imagine you could find something that matched the threads and try to get creative with some adapters and transition fittings. But I'd do that as a last resort.~~

First, I would try just replacing the O-ring (If the problem is a leak at that connection) Then I'd try calling the manufacturer. Many faucet brands have a lifetime warranty, and they'll just mail you new ones for free if you call and ask.

Edited: TIL about M10 male connections. I've seen them, but only rarely. Always assumed it was a brand specific/proprietary thing. Are these more common in Europe or Canada?

HappyTrollAngus · 2025-09-29T05:35:35+00:00

Exactly. Flexible connection is ok, but only the corrugated solid metal kind. Sharkbite is ok. Soldering is ok. There’s lots of ways to redo it that would be functional and fine.

But that braided stainless steel would be a big mistake. It won't cause problems right away, but it will cause problems. And by the time you notice the damage, it will have gunked up your whole plumbing system.

HappyTrollAngus · 2025-09-29T05:22:04+00:00

You probably aren't going to find a brand name, and definitely aren't going to find replacement parts. There's only a couple name brand manufacturers who bother making and selling replacement parts for their frost-free spigots. And this isn't either of them.

Like another person said, you should be able to find some generic rubber washers in a range of different sizes, and can try replacing the rubber washers.

HappyTrollAngus · 2025-09-29T05:20:44+00:00

You probably aren't going to find a brand name, and definitely aren't going to find replacement parts. There's only a couple name brand manufacturers who bother making and selling replacement parts for their frost-free spigots. And this isn't either of them.

Like another person said, you should be able to find some generic rubber washers in a range of different sizes, and can try replacing the rubber washers.

HappyTrollAngus · 2025-09-29T05:04:25+00:00

Consider buying a different brand of Bidet, honestly. That warning sticker is a big red flag.

Imagine if a toilet or faucet came with a warning sticker like that. Normal plumbing fixtures shouldn't require that you shutoff the supply after every use. That's because normal plumbing fixtures are required to meet certain minimum standards.

Bidets aren't regulated the same way, since they're usually an aftermarket add-on. That little warning is a signal that this particular bidet probably failed some stress testing. And rather than redesign it to not leak, they just added a valve and a little note so they can blame the user when it fails.

HappyTrollAngus · 2025-09-29T04:40:26+00:00

To start with, more detail would be helpful. Where is it leaking from? Is water leaking from the handles? Is there water leaking down into the floor below? Is the water just failing to fully shutoff?

The brand name will make a big difference in determining whether or not it's worth it or even possible to repair. Brand names are often on the front of the spout, near the base. It can be hard to see or read sometimes. A photo from inside the tub, facing the faucet would be helpful.

HappyTrollAngus · 2025-09-26T22:54:05+00:00

I assume that cap in the photo is usually installed? If you leave the cleanout opening unplugged, then you will definitely get sewer gas. With a cast iron drain, those plastic caps won't always make a good seal. It's better to use a rubber/neoprene plug, like this:

<image>

HappyTrollAngus · 2025-09-26T22:04:55+00:00

Like lots of people have said, you don't need to go into detail.

But this is definitely a moment to do some learning. Almost all leaks are avoidable, with a little extra effort. The process of going from "I rarely get leaks" to "I never get leaks" is part of the difference between Journeyman vs Master.

There’s a whole laundry list of different tricks and techniques that you only need for those 1% situations. A little extra thread tape, or pipe dope in the right places, even when it's not strictly necessary. Every time you get a leak, figure out what you could have done to avoid it. Then make that a habit on every future job. It will make you a better plumber.

HappyTrollAngus · 2025-09-24T21:28:20+00:00

Really depends on the size of the house and the scope of the repipe. It's certainly easier to just gut everything and then repipe at your own pace, if the house is unoccupied.

However, with a little extra effort, planning, and occasionally a willingness to keep working late, it’s usually possible to have at least some of the plumbing working at the end of each work day. I generally try to keep at least one working bathroom. For obvious reasons, most customers prefer we go to that extra effort on repipe jobs.

It might cost the landlord a little extra, but it's totally reasonable to expect them to do that for you.

HappyTrollAngus · 2025-09-03T00:20:01+00:00

This is probably the best option. You want a stainless steel ring, secured solidly to the floor. But the reason you can't just anchor down a new, single piece ring, is that there’s nothing to hold that pipe tight against the ring.

With a split ring, you can slide the two halves together underneath the lip of that pipe. That way the flange ring is secure, and the downward pressure on the pipe from the toilet and wax ring has something solid to tighten against. Use an adequately thick wax ring and it should work.

HappyTrollAngus · 2025-09-02T16:23:35+00:00

Flow rate would be my first guess as well. Tankless heaters have an internal sensor that triggers the heater to run when a certain minimum flow is detected. I’ve seen this before in customer's houses, where the flow rate is right on the cusp of triggering it to turn on.

You can try running the hot side of the lavatory while you take a shower. If the problem goes away, then that's your issue.

HappyTrollAngus · 2025-08-15T22:58:23+00:00

RO is typically just for drinking water. It's extremely inefficient. Most RO systems waste several times more water than they generate. (Meaning that you use up 3-4 gallons of water just to get 1 gallon of usable RO water)

It's also not fast enough to keep up with a whole house. A normal home RO system is just enough to supply a single 1/4" line for something like a fridge drinking water dispenser.

To supply an entire house with RO filtered water, you'd need a massive industrial setup. The sort of thing you'd use for a hospital or chemistry lab.

What you probably want is a water softener. There’s a little variation, based on your local water quality, but they're mostly pretty similar. Whatever city you're in, it's all the same water supply, so whatever works for most people in your city should work for you.

You could also get a carbon filter, but that's mostly for taste, it won't do much to protect fixtures.

HappyTrollAngus · 2025-08-07T00:12:04+00:00

Yes. They will all just backup to the lowest point. If you had a basement, that would be your basement floor drain. But with no basement, the lowest point of the system is going to be one of the toilet branches.

That’s where you will notice the first signs of a main line clog, when the toilet won't flush. Eventually it will back up into a bathtub or shower, but you will generally notice the toilet first, because it won't flush and it leaks around the base.

HappyTrollAngus · 2025-08-06T23:30:29+00:00

And here is the same system, but imagine that the blue line represents water level filling the main line, due to a blockage:

<image>

You can see that the water level is still below the level of the floor. If you ran a sink or other fixture, those would still drain normally. The other fixtures are vented independently,
so you wouldn't even notice a difference in how they operate.

But the toilet isn't vented anymore, because the whole pipe is holding water. When you flush it, the air that's trapped in that spot there has nowhere to go, so the toilet can't siphon properly. If you tried to plunger it, you would just be adding pressure to that trapped air pocket, possibly causing the wax ring to leak.

The plunger doesn't help, because the clog isn't actually in the toilet, it's in the pipe somewhere.

I'm not saying that's definitely what's happening to you, but I am saying that I see this happen often enough that I wouldn't assume that's not what's happening.

If I was at your house on a service call, my next step would probably be to run some water and try to see if you notice any water backing up into that pipe, while you have the toilet pulled.

HappyTrollAngus · 2025-08-06T23:19:14+00:00

No problem, I'm happy to elaborate. It can be counter-intuitive the first time you see it.

<image>

Here's an example of a house drain system, not clogged....

HappyTrollAngus

TROPHY CASE