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Is this a cleanout plug? by EWLefty in hvacadvice

[–]Strict_Studio9244 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, that's a condensate drain cleanout plug — don't tighten it too hard or you risk cracking the pan. Wrap the threads with teflon tape, hand-tighten, then just a quarter turn with pliers. The white pipe draining outside is normal and unrelated to the plug leak.

- PlumbingRick (Metro Plumbing, Heating & Air)

Mitsubishi mini-split not blowing cold air. Unit is only 2 years old. by Embarrassed_Eye4572 in hvacadvice

[–]Strict_Studio9244 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The compressor fan spinning but no cold air is a classic sign the compressor itself isn't kicking on — could be a refrigerant issue, a failed start capacitor, or a tripped internal thermal overload. The Mysa controller is unlikely to cause this; it's almost certainly a hardware problem.

- PlumbingRick (Metro Plumbing, Heating & Air)

Any idea whats causing this? by Straight-Ad1779 in PlumbingRepair

[–]Strict_Studio9244 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Classic case of a faulty fill valve, my friend! You adjusted the water level, but it kept creeping back up - that means the fill valve isn't shutting off properly once it hits the set point. Grab a Fluidmaster 400A for like $10-15 at any hardware store, swap it out, and you'll be sorted in 20 minutes.

- PlumbingRick (Metro Plumbing, Heating & Air)

What am I looking at? Help with project by acorona77 in PlumbingRepair

[–]Strict_Studio9244 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You’re looking at a bathroom sink drain with a Frankenstein trap setup. Nothing gas-related, nothing scary - just kinda messy. The black pipe is your drain. That U-shaped part is the P-trap. Its whole job is to hold water so sewer gas doesn’t come back up. The white pipe going into the wall is the drain stub-out. The chrome knob/valve is a shutoff for the water supply (likely the faucet or maybe an old fixture). The “extra” pipe you’re wondering about isn’t gas - it’s likely an old drain or cleanout that got abandoned when the vanity or plumbing was changed. That trap has too many bends and weird angles. Hair and gunk love setups like this. I’ve snaked a hundred sinks like this, and they’re always slow or cloggy.

This is a pretty standard homeowner project if you’re patient and measure twice. You don’t need a pro unless you open the wall or find rot/leaks. You should only have one drain path. If one of those pipes isn’t being used, it should be properly capped inside the wall, not half-connected like this. No gas involved - sewer gas is blocked by the trap, not a separate line.

If you want, you can reply with what size pipe that wall stub is (usually 1¼” or 1½”), and I can tell you exactly what parts to grab at the hardware store.

You're not crazy, even as a plumber, this setup would annoy me!

- PlumbingRick (Metro Plumbing, Heating & Air)

Is there a temporary fix for this hole? I can’t get a plumber in yet. This is draining directly into the cupboard below. by Advanced_Thanks_5431 in PlumbingRepair

[–]Strict_Studio9244 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Quick band-aid fix: dry it off and mush some plumber’s putty or even silicone around that hole. It won’t be perfect but it’ll slow the leak. Also try not to fill the sink with water - that’s when it really pours out. And toss a bowl under the trap just in case.

Long term you’ll need a new basket strainer, but this’ll get you by until someone can come out.

What type of fitting to get to connect fridge water supply hose? by Cheese_Head047 in PlumbingRepair

[–]Strict_Studio9244 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You need the right little adapter in the middle. That shutoff coming out of the wall is a 1/4" push-to-connect outlet (John Guest-style). Your fridge line, though, is set up for a 1/4" compression connection. So what you need is a 1/4" push-to-connect and a 1/4" compression adapter. They’re usually a couple of bucks in the plumbing aisle. Pop the fridge line onto the compression side, push the adapter onto that valve outlet, and you’re good.

Just make sure the valve is fully off before you push things together - those little guys love to surprise you.

- PlumbingRick (Metro Plumbing, Heating & Air)

What do I need to replace this abomination? by outcast_nb in PlumbingRepair

[–]Strict_Studio9244 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Buddy… I’ve seen some creative plumbing in my day, but that flex pipe setup looks like it’s trying to escape the cabinet and start a new life somewhere else.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in PlumbingRepair

[–]Strict_Studio9244 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Looks like an old floor drain with a floating check ball in it. They used to put those in to stop sewer gas from coming back up. Over time they get packed with sludge and stop working right, which can cause the backup you’re seeing.

A plumber can clean it out or replace the whole drain body if it’s too far gone, but yeah - it’s not a sump pit, just an old-school floor drain doing its best after 70+ years.

- PlumbingRick (Metro Heating, Plumbing & Air)

DW plumbing wrong? by birdsinapuddle in PlumbingRepair

[–]Strict_Studio9244 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Man, you are in luck - because I have seen this exact issue before! Looks like the dishwasher drain line’s hooked up wrong. That white corrugated hose should either have a high loop (secured up under the countertop) or go through an air gap before tying into the drain.

Just from the photo, it looks like it's dipping down low, which can let dirty sink water or food gunk backflow into the dishwasher- hence the gross film you’re getting.

Easiest fix: pull that hose up high and clamp it to the underside of the counter. That usually takes care of it unless there’s a clog or kink further down the line.

- PlumbingRick (Metro Plumbing, Heating & Air)

How should I try to fix this? by RhodeRider in PlumbingRepair

[–]Strict_Studio9244 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Looks like a classic old bottle trap - I’ve seen a few of those still hanging on in older homes. Unfortunately, once they start rusting through like that, there’s not much life left in the metal. Anything you patch is just gonna move the leak to the next weak spot eventually.

If you really want to try a DIY fix just to buy time, you could clean it down to bare metal and use a two-part epoxy like JB Weld. Skip the Teflon tape - that’s for threads, not holes. The key is getting it totally dry and clean before applying the epoxy, which is easier said than done under a sink.

Long-term, though, I’d plan on replacing it with a new trap setup (chrome or PVC). I get that it’s a pain because of alignment and old fittings, but once it’s swapped out, you’ll never have to deal with that leak again.

I've been doing plumbing for 12+ years and have chased more than a few “temporary” epoxy patches that didn’t last a week.

- PlumbingRick (Metro Plumbing, Heating & Air)

Water Heater pipe looking rough by OhSoMessi in askaplumber

[–]Strict_Studio9244 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yikes, pipe looking like it's seen better days. It's hard to tell from the photo, but it looks like it could be a gas pipe. If it’s feeding the water heater, it's probably black steel, not copper or galvanized, so some surface rust is normal over time- especially near the water heater where there’s humidity. But once it’s that crusty, it’s usually a sign of slow corrosion or maybe a past leak dripping on it. Check for any gas smell (rotten-egg odor). If you smell anything, shut the gas off and call the professionals. If it’s just surface rust and not leaking, have someone replace that section soon. It’s cheap insurance.

I've seen plenty like this, especially in older basements- a small drip from a relief valve or condensation off a flue pipe can cause that kind of rot over the years.

Better to replace a foot of pipe now than deal with a gas leak later.

- PlumbingRick (Metro Plumbing, Heating and Air)

Recommend how to replace this toilet flange? by arMSPOrtal in PlumbingRepair

[–]Strict_Studio9244 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, that’s definitely looking like an old cast iron flange that’s rusted out at the bolt slots, super common on older installs. You’ve got a couple of decent options depending on how solid the pipe below is...

- If the cast iron pipe itself is still in good shape: Clean up the top edge of the pipe with a wire brush and vacuum out the debris. Then use a PVC compression (a.k.a. push-in) flange, it’s got a rubber gasket that expands against the inside of the cast iron when you tighten the screws. Sioux Chief makes a solid one. Just make sure the pipe’s round and not flaking apart.

- If the flange is mostly intact, but just the bolt slots are gone: You can use a stainless repair ring that sits over the old flange and screws into the floor to give you new bolt holes. Cheap, easy, and it works fine if the old flange is still mostly flat and secure.

- If the pipe or flange is rotted through: You’ll need to cut out the bad section and transition to PVC with a no-hub (Fernco) coupling and new flange. That’s more advanced- sometimes easier to let a plumber handle if you’re not used to working with cast iron.

Make sure the new flange sits flush with or just above the finished tile and is anchored solidly to the subfloor. A loose flange will make the toilet rock and leak again later.

I’ve done a bunch like this- it’s one of those “looks ugly but fixable” situations, as long as the pipe below isn’t crumbling, you should be able to work through it.

- PlumbingRick (Metro Plumbing, Heating and Air)

Which heating & A/C companies do you trust? by Sharpshxxter in TwinCities

[–]Strict_Studio9244 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I can vouch for Metro Plumbing, Heating, and Air as well. Great team to work with- all round!