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DEAR MAINTENANCE MEN
the collar is to solder a male or female 1⁄2” fitting to the end of the copper pipe. Install a male or female angle stop valve and never again deal with a stubborn brass collar. If you ever need to replace the valve, just twist it off and install a new one. We also recommend that you install “quarter turn ball valves” when replacing the old angle stop valves. The ball valves are less susceptible to sticking in the open position after many years of use.
On your second question about replacing under sink water lines; if any of your lines are the white plastic lines, replace them immediately; they are a flood waiting to happen. We like using the stainless-steel braided flex lines. They last a long time, don’t seem as susceptible to fatigue or abuse. A way to spot a bad flex line before they leak or burst, is to look for telltale signs of rust, calcium build-up, lose or broken braids, tight kinks, brown spots or they just look bad. If you are replacing angle stop valves, install new water lines at the same time.
DEAR MAINTENANCE MEN:
I have just installed a new garbage disposal and now my dishwasher won’t drain. I hooked everything back up the same as before. What did I do wrong?
- Brian
Dear Brian:
This mistake is surprisingly common. Luckily, it has a simple and cheap solution. Look under the sink and find where the dishwasher’s drain line hooks up to the garbage disposal. It is typically a three-quarter inch rubber or plastic line. Undo the hose clamp at the disposal end of the line and temporally remove it. Now take a big, long flat screwdriver and insert it into the garbage disposal nipple where you just removed the rubber drain line. The screwdriver will stop about two inches in and hit the drain knockout. Use a hammer and gently hit the screwdriver until the knockout breaks open. Remember to retrieve the knockout from inside the garbage disposal. Now, reassemble the dishwasher drain line to the garbage disposal, tighten the hose clamp and run your dishwasher through one cycle. Check for leaks and proper operation of the dishwasher. Everything should work just fine.
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