The Bradley Smoker is a compact electric smoker that is easy to use and great for the expert or novice smoker. The Bradley Smoker is available in 5 different models to accommodate different smoking needs and applications.

The Bradley Electric Smoker uses unique wood bisquettes that are available in many different flavors such as apple, hickory, mesquite, cherry and the all new Jim Beam to name a few. These flavor bisquettes are available in 12, 48 and 120 packs. Every model of the Bradley Smoker has a smoke generator attached. To begin smoking you simply load the smoke generator with the desired amount of bisquettes. Each bisquette burns for 20 minutes and is automatically fed through the smoke generator producing a clean continuous smoke. This is one of the key features to the Bradley Smoker as it eliminates the need to tend to your smoker all day as your food slowly cooks. Some worry that using the Bradley Bisquettes may be expensive but the cost is only about .00 per hour. This is about what smoking with traditional wood chunks would cost. The Bradley Bisquettes can also be used on your grill.

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The Original Bradley Smoker model measures 30″ H x 24″ W x 14″ D. The interior of the smoker is made of aluminum to prevent rust and corrosion. The exterior is a black powder coated epoxy steel. The powder coating ensures that the outside of your smoker will last through years of use without peeling or fading. This unit has a sliding temperature control that is used to control the cooking temperature of the smoker. The Original Bradley Smoker model is also available in Stainless Steel.

One of the newest additions to the Bradley Line of smokers is the 4 Rack and 6 Rack digital models. These digital models contain all of the great features of the Original with the addition of digital technology. With the digital models you are now able to control the exact temperature you want to smoke at and for how long. The 4 rack digital measures 33.6″ H x 20.4″ W and 17.9″ D. The 6 rack model measures 42″ H x 20.4″ W x 17.9″ D. Both models have a polished stainless steel interior and a powder coated epoxy steel exterior. The Original and Digital models all come with a 500W heating element. This can be controlled to a maximum temperature of 320 degrees. Also included with each unit are 4 adjustable nickel plated racks that measure 11″ x 15″, drip bowl, drip tray, bottom tray, recipe booklet and user manual. All smokers come with a 1 year manufacturer warranty.

Bradley also has a propane model that is great for smoking on the go. This compact unit comes in a handy carrying case so it is great for camping, vacations or anywhere space is limited. The propane unit is powered by a standard 1 lb. propane tank and 4 AA batteries so you can smoke anywhere. The unit weighs only 23 lbs.

Bradley also provides a full line of accessories for their smoker line. If you plan to keep your Bradley Smoker outdoors, covers are available for all models. A new addition to the Bradley Accessory line is the Cold Smoke Adaptor. The cold smoke adaptor is great when smoking items like cheese. This unit will work with all Bradley models. Additional racks are also available in the standard nickel plated model or the Teflon coated jerky racks which are great for making beef jerky.

Overall the Bradley Smoker has everything you need to create great backyard BBQ at a reasonable price. Bradley has gone to great lengths to simplify the process of smoking. Even someone with little or no experience smoking food can become the hit of your neighborhood.

Bradley Smoker Overview

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An air-condition gas leaking problem is extremely difficult and costly to solve.

An initial step to identify gas leak is by checking the gas pressure level with a pressure meter. If the pressure meter shows zero, that is the sign of gas leak because the compressor can never be emptied.

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The air-condition technician will then pump in the freon, either R22 to 68PSI or R410a to 135PSI to the air-conditioner, this depend on what refrigerant your air-conditioner takes in. You can check what refrigerant your air-conditioner takes in by looking at the label beside the fan coil unit.

From there, the technician will monitor the gas level. If the pressure drops within a few days, weeks or even months, this is a confirmation sign of gas leak because if the gas is top-up fully, it will last at least for a year. The rate of leaking is also dependent on the size of the crack.

So where is the leak source usually from?

The leak can be at the fan coil, inside the condenser or the copper pipes. The cracks are usually found at the joint soldering portion and copper pipes near the compressor. The crack occurs when two copper pipes touch each other and due to the vibration of the running compressor, the copper pipes will crack and gas leak occurs.

There are few methods and equipment used for identify leak source.

1. Hand-Held Refrigerant Leak Detector which detects a leak. A beep sound will be heard when it touches the copper pipe.

2. Ultraviolet (UV) Dye which detects a leak by inserting a coloured dye into the copper pipe and the colour will show where the leak is.

3. Soap and Water. Bubbles will form when the soap and water is placed on the leak site.

Once the leak is found, here are the methods to seal of leaks:

1. Compression Tape is used. The tape will seal the leak source when the tape is placed over the leak area.

2. Soldering. Soldering is a process in which two or more metal items are joined together by melting and filling the leak area with a filler metal.

In the methods and equipment mention above, fixing the leak may sound simple. But in fact, gas leaks are extremely hard to detect and seal. Especially if the leak source is in the copper pipes, it is almost impossible to detect the leak as it is concealed inside the wall, and it is very hard to perform soldering to seal up the leak source.

Steps to Take in Air Condition Gas Leak Problem

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If you need to construct a toilet at a location where plumbing services are not available, you can go for the macerating system.

The step wise instructions described below would help you to erect an efficient macerating system in your home.

Teflon Tubing

Step 1: First you should prepare the Macerating Unit

In macerating unit, the bowel passes through the discharge tube and gets collected in tank. There is a pump in the tank which after breaking up the bowels pushes the residues through the exit opening.

You can prepare the pump unit in the macerating tank by inserting the flapper check assembly in the place provided. Ensure that flapper assembly maintains the direction of elbow.

You should now force the elbow to connection and fasten the same with the help of clamp.

Step 2: Tap into the Vent

Vent can be easily tapped by cutting the pipe through with the help of reciprocating saw. You can keep a bucket at the pipe opening to gather anything which pushes out.

You should remove approx 12″ part of the pipe.

Properly rub and clean the two ends of old pipe. You can now put rubber adaptors on old pipe.

Step 3: Connect the Adaptors

Use small pieces of PVC to make a 1″ and 1/2″ ‘Y’ to enable them to cover the gap in pipe. You can now fix the rubber adaptors.

Now secure the ‘Y’ in its place and now connect the both ends by gently sliding adaptors over them. Then firmly fix the clamps to prevent any leaks.

Step 4: Screw the Adaptor into the Cleanout

You should now uncover the sewer line by removing the cover.

When the cap has been removed, firmly put the male adaptor which has been properly threaded with 3.4″ reducer. Smear the male adaptor threads with Teflon paste and screw the same to clean out. Plumber’s wrench can be used to ensure than adaptor is properly snugged.

Step 5: Attach the Bowl

Now connect the bowl of macerating system to the accordion seal and then secure the bowl with floor by making use of anchoring holes.

Step 6: Attach the Unit to the Sewer Line

To achieve this, bring the discharge line at around flexible 90 above the pump in macerating unit. This line is also called pressure positive line as it gets charged with pressure when the pump starts.

Step 7: Connect the Pipes

Your should make lengths of 3/4″ PVC pipe and a 90 which moves out from the wall.

Now push the pipe via flexible 90 placed on macerator and then screw up the clamp.

Slightly rotate the pipe which is parallel subsequently making the hole in the wall by drilling it, exactly at the pipe’s end.

You can settle the discharge line length as per you requirement and make sure to glue it to 90. You can now cross the pipe across the wall.

Step 8: Run the Discharge Line

Make sure that discharge line is running and now connect ball valve to macerator very closely.

Still continue to run the discharge line making sure in the process to lessen the most of 90 deg turns with 45. The line level should be downhill to facilitate smooth flow into the sewer.

The line should be fixed to it position with the help of pipe hangers and remember to insulate the pipe if it is present in some cold place.

Step 9: Run a Vent Line

Some existing vent can be tapped into, or even some vent which passes in the walls may be run.

You can proceed here by cutting off the breather points in macerating unit with the help of two caps which you were provided with. You can skim off the lids from the dome and then place the accordion connector on the lip.

You can now fit 1″ and 1/2″ street 90 in the connector.

Make use of hole saw and make a cut through the wall. Insert the street 90 in and fix it there with a clam.

You can now run the 1-1/2″ PVC and attach it into the tap you made. You should use PVC hanger if you want, to make the line secure.

Step 10: You can start the cold water line which connects to the toilet.

Then you can turn off the water and after relieving the built pressure, cut the water line with the help of a pipe cutter.

Install ‘T’ after removing 2″ from water line.

Add a ball valve after you attach short pipe piece to ‘T’.

You can use simple soldering methods to further extend this line and attach it to the pipe which was fixed through the wall earlier.

Step 11: Now secure these connections

Cap off any of the ports which will not be used.

Make a connection to the sink, by capping off a 1-1/2′ PVC piece and attach it to the supplied accordion connection.

Firmly secure connections by using clamps.

Step 12: Installing Toilet.

For toilet installation, fix the clamp to the discharge outlet of toilet.

Then you should keep the bowl just in the front side of macerating unit. Then pull the accordion gasket further onto the discharge opening.

Make sure that the gasket is all even and that the clamp rests on the gasket edge. You can then screw up the clamp to fix it.

When bowl comes over holes in the floor, you can push china protector on lag screws.

Lag screws then should be gently screwed. Bolt covers should be snapped in place.

Step 13: Make the Final Connections

Toilet tank can be installed by properly lining the tank bolts and gasket. Avoid screwing too tight.

Now you can install the seat.

Flex line of stainless steel can now be attached from the bowl to valve. You can turn on the water supply to check for any leakage.

Now all plumbing work is over and you can plug the unit in. You can now test the system by switching on the water.

How to Successfully Install a Macerating System

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What are the advantages of spray painting your car with compressed air? To begin with, it can be a real money saver in the long run. There is an investment required in the initial purchase of the equipment, but once you have it then you begin saving money on your projects from there on in. Another great advantage is you have more flexibility in the use of the compressed air. In today’s day of age air pollution is a big issue. Therefore, the use of aerosol propellants are frowned upon. The best solution to this is the compressed air sprayer.

Often people shy away from using compressed air sprayers because they think they are too difficult. This is not the case. Once you get a little practice, using them there is no way you will want to go back to the aerosol spray.

Teflon Tubing

The best paint to use in these sprayers is enamel, but if you add an appropriate conditioner to the acrylic and latex paints then you can use them successfully as well. This will allow the paint to flow properly through the tube as it thins it down.

Set up your working area properly. Whenever you are going to do any type of spray painting there will be a certain amount of over spray. Take all the proper safety precautions. Do your work in a well-ventilated area. Wear a mask for sanding. Be sure to wear goggles and preferably gloves as well.

Once you are all set up then you are ready to start. You will want to grind or sand off any rust and corrosion or rough spots. Then you must make sure the car is perfectly clean and dry before you start the application. For oil based paints use mineral spirits, and for the latex ones soap and water will work fine, but rinse well.

If need be, prime the surface. Do your mixing of the paints and thinners you have chosen to use. This can be a messy job, so protect the mixing area with a drop cloth.

Now its time to turn on the air compressor. You want it to build up pressure while you are preparing your paint. You will need some of the air for priming and testing. If you look on the compressor, you should see a regulator. This will allow you to set the pressure you need for the sprayer. If you don’t do this then the air flow will fluctuate and you will end up with uneven spraying.

Attach the hose coupling to the sprayer. It is important you have an airtight seal so make sure it is attached tightly and wrap the join with some Teflon tape if you want.

If you follow the exact instructions that came with your particular sprayer, it will walk you through all of the steps. To begin with, practice the paint application on another object. This way you will get the feel of handling the sprayer and be able to judge the right consistency of the paint application.

How to Paint Your Car With a Compressed Air Sprayer – Car Bodywork Paint

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Ever since the iron mongers of old learned the skills necessary to mold iron into basic cooking utensils, cast iron cookware has served the homemaker and professional chef well. Iron utensils that for years kept early pioneers well fed with hardy hot meals cooked in open fireplaces and wood stoves can still be found in today’s modern kitchen happily bubbling away on top of gas, electric and even ceramic cook tops.

Everyone is familiar with the traditional iron skillet or fry pan and in many kitchens these age old designs can still be seen proudly displayed dangling from an overhead pot rack or on a hook over the stove. While many pressed or stamped pots displaying dents and areas of missing Teflon coatings are hidden well out of sight until they are needed, those old skillets are displayed like trophies for all to see.

Teflon Tubing

While the skillet is widely known and appreciated iron has added its many benefits to many other often used but hardly remembered cooking devices. While the wok for instance has found its way into many American kitchens in its traditional stamped or spun metal variety, many cooks have discovered that the iron models with the ability to transfer heat evenly and quickly, offer many additional benefits.

Cast iron griddles in the form of large flat rectangular shapes with short raised edges can be placed over two burners on the stove and quickly produce mounds of pancakes, eggs and other breakfast favorites.

Is fondue on your dinner menu? If so you can easily find a variety of iron fondue sets from mini chocolate to 3 quart cheese fondue sets. These colorful enameled devices are at home on open gas flame or electric cook tops and work as well in the freezer, refrigerator or microwave and conventional ovens.

If you enjoy cooking stews, soups or casseroles, than you most likely have a cast iron Dutch oven in your kitchen. A Cajun kitchen would not be complete without a well seasoned and aged large Dutch oven that enhances foods with it’s own special seasoned flavor.

When fresh baked bread, cornbread, muffins or biscuits are called for, nothing beats cast-iron for its ability to quickly and efficiently bring these baked goods to a golden brown. No stamped, thin skinned metal model can match its cast iron cousin in efficiently transferring heat to all surfaces. Many varieties are available to produce cornbread in traditional shapes and sizes form corncob to pie shaped wedges.

While your kitchen may not yet contain a poultry roaster they are available. These devices have a central cone or “volcano” into which you can place your favorite seasonings. You then place the poultry over the tube and while the bird is cooked from the inside out the seasonings impart their special flavor throughout the bird.

A few minutes of searching through the cast-iron cookware offerings available from on line stores such as Amazon will quickly convince anyone that cast iron cookware in its many forms from traditional black iron to fancy colorful enameled designs is here to stay.

Cast-Iron Cookware From Dark Black Frying Pans To Colorful Enameled Dutch Ovens

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Fitting out.

Busy boatyards get busier at fitting out time, the beginning of a new season. The gloom of a UK winter generally chases the sailor to warmer climes during winter months, so inevitably, there is work to be done before the first sail.

Teflon Tubing

Sometimes known as a ‘shakedown’, we have to wake the engine from its hibernation, slap on the antifouling, grease the winches, check the safety gear. The excitement of seeing our precious vessel craned into the water is followed by the trepidation of rediscovering just how rusty our seamanship skills are after a prolonged winter lay-up. Hopefully, the old magic will return as soon as the tiller or wheel is back in your hand.

The batteries go flat, no VHF radio, no GPS, no navigation lights. The water in the tanks smells of rotten eggs. The log impeller gets stuck and the winches are stiff. But it’s when things don’t go to plan that true seamanship and friendship is put to the test. Riggers will tell you about catastrophic rig failure all because a humble split pin fell out. Better to have a shakedown than a mast fall down.

Boat repair includes woodwork and joinery, hull repair, deck repair, grp repair and sterngear repair.

Rig checks and testing

Not all rig failures are catastrophic, but most are inconvenient, expensive and avoided. Check your rig and you can detect and prevent problems before they happen.

Checking the rig, sails, standing and running rigging for safety doesn’t end with fitting out. Safe sailing is a season-long issue.

Insurers differ where rigs are concerned. Some say rigging needs replacing after 10 years, others want a survey after five. Many rigs don’t have history or service records. All this tells you your rig is something of an unknown quantity.

Genoa cars

10% of genoa cars can fail between seasons. Check split pins and grub screws as some makes are prone to coming apart. If the car’s plunger stop or towing system fails under load, the car could knock off the aft end block and in a flash you’ll have bearings everywhere and a useless car. Check the genoa track bolts and end blocks.

Shroud terminals

Check that everything is secured with good condition split pins (on clevis pins and bottlescrews) or locknuts. Lift shroud covers regularly and clean out the salt and grit. During maintenance, add stainless steel washers inside the clevis pin split pins to limit wear and working if there’s room as the clevis pins rotate.

Check all shrouds and stays at upper and lower terminals

as well as at spreader ends. Replace any where stranding is found. If stranding is detected on one shroud, replace both it and the opposite shroud. Rust-coloured deposits at the neck of a swage can indicate that one of the strands was not properly polished before the wire was twisted and the impurities have flowed to the terminal and oxidised. Scotchbrite clean and check again.Tying warps to shroud bases deforms and weakens rigging screws and toggles.

If you have single roll-swaged terminals (look for opposing flashlines on the terminal) and one strand has gone, it’s likely the opposite strand has gone too.

Mainsheet hardware

Check all mainsheet and traveller blocks for damage or distortion, make sure split pins are in position and taped, and shackles tight and seized. Check all mainsheet track bolts and end blocks are secure… the mainsheet car can overpower the travellerjammer while gybing in a blow and smash through the end of the track.

Mast gaiters

Check they are not perished and seal with rubber-friendly sealant. Before refitting, make sure the mast is chocked stable, otherwise the mast wall rubs against the deck ring, damaging both deck and mast. UV is hard on gaiters so pay extra attention if you keep the boat somewhere sunny.

Furling gear

Check the furling line from end to end. Check all the lead blocks are fair and the guide arm and drum are secure. Most importantly, check the securing screws where the drum meets the tuff tube and Locktite or tape over with PVC tape. They often work loose and fall out.

Gooseneck

There’s a huge amount going on at both the gooseneck and kicker/vang attachment – rotation, tension and compression under load. Often this distorts aluminium fittings.

Remove the fitting, file back into shape, grease and replace, using stainless steel or nylon washers to restrict the amount of working, then secure with good condition split pins.

Running rigging

Check sheets and guys for wear. Whip if the cover is partly chafed, replace if the core is damaged. Whip or burn both ends to prevent fraying. If you haven’t done so on laying up, remove, mouse and check all halyards. Wash all running rigging in soapy water, rinse thoroughly and keep any spare line below when you’re not at sea as it degrades in UV. For the same reason, give the mainsheet and jib sheets your particular attention.

With halyards and sheets, always buy 3-6ft more than you need so that you can take lft off the working end every season to change the contact points and limit the danger of parting due to chafe.

Standing rigging

Check the hook neck of T terminals as this is where they usually crack and break.

Masthead checks

Check masthead clevis pins are secured with good condition split pins as they work considerably and can straighten and work loose, or break and fall out.

Check the spinnaker block shackles are nipped up and seized with wire.

Check main and genoa halyard separators and sheaves for wear. If your mast has a bolted-on head unit and you find wear, replacement means removing, repairing and refitting the head unit with the mast unstepped. Damage indicates the main halyard has been over-tightened. Mark your halyard every season so that you hoist to 6in below the separator, then rig a cunningham for luff tension or recut the sail.

Wire halyards can wear through your genoa halyard separator

If your fractional spinnaker halyard is retained with eye bolts, there will be greater wear on the halyard. Pulleys or trumpet fittings give a larger contact point, which reduces wear.

Mast section

Check radar brackets for excessive working and pack with washers to limit this. Check light fittings, bulbs and wiring, spinnaker pole track bolts and end fittings, spinnaker pole cars – and any other fittings.

Check shroud attachments. If the backing plates are worn, cracked or pulling away from the mast, consult your rigger. It may not be critical but it’s not a good sign. Get it checked. Clean the entire section with white spirit and Scotchbrite to check for cracks and bring up the colour of the anodising.

Spreaders

Check spreader sockets, clevis pins and split pins for wear and excessive working. Replace and pack with stainless steel or nylon washers during maintenance.

Check the spreaders ends are secure and not heavily pitted or corroded. If they’re not covered, protect them with plastic covers but still check regularly.

Check the spreaders’ leading and trailing edges for wear from badly stowed stays and halyards. Slice lengths of PVC tubing, fit over leading and trailing edges and tie and tape on with self-amalgamating tape to prevent wear, both on the spreader from stays and on the sail from the spreaders.

Split pins

The humble split pin holds your rig up so check them all regularly. If they’re not properly fitted, they can straighten

or break as the clevis pin works around, and fall out, followed by the clevis pin, then your rig. Curl back both pin legs, packing stainless-steel washers to limit working, then secure with tape or silicon.

Blocks and shackles

Check all lead blocks (especially around the mast base) and shackles for tightness, then seize (shackle pins with a flat tab instead of a hole can’t be seized effectively and aren’t recommended for any load-bearing purpose). Seizing wire is best, cable ties are satisfactory but will degrade in UV and need replacing regularly. Replace blocks showing signs of cracking, wear or distortion.

Rig tension

on modern rigs with swept-back spreaders, the lowers are likely to go first because they work fore and aft, and transverse. When sailing, check you have enough shroud tension to prevent the leeward shrouds becoming slack. With more traditional rigs with inline spreaders, the leeward rigging should slacken slightly.

Lubrication

Lubricate all sheaves, luff tubes and tracks with Teflon spray. Silicon grease is fine for sheaves but, if used on main tracks or luff tubes, will leave marks on your sails.

Checking stepped rigs

While inspection is easier on an unstepped rig, some problems are easier to spot with the rig up, the tension on and the rig settled. Without tension, a broken strand may settle back into a shroud terminal and appear fine whereas under load, it’s obvious. If you mast is up, send someone aloft to check everything, make sure they know what they’re looking for.

Mast electrics

Ensure your mast electrics are sound. Track down the causes of chafe and use cable ties to secure wires out of harm’s way

Check everything regularly.

On deck

Winches: Old oil and grease lose viscosity and winches will slip when springs and pawls get stuck. Strip down, wash parts in paraffin and lightly regrease .

Windlasses: If manual, check they’re working, clean and tighten. For powered versions check foot switch forwater, clean and use Vaseline on the connections.

Anchor chain: Re-mark lengths if faded, or add chain markers.

Check for kinking or wear in gas hosepipe. If in doubt replace. Check hose clips and tighten.

Harnesses/lifelines: check stitching and get repairs done by sailmakers if necessary.

Jackstay and danbuoy lines: check for UV damage.

MOB lights: change bulb, and squirt WD40 on copper contact strip inside. Use Vaseline on ‘O’rings when reassembling.

Lifejackets: inflate using mouth tube. Leave inflated overnight to check for leaks. Wash with freshwater. If auto-inflation, disable device first.

Stanchions/lifelines: check stanchions and make sure lifelines have not corroded beneath plastic sheathing.

Inflate lifejackets and use Vaseline on the’O’ rings of MOB lights

Heads and bilges

Check impeller on bilge pumps and grease with petroleum jelly; replace gasket.

If you have an automatic bilge pump, check float switches work.

Dry bilges thoroughly then if water appears after relaunch you’ll know you’ve got a leak.

Fill watertank and add purifier.

If the pump on the heads is stiff, run washing-up liquid into the bowl and pump out.

Use Puriclean in your watertank and check bilge pumps work before relaunch

Engines

You should have changed the oil when you laid up. Over winter, it will have soaked up chemicals and acids. Worth changing it again. Ditto gearbox oil. Change oil and fuel filters. Remove rags stuffed in outlet pipes. Impellers- if removed at lay-up – reinstall with a smear of Vaseline on blades. Re-install the engine belts and check tension: no more than half an inch of play.

Saildrives

Check oil level. Check durability of the gaiter seal. Check rubber faring and reseal if necessary.

Change internal engine anode. Check engine mounts secure.

Check diesel tank for water from condensation. Drain off, or replace fuel. Add water-eliminating additive to fuel to kill off diesel’bugs’.

Check inaccessible wiring, such as bonding wires from the anode and earthing wires from the starter motor. Clean the terminals and smear them with Vaseline.

Batteries and electrical systems

Check electrolyte level; tighten battery securing straps and make sure vent for gases is clear. Clean terminals and coat with Vaseline.

Switch on instruments and use backlighting to help reduce any condensation.

If the anode looks serviceable for another season, check bonding wires.

Hulls and skin fittings

Grease seacocks:All hoses should be double-clipped. Check jubilee clips for rust. Do you have wooden plugs attached in case of emergency?

Check skin fittings are free of blockages/ growth or antifouling.

Rudders

Check leading and trailing edges for hairline cracks. Check for play in bearings, stock or quadrant. Movement should be minimal. Grease steering cable.

Keels

Check for stress cracks at root.

Prop shafts and stern glands

To check bearings, grasp prop in both hands and try moving it from side to side. There should be little if any movement.

Check P-bracket for stress cracking from misalignment or damage.

Stern gland packing can dry out and get brittle. It needs changing after a few seasons.

Grease prop shaft and glands. Modern-type seals need venting on immersion. Check and/or replace conventional packing.

Check rubber glands on stern tubes and saildrives, which have a life expectancy of between five and 12 years.

Check keels and rudders for stress cracks.

A Fitting Out Checklist Including Rig Checks and Testing

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Before performing this maintenance you should find out if the reason the faucet is leaking is because it was frozen and parts on the inside may be damaged. frost free hose bibs may freeze during freezing temperatures if a hose is left attached to it or if the hose bib is installed with the slope of the hose bib sloping in toward the house. Both conditions prevent the hose bib from draining when it is shut off and then when freezing temperatures happen the hose bib freezes up and is damaged. This article teaches you how to recognize problems with leaky frost free hose bibs and fix them.

Tools and Materials:

Teflon Tubing

Screw driver, usually a phillips head
Adjustable pliers
Adjustable wrench’s (2)

Find Out Where The Leak Is Coming From There are four areas that a frost free faucet or outdoor hose bib can leak from:

Through the vacuum breaker (when its turned on)
Around the handle (when its turned on)
Out of the faucet spout (when its turned off)
Freezing and splitting the tube

Leaky outside faucets that are frost free can be deceiving because they will drain water for several seconds after they are turned off. The reason they continue draining is because the valve that shuts the water off is several inches behind the faucet, usually about 12 to 18 inches. This is so there will be no water close to the outside of the house where it is more likely to freeze. It is normal for a frost free hose bib to drain water after it is shut off. If the water does not stop after a few seconds or water is coming from some other part of the faucet than the spout then you most likely have a leaky faucet. Keep reading to learn how to fix the most common leaks for an outside faucet.

Leaking Through The Vacuum Breaker: Frost free hose bibs have a vacuum breaker that sits just above the faucet handle. The vacuum breaker allows air to come into the faucet when it is shut off so that the water can drain out of the stem that goes back into the wall of the house. Water should not come out of the vacuum breaker when the faucet is turned on, it is a one way valve that should only let air in. If water comes out of the vacuum breaker then the internal parts are most likely not working properly.

Repair The Vacuum Breaker: Remove the cap covering the vacuum breaker by applying even and upward pressure on both sides of the cap. Under the cap you will see the vacuum breaker parts. Try to clean them. If cleaning the vacuum breaker parts does not stop the leak then you will need to buy replacement parts at a local plumbing store.

Leaking Around The Handle: Make sure you turn the water off before removing the packing nut or other valve parts. There are several nuts and washers inside the leaky faucet. The packing nut is directly behind the faucet handle, it holds the parts inside the faucet stem. There is a washer directly behind the packing nut.

Repair The Leak Around The Faucet Handle: First try to tighten the packing nut. Use the adjustable wrench to tighten the nut until it is snug. Don’t over tighten the packing nut just make it snug. If you tighten the packing nut and still have a leak around the faucet handle then you will need to replace the washer behind the packing nut. Remove the packing nut and pull the stem out of the faucet body. The handle must be removed from the stem in order to get the packing nut and washer off. Take the faucet to a plumbing supply store and match the washer. Re-assemble the washer and packing nut in the same order they were removed from the stem. If you purchased a repair kit you should replace all the other washers at this time to help prevent further leaks from other parts wearing out.
Leaking Out Of The Faucet End – -Make sure to turn the water off before removing the faucet stem! Continual leaking from the faucet after it is shut off is caused by bad washers at the end of the valve stem.
Repair The Leaky Faucet End: A leak coming out of the faucet when it is shut off is repaired by replacing the washers at the valve end of the stem which is deep inside the faucet body. Remove the faucet stem by loosening the packing nut on the front of the faucet, immediately behind the faucet handle. After the packing nut is off you will be able to pull the valve stem out of the faucet. There are three washers on frost free hose bibs. The washers that are farthest from the faucet handle are the washers that stop water from leaking when the faucet is shut off. All the washers should be replaced when the faucet is taken apart. Use a screw driver to remove the screw holding the washer and valve parts onto the end of the valve stem. Roll the washers off the stem and then install the new washers in the same order and direction. Put the valve stem back into the faucet and tighten the packing nut. If the faucet still leaks after replacing all the washers then it may be time to replace the leaky faucet.
Leaking From The Stem Behind The Wall: This leak is usually the most damaging to a house because it allows water to run inside the house when the leaky faucet is turned on. If when the faucet is turned on it leaks inside the house this means that there is a hole in the wall of the faucet tube.
Repair The Leaky Faucet Stem: The only way to fix this leak is to replace the whole faucet. Remove the faucet by putting a wrench on the faucet and unscrewing it from its connection behind the wall. Take the faucet to a plumbing supply store and match the tube length with a new one. Install a new faucet by putting 3 wraps of teflon tape around the threads on the valve, screwing it into the threads of the fitting inside the wall and tightening it. Make sure that the faucet slopes slightly to the outside of the house so it will drain when it is shut off.

After fixing the leaky faucet test it by turning it on and off. Remember that a frost free hose bib should drain for a few seconds after it is shut off. When the water stops running you know you have fixed your leaky faucet!

Fix a Leaky Outside Frost Free Faucet

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Maintenance Tip #1 – Preparing the water heater. Turn off the power if its an electric water heater. Turn off the water to the water heater by closing the valve on the cold water line. Its located on top of the water heater. The cold line is always to the right. Open a hot water tap inside the house. Air pressure will come out of the tap. Open the drain valve located at the bottom of the water heater. It looks like a hose bibb. Let a gallon or more out of the water heater. Do not allow anyone to use hot water for the time you are working on the water heater.

Maintenance Tip #2 – Overhead clearance. Anode rods are almost as tall as the water heater itself. More often than not the ceiling is too close to the top of the water heater to be able to pull the entire anode rod out. No matter, lift the anode rod up as far as you can. Check to see if their is any flaking on the surface or any of its core wire is exposed. If not, then you can reinstall the anode as is. Most of the anode rods problems occur at its top because that’s where most of the hot water is. If you need to remove an anode rod. Bend it in the middle against the water heater’s opening and pull it out. To put a new one in, simply bend it in the middle again and straighten it out at the opening. If the anode top is wobbly when you try to screw it in, pull it half way again and attempt to straighten it as much as possible. If the overhead clearance is less than 2 feet, buy a link-type anode rod. It has “sausage” links of metal attached together. Its very easy to install.

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Maintenance Tip #3 – Choosing anodes and replacing anodes. There are three types of metals used to make anode rods. They are magnesium, aluminum, and zinc. If you have naturally soft water, you should install a magnesium anode. Aluminum is used when you have very hard water or water that is softened heavily with salts. Installing an aluminum anode after you discover your previous anode has deteriorated heavily is recommended. If you install a magnesium anode after finding a heavily deteriorated anode could cause a negative reaction in the water and cause pressure to release out of the households faucets. If you have to install an aluminum anode rod, avoid using the hot water to cook with. Modern science believes that aluminum in the water can cause Alzheimer’s disease. Don’t consume any hot water. Zinc anodes are rare to find already installed in a water heater. Zinc anodes are used to counteract the effects of sulfur smells in the water. Zinc anodes are only 10% actual zinc. The rest is aluminum. Do not consume or cook with a zinc anode any more than an aluminum one. If the rod bends easily in your hands, it is aluminum, if not it is magnesium. Anodes have a protective current of about two feet. Buy anode rods that are too tall for your water heater. Cut them down if you have to. Try to buy anodes that are more than 3 feet and 8 inches.

Maintenance Tip #4 – Add a second anode rod. If your water heater has an exposed hexagonal-shaped head on top of it, you can install another anode rod for more protection for the water heater. Provided the hex-head exists, unscrew the hot water outlet. It’s the pipe on top of the water heater on the left. This is where you can install a combination anode rod. Make sure the anode rod has a brass nipple that is 2 to 6 inches long. Hire a plumber to do this or look for the information in my article on anode rods. Warning: Adding a second anode can be quite a task.

Maintenance Tip #5 – Removing sediment. There are three signs you have sediment buildup in your tank: A lower element burnout if you have an electric water heater, A lot of noise if you have a gas water heater, or a foul odor coming from both types of water heaters. If the sediment piles up high enough, the lower heating element in an electric water heater will be covered and unable to heat water. If your hot water suddenly starts to run out long before it used to and you have an electric water heater, then its probably sediment build-up. Gas water heaters get covered up by sediment down at the bottom where the flame heats the burner plate. Water gets covered by sediment and becomes superheated steam. This expansive steam releases pressure that sounds like a loud row happening inside. If you smell a sulfur odor coming from the water heater, that’s due to sediment build-up which breeds foul smell bacteria inside of it. To rid yourself of these problems, install a curved dip tube. You can also have a plumber use a special expensive Muck-vac tool. Dissolving the sediment is another option. Also, if you have an electric water heater, you can use a shopvac to suck the sediment out through the lower heating element. The how-to of these approaches is just below this sentence.

Maintenance Tip #6 – Install a curved dip tube and flush the water heater. When you buy a water heater, it usually comes with a straight dip tube. The dip tube is the piece of plastic pipe inside your water heater that extends from the top of the water heater’s cold water inlet to the bottom of the water heater. It’s job is to get the coldest water near the bottom where it can be readily heated. Sediment forms at the bottom of the water heater and does not move at all except at the small portion of the water heater where the dip tube extends to at the bottom. The water coming out of the tube pushes the sediment away. Trying to wash the sediment out of the drain valve on the outside of the water heater is also impossible. Installing a curved dip tube where the bottom of the tube curves to a ninety degree angle, causes the bottom of the water heater to be swept by the incoming cold water.

Sediment is picked up and kept in suspension in the water. Opening the drain valve and letting cold water enter the water heater for 5 minutes can clear up a lot of sediment. Installing a curved dip tube starts by unscrewing the cold water nipple. It’s the pipe on top of the water heater on the right hand side. Stick a curved handled set of pliers in the hole of the cold water inlet and twist the dip tube up and out of the water heater. Get the dip tube high enough and you can pull it out by hand. If this doesn’t work and the hole is rusty, scrape the rust away first. Take the new curved dip tube and mark it at the top on the side that the curve points. Wrap the top of the curved dip tube where you will be screwing it in at the top with teflon tape about eight times. Insert the curved dip tube and point it so that water will swirl along the side of the water heater. Also point it the direction going away from the drain valve. The drain valve is located on the outside of the water heater at the bottom. Make sure it is fully open when draining the water heater. If you use another method to clean the sediment out of your water heater, you should still install a curved dip tube. Optimum flushing should be done every six months or even more often.

Maintenance Tip # 7 – Removing sediment with a muck vac. Hire a plumber to use this tool to remove the sediment from your water heater. The tool is expensive and takes some knowledge on how to use. This is the most hands off method to remove sediment there is.

7 More Maintenance Tips for Water Heaters

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Leaks from a bathtub can be frustrating to diagnose. There are several different possible sources for leaks at tubs and most of them are behind drywall. A leak could be from the valve, the shower head, the tub spout or the drain.

Since each of these possible locations are different, it would be nice to isolate the problem. Before you start cutting drywall there are a few things you can do to try to narrow your choices. Then, even if you do have to cut drywall you will usually have to do less damage.

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It Might Not Be A Leak

First, make very sure that the water is not just running down the corner of the tub past the shower curtain while your someone is taking a shower. Take a very close look at the wall and floor corners at both ends of the tub immediately after they are finished. Pay special attention to the end the shower head is on. I have seen many “leaks” that wound up being caused by water running over the edge of the tub. Enough people have this problem that you can but special little dams that stick in the corner on the tub to block the water.

If you are sure this isn’t the problem the next step is to determine whether the leak is from the valve or from the drain.

Water Lines or Drain?

If the leak is constant, even when the tub has not been used, it is a leak on the hot or cold water line. These are under constant pressure and will leak continuously if they are the problem.

If it doesn’t leak all the time, it’s not from the hot or cold connections. If it only leaks after use you can rule these two connections out and start elsewhere..

The Bucket Test

The easiest thing to check first is the drain side. You don’t want to run the faucet because that will screw up this test. Fill a bucket up from another bathroom and use this to fill the tub. I know that’s a pain in the neck but it’s necessary.

Once the tub is full let it sit for 30 minutes or so and see if the leak shows up. If so, it is from the tub drain. Drain the water and fix the drain. It probably just needs to be removed and re puttied. Clear silicone, though harder to clean up, works great instead of putty.

Pull The Plug

If no leak shows up while the tub is full go ahead and drain the tub, again checking for leaks. If you see a leak now the problem is in the drain piping. You will need to cut drywall to find and repair this. You can start at the wet spot, but you may find that the water has run across the top of the drywall and the spot isn’t directly under the leak.

The Water Piping

If no leak shows up from the first test, that leaves the tub spout piping and the shower head riser and connection. The two most likely places to check for a leak are the shower riser and connection and the tub spout piping and connection.

The first thing to do is to pull the escutcheon (trim ring) at the shower head and see if you can see the connection inside the wall. You may have to open the hole a little, just enough so you can see but it will still be covered by the escutcheon. Now run the shower head while looking at the connection with a flashlight.

The Old Toilet Paper Trick

If you can’t see it very good, wrap some toilet paper around the end of a screwdriver and hold it under the connection for a minute. Check and see if the paper is wet. If so, or if you can see a leak, you’ve found the problem. Take the shower head off, stick the handle of your pliers in the end of the bent pipe coming out of the wall and remove the pipe. Put some new teflon tape on the threads, screw it back in and check for leaks.

If you don’t find a leak here check the tub spout. If you have the kind of tub spout with a diverter you have to pull to make the water go to the shower head it could be leaking where it connects to the piping and water could be running back into the wall. This is kind of hard to see but some brands have a small opening on the bottom side of the spout to tighten the spout clamp. You can use the toilet paper trick here too. If there is no opening you can try to unscrew the spout and see if the piping behind it is wet. If none of this works you may need to cut drywall behind the tub to really check it out (if you can get to it).

The Last Resort

If you try all of this and still can’t find the leak the next step is to start cutting drywall. However, if you can find the source of the leak this way you may be able to fix it yourself and save some money. Even if you don’t feel comfortable doing this, you will at least be able to let the plumber know what you’ve done and minimize the cost of the repair.

How to Fix a Tub Leak Like a Pro

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The mash tun is a vessel in which hot water is mixed with the grains in order to extract the sugars from the grains. This process is called mashing in home brewing. The grains then get lautered, or rinsed, with additional water to maximize the amount of sugars extracted. All of this is done to increase the efficiency and make better beer.

In commercial breweries, the mash tun and lauter tun are two separate pieces of equipment. For home brewing purposes, they are combined into one piece of equipment. The mash tun is typically a converted cooler. You can buy a mash/lauter tun, but this is one of the most common do it yourself projects in home brewing. Check out the home brewing forums on the net, and you can also Google and You Tube to find step by step instructions and videos showing you how to convert a cooler into a mash tun. This project isn’t that hard, and it is also cheap.

Teflon Tubing

There are many options as far as what cooler you want to use, as well as how to set it up. Chances are, you have an old cooler around the house already. Make sure to some research on recommendations of other home brewers to ensure you choose the right cooler. The debates are endless as far as what is the best cooler to use for a tun. Different factors apply such as size, shape, and what type of strainer/filter you will use.

What type of sparging you will do is also important. Cooler isn’t so important to batch sparging, but for fly sparging you will probably want a round cooler. For folks just getting started with all grain home brewing. the common question is how big does the mash tun have to be? This will depend on your batch size, efficiency and desired OG. These all work in conjunction to determine how much grain will be needed for the batch, as well as the amount of water to be used for mashing and sparging.

The cooler will need to be big enough to hold all of this. A basic way to calculate for mash tun size needed in quarts is (at 80% efficiency)…… (Desired OG X Batch Size) divided by 17 = mash tun size. For example, 1.085 X 15 gallons is (85 X 15) divided by 17=75 quart tun.

You may want to think ahead when purchasing a cooler to convert. Chances are you will start with 5 gallon batches, but at some point you may decide to try brewing a 10 gallon batch. In order to do this, your mash tun must be big enough to hold all that water and grains. You can start with a cooler big enough to handle the larger batches now, and still use it for the smaller batches until you are ready to make the jump to the bigger batches.

This way, you won’t outgrow your tun. Plus, it will also allow you to make higher gravity beers, which require larger grain bills. Don’t bother with a 5 gallon cooler because it is too small and will limit the beers you can make. If you never plan on making anything larger than a 5 gallon batch, or making higher gravity beers, then you can opt for one, but then you will limit yourself.

The design of the tun is dependent upon the type of sparging you will do. For batch sparging, tun design doesn’t really factor in. It is more important in fly sparging. Most brewers new to all grain home brewing will try batch sparging because it is quicker and easier. Plus, many people convert coolers they already have, which typically will be a rectangular cooler. Be sure to research both methods first, to see which one might be your preferred method.

For most brewers, they simply modify a rectangular cooler and batch sparge. With just a few items from your local hardware store, you can make your own mash tun for dirt cheap. Some parts needed include a ball valve, water supply line, washers, teflon tape and barb adapters. Look online and you will find step by step instructions and video tutorial showing you how to do it, and what pieces of hardware you need to get the job done. Besides the cost of the cooler, you will spend less than at the hardware store. You can even find resources online that have the necessary parts together in a kit.

The thermal capacity of the cooler, how well it is insulated and retains heat, is another important factor. The cooler needs to be able to hold a constant temperature for up to 90 minutes without losing too many degrees, so a well insulated cooler helps. Remember, they are designed to keep things cold, not warm. This is something to be sure to research thoroughly online home brewing forums to find what experienced home brewers have found to work best for them.

For fly sparging, round coolers are often the preferred choice. Fly sparging uses false bottoms for filters, and these usually come in round shapes. False bottoms evenly distribute the water over the grains, and help prevent channeling. Plus, the round shape of the cooler also helps prevent channeling.

A Common Home Brewing Project: Making Your Own Mash Tun

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