Best Of
Re: When to NOT use sharkbite? A question
I like sweat. Propress I don't care for. Is it fast? Yes. Is it good when working wet? You can't beat it.
Propress is great on long runs. Where I don't care for it is if you have to replace something and/or the fittings are close coupled you end up scrapping a lot of fittings. Never used a shark bite.
Personally I wouldn't bury or conceal a shark bite.
I would love to know if shark bite is acceptable on a large scale new construction job. Maybe some of our Engineers here can chime it.
I would suspect that engineers may not be willing to stamp a set of plans using Shark Bite
Re: Oldest Boiler
For sure that gas valve is not original. So a modulating gas valve could have operated from that valve/control thing. Some day when you get back there you may be able to get some closeup shots with numbers or something that might identify it.
"Enquiring minds want to know"
Re: Oldest Boiler
If there are no valves and an open expansion tank why do you need relief valves?
Re: When to NOT use sharkbite? A question
You could also rent a press gun, grab some Viega (only) fittings and press it.
You can also run pex, and rent a crimper, or buy a cheaper manual one at HD.
I'd probably do the pex over sharkbites if I were in your situation.
Or make friends with a plumber if you have something of value to trade with them.
Re: oversized water heater
Tell Rheem, not me 😅
But seriously, that document skips over the 122 range where it does kill it, it just takes longer.
I will also say that every year about 8,000 - 18,000 people in the US are hospitalized from Legionnaires from household plumbing (these are estimates because it's difficult to say exactly the source).
33,000 people in the US are hospitalized due to bathroom slip and fall accidents every year so I hope we can all chill a little bit with the heavy legionnaires concern in the home.
Re: Honeywell L8148J Aquastat bulb seized.
In my almost 30 years I've probably replaced 2 dozen aquastats, and never the same one twice.
I think something else is going on-bad install, bad ground, bad voltage (spikes or shorts) or the well is limed up inside the boiler and not sensing temperature correctly.
You didn't say why it failed.
Oldest Boiler
At least on my route. I believe this Bryant is the original to the house which was built in 1913. The owner has never had it serviced. Efficiency was 83%. Gravity.
Re: Oldest Boiler
Could have been a modulating valve that was part of the original gas train.

Re: How to Install a Toilet? Step-by-Step Advice
- Heavy drop cloth or moving blanket
- Empty tank and bowl
- Slice old nuts off closet bolts
- Pull Bowl & take outside.
- Clean underneath
- Check flange for breaks, holes
- Install New BRASS Closet (Johnny bolts) bolts . Center of pipe east & west. Use an extra wax ring & pinch some off. Mold the wax around base of New bolts to stand them.up like soldiers.
- Carefully place New bowl over bolts & stand up & make sure bowl is not skewed.
- Use a fat pencil & outline the bowl on floor.
- Pull bowl & set on heavy blanket
- Use a Deep Seal Wax Ring over flange
- Mix a Large can of Plaster of Paris to a pudding like thickness. If you have the grout that you used for the floor mix that in to.
- Have a large bucket w Clean water ready & a Large sponge.
- Place Plaster all around the outside of the wax ring & the pencil mark outline.
- Set bowl over bolts in to Plaster & put full body weight w knees.
- Make sure it's straight.
- Quickly throw the washers & nuts on bolts, handtight .
- Work fast & cut all excess plastic away & dump in garbage.
- Run the damp sponge all the way around the base & fill in any gaps
- Keep rinsing sponge & getting all.plaster off.
- Tighten nuts very gingerly with crescent wrench.
Hard parts over.....Use a nice hard, chrome played Tank supply with a Ridgid Bender for a Truly neat & professional look. Use a flex otherwise.
Dont forget a toilet seat! Mad Dog