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Wrong use of check valves.

Never use a check valve on the supply to a kitchen boiler that is working under direct pressure. Such a course has been known to be advised by water inspectors, to prevent the water under high heat from backing into the water meter. When thus used, the check valve will close the only means of expansion which the hot water has in such a system, and many serious explosions have resulted from this cause.

In general it is poor practice to use check valves if the desired result can be reached in any other way.

Proper reading of tees.

A tee having all threads of the same size, for instance, ½-inch, would be known as a half inch tee, but in the case of tees having the different openings differently threaded, the reading of them must be made in a certain manner, or the size will be taken to be something that is not intended. In Fig. 7 is shown a tee, with its three openings named. This tee would be named as a 1x3/4x1/2" tee.

The following is a good rule for reading tees. Hold the tee with the branch pointing upward, and the large end to the left. Then read the large end first, the small end next, and the branch last. This method of reading will avoid mistakes.

Use of wrenches on valves.

In setting up a valve or stop cock, always use the wrench on the side of the valve nearest the connection that is being made. Many valve are ruined by working on the other end.

To repair a leak in a wrought iron fitting.

If the leak is not too large, it can often be closed by caulking it with a round nose caulking tool. A larger leak may be closed by caulking into it a piece of soft solder.

To stop a leak in a wooden tank.

When a leak occurs in a tank, it is often a considerable task to draw off the water to repair it. If a handful of oatmeal or sawdust is thrown into the tank close by the leak, the suction which is caused by the passage of the liquid through the leak, will draw into it enough of the small particles to close the leak at least temporarily, and it is often the case that the leak is closed permanently.

This was taken from the book "Questions and Answers on the Practice and Theory of Sanitary Plumbing, Volume III, Practical Wrinkles" which was published in 1919.

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