Remember When?

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 form this cause.

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

To connect pipe when short of room.

It happens occasionally that pipes have to be put in where there is not room enough for either a union or right and left coupling, as for instance in the making of some coils. In such a case, saw an ordinary coupling in halves, and with a file, true up one of the ends of one of the half-couplings. Then cut a long thread on the pipe, and after tapping out the coupling, screw it onto the long thread, with a gasket on the face of the half-coupling. After screwing up the long thread sufficiently to get the pipe in the right position, turn it back, making a tight connection at the other end. Turning it back is apt to leave a questionable joint on the long thread, which is made tight by running the half-coupling and gasket down onto the fitting that the long thread makes into.

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 make wall coils when tees or manifolds are used.

Cut a thread on one end of each pipe about twice the ordinary length of a thread, and screw onto each thread a locknut, as far as it will go. Then screw the long threaded ends into the tee until they strike the shoulders. Now turn each pipe back, screwing the opposite ends into the other tee, until the joints are made tight. Around each locknut end, wind a little asbestos packing around the thread, and set the locknut down, thus making a tight joint.

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 valves are ruined by working on the other end.

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.

If you have anything you would like to see on Remember When? such as stories, old codes, or pictures, please contact us at rememberwhen@opia.info.