[diyguy]

I have a water softener powered by a pressure pump that were retrofitted in a rental home. I had to redirect a source water pipe down from the over head tank, run it through the softener and the output goes back up to feed the regular distribution pipes. The setup is such that if the pump or softener break down, the water will still come to the taps as before via Non-return valves that prevented the pressure boosted softened water from going back into the tank.
However, offlate i realized that these NRVs are malfunctioning and are permitting water back into the OHT leading to an infinite loop where water comes down, gets softened and goes back at low speed back into the OHT. So even when no taps are opened in the house, the pressure pump and the softener are working leading to waste of power, softener life etc.
The question:
I need to cut out the NRV in this 1.25" pipe and replace it with a ball valve. I will be doing this myself and believe this is going to be a difficult job given the thickness of the pipe and the fact that i won't get place to bend the pipes to make them fit the valve.
I decided to attach a union along with the ball valve. The union will permit me to join the pipes without too much struggle.
Is there any other way to achieve this? Please see the pic of the NRV that will be cut tomorrow and replaced with a ball valve and union.

[ritz3645]

Today I dismantled a leaking undersink kitchen trolley door. There are three places where water is leaking. 1&2 are Marble birth mark which now are a cavity. Nos 3 is a leak between Marble & sink. Parents were the Boss when fitting took place in 2006.

Why am I here, as I love Caulk but don't have enough experience. Got myself white color caulk 789 for ₹130, but was disaster.

Lesson learned : white color is out clear is in.

Help needed :
I have Marble & Stainless steel which needs to be sealed, help me choose the right Silicone Caulk which will stick to both.

Other options :
Have spare Marble piece but doubt I can get curve cut frame over steel top.

I wish I could putty/Dr fixit crack seal paste /marble filler putty over steel top so it looks all covered till inside steel starts.

If no response, then tomorrow I may start with aquarium grade Dow caulk for 3 & look around for marble filler for 1&2.

Finally promise I will clean every inch using kerosene / spirit before Caulking for better results.


https://www.amazon.in/dp/B08961WLYR/..._CdEeFb424AC4G

[deathwalkr]

Been doing a minor (that's what i thought at first) renovation of my grandparent's old house (1964). Sometime later he had an extension constructed to the house for which he had laid marble floor. The old portion was all in mosaic and red oxide.

Now the marble section is being polished and i can see swirl marks courtesy of the machine. Now they say that the swirl marks will go off over the course of a few weeks.

Is that how it's supposed to be?

[amitk26]

They need to use finer grit polishing pads in progression e.g 80, 200, 320 , 600, 2000
Traditionally 3 layer polishing with magnesium polishing pads was done on Indian marble and wax polish was applied finally.
Now a days for marble 7 layer diamond polishing is preferred.

Also use Lithium Silicate based crystaliser to give perfect mirror look.

I think in your case they have left after polishing with couple of course grit pads.
To fix your problem ask them to polish once more with finer grit pad and use Lithium Silicate hardner.

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

.

Now the marble section is being polished and i can see swirl marks courtesy of the machine. Now they say that the swirl marks will go off over the course of a few weeks.

Is that how it's supposed to be?

[kvish]

Has anyone installed Kota Stone in their house as flooring? I see a lot of new houses using kota stone for flooring. My architect isn't very enthused about it. I have doubts about the lasting finish of the polish and is flaking a big issue?

The other option i'm considering is Bharath flooring cement tiles (I know its the other end of the spectrum in pricing), but does anyone know the average pricing and durability of their tiles? Their range is very impressive. And are there similar alternatives?

[sagarpadaki]

Originally Posted by ritz3645

Lesson learned : white color is out clear is in.

Help needed :
I have Marble & Stainless steel which needs to be sealed, help me choose the right Silicone Caulk which will stick to both.

Caulking is a skill that takes time to build. You have done a decent job for a first attempt. The stuff which has remained extra over the edges will get eroded when used for a while. SO you need not have to worry about that

Regarding your question for Caulk that will stick both steel and marble, any high quality silicone caulk will do provided the binding surfaces are clean. I suggest cleaning the joint area with soap and a rough brush and let is become bone dry before you start.

I am sure you would have watched some youtube videos on the how to but there are few tips that i would give.

1. Get a gun which will retract a bit when you release the handle pressure.Meaning there will be some free play from the time you press the handle till the time the plunger pushes into the caulk tube.

2. Cut the nozzle at a angle. This will help pull and spread the caulk smoothly though the crevice. Cut the nozzle at the right location so that the thickness of the nozzle is 20% smaller than the thickness of the crevice that you wish to fill. If you have different sized crevices then see if you can get spare nozzles

3. Use hot water and your finger to smoothen/scoop out excess material immediately after application.

Leave it to dry for 24 hours. No moisture should come in contact with the caulk for 24 hours

[ritz3645]

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

Caulking

Sagar : Thanks a million for your detailed replying.

I so badly wanted to share & learn from other's experiences. I failed miserably not once or twice but multiple times, in getting the right Brand caulk. Also as options were limited for me.

My DIY fish tank project, got right size & strength glass plus gun & ₹100 local caulk. Placed glass perfectly as YouTube video's, but caulk failed to stick. Only found Amro US made caulk for ₹150 in my area, but it also failed to hold, so finally took help of my friend an aquarium maker. Earlier was avoiding him as I wanted to DIY. Here I came across Dowsil as in pic.

Now this time I went for caulk white color. Was given brand 789 for ₹130 as in pic. I remember Googling 789 then & there & checking expiry, online results showed it as Dow product. The two pic show what I got & Dow original. Both times the Silicone RTV were more of a gasket maker than a sealant.

Finally had to use Asian paint cement tile grout with Dr Fixit 301 to seal kitchen sink.

Once again, thank you Sagar for detailed step wise flow chart, sure you will agree Caulking is fun & easy, & very handy.

[Amrik Singh]

Installed LED strip light in my Cabinet. Two strips were required as the total length exceeded 5.0 Mts. The wires were drawn behind the Drawers and fixed on the rear (after pulling out the drawers). The LED drivers are included with the wiring. Power was supplied from an electrical outlet nearby, passed through sidewall and connected through a small switch fixed on sidewall. This switch is not visible from the Living Room where the Cabinet is installed.
The wires pass through the cabinet for connection to the Strips which also pass from one cabinet to other.

The Switch on the sidewall

[Sebring]

Amazon sells fakes, so get Corning from outside (Buy from authorised dealer/retailer). I used Rustoleum sealant, and find it reliable (But it's expensive)

Originally Posted by ritz3645

I failed miserably not once or twice but multiple times, in getting the right Brand caulk. Also as options were limited for me.

[sagarpadaki]

Originally Posted by ritz3645

Sagar : Thanks a million for your detailed replying.

I so badly wanted to share & learn from other's experiences. I failed miserably not once or twice but multiple times, in getting the right Brand caulk. Also as options were limited for me.

Well, failures are how we learn don't we?

Getting good quality caulk is pretty difficult here since the usage of the product is very low. It is mainly used in sealing the glass and hardly used for bathroom/kitchen purposes. The plumbers have not developed the skill needed to caulk and they use white cement as a substitute wherever the caulk is needed.

I have used Dr Fixit Silicone. It comes in black and clear color IIRC. My requirement was also to caulk the meeting point of black granite so it fit my need. The product has held up nicely. One of the better quality product. I do not know if DR Fixit has white variety.


Thanks for sharing the Dow Corning brand. Never heard of this before.

The most important aspect is clean and dry surface. I cannot stress this point enough. Even a bit of moisture will screw up the bonding of the caulk with the surface. There must not be any loose debris or dust in the joint that you want to caulk.

[Amrik Singh]

We all use 'M Seal' the two compounds for various Plumbing works. Normally, we mix the two compounds by hand and apply.
For rock solid works, prepare a little of Araldite (mixing Resin + Hardener) and mix it with usual 'M Seal' mixture.
The final setting is not just waterproof, but solid too.

[mvadg]

Originally Posted by ritz3645

S...

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

Well, failures are how we learn don't we...
Getting good quality caulk is pretty difficult here since the usage of the product is very low...

Thanks for sharing your experience. I always thought I was the only one who always ended up with DIY disasters! Not only that, according to the better half, I've costed us a fortune in wasted consumables and tools. But yes, things improve after a while, she was mighty impressed when I replaced a heavy glass showcase door with a lightweight clear acrylic equivalent.

My main grouse with the companies selling us such chemicals / consumables is that they do not give us complete details about their products. I have asked Pidilite many times about the composition of their glues and cleaners so I can figure out the best product for my needs, but they insist on talking to me instead, starting with an inquiry into my personal life before they tell me they have no idea or that the company considers the formulation a secret!

I hope we can start a thread similar to
"Calling Lawyers & CAs on this forum to provide free consultations" requesting Chemists/Chemical Engineers, scientists, and other professionals to assist us with the required information.

[suzuki san]

Hi Guys,

Can anyone help with a white ant problem which I have been facing for the last 3 years? My house is a stand alone villa in Goa. The forest is just behind our back wall. Every year or so the termites (or white ants) launch a surgical strike on one of our cupboards in the house and before you know it, have reduced it to sawdust!! I have had the "Pest Control" done twice (drilling into the wall type) as well as spraying regularly if there is even a slight powder noticed below the cupboard. All to no avail. These little guys are still thriving. I know the red mud in Goa is great for these little beasts who flourish here but I am getting seriously cheesed off with them as it's costing a fair sum of money to keep making new cupboard(s)....not to mention the inconvenience.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Regards,
SS

[samaspire]

Originally Posted by suzuki san

...it's costing a fair sum of money to keep making new cupboard(s)....not to mention the inconvenience.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

I don't know about white ants, but why don't you invest in a metal cupboard?
The termites will, of course, look for another target, but at least this problem will be solved.

[Raghav96]

Hello everyone,

I will be relocating to gurgaon in december or january so need to get some work done in the kitchen(cabinets etc) and wardrobes. Which material is best or widely used in cabinets and wardrobes? Do not want to change them frequently so ready to pay a small premium upfront for better material.

Any recommendations for contractor for these works?