There are many things to know about plumbing. How plumbing is created and done? How are the plumbing parts made? These details might not be important for us to know now, but it wouldn’t hurt to learn especially if we are getting involved in a project that involves plumbing.
In general, most modern plumbing is created together with plastic plumbing parts. The cement-like glue will be used to attach the fittings on a plastic pipe. To make sure that it’s properly repaired, sometimes the fittings will need to be removed. Heat can be used to remove the fittings too. The principle is to use heat in a right amount because you want to loosen the glue without melting the plastic. It is very simple and you only need tools that you can easily find in your toolbox and bedroom. Here are the steps on how to remove the plastic fittings.
You will need:
- Hair dryer
- 2 pairs of slip-joint pliers
- 2-inch by 4-inch of wood
Plastic Plumbing
Steps:
- First, try to place a small piece of 2-inch by 4-inch board under the pipe by the fitting. This step will make the entire circumference of the pipe and fitting to be heated. It will also help you to grasp the pipe more easily with pliers. This is very important as not only it’s the first step, but it will also make the whole process later on easier to undertake.
- Then, use a hair dryer on the hottest setting to heat the pipe and the fitting. Be careful when handling with hot hair dryer because it still can make you suffer from burn when your skin gets in contact with it. Make sure to know how to operate the hair dryer first so as not to waste any time and even more, hurt yourself in this step.
- Gradually move the hair dryer over the area by holding it 3 to 4 inches away from the fitting and the pipe. Take about five to six minutes to heat the fitting and the pipe.
- Next, hold the pipe with one pair of slip-joint pliers, and then turn the fitting with another pair of slip-joint pliers.
- Pull it away from the pipe as you turn the fitting. Use the hair dryer for another four to five minutes to heat the area if the fitting does not pull off and you should try this step again. Repeat this step until the fitting is removed.
- By now, you must have successfully removed the fittings on your plastic plumbing. If you couldn’t remove then you should try all the steps over again.
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