Stanley Plumbing: A Homeowner’s Guide

Take the Mystery Out of Home Plumbing 🔧

Stanley Plumbing: A Homeowner’s Guide is built for the moment a drip, clog, or failed fixture sends you looking for answers. Steve Cory starts with the system itself—how water is supplied, how drains and vents work together, and how to inspect pipes, traps, tubes, and stops before making a repair. That foundation makes the rest of the book easier to follow, whether you are tightening a supply connection or planning a larger replacement.

Repairs and Replacements, Step by Step

The middle chapters focus on jobs homeowners face most often: improving weak water pressure, clearing clogged sinks and toilets, repairing or replacing faucets, installing bathroom sinks, and updating tub and shower fixtures. Toilet repairs and replacements get detailed attention, including fill valves, flappers, seals, overflow tubes, and dual-flush valves.

• Clear drains using plungers, augers, and trap dismantling
• Repair compression, reverse-compression, ball, disk, and cartridge faucets
• Install kitchen and bathroom fixtures with confidence
• Replace or repair toilets and tub/shower components

Kitchen and Bathroom Upgrades 🚿

For readers ready to go beyond simple fixes, the book covers garbage disposals, kitchen sinks, apron sinks, under-sink water filters, hot-water dispensers, icemakers, and dishwashers. Bathroom projects include vanity and pedestal sinks, bowl sinks, shower panels, claw-foot tubs, and tub faucets. The instructions are practical and safety-conscious, with reminders to shut off water, test that it is off, and work with adequate light and protection for floors and walls.

Working with Pipe and Running New Lines

Later chapters introduce the skills needed for more ambitious work: cutting and sweating copper, using PEX tubing, threaded pipe, push-on fittings, CPVC supply pipe, and PVC drainpipe. There are also sections on venting and draining principles, tapping drain and supply lines, and routing pipes through walls, ceilings, and floors for bathroom and kitchen projects.

Utility Repairs and Larger System Projects

Utility-related chapters address sump pumps, pipe repairs, gas and electric water heater repairs, water heater replacement, laundry room setup, and whole-house water filters. A final chapter on remodeling helps homeowners understand what is involved in running new service for kitchens and bathrooms—useful whether you plan to do the work yourself or supervise a professional.

Who Will Use This Book?

Stanley Plumbing: A Homeowner’s Guide suits reasonably handy homeowners who are willing to work carefully and systematically. Beginners can follow the foundational chapters and common repairs; more experienced DIYers can use the pipe and remodeling sections as a reference. The book also helps homeowners speak knowledgeably with plumbers and inspect completed work.

A Practical Reference for Home Plumbing

Clear explanations, repair-focused chapters, and coverage of both everyday fixes and larger upgrades make this a useful manual for keeping a home’s plumbing safe, functional, and up to date.