Now is the time to finally learn more about plumbing. You may have thought of doing it before now, but you just couldn’t find the time to do so. The advice in the following article will help you to better understand plumbing, and give you the ability to solve some plumbing issues on your own.
Noisy pipes is an easy do-it-yourself project. Exposed pipes need to be properly anchored. Pipes that are contained within the floors, walls and ceilings may need to be attended by a professional plumber.
You need to insulate any pipes have exposure to outside elements to avoid them freezing. You should also keep the temperature in the home above freezing to avoid your pipes freezing. Pipes will freeze if they are exposed to temperatures below freezing. If pipes do freeze, the best possible scenario would include taking time for the pipes to thaw and any frozen water to drain. But, more importantly, the pipes can burst, which will cause a huge mess and big repair bill.
If you don’t want plumbing in your home frozen, then don’t let the inside temperature go under the freezing mark, and make sure any pipes that have no protection from the elements are thoroughly insulated. But, be advised that your pipes may freeze if the surrounding temperature near those pipes is less than freezing. If they do freeze, you are looking at some time before they can thaw out, thus you will have to wait for running water. Frozen pipes can also burst, which can be very messy and expensive to repair.
You need to know your plumbing tools as well as how they are used so your plumbing efforts are always positive. Read each and every manual, and utilize the information that can be found in libraries and the Internet about do-it-yourself projects. Make sure you plan before you try any kind of repair, as it can be costly to fix a mistake.
You should avoid using blue toilet tablets, bleach tablets or any other odor removers in your toilet. It may help to get rid of your toilet’s odors, but it will damage any rubber parts, causing your toilet to malfunction, or even break down.
If you encounter a problem with your garbage disposal, resist the urge to reach in and fix it with your bare hands. Even when they are turned off, disposals can be very dangerous. Try to find a diagram, or troubleshooting guide for your particular disposal on the Internet.
Pour equal parts baking soda followed by vinegar down your bathtub drain once a month. Plug the drain afterwards or cover it with a washcloth, as the two chemicals are going to react with each other. Wait for a little while and then allow boiling water to go down the drain. Doing this periodically should keep your pipes free of hair and soap scum.
If you want to make sure your garbage disposal is going to be around as long as the house it is inside of, make sure you clean it often. By having a regular cleaning routine, which includes a combination of lemon rinds, dish soap and even pits from a cherry, your disposal can be kept smelling fresh and running smoothly for many years to come.
Schedule all your plumbing work at the same time. It might be tempting to hire a plumber for every little problem, but if you can save it up for one big fix, then you have time to set money aside for these repairs. It is a lot more cost effective as you will only be paying for one call-out fee instead of multiple trips.
Overflow Holes
If the hose that leads to your kitchen sink has not been maintained or installed properly, you may notice that water is constantly draining to the dishwasher. Your hose must run in a hill pattern to avoid water mixing. Think of the St. Louis Arch — start from your sink, go uphill with the hose, and then down before connecting to the dishwasher. This way, only pressurized water can travel through the hose. Leakage won’t be an issue.
Check overflow holes to make sure there’s no clog. Overflow holes drain water if a sink begins to overfill, so they need to be clear at all times. Make sure to clean out the overflow holes each time you do maintenance checks on your sinks.
Use lots of cold water when you run your garbage disposal. Cold water helps the blades stay sharp and keeps the disposal running smoothly. Running hot water down the drain while you are using the garbage disposal can cause the drain to clog from any grease that is in there liquefying.
Putting in shower heads that are energy-efficient can save you a lot of money in energy costs. You use the majority of your hot water in the shower. By installing energy-efficient shower heads for a few extra dollars, you can save up to $100 or more a year per shower head in your house.
If you take care of your plumbing, you will have lower plumbing bills. Drain clogging is a very common plumbing problem. Clogs in drains are often caused by buildups of hair. Avoid this by using a drain cover or screen that keeps hair and other particles from clogging your pipes. It’s more convenient to remove hair before it has a chance to get down the drain and into the pipes.
Lint Trap
Be sure to clean your dryer’s lint trap. This not only prevents fires, but saves money. Inspect your lint trap every so often for tears or holes that could cause lint to go into your pipes, this could cause clogs or other problems you will have to deal with.
Cleaning the aerator will fix low water pressure issues that are caused from sediment buildup. Take the aerator apart and clean it with a brush and some vinegar. Rinse it and put it back on the faucet. Removing obstacles in aerators should improve the water pressure.
Water valves that are rarely ever used often become fused together. Be sure to give them a shot of penetrating oil and a turn from time-to-time to make sure they don’t freeze up.
Don’t turn on your sink while using your garbage disposal. A common misconception is that if you flow water into the disposal while you’re putting solid items down there, the process will be smoother, but that just isn’t true. In point of fact, sending water and garbage through the disposal together can shorten its lifespan by encouraging more waste to stick to the moving parts.
Check your toilet for leaks. Put food coloring in your toilet tank to test the toilet for leaks. Look at the bowl carefully. If you notice colored water in several seconds, then you know your toilet is leaking badly, and you need to fix this as soon as possible.
When it gets cold out, ensure that your faucets outside aren’t dripping or leaking. If leaks are detected, it is important to repair them before the temperature drops below freezing. Whether your pipes are made of plastic, copper or steel, the water pressure caused by freezing water will make them crack. Even a small crack will let enough water out to cause some serious damage.
It is important to know the location of the valve that cuts off water to your house. There should be a nearby water meter. Toilets, sinks and fixtures might have cut-off valves, as well. Inform all the members of your family where they can find the valve, and also show them how to shut them off if they are leaking.
In conclusion, it’s really important that you know the necessary things about your plumbing system. This could save you a great deal of money, and you will be an asset in your own home! Ideally, you found the concepts above both interesting and helpful in your quest to expand your plumbing knowledge.