If you have to fix the plumbing in your home, you may be overwhelmed about what to do and where to begin. This article’s tips will help you turn into a better plumber.
If you discover that a water pipe has frozen, find the tap closest to the pipe so when the thaw happens, the water has an exit point. This relieves the pressure contained in the pipe as it also prevents it from bursting, which would reduce the damage done to your house.
Knowing your tools and how to use them can help greatly in your plumbing experience. You should read the manual with any new tool you purchase. If you don’t have the manual, look online or at your local library for more information. You should do the same amount of research on the steps required for your project. Be sure to have a plan ahead of time before trying any type of repair, it could very expensive to fix the mistake.
If your pipes are so noisy that they sound like squeaking or hammering, you can easily solve this problem. If pipes are exposed, you must anchor them. Pipes that are contained within the floors, walls and ceilings may need to be attended by a professional plumber.
Iron will cause orange or pink stains in and on your fixtures if you have a well. This is fixed by using water softener, which can be bought at a store, or you can have someone come to your home and fix it.
Schedule one plumber to take care of all your issues in one single visit. It can be tempting to call a plumber each time you have a minor problem, but saving plumbing work for one time allows you to put money aside for the repairs. Most plumbers have an hourly rate and a flat rate for the trip: asking a plumber to fix multiple problems in one trip is cheaper than calling them more than once.
Efficient Shower Heads
To deal with a frozen pipe, turn on the faucet closest to the pipe. This gives the water a place to exit as the pipe defrosts. This helps decrease any pressure in order to prevent burst pipes. A burst pipe can create damage that is expensive to repair.
Installing efficient shower heads could save you a lot of money when it comes to your energy bill. The shower uses most of the hot water. When you invest in energy-efficient shower heads, you will save around $100 a year for every shower head.
An incorrectly installed hose from the kitchen sink to the dishwasher can cause unwanted water to drain into the dishwasher. The hose going from the dishwasher to the sink must go downhill, and then uphill, to prevent water mixing from the two devices.
Don’t throw trash down your toilet. Doing so can clog the drain and cause plumbing problems. If you flush improper items such as disposable diapers, facial tissue, cotton balls, paper toweling, tampons or sanitary napkins down the toilet, you will surely have problems with clogs. Additionally, use the minimum amount of toilet paper required to clean up after you are done.
If your toilet will not flush, and there is very little water in the basin, try to fix the issue by dumping warm water in the bowl from around your waist line. You could repeat this process again if the water in the toilet bowl gets low.
If you have a shower head that needs replacing, be sure to get one that is good quality. People will buy the cheapest option thinking it will do the job they need it to do. The problem about this is they aren’t sturdy and they tend to break a lot easier.
Lint Trap
Be sure that the dryer’s lint trap is clean. This will help your dryer to work better and may also prevent fires. Always check your lint trap for damage, such as holes or tears. This could allow lint to enter your pipes, leading to clogs or other plumbing complications.
Install low flush toilets and energy efficient shower heads and faucets to reduce your utility bills. The shower uses most of the hot water. Investing just a few bucks in these newer shower heads can yield triple digit annual savings.
Applying prevention measures is key to preventing plumbing issues. Drain clogging is a very common plumbing problem. Loose hair is often the culprit if your drain keeps getting clogged. Stop hair from going down drains with a drain cover or screen designed for this purpose. It is easier to take hair off a screen than to clear it from a pipe.
One costly plumbing repair is frozen pipes. This, however, is typically preventable. First, make sure that your outside pipe are insulated well. Before winter, drain your hoses and disconnect your outdoor faucets. Doing this could help save lots of cash related to plumbing repair bills.
Some people say that when you use the garbage disposal you don’t have to run the water. While many people think that running water in conjunction with the disposal will cause it to work more efficiently, it simply isn’t true. In fact, it could cause garbage to stick to your disposal, which can create more damage.
Enzyme-based cleaners are the best bet for unclogging stubborn clogged pipes. These natural bacteria cleaners turn sludge into liquid, and then remove it from the pipes. The cleaners that have enzymes are the best you can buy.
Drain Cleaners
If possible, try not to use drain cleaners. Drain cleaners are composed of extremely corrosive chemicals and can actually damage pipes with frequent use. Consider hiring a professional when you have drain problems.
If you’ve got issues with your toilet blocking, see if the blockage exists at the branch line which connects the sewage and main lines. If you are unable to fix the blockage, you will need to hire a professional to run a snake in the line to clean it.
Try to avoid the use of dry cleaners as often as you can. Drain cleaners contain very corrosive chemicals that can cause damage to your pipes if used too much. If your drain is clogged, hire a pro to figure out the problem.
Valves that are rarely used tend to fuse together. Maintain them with penetrating oil, and turn them every so often to keep them from sticking.
Don’t pour chemicals down your drain to unclog it, even if the product is labeled as a drain opener. These chemicals can open your drain but they also may hurt you if you get them on your skin. If you feel you must use them, protect your skin by wearing long sleeved shirts and gloves.
Whenever you work outdoors for a prolonged period of time, take a break in a place where you will not be exposed to the sun. It may be easy to forget the sun’s heat when you get focused on your work, but overexposure is still extremely dangerous.
While you may not always have your choice of plumbers, you can use the Internet to research and review plumbers in your area. When your insurance company takes care of choosing a plumber for you, it is important to still look at their website, reviews and any customer comments they have. This will allow you to feel prepared when they come to your house.
If water is collecting near your water heater, don’t hesitate to hit the water shut-off valve right away. If you do not, you may find that a small leak could turn to a large leak, and will be more difficult to shut off.
As intimidating as plumbing can be, the task usually isn’t as intimidating as it looks. You just need the basics to get started. A little research, along with some common sense, will give you the basics you need to get started on your particular job.