Some individuals believe that working on plumbing yourself is hard. However, when you have the proper education and proper advice for a particular plumbing job, it is much easier. Take some tips from here to get that plumbing job done on your own terms.
If one of your water pipes freezes, turn on the tap to the faucet nearest the pipe so that the water has somewhere to exit as the pipe thaws. This can relieve the pipe pressure that could cause bursting and further home damage.
You should have your septic tank pumped once every five years for best performance. This stop sedimentary particles from accumulating in the tank, and in the worst cases, flooding your home or making the entire system to fail. Getting your septic tank drained occasionally may be expensive, but it’s dirt cheap compared to the cost of repairing a damaged septic system or the cleanup cost when raw sewage backs up into your home.
If you possess pipes that are alive with the sound of squeaking or hammering, you have an issue that is easily corrected. You must anchor any type of exposed pipe. If pipes are located in the floor, ceiling or walls, you might want to have a professional help you complete the project.
If you have a clogged toilet with a low water level and a plunger isn’t doing the job, it’s time to try adding a bucket of lukewarm water to the toilet from a around three feet or higher. Do this every time the water level gets too low.
Check for softness in your floor to determine flood damage. Sit reversed on the toilet (facing the tank) with your feet on the floor. Rock your weight onto each foot in turn and see if you can feel any weakness or “give” in the floor. Early detection of the problem may save you a great deal of money over time.
You should put a strainer over your drains to catch anything that could clog your drain up. Clean debris from these strainers after each use. The bathtub strainer will prevent hair from clogging up your drain.
If you want to look for floor damage around your toilet, just check the flooring for softness. Another great way to check is to actually sit on the toilet and move in a rocking motion, going back and forth from right to left to see how much give you feel. Early detection of the problem may save you a great deal of money over time.
Have all the plumbing repairs done in one visit. 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. This can save you money since plumbers generally charge hourly, as they can’t charge multiple hours per trip if it’s only one trip out.
A great maintenance routine for bathtub drains is to pour baking soda and vinegar into the drain opening once a month. Cover the drain up with a plug or old rag, as there will be a chemical reaction in the pipes. Pause a few minutes, and then follow the mixture with boiling water. Your pipes will soon be clear of accumulated hair and soap scum.
Overflow Holes
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. In order to keep it clean, you can use a mixture of dish soap, cherry pits and lemon rinds which will keep the disposal running smooth and smelling fresh.
Ensure overflow holes don’t have any debris in them. The overflow holes are there to make sure the sink doesn’t overfill, which can become a problem if they are blocked. Clean overflow holes as part of your annual maintenance, and any other time you are handling general plumbing repairs.
Do not use your toilet to get rid of garbage. Don’t flush items like paper towels, sanitary napkins, diapers or cotton balls, because these items don’t break down and may cause clogging issues. Reduce your use of toilet paper if you notice frequent clogs.
Be sure to check your dryer and clear your lint trap of any debris. This can save you a lot of trouble, including preventing fires. Be certain that you thoroughly inspect the trap to ensure there are no tears or holes that may allow lint to travel to the pipes.
Keep the drain in your bathtub working well by pouring one cup baking soda into the drain quickly followed by about a cup of white vinegar. This will cause the vigorous bubbling you may remember from the “volcano” in a grade school science project, so be sure to close the drain with a stopper. After a few minutes,just flush the drain out with water that has reached a boiling point. Although this is useful for clearing away simple clogs made of hair and soap debris, it will not work for serious blockages.
To reduce your plumbing repair costs, use preventative maintenance measures. Clogs can be a major cause of plumbing problems. Hair is one of the most common clog-producing materials. Stop hair from going down drains with a drain cover or screen designed for this purpose. It’s far simpler to clean the screen than to remove a hair clog in the pipes.
Frozen pipes can cost you a significant amount to repair. Thankfully, you can prevent your pipes from freezing. The first thing to do is make sure that all of the outside pipes are well insulated. Also, when it starts to get colder, drain and disconnect your hoses and turn off the outside faucet. This can save some serious money on pipe repairs over time.
As was discussed at the beginning of the article, while plumbing can be an extremely difficult chore for anyone to complete, it becomes significantly easier if you have the right advice and information. Use the advice from this article, and you’ll be on your way to doing your own plumbing.
Ensure that the overflow holes in your sinks are not clogged. Overflow holes are used in case the sink starts to overfill, which may not seem like a big problem–until it is. When you’re periodically checking your sink for possible problems, take the time to clean out the overflow holes.