Need Information About Plumbing? Check Out These Helpful Tips!

Every homeowner will run into questions about plumbing, every now and then. Not only do people want information about fixing problems that might crop up, they also want general information about plumbing around the house. Read this article to give you the basic knowledge to allow you to fix any problem you face and keep your plumbing system in tip-top shape!

To keep your septic tank in good working order, it is advisable to have it pumped out every five years. This will keep sediment from hanging out in your tank and eventually causing there to be a backup in your home. It may be a bit expensive to pump a septic tank, but it will be very expensive to clean up an emergency sewage problem.

You need to avoid using any kind of tablet or odor remover in your toilet if at all possible. These products may well remove odors, but they have the side effect of damaging the rubber in your toilet, which can prevent your toilet from functioning correctly.

Water hammer problems, pipe noise due to water hitting the back of the pipe, can be easily repaired. Those pipes will need to be anchored if they are exposed. It may be necessary to hire a professional to address noisy pipes that are located in less accessible places in your home.

TIP! If your pipes freeze, turn on the water from the faucet nearest them to let water out when they start to thaw. This will relive some of the pressure, and could prevent cracks from appearing.

You should regularly check for water damage to your bathroom floor caused by your toilet in order to save money and further complications. Feel the floor around the toilet and check to see if the floor is soft, molded, chipping, etc. 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. When you have a problem like this to deal with, the earlier you detect it, the less expensive it will be to take care of.

Put the strainer on top of drains to catch any food that would go down and cause a clog. Clean your kitchen strainer often, particularly if you can see debris accumulating. Those in the bathtub should be cleaned out periodically, as needed.

Keep grease, fat and oil out of your kitchen drain. Grease hardens when it cools and will clog your pipes. This is especially the case if you possess a garbage disposal; fats and oils cause blades to run less efficiently and slow. Get rid of any fat or oils outside or in the garbage can.

Have a professional flush your septic tank every five years or so to keep it working well. Having it cleaned out prevents the sediment from accumulating in the septic tank and creating a sewage backup in your house or triggering the meltdown of the entire septic system. Although having a septic tank pumped costs money, cleaning up sewage backup in your home will ultimately cost much more.

TIP! Pass on seemingly convenient cleaning products like bleach tablets and blue toilet tabs. The rubber parts of your system can be damaged by the chemicals contained in these tablets and stop functioning.

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 also costs less because most plumbers will charge you per hour and include a minimum rate for coming out. If you call them out multiple times, those charges for them coming out will add up quickly.

Overflow Holes

Regularly check your overflow holes to make sure they’re not clogged. Overflow holes are used in case the sink starts to overfill, which may not seem like a big problem–until it is. Periodically clear out the overflow holes when doing your other checks for things that may need repaired.

Feel the floors around the toilets to see if they are soft; this will help you know if you have any damage. Straddle your toilet and gently rock foot to foot to see if your floor feels a little weak or soft. Picking up on any problems now will definitely work to save you money later. It’s the difference in a little maintenance and total floor replacement.

TIP! Give all drains strainers to gather particulate matter that can clog pipes. Clean out the one in the kitchen whenever there’s something trapped there that shouldn’t be.

Always use cold water when your garbage disposal is running. The cold water will help keep the blades nice and sharp and will allow for a much smoother disposal. Hot water liquifies grease and causes it to buildup in the drain, causing clogs in the pipes.

Shower Heads

You can save a lot of money in your energy bills by putting in efficient shower heads. Hot water usage is mostly in the shower. Investing just a few bucks in these newer shower heads can yield triple digit annual savings.

If you want your garbage disposal to have the same lifespan as your total home, clean it regularly. By regularly “cleaning” the disposal with lemon rinds, cherry pits and dish soap, you can make sure that your garbage disposal is running well and smelling so clean it could be new.

TIP! To keep your garbage disposal working at its best, use plenty of cold water when you turn it on. Using cold water not only preserves the sharpness of the blades, but also makes the disposal process itself smoother.

To keep possible toilet problems as small as possible, you should prevent using it like it’s a trash can. Avoid flushing pads, cotton, towels, tissues or anything that cannot dissolve easily to avoid plugging the pipes. As well, use just enough toilet paper to clean yourself!

You should always clean your dryer’s lint trap. This is a good idea for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is fire safety. 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.

When water pipes freeze, the damage can be extensive and costly. This problem is easily avoided. If you have any pipes outside, have them properly insulated. Before winter hits, turn off the water to the outside faucet and drain and store all of your hoses. Taking proper precautions can save you lots of money on plumbing bills.

If you notice water draining into your dishwater, check your kitchen sink. The hose might not be installed properly. The hose from your sink to your dishwasher needs to go upward before going back down so that there is no mixing between fixtures.

TIP! Don’t use your toilet like a trash can, and you minimize potential 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.

A sink with poor water pressure can often be corrected by cleaning the built-up sediment out of the aerator. Disassemble the fixture to remove the aerator, and then scrub it with vinegar and a small brush. Thoroughly rinse off the aerator, put it back together and place it back on the faucet. By removing any grit, grime and debris from the aerator, the water pressure should significantly increase.

If there’s grout stuck inside your line, it’s most likely will be a losing cause if you try to fix it all by yourself. You can try to break up the grout and send it further down. Plastic pipes, if you have them, will work better than metal. This usually requires professional people to come in to help you get rid of this problem.

There’s no reason to run water while running your garbage disposal. It seems like water would help make the disposal function more smoothly, and many people simply assume that this is so, but it is not really the case. Water can cause food to stick to the moving parts, and this could create damage.

If your pipes are clogged, and you want to try a pipe cleaner, it is suggested that you use an enzyme based cleaner. These cleaners turn the sludge into a liquid using natural bacteria, and then the liquid flows out of the pipes. The enzyme cleaners are the best on the market.

TIP! Frozen pipes can be a disaster and cause you so much money. It can also be easily prevented.

Watch for toilet leaks. Check for leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring into the tank of each toilet. Watch the bowl part of your toilet, and if you start to see colored water, you will know you have something that has to be taken care of.

You need to know how to address problems before you actually experience them. If you do maintenance regularly, you can prevent problems. Apply these tips and take the time to inspect and maintain your system to save money.