Plumbing Tips That Will Save You Money

Posted on October 17, 2019 Written by

When considering your home’s plumbing, there is a long list of potential issues that can crop up. Some things might be an easy fix for you, but others can be a little more challenging. No matter what the problem is, it is imperative that you become knowledgeable about plumbing so you can fix your plumbing issues quickly.

If you have pipes that sound as if they’re squeaking or hammering, it’s an easy fix. Anchor any easily-accessible loose pipes. If these pipes are located in the floors, ceiling or walls, you are probably best calling a profession plumber to take over the project.

Wait until a job is done before you pay for it. A plumber might ask you for part of the money before starting the job but you should never pay more than half. Agree with the plumber in advance on the job and payment.

If your water pipe has frozen, start water running in the faucet closest to the frozen pipe. This will give excess water somewhere to drain as the ice in the pipe thaws. This will help relieve pressure in pipes to prevent them from bursting, which may prevent bigger damage for your home.

TIP! To prevent your frozen pipes from bursting, leave the nearest faucet on to give the water a way to escape. This will relive some of the pressure, and could prevent cracks from appearing.

If you aren’t having any luck using a plunger on a clogged toilet, you may want to try pouring warm water into it from waist high. After the water level in the toilet bowl has gone down, you can repeat the procedure until the blockage is cleared.

Place a strainer on top of every drain so that you collect all debris that has the ability to clog the drain. The strainer used in the kitchen will need to be cleaned frequently. Clean bathtub drain screens as often as needed.

Try to avoid putting things like fat, oils and grease down the sink drain. As they cool off, they can solidify and effectively create clogs and blockages in your drains. This is especially damaging to garbage disposals because the fat can make the blades turn more slowly and less efficiently. Make certain you dispose of all oils in other places other than the sink.

Have a professional flush your septic tank every five years or so to keep it working well. This keeps the tank from developing a buildup of sediment, thereby preventing the septic system from backing up or failing altogether as a result. Pumping a septic tank might cost a lot of money, but it will cost your more money to clean any back up in sewage you may have had, and replacing your septic tank costs even more!!

TIP! It is a advisable to have a septic tank pumped every five years to keep it in peak condition. This will keep sediment from hanging out in your tank and eventually causing there to be a backup in your home.

Single Visit

Schedule one plumber to take care of all your issues in one single visit. You might be tempted to call the plumber every time you need something fixed, but if you wait and hire the plumber for a single visit, you can save up money for repairs. Also, combining smaller jobs into one larger job lets the plumber finish his work faster and therefore saves you money.

Keep your bathtub drain running well by pouring a cup of baking soda followed by a cup of vinegar down the drain each month. Cover it with a plug or rag, because a chemical reaction is sure to occur in your pipes. Wait for a little while and then allow boiling water to go down the drain. This process should open up the pipes by clearing out hair build-up and soap scum.

Stay away from bleach tablets, blue tablets for the toilet and other toilet odor removers. The rubber parts of your system can be damaged by the chemicals contained in these tablets and stop functioning.

TIP! Don’t be tempted to use commercial bleach tablets, blue toilet tablets or any other product that claims to prevent toilet odor. While they may be effective deodorizers, they can damage rubber parts in your toilet.

It is very important to to use lots of cold water when running your garbage disposal. The cold water helps keep the blades sharp and can make disposal much smoother. Hot water can clog your drain by allowing liquid grease to build up in it.

Use a cleaner that is enzyme based if you want to clean clogged pipes. These cleaners turn the sludge into a liquid using natural bacteria, and then the liquid flows out of the pipes. The most highly recommended pipe cleaners are enzyme cleaners.

As mentioned above, there are many problems your plumbing can have. These range from minor repairs to major disasters. When you use the ideas that you’ve just learned, you’ll find that dealing with plumbing problems is no longer a stressful ordeal.

Place a strainer over the drains to collect anything that could clog and cause stoppage. Anytime there is something caught in your kitchen drain, you should clean it out. The ones in the bathroom can be cleaned out as needed.

TIP! Place a strainer over the drains to collect anything that could clog and cause stoppage. Every time you have large particles in the strainer of the kitchen sink, it should be cleaned thoroughly.

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Plumbing Tips That Are Simple And Easy To Understand

Posted on September 23, 2015 Written by

Plumbing problems can always pop up. Some things might be an easy fix for you, but others can be a little more challenging. No matter what the problem is with your plumbing, you should be educated so when there is an emergency, you can act quickly to get the problem fixed.

You can easily fix noisy pipes. Exposed pipes will have to be anchored. You may need to hire a professional to help with any projects involving pipes that are hidden in the floors, ceiling or walls.

To prevent pipes from freezing, don’t let temperatures drop under freezing in your home, and insulate external pipes. If ambient temperature surrounding pipes goes below freezing, pipes can freeze as well. 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 your water pipe freezes, switch on the nearest faucet tap to that pipe so that water can exit when the pipe thaws. This helps decrease any pressure in order to prevent burst pipes. A burst pipe can create damage that is expensive to repair.

TIP! Have your septic tank cleaned every five years to keep it in prime condition. This keeps the tank from developing a buildup of sediment, thereby preventing the septic system from backing up or failing altogether as a result.

To prevent your frozen pipes from bursting, leave the nearest faucet on to give the water a way to escape. If there is too much pressure within the pipe, it may burst, causing other forms of damage in the home.

Understanding how your tools work can give you a tremendous boost when plumbing. Research the project you are going to attempt online, and read the manuals that come with the tools before you use them. Plan thoroughly before attempting a repair. Mistakes can be very expensive to fix.

Check for softness in your floor to determine flood damage. Put a foot on each side of the toilet and put weight on each side, if you have any give you may have damage. You can save a lot if you catch these issue sooner.

Don’t give a plumber the total bill payment upfront; pay them only when they have finished the job. You may have to pay a portion of the cost before the plumber works on the job, but you should never have to pay in full until after everything has been correctly finished. You need to know the plumber did what he promised before he is reimbursed for the entire amount.

TIP! Know your plumbing tools and exactly how to use them before you start on any plumbing repair. Research the project you are going to attempt online, and read the manuals that come with the tools before you use them.

Keep your garbage disposal clean and it will last longer. You can prevent annoying odors and promote smooth operation by setting up a regular cleaning routine with lemon rinds, dish soap, and even cherry pits.

Baking Soda

You can pour baking soda down a drain followed by some vinegar if you want to keep drains clear. This should be done once a month, and a cup each of baking soda and vinegar should be used. Cover the drain up with a plug or old rag, as there will be a chemical reaction in the pipes. After waiting a few minutes, flush the drain with boiling water. By taking these steps, you have a good chance of ridding your pipes of hair and soap scum.

To increase the useful life of your garbage disposal, clean it out regularly. Create a routine that uses both normal soaps and natural materials like cherry pits of lemon rinds. With this, you’ll be able to keep your garbage disposal running and smelling like new.

TIP! Installing more efficient shower heads can save you tons of money on your energy bill. Hot water usage is mostly in the shower.

Install low flush toilets and energy efficient shower heads and faucets to reduce your utility bills. Most of the hot water we use is used while we are showering. Install energy saving faucets throughout your home and you can recapture your cost within the year.

Having water leaking into the dishwasher, however annoying, is luckily an easy fix. The hose that runs from the kitchen sink to the dishwasher is not installed properly, and can be corrected quickly. The hose going from the dishwasher to the sink must go downhill, and then uphill, to prevent water mixing from the two devices.

Lint Trap

Taking preventative measures means you will not have to spend as much on plumbing repairs. Clogs can be a major cause of plumbing problems. Clogs in drains can be caused by hair, among other things. Stop the clog by covering your drains with screens to keep hair from going into the pipes. Most objects will not fall through the drain cover, and even hair usually won’t make it through.

TIP! If you have grout stuck in the line, it probably won’t help you cleaning it all by yourself. You can break the grout up and make it go further down the line.

Make sure to clean your dryer’s lint trap. This will help your dryer to work better and may also prevent fires. See to it that you look at the lint trap and find out if it has tears or holes in it that could cause lint to go inside your pipes. This could lead to clogs or other problems in the future.

Prevention is vital for avoiding costly repairs to your plumbing. A common serious repair is removing clogs in the drain. Built up hair can actually clog drains. Put drain covers over your bathtub and sink drains to keep loose hair from going down the drain or into your pipes. Most objects will not fall through the drain cover, and even hair usually won’t make it through.

As was said earlier, many problems can occur with plumbing, both large and small. If you use the tips you have just learned, you will have an easier time fixing whatever problems you may encounter.

Sometimes, the plumber is chosen by an insurance company without your input, but you can look them up online anyway. If your insurance provider has set up the appointment, check the company website to see customer reviews and feedback. This allows you to have some information before they arrive.

TIP! If sewage is overflowing your toilet, then check the connection between your home’s sewage line and the city sewage line. If you can’t clear the blockage yourself, contact a professional plumber, who can insert a snake into the line to break up the blockage.

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