When it’s time to fix your plumbing, you might wonder where to start, equipment, regulations or instructions you may need to get started. The tips laid out here can help you realize what information you need to be a smarter plumber.
Obnoxiously loud pipes that like to squeal and hammer are easy situations to correct. You must anchor all exposed pipes. You may need the assistance of a professional in the case that the pipes are contained within a floor or ceiling.
To prevent pipes from freezing, don’t let temperatures drop under freezing in your home, and be certain to adequately insulate those pipes that are out in the weather. Your plumbing can freeze if temperatures around it is below freezing. It may take time to thaw so that you can have water again. The worst case would be that they burst, which would result in significant repair costs and a mess to clean up.
In order to prevent any pipes within your home from freezing, you should never let the home temperature get below freezing. Always insulate pipes exposed to elements. It is easy for pipes to freeze whenever the mean temperature near the pipes drop below freezing. In the best case scenario, you will have to wait until they thaw so that the water runs again. But, more importantly, the pipes can burst, which will cause a huge mess and big repair bill.
If you discover that a water pipe has frozen, find the tap closest to the pipe so when the thaw happens, the water has a place to go. This reduces pressure to keep the pipe from bursting, and can keep them from bursting.
It is important that you do not pay a plumber in full, until all of the work is complete and satisfactory. There might be a down payment required, but you do not give him the total cost before he is finished. It is a good thing to know the plumber did his job as he agreed to before he get’s all of his money.
Garbage Disposal
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. The water should go down, and you can pour another bucket of water if the toilet is still clogged.
Never use your hands to try fixing your garbage disposal to fix a problem. Even when the garbage disposal presents significant danger. You can search online to get schematics or troubleshooting advice for the disposal that you have.
If your house uses well water and you start to see orange or pink stains in your tub and other water fixtures, you have too much iron in your water. Luckily, you can quickly fix this by adding some water softener to your supply. You can pick up this product at a lot of stores, or have it shipped out to you.
Use filters on all drains to keep foreign objects and debris from clogging drains. The ones in the bathroom can be cleaned out on a regular basis.
You can keep your bathtub pipes clear by pouring baking soda and vinegar down your drain once a month. Use one cup of each. Cover it with a plug or rag, since a chemical reaction should happen in the pipes. After letting it sit for a few moments, clear the pipes out with a gallon of boiling water. Doing this will clear your pipes of any soap scum or hair that has accumulated.
If your home operates on well water and you notice pink or orange stains in your bathtub and other fixtures, this is likely a result of iron levels in the well water. You will need a water softener in order to take care of this problem, which is something you can get on your own at a local retailer, or hire someone to go to your home and fix it for you.
To lessen the chances of toilet problems, do not use as a place to put trash. Do not flush sanitary pads, paper towels, cotton balls, tissues, diapers or other materials, as these items do not dissolve and could cause clogs. As well, keep your toilet paper usage to as little as possible.
Schedule your plumbing work at the same time. 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 will have time to save money for the fixes. Most plumbers have an hourly rate and a flat rate for the trip: asking a plumber to fix multiple problems in one visit to your home.
Good management and prevention can help you save money on plumbing. A common serious repair is removing clogs in the drain. Loose hair is often the culprit if your drain keeps getting clogged. You can prevent hair from getting into your drains by simply installing a device on top of your drain such as a screen, which will trap the hair from getting into the pipes. It is much easier to remove the hair from a screen than it is to get it out of a pipe.
As you’ve seen, plumbing is not that complicated. You will just need to take care of your basics prior to starting. You can handle any plumbing job armed with the right research, the will to work and common sense.
Frozen pipes can do very extensive and expensive damage. However, you can generally avoid this happening in the first place. The most important step is to keep any pipes close to the outside, well insulated. And when the temperatures start dropping, you will want to drain your hoses and disconnect them, and then turn off all of the outside faucets. Be proactive about this and save on future repair bills.
