It is common for plumbing problems often occur right after you buy your home. The bathrooms and kitchen are the most frequent sites for these problems. Every homeowner has to deal with plumbing problem of some kind. This article offers sound advice for dealing with a wide variety of plumbing problems as painless as possible.
Keep your plumbing flowing by maintaining a temperature above 32 degrees and wrapping up any exposed pipe works. If the temperature surrounding these pipes is below the freezing point, your pipes could freeze. It will take a while for the pipes to thaw, leaving you without running water. They could also burst costing you a lot of money and repairs.
To keep your pipes from freezing in the winter, maintain a constant temperature in your home above freezing, and be certain to adequately insulate those pipes that are out in the weather. Your pipes can freeze if the air around them fall below freezing. It may take time to thaw so you can have water again. However, frozen pipes commonly break or crack pipes, and that could make a mess and result in a big repair bill.
To prevent your frozen pipes from bursting, leave the nearest faucet on to give the water a way to escape. This can relieve the pipe pressure that could cause bursting and further home damage.
Septic Tank
If the hose that leads to your kitchen sink has not been maintained or installed properly, you may notice that water is constantly draining to the dishwasher. The hose connecting the kitchen sink and the dishwasher has to go up and then down in order for the water of both locations to not mix.
Pump out your septic tank every five years to keep it in proper working condition. Although having a septic tank pumped costs money, it is nothing compared to what you will have to spend on cleaning up a backup of sewage or repairing or replacing your septic system.
If you have clogged pipes and thinking about using a pipe cleaner, one that is enzyme based is highly recommended. The natural enzymes in these cleaners dissolve the clog, turning it into liquid, freeing it from the pipes. These enzyme cleaners are probably the best that exist.
Do not pay your plumber until the problem is fixed. You may need to make a small down payment before the job has begun, though you should not pay the full cost until you can be certain that the job was done correctly. It will make you feel better knowing that the plumber did everything as promised before he gets his money.
If you have grout stuck in the line, it’s futile to try and clean it out yourself. You can break the grout up and make it go further down the line. The problem will be easier to fix with plastic pipes rather than metal. Yet keep in mind that it is probably going to take professional work to eradicate this problem for you.
If your toilet happens to be clogged, and the plunger is not working, you can pour a bucket of hot water down the toilet, you may be able to resolve the problem by pouring a bucket of warm water into the toilet from waist level or higher. Repeat this once your water returns back to a lower level.
When running your garbage disposal, plumbers recommend using only cold water to help ease food particles down the drain. Although some say that running water will help keep the disposal running smoothly, this isn’t always the case. It could even cause food to stick to the blades of the disposal, creating damage.
Use filters on all drains to prevent debris that might clog the pipes from sliding down your drain and causing clogs. The ones in the bathroom can be cleaned out on a regular basis.
Steer clear of drain cleaners whenever possible. Drain cleaners use abrasive chemicals that are not only harmful to you but also to your pipes. Rather than using drain cleaners, hire a plumber to fix your blockage problems.
Avoid dumping oil, grease, and other oils down your drain. This is primarily true if you are someone who has a garbage disposals because the fat can make the blades go slower and less efficiently. Make certain you dispose of oils in other places other than the sink.
While you may not be able to choose which plumber is assigned to your job, you can still look the person up online. Take advantage of customer feedback on your insurance carriers website. This will give you a greater level of comfort than going into it blind.
If your house uses well water and there are orange or pink stains in tubs or sinks, that is from iron in your water supply. This is fixed by using water softener, which can be bought at a store, or have a company come out to your house and take care of it for you.
If you need a good plumber, make sure you check out their reviews. Some plumbers may not be experienced or skilled enough to be able to handle some jobs, and can actually make the problem worse. Research reviews on the plumbers in your area, or ask family or friends about their recommendations.
Pour equal parts baking soda and vinegar down your bathtub drain every month. Plug the drain and allow the chemical reaction takes place. After a few minutes, flush it out by running boiling water through the drain. This process should open up the pipes of accumulated hair and soap scum.
Watch for toilet leaks. You can do this by coloring the water in your tank. If the water in the bowl turns colors, it is leaking.
It is very important to always run cold water when running your garbage disposal. Cold water will allow for the food particles to be properly disposed of while keeping the blades sharp and encourage a smoother disposal.
If valves are seldom used they may become fused. Apply penetrating oil on a regular basis, and turn it so as to stop it from seizing.
Installing shower heads could save you a lot on your energy head. Most households use a lot of hot water used in our showers. By installing an energy-efficient shower head that might cost a few dollars, you can save over a hundred bucks or more per every shower head in the home.
Dealing with water is only one aspect of plumbing. A competent plumber needs to master a variety of additional skills. One of the most common things that a plumber works on is fixing water lines.
If water is draining into a dishwasher, the problem is most likely a hose running to your kitchen sink that was not correctly installed. The hose from your sink and the dishwasher needs to go up and then down so that there is no mixing between fixtures.
Get a hot water tank that is adapted to your needs to improve your water heater efficiency. The size of your hot water tank depends on how often your family uses hot water. The more people living in your house, the bigger the tank should be. Similarly, if you run a lot of appliances that require hot water such as dishwashers and washing machines, you’ll need a bigger hot water tank too.
When plumbing issues come up, you need to be prepared. Every homeowner should arm themselves with a few basic plumbing tools and repair tips. The tips you have found above should go a long way towards preparing you to deal with a plumbing problem when it occurs.
It is inadvisable to use drain openers containing harsh chemicals in order to open a clogged drain. These chemicals are caustic and can actually burn you if they come in contact with your skin. If you feel you must use them, protect your skin by wearing long sleeved shirts and gloves.
