Having good working plumbing is an important to having a safe and healthy home. This article provides some fantastic tips for maintaining and fix your plumbing.
To maintain a clean, well-functioning septic tank, it is recommended that you clean it out once every five years. This stop sedimentary particles from accumulating in the tank, and in the worst cases, flooding your home or making the entire system to fail. While you may find it costly to get your septic tank cleaned out, the cost is much higher to have sewage and backups cleaned up and your septic tank repaired or replaced.
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 could take time in order for the pipes to thaw so that you can have running water. However, they could burst, as well – making a huge plumbing bill.
Don’t give a plumber the total bill payment upfront; pay them only when they have finished the job. You might have to give them a deposit, but do not give them the entire sum of money until you are sure they have done a good job. You need to know the plumber did what he promised before he is reimbursed for the entire amount.
If you have a clogged toilet with the water level very low, and there is very little water in the basin, pouring a bucking of boiling water from a height into the toilet bowl could resolve the problem. Repeat this once your water returns back to a lower level.
Check for floor damage around your toilet. If the floor around your toilet feels softer than the rest of the floor in your bathroom, there’s damage you need to address. Sit in a reversed position, putting one foot on each side of the toilet and shift your weight from side to side to check if the floor feels slightly unstable. Discovering this issue sooner can mean big savings for your checking account, as compared to finding out about it later.
Use filters on all drains to prevent debris from clogging drains. The bathtub’s strainers need to cleaned out as needed.
Pour baking soda and vinegar down your bathtub drain every month. 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 periodically should keep your pipes free of hair and soap scum.
Overflow Holes
Ensure overflow holes don’t have any debris in them. Overflow holes are used in case the sink starts to overfill, which may not seem like a big problem–until it is. Clear out your sink’s overflow holes every so often, while checking for any other problems or necessary repairs.
Ensure your sink’s overflow holes are clear. Clear the overflow holes periodically when doing your periodic checks for other problems and plumbing issues that should be addressed.
Run cold water through your garbage disposal. The blades on the unit will remain sharper and disposal will proceed with few glitches. When you use hot water, any grease that is in the garbage will melt and be more prone to stopping up your drain.
Run lots of cold water through your sink when you turn on the garbage disposal. Cold water keeps blades sharp and makes the disposal run more smoothly.
Prevention is the key to keeping your plumbing repair bills down. Clogs are the most commonly reported problems when it comes to plumbing issues. Drains are easily clogged by hair. Screens and drain covers are great ways to stop hair from going down your drains. It’s more convenient to remove hair before it has a chance to get down the drain and into the pipes.
If you have unwanted water that drains in your dishwasher, check the connection on your kitchen sink. The hose from your sink and the dishwasher has to go up and then down so that there is no mixing between fixtures.
A good tip to use when using your garbage disposal is to leave the water turned off. Most plumbers advise that you run water when using your garbage disposal, although many disagree. However, some advice that it can prevent garbage sticking to your disposal, preventing damage. Read your product guide for instructions.
Don’t flush items like paper towels, sanitary napkins, tissues, paper towels and cotton balls.
Keep from using harsh drain cleaners. Drain cleaners contain very corrosive chemicals that can cause damage to your pipes if used too much. If you do have a clogged drain, it is better to hire a professional to see what is causing it.
Some people think they can get away with the cheapest head for your shower in the store. The issue with that these models are not highly durable and can break.
If a plug needs to be removed, there are a few methods you can use. The first one is to use a hammer and chisel to attempt loosening the fitting. If that doesn’t work, you’ll need to break through the plug itself.
Frozen pipes can be a disaster and cause some very expensive plumbing repair jobs. The first thing you should do is ensure your outside pipes are well insulated. When colder weather is approach, disconnect and drain the hoses and turn the outside faucet off. This can save you money on plumbing bills.
Get more information about a plumber before hiring him or her. A plumber that is not skilled in a particular task could actually aggravate the problem. Make sure to look at any online reviews, or ask for a referral from a friend or family member.
Clean the aerator to fix low pressure issues which result from sediment buildups. Take out the aerator, pull it apart, and brush it clean with a little vinegar.
If you start to have sewage backup inside your toilet, it is because of blockage that is inside the branch line which connects the sewage line and the main line. Get help from a professional. A plumber will run a snake in the line to clear it.
Do not attempt to remove grout out of a line by yourself. You can try to break up the grout and send it down further. This works best if your pipes you have are plastic instead of metal.
Rarely used valves can fuse together. Maintain them with penetrating oil, and turn them every so often to keep them from sticking.
Drain Cleaners
It is essential that you know where your main cut-off valve is for your water supply on your property. You’ll find a water meter right on it or near by. Also, locate additional shut off valves for toilets, sinks, washers and any other device that runs off of your water supply. You will want to make your family aware of the location of each valve, and add markings that give directions on how to shut each one off whenever an emergency arises.
Try to avoid the use drain cleaners if you can. Drain cleaners contain very corrosive chemicals and can cause damage pipes if used too much. If your drain is clogged, the best course of action is to hire a professional to call by and examine it for you.
To improve your home’s water-hating efficiency, you should figure out the right size water tank to provide enough hot water for the whole household. Knowing how many people and which appliances need heated water in your house can help you figure out the right capacity for a water heater tank.
There are two ways to remove stubborn clean-out plug. The first one is to use a hammer and chisel to see if you can get the fitting. The only other thing you can do is chisel right through the plug.
Avoid chemical based drain openers when you need to deal with drain clogs. These products are so dangerous to your skin and eyes that it is simply not worth the risk using them poses. If you decide to use them, protect your arms and hands so they are not exposed to these chemicals.
You can research a plumber online, but you should still research different plumbers online. If the insurance company you have scheduled a plumber for you, see if they have a website, read any testimonials and other feedback so you know what to expect once they arrive at your home.
When purchasing new plumbing fixtures, you might want to consider brass ones. Brass fixtures last much longer and tend to be more durable. Brass fixtures look a lot nicer than many of the other types of plumbing fixtures that you can purchase. You can find these fixture in most hardware stores.
Check to see if you have toilet for any leaks.An easy way to determine this is to drop some food coloring in the toilet tank.Watch the bowl part of your toilet, and if you see colored water within a few seconds, you definitely have a leak that will need to be fixed.
If you labor outdoors for extended intervals, make certain to get breaks from the sunlight. It’s easy to forget how hot it is when you are immersed in a project, but that doesn’t make the danger any less real.
If you start to have sewage backup inside your toilet, then check the connection between your home’s sewage line and the city sewage line. If you have tried and cannot remove the blockage, you’ll need professional help to run a snake and break up the clog.
Some items, including pumpkin and carrots, can harm the disposal, because they become stuck and clog up the sink. Get rid of these items prior to using your disposal; you can simply toss them in the trash.
You can check for valid licenses and negative complaints against them. If their credentials are not in order, you don’t want to hire that contractor.
If your pipes are copper, they may slightly expand when hot water flows through them. This could mean that those pipes won’t fit in the hangers anymore and will rub against them causing damage. This can be prevented by placing a layer of plumbing tape between the pipe and the hanger.
You have to always be aware of where the primary water cut-off valve is in your home. There will be a water meter. Fixtures, such as sinks or toilets, may also have individual shut-off valves.Make sure every family member knows how to find these valves, and mark them so they are easy to turn off in case the need arises.
Look for water damage by looking at loose tiles. Press the tiles to see if they “give,” which could be a sign of a leak. The quicker you know there’s a problem, the quicker you can fix it.
Choose your pipe cleaners you use with care. Some of these cleaners have chemicals that will probably damage your pipes. Choose a drain cleaner that claims to be easy on pipes.
Teach everyone who lives with you how to turn off your main water valve, as well as how to turn off the water supply to a particular part of your house. You are going to want everyone to know how to stop water from flowing all over your floor causing it damage. If your housemates can shut off water valves, they can prevent plumbing problems from causing major damage to your home.
A normal pipe snake might solve the problems of an overflowing washing machine’s drain stack if it backs up.
Many times toilet problems can be easily fixed by simply replacing the flapper. The flapper will deteriorate over time, and most leaky toilets are from flapper problems. You should first check to ensure the pressure of the chain is right. If the chain isn’t the problem, you should replace the flapper due to the fact that it’s most likely worn out.
Loose Tiles
To help you prevent faucet and sink leaks, you should perform regular maintenance. You should check underneath pipes for moisture or tiny leaks because you can lose as much as 150 gallons of daily water from them. Regular and consistent maintenance will keep your plumbing from having significant signs of wear and tear.
Check out any loose tiles to see if they are indicative of damage from water. Loose tiles sometimes mean a leak needs to be fixed, so press against tiles gently to see if they “give”. You can better respond to an issue proactively if you detect it early through the tiles.
Make sure you do regular pipe cleanings with chemicals or tools to keep them from clogging up. This is especially important for toilet drains or pipes which are outside and can be affected by tree roots.
Buying plumbing tools will cost you some money initially, but they could save you a lot of money. There are many Internet videos online that teach you how to make basic plumbing repairs. By investing in just a few tools, minor problems won’t require a call to a plumber.
When you are cleaning your fiberglass bathroom fixtures, be sure that you use non-abrasive cleaners such as hand dish washing liquids and laundry detergents.
You can ensure that your connection is tight as can be by using sealant that is specifically made for the type of joints that you have, making your connection as tight as it possibly could be. Plumbing stores or big box retailers carry both these products and can offer you advice.
Now you know that there are plenty of things you can do to increase your plumbing skills. This knowledge is extremely valuable not only for fixing up your own home, but also for not having to rely on other people.
