It is common for plumbing problems to start right after a new house is purchased. The bathrooms and kitchen are the most frequent sites for these problems. Every homeowner has to deal with plumbing problem of some kind. Here are some tips to help when that happens.
Avoiding frozen pies is easy if you ensure no area of your house ever falls below freezing and that any pipes which are exposed to such temperatures are protected with insulation. Your pipes can freeze if temperatures around them fall below freezing. 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.
To prevent pipes from freezing, maintain a constant temperature in your home above freezing, and insulate external pipes. Pipes can freeze if they are exposed to temperatures below freezing. It takes time for the pipes to thaw out so you can have water again. However, they might burst, as well – making a huge plumbing bill.
Schedule your plumbing work simultaneously. You might be tempted to contact a plumber every time you face a small problem, but if you have problems repaired all at once, you will have time to save money for the fixes. You can save money by only paying a single service call fee instead of ending up with multiple hours being billed from multiple visits.
Septic Tank
You can save a lot of money in your energy bills by putting in efficient shower heads. Most of the hot water used in the home is used while showering. You can save up to a few hundred dollars a year by simply installing shower heads that are energy efficient.
Pump out your septic tank every five years to keep it working condition. Although it is somewhat of an expense to pump out a septic tank, cleaning up sewage backup in your home will ultimately cost much more.
Always remember to keep your dryer’s lint trap clean. This could prevent you from a tons of trouble, and it can also prevent fires. Always check your lint trap for damage, such as holes or tears. This could allow lint to enter your pipes, leading to clogs or other plumbing complications.
Never use your hands in your garbage disposal to fix a problem. Even an un-powered garbage disposal is turned off they can be dangerous.You can search online to find the diagram for your garbage disposal.
Stay away from drain cleaners! Their chemicals are extremely corrosive, and they may damage your pipes if used too often. If you do have a clogged drain, it is better to hire a professional to see what is causing it.
By regularly using a mixture of dish soap, cherry pits and citrus rinds, you can make sure that your garbage disposal is running well and smelling so clean it could be new.
If you are having trouble removing clean out plugs, there are a couple ways in which to resolve this. The first way is to get a chisel and a hammer and try to jostle the fitting loose. Your only other choice is chiseling directly through the actual plug itself.
It is important to run your faucet with cold water while using your garbage disposal. Cold water keeps blades and allows for smoother disposal.
Check your toilet for leaks. Put food coloring into your toilet water in the tank to test for leaks. Keep your eye on the toilet bowl; if you notice colored water, you can safely assume that you are dealing with a leak.
Enzyme Based Cleaners
If sewage backs up into a toilet in your home, there is likely a clog in the line that connects your sewer line to your main line. If you can’t manage this blockage, a plumber can put a snake through to clear it out.
Use a cleaner that is enzyme based cleaners when cleaning clogged pipes.Enzyme based cleaners use “good” bacteria to transform the clog into a liquid, making it weak enough to be flushed out. Enzyme based cleaners are efficient and will not corrosive so they won’t erode your metal pipes.
The valves that are hardly ever used have their way of somehow fusing together. Be sure to give them a shot of penetrating oil and a turn from time-to-time to make sure they don’t freeze up.
The key towards maintaining low plumbing bills is prevention. Clogs are one of the top reasons people have to call a major plumbing repair. Drains are easily get clogged by hair. It’s a lot simpler to eliminate hair that is on a screen than to pull it from a pipe.
Know where the location of the main water-valve is on your property. You will see the water meter near it or on it. Toilets, sinks and some other fixtures can have cut off valves of their own. To prepare for an emergency, make sure that everyone in your family is familiar with the location of the valves. It also helps to mark the valves with arrows indicating the direction in which they should be turned to shut them off or turn them on.
Clean the aerator to fix low pressure issues which result from sediment build up. Take out the aerator, disassemble it, and clean inside with a brush soaked in vinegar.
Plumbing is more than dealing with water. There are other skills needed if you want to try out plumbing. Of course, water lines are the most common items that a plumber will work on.
Don’t bother running water when you use your water when you use the garbage disposal. In fact, water can actually cause garbage to become lodged in awkward places, which can create more damage.
In order to get the most efficiency from your hot water heater, it’s important to learn what size tank your household actually needs. In order to determine what capacity hot water tank you need, take into consideration how many people and appliances in your home have a demand for hot water.
You can research a plumber online, but you can look them up and view their credentials. If your insurance company has just scheduled someone for you, doing a background check on him can put you on guard should he have a bad reputation.
Take special care to reconnect the drainage pipe if necessary after installing your water heater. The recirculation pipe helps hot water circulate through your plumbing system so that you won’t waste water while heating it.
If you have a need for a plumber, make sure you check them out before you give them the job. A plumber with bad credentials might not skilled in a particular task could actually aggravate the problem.Look for reviews on the internet, or ask people you know for a recommendation.
When unclogging your drain, don’t use chemical drain openers. Even though the products might work, the harsh chemicals they contain can damage the body, particularly if they splash on your skin, and can also damage your pipes. And if you must use a chemical cleaner, make sure you always protect your skin by wearing gloves and a proper long-sleeved shirt.
Plumbing Problem
Certain foods, such as chicken skin, carrots, pumpkin and banana skins can clog the drain. Make sure these hard-to-grind items are disposed of first by putting them in the trash can, then you are able to put the other food into the garbage disposal.
Homeowners cause themselves a disservice by not having a little plumbing knowledge prior to a plumbing problem. As a homeowner you will need to have some basic plumbing tools, as well as the knowledge to be able to use them. When the time comes for you to deal with a plumbing problem, hopefully, the advice from this article will see you through it.
Investigate loose tiles for sign of water damage. Loose tiles could be an early sign that leaks have caused damage, so press against tiles gently to see if they “give”. You can manage problems quicker if you detect it early through the tiles.
