There are a lot of problems that can arise when dealing with plumbing. Some problems are a simple fix, others can be more complicated. Whatever the situation you find yourself in, it is crucial that you have some education about plumbing so a problem can be repaired in a timely fashion.
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. But, be advised that your pipes may freeze if the surrounding temperature near those pipes is less than freezing. In the very least, you could lose running water inside while waiting for the pipes to unfreeze. However, they could burst, and that could make a mess and result in a big repair bill.
Septic Tank
If you discover a frozen water pipe, turn on a nearby faucet so that thawed ice has a place to go. This assists you in relieving pressure within the pipe, and could stop any bursting from occurring, which can prevent additional damage to your home.
Pump out your septic tank at least every five years to keep it working condition. Although having a septic tank pumped costs money, it will cost a lot more having to clean sewage backup or having to fix or replace a septic tank.
Avoid the use of products for your toilet that help with odor, such as bleach tablets. While they may make your toilet smell pretty, they can erode the rubber parts in the toilet and cause it to stop working.
Do not pay your plumber until the problem is fixed. You may have to put money down before they start working, but you should never have to pay in full until after everything has been correctly finished. You need to know the plumber has fulfilled all his requirements as promised in the agreement before he gets paid.
If you find you are having an issue with the garbage disposal, do not put your bare hands in the disposal. Even if the disposal is turned off, it can still be hazardous. Research on the Internet for diagrams, troubleshooters or FAQ’s about your disposal.
Knowing what tools and how to use them can help greatly in your plumbing experience. Before attempting any repairs, plan ahead, a mistake could make repairs even more costly.
Check carefully around the base of your toilet for any damage caused by leaks. Sit reversed on the toilet (facing the tank) with your feet on the floor. Rock your weight onto each foot in turn and see if you can feel any weakness or “give” in the floor. This will save you a lot of trouble and money if you find the issue before something horrible happens.
Ensure overflow holes in your sinks are not been clogged. Clear overflow holes when doing periodic checks for problems and things that need to be repaired.
Never put fat, grease, or oils into your drain. These materials may be liquid when you pour them in, but they will solidify and cause problems. As an owner of a garbage disposal, this is important because the blades will stop working if they have fat on them. See to it that you dispose the oils away from your sink.
Run cold water through your sink when you turn on the garbage disposal. Cold water helps to maintain the sharpness of the blades sharp and encourage a smoother disposal.
If you live in a home using well water and your bathtubs have stains pink and orange in color, this is likely a result of iron levels in the well 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.
Installing efficient shower heads can save you a lot of money on your energy bill. Most of the hot water we use is in the home is used while showering. When you install energy-efficient heads in each bathroom, you will save around $100 a year for every shower head.
Check to make sure that overflow holes are not clogged up. Sinks use overflow holes if they start to overfill, and this isn’t usually a problem, but it can be. Make sure to clean out the overflow holes each time you do maintenance checks on your sinks.
Use a cleaner that is enzyme based cleaners when cleaning clogged pipes.These cleaners have natural bacteria in them, which turns sludge into liquid and cleans your pipes. Enzyme cleaners are not damage your metal pipes.
It is very important to to use lots of cold water when running your garbage disposal. Blades will stay sharper with cold water, making disposal quicker. Don’t use hot water while running the garbage disposal. Hot water converts the grease in your trash to liquid form. When the liquified grease goes down the drain, it clogs the pipes.
Clean out your dryer’s lint trap. This will help your dryer operates efficiently and prevents fires. Be sure to check the trap for tears and rips, which can cause clogs and issues.
To limit toilet problems, don’t use it as a trash can. If you flush improper items such as disposable diapers, facial tissue, cotton balls, paper toweling, tampons or sanitary napkins down the toilet, you will surely have problems with clogs. Even keep toilet paper use to the minimum necessary.
Frozen pipes can do very extensive and expensive plumbing problems. The first thing to do is make sure that all of the outside pipes are thoroughly wrapped or insulated. When the temperature dips, disconnect and drain your hoses and shut off outside faucets. Doing this could help save a lot of plumbing repair bills.
If grout is stick within the line, it is likely useless to try cleaning it on your own. Grout can be broken up by yourself, however this generally is only a partial fix. It works better if you have plastic pipes instead of metal pipes. However, you are likely going to have to call in a professional plumber to take care of this problem.
As stated before, plumbing problems can be miniscule or great. If you use the tips that were given to you in the article you just read, you will learn that it doesn’t have to stress you out to deal with these issues.
Letting your sink run is not really necessary when you put something down the in-sink disposal unit. Although some say that running water will help keep the disposal running smoothly, this isn’t always the case. In contrast, it could actually cause garbage or waste to stick to the insides of the disposal and do more damage than good.
