Once you own a home, you can expect problems to arise with your plumbing sooner or later. A lot of the time, problems start in the kitchen or bathroom. Plumbing issues are something that every homeowner must anticipate. Here are some tips to help you when that happens.
Ensure that a septic tank is emptied approximately five yearly, and make sure it is properly maintained. Doing this prevents any sediment from getting built up within the tank, which causes a backup in your home or causes your entire septic system to fail. It is a small price to pay now to keep your septic in good working order and prevent having to pay for a major repair caused by a backup.
You plumbing experiences will go much smoother if you know your tools, and have the knowledge of how to use each one. You should read the manual with any new tool you purchase. If you don’t have the manual, look online or at your local library for more information. You should do the same amount of research on the steps required for your project. When planning on repairs, plan on having a plan.
You should avoid using blue toilet tablets, bleach tablets or any other odor removers in your toilet. While they are good at removing odors, they have a detrimental effect on the parts of the toilet that are rubber. This can make it not function correctly and may even break it.
If you have a clogged toilet and a plunger is not helping to clear the blockage, if the water level is low, pouring a bucking of boiling water from a height into the toilet bowl could resolve the problem. If one attempt doesn’t solve the problem, you can do it again once the water level stabilizes.
Never put fat, grease, or oils into your drain. Grease hardens when it cools and will clog your pipes. Your garbage disposal is particularly vulnerable to this issue, as the fat solids will slow the motion of the blades. This results in the disposal operating less efficiently. Make certain you dispose of all oils in other places other than the sink.
Water from wells can cause orange or rust colored stains in places like bathtubs and sinks. This comes from large amounts of iron present in the water. This is something that needs to be taken care of by water softener, which you can buy at a store, or have a company come out to your house and take care of it for you.
You can greatly extend the life of your garbage disposal by regularly cleaning it. You can prevent annoying odors and promote smooth operation by setting up a regular cleaning routine with lemon rinds, dish soap, and even cherry pits.
Overflow Holes
Ensure overflow holes don’t have any debris in them. Sinks use overflow holes if they start to overfill, and this isn’t usually a problem, but it can be. Clean overflow holes as part of your annual maintenance, and any other time you are handling general plumbing repairs.
If you run your garbage disposal after working in the kitchen, use a large quantity of cold water. Cold water will allow for the food particles to be properly disposed of while keeping the blades sharp. Hot water can liquify grease and cause it to collect in the drain, and that can clog the pipes.
Kitchen Sink
If you have unwanted water that drains in your dishwasher, it’s probably due to the kitchen sink’s hose being improperly installed. The hose that runs from your kitchen sink to your dishwasher needs to be positioned uphill, and then bend back downhill to prevent the water from each device mixing.
To minimize potential problems with your toilet, avoid using it as a trash receptacle. Don’t flush paper towels, diapers, cotton balls, tissues or any other materials besides toilet paper. These items don’t dissolve and can cause clogs. As well, keep your toilet paper usage to as little as possible.
When you replace your shower head, be sure that the replacement head is high quality. Some people think they can get away with the cheapest version at the store. Cheap shower heads have a tendency to break easily, so make sure you get what you pay for.
Lint Trap
Be sure to check your dryer and clear your lint trap of any debris. This is a good idea for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is fire safety. Be sure you inspect your lint trap for tears or holes that could mean lint is going into your pipes, which can cause clogs and issues.
Trying to clean grout caught in a line by yourself is fruitless. You can attempt to break up some of the grout which works to help the line go a bit smoother. Plastic pipes, if you have them, will work better than metal. Calling a plumber can be expensive but damaging your pipes will cost a lot more.
Letting your sink run is not really necessary when you put something down the in-sink disposal unit. People are misguided in thinking that it will work better with the water running, but it is actually of no help. The truth is that it might encourage food to adhere to the disposal itself, causing additional harm.
Being unprepared for a plumbing problem can really make an already bad situation worse. All homeowners should have some basic plumbing tools, they should also be aware of a few plumbing tips. If you ever experience plumbing problems, the above advice can help you to solve them calmly and with confidence.