TIP! To prevent pipes from freezing, don’t let temperatures drop under freezing in your home, and insulate external pipes. The pipes may freeze if the surrounding temperature drops below freezing.

Plumbing issues can crop up at any time. There are some plumbing things that can seem hard while others can seem easier to deal with. Whatever your particular situation, you need to be educated about plumbing so you will know if you need to call a plumber, or if you can fix it yourself.

TIP! If a pipe freezes, make sure you turn the closest faucet to allow the thawing water to exit. This assists you in relieving pressure within the pipe, and could stop any bursting from occurring, which can prevent additional damage to your home.

Noisy pipes are actually a lot easier to fix than you would imagine. You simply have to securely fasten any pipes that are exposed. You are going to need a professional if the pipes will be located in the ceiling, walls, or the floors.

TIP! Never put your hands in your garbage disposal to fix a problem. Even when they are turned off, disposals can be very dangerous.

You don’t want to end up with frozen pipes, so take preventive action, such as wrapping outside pipes with insulation, and keeping indoor temperatures above freezing at all times. If the temperature surrounding these pipes is below the freezing point, your pipes could freeze. The best case scenario is that you can heat the pipes and the water will start flowing again. However, they could burst, and that could make a mess and result in a big repair bill.

TIP! Check the floors in your bathroom for any give in order to be sure that there is no damage in the floors. Straddle the toilet and rock from one foot to the other to see if you feel any weakening or “softness” in the floor beneath you.

If one of your water pipes freezes, turn on the tap to the faucet nearest the pipe so that the water has somewhere to exit as the pipe thaws. This will help relieve pressure in pipes to prevent them from bursting, which may prevent bigger damage for your home.

Septic Tank

TIP! Whenever you have plumbing work that needs to be done, you should schedule all problems at one time. Do not call a plumber for minor issues.

You should clean your septic tank every five years! This will stop any buildup in your septic tank and prevent any horrible issues. 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.

TIP! Having water leaking into the dishwasher, however annoying, is luckily an easy fix. The hose that runs from the kitchen sink to the dishwasher is not installed properly, and can be corrected quickly.

Knowing about the tools and how you’re supposed to use them may greatly help with your plumbing jobs. Read all the user manuals, and make use of the library and internet to learn all about projects you can do by yourself. Before attempting any repairs, plan ahead, or you may make a costly mistake.

TIP! When replacing your shower head, spend the money on a high-quality model. There are some who think that low price is all that matters when buying fixtures for the bathroom.

Feel the floors around the toilets to see if they are soft; this will help you know if you have any damage. Sit on your toilet and sway across both feet to feel if there are any spots less firm than the others. You can save a lot if you catch these issue sooner.

TIP! Stop cleaning a persistent clog with harsh drain cleaners. The chemicals in these type of cleaners are corrosive, and they could damage your pipes by using them too much.

A strainer positioned over a drain can prevent stoppage by collecting food particles as they try to enter the drain. Clean your kitchen strainer often, particularly if you can see debris accumulating. You should also clean your bathtub strainer any time it is slow to drain.

TIP! Rarely used valves tend to fuse together. You can prevent them from becoming fused by regularly maintaining them with a penetrating oil, and running water through them on a regular basis.

Using your toilet as a garbage disposal is sure to cause problems! Don’t flush items like paper towels, sanitary napkins, diapers or cotton balls, because these items don’t break down and may cause clogging issues. Also, be conservative in your use of toilet paper.

TIP! You should contact your local Consumer Affairs Department before you hire any plumber. You can make sure that their license is up to date and if there are any negative complaints against them.

Frozen pipes can cause a lot of damage and cost you money. Fortunately, it is usually relatively easy to prevent your pipes from freezing. Make sure that any outdoor pipes are well insulated. With the onset of colder weather, disconnect and drain any hoses and shut off outside faucets. Be proactive about this and save on future repair bills.

TIP! Because plumbing is so difficult, many people are overwhelmed by the prospect of plumbing repairs, and will pay any price to plumbers. Learn some plumbing basics so that you’ll understand what the plumber needs to do to resolve problems in your home.

If you are having trouble removing a clean-out plug, there are two ways to do it. First, you should try a hammer and chisel to loosen the clean out plug. If the plug itself is expendable, chiseling it into pieces and extracting them can work, too.

TIP! For some folks, plumbing can cause anxiety since they think it is something which can cause major damage to their home. If you know just this one tip you’ll find that you’ll never have these nightmares again.

Inspect your toilet regularly to ensure that it isn’t leaking. The easiest way to perform this test is by placing a few food coloring drops in your toilet’s upper tank. If you then see colored water in the toilet bowl shortly after, you know a problem exists that needs tended to.

Rarely used valves can fuse together. Maintain them with penetrating oil, and turn them every so often to keep them from sticking.

Drain Stack

TIP! You should seriously consider opting for brass plumbing fixtures if you are at a point where you need to install new fixtures. To start, brass fixtures are more durable and lasts for a longer period of time.

You can snake the drain stack on your washing machine if it plugs and overflows. Sometimes lint can clog your drain stack, causing it to get backed up and overflow.

TIP! You don’t have to call a plumber at the first sign of trouble. If the problem is not that serious, you can wait until you have more problems.

Brass plumbing fixtures are highly recommended if you need any kind of plumbing fixture. Brass tends to be much more durable than other materials in plumbing, so you will not need to replace the fixtures as frequently. In addition, brass fixtures are more aesthetically appealing than fixtures made of other materials. These could be purchased at any type of home repair store.

TIP! Look at loose tiles to see if they were caused by water damage. Pressing softly against the wall or floor tiles can tell you if any don’t push back as hard as the rest, and soft spots could be warning signs of a leak.

If you are working outside under the sun for a long time, make sure to take frequent breaks in the shade away from direct sunlight to cool down. The heat of the sun is easy to forget when you are very involved in your work, but that does not mean that it becomes any less dangerous.

TIP! If you spot puddling or dripping near your water heater, it is important to turn off the valves immediately. The reason that shutting the water off now is so important is that a smaller leak could easily turn into a larger one, and thus it becomes much harder to deal with.

As was stated in the beginning of this article, there are many different problems that can go wrong with your plumbing, from something so small to something big. When you use the ideas that you’ve just learned, you’ll find that dealing with plumbing problems is no longer a stressful ordeal.

Septic Tank

Drain Stack

Related Posts