Do you feel that your home’s plumbing is in good condition? Do you want to learn to fix plumbing problems yourself? If you are open to learning about plumbing, you are at the right place. The tips in this article are full of advice on how you can do your own plumbing efficiently.
It is a advisable to have a septic tank pumped every five years to keep it in peak condition. This will keep sediment from hanging out in your tank and eventually causing there to be a backup in your home. 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.
If a plunger is ineffective, you might be able to do the trick with a bucket of warm water. Once the water is lower, do this again.
Garbage Disposal
Do not attempt to fix your garbage disposal by reaching in with your hands. Even if the disposal is turned off, it can still be hazardous. Locate your garbage disposal manual, or do an Internet search for troubleshooting advice and a diagram that illustrates your model.
If your home uses well water and orange or pink stains become noticeable in your bathtub or in other fixtures, this occurs when the water has too much iron. This can be remedied by using a water softener which can be purchased at a shop, or a company can pay a visit to your home and handle the situation for you.
Putting in shower heads that are energy-efficient can save you a lot of money in energy costs. Most of your water bills comes from the water you use to shower. If you invest in purchasing and installing shower heads that are energy-efficient, you can realize savings of approximately $100 each year for each shower head.
Do not use your toilet to get rid of garbage. 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. Also, be conservative in your use of toilet paper.
If you are using a slower head, see to it that you replace it with one that has good quality. It’s common to think it’s fine to buy the one that is the cheapest. The problem with doing that is the cheaper shower heads are not known to be sturdy, and they tend to break easier.
Lint Trap
Make sure to clean your dryer’s lint trap. This can prevent fires and malfunctions. Regularly check your lint trap for rips or holes which could let lint escape into your pipes and cause clogging.
When running your garbage disposal, plumbers recommend using only cold water to help ease food particles down the drain. It is assumed that food will go down more smoothly if the water is running, though in reality that does nothing good. The truth is that water could make garbage stick to the disposal, which might create a problem later.
If you are trying to get a clean-out plug removed, but not getting very far, there are a couple of things you can do. The first method you can try is using a chisel with a hammer to get the fitting loose. The only other alternative is to chisel through the plug.
If you find yourself needing a plumber, don’t hire one until you have checked out his or her credentials. A plumber with bad credentials might not be experienced enough to fix your problem. Research reviews on the plumbers in your area, or ask family or friends about their recommendations.
Make sure your toilet is not leaking. An easy way to check for this is to drop some food coloring in the toilet tank. If colored water appears in the toilet bowl, this means your toilet is leaking.
Before hiring a contractor for plumbing or other jobs, make sure you look into their records through the Department of Consumer Affairs. You can verify that their required licensing is current, and see if anyone has filed any complaints. Unless a contractor’s license is in favorable standing and up-to-date, you wouldn’t want to work with them.
Know where the location of the main water-valve is on your property. There will be a water meter there or nearby. Toilets and sinks might have a cut-off valve of their own. Give all family members information about where these valves are located, and show them how to shut them off should an emergency occur.
Many people aren’t well-versed in plumbing, and choose to pay whatever the plumber is asking for. If you own your own home, you should at least learn enough about plumbing to understand how plumbing problems should be handled by a professional. If you’re armed with knowledge, you’re much less likely to be ripped off.
Plumbing problems cause actual nightmares for some folks, since they assume these situations can actually devastate their home. There is an easy way to ensure that plumbing issues never go beyond your pipes. Know where you can find the water register in your home, and how you can turn it off.
You can avoid unnecessarily heating your water by buying a new, tankless water heater. Tankless water heaters only heat water when needed because they aren’t used to store water. This can save both money and energy, since you aren’t heating water that isn’t needed at the present time.
After you have read this, you should feel better about trying to fix your own plumbing problems. These new ideas may help yield positive results in your work. If they don’t, consider other options until you’re satisfied with the results.