While plumbing is an expansive field that can seem intimidating at first, picking up a few basic skills doesn’t have to be hard. There are many resources to teach you what you need to know while you learn. In the following paragraphs, you’ll find tips that will help you feel more knowledgeable about plumbing. Even if you have a lot of plumbing experience, you may find the suggestions here make your regular jobs a whole lot easier.
Septic Tank
Avoid septic tank problems by having your tank pumped out in five year intervals. 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. White it is somewhat expensive to pump the septic tank, it will be much more expensive should you need to clean backup, repair your septic tank or replace it altogether.
Don’t use any colored tablets that claim to be cleaners in your toilet. These may deodorize, but they can seriously damage the rubber pieces in the toilet, causing poor functionality or even complete breakdown of the fixture.
If your toilet is clogged, the water level in the toilet is low, and a plunger is not doing the trick, you may be able to resolve the problem by pouring a bucket of warm water into the toilet from waist level or higher. Do this as often as necessary if the water level dips back down again.
Garbage Disposal
Never reach into a garbage disposal that you think isn’t working. Garbage disposals can be dangerous, even if they are powered off. Locate your garbage disposal manual, or do an Internet search for troubleshooting advice and a diagram that illustrates your model.
Make sure that you’re always cleaning your garbage disposal regularly. Doing this will save you from having to repair or replace an expensive piece of equipment in the future. Using lemon rinds and cherry pits mixed with dish soap will help keep your garbage disposal operating efficiently and smelling fresh.
Putting a cup of any kind of baking soda followed with a cup of white vinegar each month will keep your drain running smoothly. Use a plug or rag to cover the drain, because there will be a chemical reaction in the pipes. Wait for a little while and then allow boiling water to go down the drain. This procedure should be able to clear pipes of hair and soap scum.
Regularly check your overflow holes to make sure they’re not clogged. You may not even notice the overflow holes on your sink, but if you have a major water leak you will soon regret your apathy. It’s easy to maintain your plumbing, in this regard. When you’re performing periodic checks, simply clear any overflow holes while checking for other potential problems.
Don’t treat your toilet like a garbage can if you want to avoid a lot of potential plumbing 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, you want to use the least amount of toilet paper to clean yourself.
Enzyme Based Cleaners
Enzyme-based products are often superior to other options when your drains are clogged. Enzyme based cleaners use “good” bacteria to transform the clog into a liquid, which will remove it from pipes. Enzyme based cleaners are not corrosive so they won’t erode your metal pipes.
The dryer has a lint trap that must be kept clean. By keeping it clean, you can prevent fires and other problems. Be certain that you thoroughly inspect the trap to ensure there are no tears or holes that may allow lint to travel to the pipes.
Frozen pipes are on of the most expensive plumbing problems. Fortunately, it is usually relatively easy to prevent your pipes from freezing. The first thing you should do is ensure your outside pipes are thoroughly wrapped or insulated. In addition, as the weather turns colder, make it a point to drain and detach your hoses. Finally, turn off the faucet located outside. Making sure that all of this is done will have you a lot of money in plumbing bills.
If sewage is overflowing your toilet, then check the connection between your home’s sewage line and the city sewage line. You can run a device through this called a snake to try to clean up the clog. Or you can also purchase some specific drain cleaner and hope that works. If not, you’ll have to call in the professionals.
Plumbing problems can be a nightmare because of the destruction that plumbing leaks can cause. This can be avoided if you know just one thing. To prevent a small plumbing issue from turning into major water damage, you have to know the exact location of your water register.
Get a hot water tank that is adapted to your needs to improve your water heater efficiency. Being aware of how many people in your house use hot water, and how many of your appliances will need hot water to work, will help you know the size that your hot water tank should be.
This isn’t as horrible as you expected, is it? Repairing basic plumbing issues will save you the money that would otherwise be spent on a professional plumber. Sometimes you need little more than a nudge in the right direction before you can address the problem fully. Hopefully, you have received that from the above tips.