TIP! To keep your pipes from getting frozen, always maintain a temperature in the house above freezing and make sure all pipes exposed to outside elements are insulated properly. Your pipes can freeze if temperatures around them fall below freezing.

Are you confident in your understanding of basic plumbing concepts? If you do, can you make it better? What kind of skills do you have? If you are somewhat vague on the answers to these questions, read on for some useful and insightful tips that can help.

TIP! Make sure the job gets done by not paying your plumber until you are satisfied, and the work is completed. You might have to put money down initially before the plumber begins the job.

Do not use harsh chemicals to clean or treat your toilet. These products may well remove odors, but they have the side effect of damaging the rubber in your toilet, which can prevent your toilet from functioning correctly.

TIP! You need to know your plumbing tools as well as how they are used so your plumbing efforts are always positive. Use manuals and online sites to get informed before doing a plumbing project yourself.

Each month, treat your drains by pouring one cup of baking soda down it, and then follow that with a cup of regular white vinegar. The combination will cause a chemical reaction, so just place a cloth or other object over the drain after pouring. Wait for a bit, then flush with boiling water. Doing this will help rid your pipes of disgusting soap scum and blockages.

TIP! Keep a strainer over every drain in your house to prevent stray debris from clogging your pipes. You should clean your strainer in your kitchen anytime you have anything in it.

Don’t throw trash down your toilet. Doing so can clog the drain and cause plumbing problems. Under no circumstances flush cotton balls or swabs, paper towels, diapers, sanitary pads or other materials that will not dissolve. These items can cause major clogs. Use the least amount of toilet paper that you can; use just as much as necessary to properly clean yourself.

TIP! Avoid putting grease, fat, and other oils down your drain. These substances will create clogs after cooling in your drain.

If there’s grout stuck inside your line, it’s most likely will be a losing cause if you try to fix it all by yourself. You might be able to break it up a little bit and then get it a little further down the line. This is much easier if your pipes are plastic, rather than metal. This usually requires professional people to come in to help you get rid of this problem.

Drain Cleaners

TIP! Keep your dryer’s lint trap clean. This not only prevents fires, but saves money.

Don’t use drain cleaners constantly. Drain cleaners use abrasive chemicals that are not only harmful to you but also to your pipes. Call a professional if you notice your drain is still clogged up.

TIP! An expensive plumbing issue to pay for repairs is when your pipes freeze. However, this can typically be prevented.

If you’ve got issues with your toilet blocking, see if the blockage exists at the branch line which connects the sewage and main lines. If you have difficulty removing this blockage, call a company that has special equipment to clear the line, usually a plumber’s snake.

TIP! Steer clear of drain cleaners whenever possible. The chemicals found in drain cleaners are very corrosive, and can end up damaging your pipes if you use them too much.

Be very careful when you are selecting drain cleaners. Some of these cleaners have chemicals that corrode your pipes. Always be sure to use products that claim to be safe for pipes. Most are quite caustic, and some can be harmful if you have a septic system.

TIP! If you need to remove a clean out plug, and you are not having much luck, there are two methods used to help you do this. The first method is by using a chisel and hammer to try to loosen the fitting.

To be efficient about the water heater, you have to figure out what size tank is required by your household. Knowing the number of people and appliances that use hot water in your home will let you know what size hot water tank will be the best for your home.

TIP! Make sure your toilet is not leaking. Try dropping a little food coloring in the tank.

When installing your new water heater, make sure you reconnect the pipe that is extending from your drainage. This could be a recirculation pipe. This kind of pipe helps keep your water hot without wasting any of it.

TIP! You have to always be aware of where the primary water shut off valve is in your home. There should be a water meter either on it or possibly close by.

Stringy and tough foods like celery, banana peels and chicken skin won’t grind well and clog the plumbing. Take these items out of the sink before running other food through the disposer.

TIP! Most people don’t know much about plumbing, so they pay ghastly prices for plumbing services. When you have a home of your own to care for, try to learn enough about plumbing to understand what you hear from a professional plumber.

Copper pipes can expand as hot water travels through them. When this happens, the pipes will not fit into the pipe hangers, and will end up grinding against them. In the long run, this could damage those pipes. You can wrap your pipes with tape so it stays in the hanger.

Loose Tiles

TIP! Use chemicals that are designed to clean your drain with caution. Even though the products might work, the harsh chemicals they contain can damage the body, particularly if they splash on your skin, and can also damage your pipes.

Look at loose tiles to see if they’ve been damaged by water. Loose tiles are often the first indication that you have a leak. To find out, simply press gently on the tiles to feel if they move or feel out of place. Paying attention to signs like this can minimize any water damage.

TIP! If there are signs of water leaking inside your walls, you must turn off the water supply immediately and contact a plumber. This particular problem is often a sign of a major plumbing issue.

As soon as you notice any water accumulating on the floor by your water heater, turn off the water valves. Any delay on your part will give a little leak time to turn into a big one, causing more damage, requiring more work, and being generally harder to stop.

TIP! 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. You can easily forget that the sun’s hot rays are shining down on you while you are working.

Educate everyone in your household on how to turn off the main water supply, as well as the individual water supplies in bathrooms and other areas of your home. Every person should know how to turn off the water to the house to prevent flooding. Everyone can stop the flow of water if they are aware of the shut-off valve.

TIP! Certain foods should not be put into the disposal as they are likely to damage the blades. These include banana, chicken skin, gourds and carrots.

Buying plumbing tools might seem expensive, but they could save you a lot of money. There are many Internet videos that can show you how to make basic repairs to plumbing. Take the time to find the best set of tools, and you’ll save on service calls for plumbers.

TIP! If you spot puddling or dripping near your water heater, it is important to turn off the valves immediately. If you don’t take care of it, a minor leak can become something big, and the valve will be much harder to shut off.

Do you feel you know more about plumbing now? Do you have more of an understanding on what kind of plumbing system is in your home? Have your plumbing skills improved? Are you aware of fittings and tools that are compatible with your home’s plumbing? Are you informed enough to use your equipment? Since this article was full of such great tips, you can probably confidently answer “yes” to all of these questions.

Drain Cleaners

Loose Tiles

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