Having good plumbing is very important to having a safe and healthy home. Somethings you can take care of yourself, but other issues will require a professional. This article provides some fantastic tips for maintaining and fixing your home plumbing.
To avoid frozen pipes in your home, never allow the temperature in your house to drop below freezing and insulate any pipes that are exposed to the elements. Obviously, if it is below freezing outdoors, the pipes will be subjected to the same temperatures. If you are lucky, you will only experience a minor inconvenience until the pipes thaw. The worst case would be that they burst, creating water damage and a big repair bill.
If your toilet’s water level is low, the toilet is clogged up, and using a plunger isn’t resolving the issue, hold a bucket filled with warm water at about your waistline, and pour it into your toilet. Do this every time the water level gets too low.
Position a strainer over all drains to collect any particles that would otherwise go down the drain and possibly cause a stoppage. Whenever large particles become trapped in the strainer, remove them. A strainer in your bathtub should be checked occasionally and cleaned whenever necessary.
Garbage Disposal
If you want your garbage disposal to have the same lifespan as your total home, clean it regularly. Create a routine that uses both normal soaps and natural materials like cherry pits of lemon rinds. With this, you’ll be able to keep your garbage disposal running and smelling like new.
A great way to knock out your plumbing issues in one shot is to schedule everything at once. Rather than calling a plumber every time there is a minor problem, taking care of everything at once allows you to save money for additional repairs down the road. Most plumbers have an hourly rate and a flat rate for the trip: asking a plumber to fix multiple problems in one trip is cheaper than calling them more than once.
Check overflow holes regularly to prevent blockage. 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. Clean the overflow holes when you can, like when doing periodic checks for various other repairs and problems.
Flush your drain with a constant stream of cold water when operating your drain mounted disposal unit. Using cold water not only preserves the sharpness of the blades, but also makes the disposal process itself smoother. Avoid using hot water, as this will liquefy grease, causing it to build up in the drain and obstruct your pipes.
Install low flush toilets and energy efficient shower heads and faucets to reduce your utility bills. Most of the hot water we use is from showering. When you install energy-efficient heads in each bathroom, you will save around 100 dollars or more per shower.
If you are using a slower head, see to it that you replace it with one that has good quality. Many times, people think it is okay to buy the cheapest shower head that they can find. However, cheap parts don’t work as well and break down more quickly.
Enzyme Based
If you have clogged pipes and thinking about using a pipe cleaner, one that is enzyme based is highly recommended. Enzyme based pipe cleaners utilize natural bacteria to attack the clog and dissolve it so it can be washed away. Enzyme cleaners are considered one of the best the market has.
Clean your dryer’s lint trap. This will save a ton of trouble for you, it will also prevent fires. 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.
If you have frozen pipes that can be a very costly repair. They can generally be prevented, though. The first concern is making sure that all water lines that run outside of your house are fully and sufficiently 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. Enacting these procedures can aid in preventing expenses for repairing your plumbing.
If grout is stuck in your plumbing, getting rid of it is likely not going to be a do it yourself project. You can try dislodging some of the blockage which will open up the line. Plastic pipes, if you have them, will work better than metal. On the other hand, this situation usually ends in a call to a professional plumber.
If you need a plumber, check out his or her credentials first. Hiring a plumber who is not experienced enough for your problem could make the situation worse. Look for reviews on the internet, and ask your friends and family if they can recommend a good plumber.
To make your water heater work better, pick the right size. The size of your hot water tank depends on how often your family uses hot water. The more people living in your house, the bigger the tank should be. Similarly, if you run a lot of appliances that require hot water such as dishwashers and washing machines, you’ll need a bigger hot water tank too.
As indicated by this article, there are many ways to maintain and repair your plumbing system. Using this advice for your plumbing needs saves you the money you would spend on a plumber.