Any homeowner who does not happen to be a professional plumber, will eventually be dealt a headache or two by some plumbing problem in their house. Not only are professional plumbers costly, but they also may have you waiting for too long. Read the tips below to learn how to handle plumbing problems easily!
Do not give a plumber the entire payment for a job until the whole job is completed. Sometimes it is required to put a little money down before the job starts, but don’t ever pay the whole amount before you know the task is done correctly. If you pay everything up front, you have no recourse if the plumber doesn’t finish the job or doesn’t do it correctly.
You plumbing experiences will go much smoother if you know your tools, and have the knowledge of how to use each one. Read each and every manual, and utilize the information that can be found in libraries and the Internet about do-it-yourself projects. Have everything you need by way of tools and information before you attempt a repair on your own.
Don’t use bleach tablets, odor removers or those blue tablets in your toilet. These products can be great when it comes to getting rid of odors, but unfortunately, they can cause significant damage to the rubber portions of your toilet. This can lead to it breaking down or having other issues.
If your garbage disposal is not working correctly, you should not try to fix it by putting your hand in through the drain. Garbage disposals pose a serious risk, even when flipped off. Search online for a troubleshooting manual for your disposal.
Never put fat, grease, or oils into your drain. These substances will create clogs after cooling in your drain. This is very true for garbage disposal, since fat will make the blades run less quickly and efficiently. Dump your oil outside or in a container that you throw out with the regular trash.
Think about what plumbing work you need, then schedule them all at once. This allows you to save up for necessary parts and equipment while saving money on hiring a professional. You will also save because plumbers usually charge hourly rates, so hours they can charge you are reduced if there is only one trip made.
One easy way to save on energy and water is to install efficiency-oriented shower heads. Most of our hot water is used in the shower. When you install an energy-efficient shower head, you will reduce your home’s water consumption, which means money left in your pocket.
If you are seeing water at the bottom of the dishwasher, most likely this is due to a faulty setup of the hose that leads from the kitchen sink. Your hose must run in a hill pattern to avoid water mixing. Think of the St. Louis Arch — start from your sink, go uphill with the hose, and then down before connecting to the dishwasher. This way, only pressurized water can travel through the hose. Leakage won’t be an issue.
If you have a shower head that needs replacing, be sure to get one that is good quality. Some people think they can get away with the cheapest version at the store. Like many cheap products, however, cheap shower heads are often not durable.
Lint Trap
Be sure to regularly clean out the lint trap that is in your dryer. This not only prevents fires, but saves money. Inspect your lint trap every so often for tears or holes that could cause lint to go into your pipes, this could cause clogs or other problems you will have to deal with.
There’s no reason to run water while running your garbage disposal. It seems like water would help make the disposal function more smoothly, and many people simply assume that this is so, but it is not really the case. The truth is that water could make garbage stick to the disposal, which might create a problem later.
Sometimes, the plumber is chosen by an insurance company without your input, but you can look them up online anyway. Your insurance provider may contract with a specific plumber; if you are knowledgeable about the company’s past jobs and client reviews, you will be more prepared.
Prepare for the cold winter months by checking that your outdoor faucets are not dripping or leaking. You will have to fix this potential problem before freezing temperatures come. Regardless of the material of your particular pipes, whether it be copper, steel or plastic, water pressure from freezing water will cause pipes to crack. Even a small crack will let enough water out to cause some serious damage.
Plumbing requires more skill then just an understanding of water. Plumbers are most frequently called upon to repair or clear water lines.
Many homeowners aren’t educated enough about plumbing. As a result, they pay far more than is reasonable for plumbing services. If you own a home, you need to at least be able to understand what a plumber is doing when he makes repairs. By educating yourself, you’ll equip yourself to avoid scams or unreasonably high prices when hiring plumbers.
As you can see, plumbing problems don’t have to be so difficult. If you can solve the problem yourself, you can save time waiting for a plumber, as well as saving a whole lot of money. Try applying what you’ve learned from this article next time you have a plumbing problem!