Often, the plumbing in a house starts malfunctioning soon after you move in. The kitchen and the bathroom are the most common places that plumbing problems occur. Every homeowner will have to deal with a plumbing problem of some kind. Here are some tips to help you when that happens.
If you don’t want plumbing in your home frozen, then don’t let the inside temperature go under the freezing mark, and make sure any pipes that have no protection from the elements are thoroughly insulated. Pipes can freeze when the ambient temperature in the area of the pipes dips below freezing. It will take a while for the pipes to thaw, leaving you without running water. The other option is the pipes may burst, which would result in significant repair costs and a mess to clean up.
Get to know the tools and how they are used for the most success in plumbing. Make sure you read all the directions and manuals, while also taking advantage of online resources and the library to help you with your projects. Make sure that, before you jump in and start taking things apart, you plan your plumbing repair first.
Don’t use harsh chemicals such as toilet 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.
Check the floor for soft areas around the toilet to determine floor damage. Stand over the toilet, then rock it back and forth to see if any weakening in the floor has occurred. You can save a lot if you catch these issue sooner.
Never pour grease or anything fatty or oily into your drain. These substances will harden as soon as they cool down, and clog your drains. Oils are especially damaging to garbage disposals. Dump your oil outside or in a container that you throw out with the regular trash.
Lint Trap
Clean your dryer’s lint trap. This is a good idea for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is fire safety. Search the lint trap to see if there are any tears or holes, this helps to prevent lint from getting into the pipes, which can cause clogs and many other problems.
Prevention is necessary when you want to keep plumbing bills down. One of the most common repairs involves fixing drain clogs. Loose hair is often the culprit if your drain keeps getting clogged. Use a drain cover to keep hair and other elements from going down your pipes. Cleaning a screen is is a lot easier than cleaning out your pipe.
If you have grout stuck in the line, it probably won’t help you cleaning it all by yourself. You could dislodge the grout and cause it go further down. This will work better if the pipes you have are plastic instead of metal. However, ultimately it usually requires a professional to rid you of this problem.
Drain Cleaners
Stay away from drain cleaners if possible. Drain cleaners are composed of extremely corrosive chemicals and can actually damage pipes with frequent use. If you discover that you have a blocked drain, the best course of action is to hire a professional to call by and examine it for you.
Be certain that your toilet does not have a leak. An easy way to determine this is to add a couple drops of food coloring into the toilet tank. Then, observe the bowl. If the water turns the same color as the food coloring, you know there is some sort of leak that must be fixed right away.
Government agencies can provide information about plumbing contractors. These departments offer current information on licensing status and open complaints cases. If their credentials are not in order, then you probably don’t want to open the door to them.
A competent plumber will need many skills in addition to knowing the basics of water and pipes. Plumbers fix water lines, install water heaters and help customers choose fixtures.
Many homeowners aren’t educated enough about plumbing. As a result, they pay far more than is reasonable for plumbing services. If you own your home, you should definitely be sure to learn enough to understand what the professional is accomplishing. This will ensure that you are not ripped off.
Use care when choosing a drain cleaner. Some contain strong chemicals which could cause damage to your pipes. Ensure you’re choosing a brand advertised as being a gentle one for your pipes. Your pipes depend on certain bacteria. If you kill off the bacteria with chemicals, your system will not run properly.
When you replace a water heater, be sure to reconnect the secondary pipe that sticks out from the drain pipe, if one is there. It is probably a recirculation pipe; that helps your water remain heated without wasting too much water.
Washing Machine
Sometimes you might find that your drainage pipe for the washing machine might overflow. Lint can transfer from a washing machine to the pipes and clog them.
Avoid using drain openers that contain chemicals while attempting to unclog the drain. Even though these products may help to open up your drain, the chemicals in them can cause damage to your body, especially if they get on your skin. Wear a long-sleeved shirt and gloves if you have to use these chemicals.
If you notice water dripping along or into your walls, it is very important for you to cut off the water supply immediately and notify a plumber. This may be a sign of a serious problem with your plumbing. This sort of problem could cause a flood, a mold problem or a mildew infestation.
The worst thing to have happen is a plumbing problem if you are unprepared to deal with it. If you own a home, you should have some basic plumbing equipment, and the knowledge of how to use it. The tips you learned here will assist you in dealing with whatever plumbing problems you encounter in the future.