A properly functioning plumbing system is an integral aspect of your house. Your plumbing may need attention at an inconvenient time when money is low or no plumbers are available. The following article will give you advice that will improve your plumbing skills.
To deal with a frozen pipe, turn on the faucet closest to the pipe. This gives the water a place to exit as the pipe defrosts. This can prevent damage to your house because it lets the pressure that is in the pipe out, and keeps it from bursting.
Septic Tank
You should have your septic tank pumped once every five years for best performance. Septic systems can back up when the septic tank builds up sediment. This can even result in the septic system failing altogether. Getting your septic tank drained occasionally may be expensive, but it’s dirt cheap compared to the cost of repairing a damaged septic system or the cleanup cost when raw sewage backs up into your home.
Knowing your tools and how to use them can help greatly in your plumbing experience. Use as many resources as you need, such as online or the library, to find the right information to repair your plumbing issues. Plan properly prior to beginning any type of repair, because fixing a mistake can cost a lot of money.
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 as often as necessary if the water level dips back down again.
You can easily see if there are any serious damages caused by leaks by checking if the floor is soft around toilets. Stand above the toilet with a foot positioned on each side up close to the base. Shift your weight back and forth to detect any weakness or sponginess. You can save a lot if you catch these issue sooner.
Keep grease, fat and oil out of your kitchen drain. Grease hardens when it cools and will clog your pipes. This is most true if you use a garbage disposal, as the fat causes the blades to function slower and they will become less efficient. To keep your kitchen pipes clear, never dispose of grease down your sink drain.
If your home has a well for water and there are pink or orange stains in the sinks and tubs, this could be due to high iron content in your water. Using a water softener can help fix this problem. You can obtain a water softener at any home improvement store, or rent them from specialist companies.
To increase the useful life of your garbage disposal, clean it out regularly. You can prevent annoying odors and promote smooth operation by setting up a regular cleaning routine with lemon rinds, dish soap, and even cherry pits.
To keep your garbage disposal working at its best, use plenty of cold water when you turn it on. Blades will stay sharper with cold water, making disposal quicker. If you use hot water it will liquefy the grease, allowing it to accumulate in your drain causing your pipes to clog.
Don’t treat your toilet like a garbage can if you want to avoid a lot of potential plumbing problems. If you flush improper items such as disposable diapers, facial tissue, cotton balls, paper toweling, tampons or sanitary napkins down the toilet, you will surely have problems with clogs. Also, you want to use the least amount of toilet paper to clean yourself.
Prevention is the key to keeping your plumbing repair bills down. Clogs can be a major cause of plumbing problems. Drains easily get clogged by hair. To keep hair out of your plumbing, use a screen or cover for your drains that allows water through but keeps hair out. It is easy to get the hair out of a screen; however, removing it from a pipe is a different story.
Frozen pipes can be a disaster and cause you so much money. This, however, is typically preventable. The first step is to check your outside pipes and ensure they are well insulated. When colder weather is approach, disconnect your garden hoses and make sure the outside water fixtures are turned off. Doing so can prevent some nasty repair bills a professional plumber would charge you.
If your home has low water pressure, you can often fix the problem by cleaning out the aerators on your fixtures. After removing the aerator, disassemble it, and use a small brush that’s been dipped in vinegar to clean it. After the aerator is thoroughly cleaned, rinse it under clear water, put it back together, and attach it to your faucet again. Doing so will assist in increasing water pressure since obstructions in the aerator are removed in this process.
If you get grout in your pipes, you won’t be able to get it out by yourself. The grout can be broken up and sent further down. This is much easier if your pipes are plastic, rather than metal. However, this problem usually requires the help of a plumber.
What the article above does is illustrate just how easy it is to make repairs to your home’s plumbing. Practice the tips you read about. Learning how to deal with your plumbing system saves you time and money since you can take care of most maintenance and emergencies without the aid of a plumber.