Having good working plumbing is very important to having a safe and healthy home. This article lays out some effective tips for repairing and fix your home plumbing.
To prevent your frozen pipes from bursting, leave the nearest faucet on to give the water a way to escape. This assists you in relieving pressure within the pipe, and could stop any bursting from occurring, which can prevent additional damage to your home.
To keep your pipes from freezing in the winter, insulate all exterior pipes and be sure to keep your interior house temperature above freezing, and insulate external pipes. Pipes can freeze if they are exposed to temperatures below freezing. It takes time for the pipes to thaw out so you can have running water. However, your pipes can explode, which will cause an enormous mess and repair bill.
Septic Tank
Knowing which tools to use and how to operate them is essential to any aspiring plumber. Use as many resources as you need, such as online or the library, to find the right information to repair your plumbing issues. Before undertaking repairs on your own, you should have a plan; otherwise, a mistake could make repairs even more costly.
Have a professional flush your septic tank cleaned every five years or so to keep it working well. Although it is somewhat of an expense to pump out a septic tank, cleaning up sewage backup in your home will ultimately cost much more.
Don’t use harsh chemicals such as toilet tablets that claim to be cleaners in your toilet. These products may well remove odors, but they can seriously damage the rubber pieces in the toilet, which can prevent your toilet from functioning correctly.
Schedule one plumber to take care of all your issues in one single visit. It might be tempting to hire a plumber for every little problem, but if you can save it up for one big fix, then you have time to set money aside for these repairs. It also saves you money because a lot of plumbers charge by the hour–they cannot charge for multiple hours every trip if they only make one trip out.
Use filters on all drains to prevent small particles from getting through. The bathtub’s strainers need to cleaned out as needed.
Don’t put fat, leftover frying fat or any oils down your sink drain. This is especially damaging to garbage disposal; the fat can make the blades turn more slowly and less freely. Make sure you dispose of all oils away from the sink.
Always clean the lint from your dryer. This will save you trouble, such as preventing fires. Regularly check your lint trap for rips or holes which could let lint escape into your pipes and cause clogging.
If your home runs on well water and you notice any orange or pink stains in your fixtures or tub, this is no doubt due to iron in the water. This is fixed by using water softener, which you can buy at a store, or have a company come out to your house and take care of it for you.
Pour equal parts baking soda followed by vinegar down your bathtub drain every month. Plug up the drain and allow the chemical reaction takes place. Wait for a little while, then flush the pipes by pouring in a kettle full of boiling water. This should open up the pipes of accumulated hair and soap scum.
You might not be able to control which plumber you have to use, but you can find out all you can about them on the Internet. If your insurance company has just scheduled someone for you, checking out their website and customer feedback and reviews still gives the ability to be ready for them comfortably when they arrive.
Enzyme Based
Use enzyme based if you want to clean clogged pipes. These are cleaners that work by using natural bacteria to eat away at your clog, and be removed from your pipes. Enzyme based cleaners should be your first choice.
Everyone in your family should know exactly where your home’s main water shut off valve is and how to use it. Where the water enters from the main line, should be a meter for tracking water usage. Additionally, certain fixtures in your home, including sinks and toilets, may have individual cut-off valves. You will want to make your family aware of the location of each valve, and add markings that give directions on how to shut each one off whenever an emergency arises.
Be sure to check your dryer and clear your lint trap is clean. This will ensure that your dryer operates efficiently and may also prevent fires. Be sure to check the trap for tears and rips, which can cause clogs and issues.
Frozen pipes can cause a large plumbing bill. The first thing to do is make sure that all of the outside pipes are thoroughly wrapped or insulated. When wintertime comes, disconnect and drain the hoses and turn the outside faucet off. Doing this can help save lots of plumbing repair bills.
When doing the install on a water heater, keep an eye out for unconnected pipes. A commonly missed pipe is the one that leads out from the area for drainage. It’s probably a pipe for recirculation, and that does a tremendous job of keeping your water hot without wasting water along the way.
There are two ways to get a clean out plugs. The first approach to use is taking a hammer and chisel to loosen the fitting. The only other alternative is to chisel right through the clean out plug.
If you are looking into hiring a plumber, don’t hire one until you have checked out his or her credentials. A plumber that is not be experienced enough to fix your problem. Check the reviews on any plumber you are considering, and ask your friends and family for recommendations.
When you want to unclog a drain, it’s better not to use chemical drain openers. 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. If you plan to use them, wear long sleeved shirts and gloves.
Check your toilet leaks. An easy way to check for this is to add a couple drops of food coloring into the toilet tank. Watch the bowl, and if you notice colored water in a manner of seconds, you know that you have a problem that needs to be handled soon.
By now, you have learned a number of great ways to maintain your plumbing. Using this advice for your plumbing needs saves you the money you would spend on a plumber.
Have all your plumbing issues addressed simultaneously when you call for a plumber. Write a list of all the things that need to be fixed before you contact a plumber. This way the plumber can handle all problems at once and not have to come back, which will only cost you more money and time.