If you haven’t before, then now is the perfect time for you to learn about the ins and outs of plumbing. Likely, you have thought about if prior to now, but just didn’t get around to doing it. Read on for some great information on the basics of plumbing, and you will feel more empowered to handle any plumbing emergencies that come up, even if you don’t have a plumber that can show up right away.
Keep your plumbing flowing by maintaining a temperature above 32 degrees and wrapping up any exposed pipe works. Pipes have the potential to freeze if the surrounding temperatures are below the freezing mark. At best, it can take time for them to thaw and for you to be able to have running water. Frozen pipes can also burst, which can be very messy and expensive to repair.
If you have a frozen pipe, turn on the nearest faucet so the water has an escape route when the pipe starts to thaw. This can prevent damage to your house because it lets the pressure that is in the pipe out, and keeps it from bursting.
Don’t use bleach tablets, odor removers or those blue tablets in your toilet. While they are good at removing odors, they have a detrimental effect on the parts of the toilet that are rubber. This can make it not function correctly and may even break it.
You can unclog a toilet by pouring warm water in the bowl from waist level. You could repeat this process again if the water in the toilet bowl gets low.
Use a drain strainer to prevent small particles from sliding down your drain and causing clogs. Thoroughly clean the strainer on a regular basis. The ones in your bathtub should also be cleaned frequently, as needed.
Don’t put oil, grease or fat into your drain. This is a certain way to either slow your drainage or clog your drain entirely. Even with a garbage disposal, you are going to cause it to be less efficient and risk drain backups. Dispose of your oils in a coffee can or other suitable container instead of your sink.
Use lots of cold water when you run your garbage disposal. Cold water keeps the blades sharpened, giving you optimal performance whenever it is used. Grease will stay solid and go through your drain with cold water; you don’t want gooey grease in your pipes.
To keep possible toilet problems as small as possible, you should prevent using it like it’s a trash can. A lot of commonly-flushed items such as tissues, cotton balls and swabs, paper towels, diapers, and sanitary napkins can clog up a toilet by failing to dissolve properly. Try to minimize the amount of toilet tissue that gets flushed, too – but don’t neglect basic hygiene!
Taking preventative measures means you will not have to spend as much on plumbing repairs. Clogged drains are one of the more common issues when it comes to plumbing problems. Built up hair can actually clog drains. Put a drain cover or a screen that is made to protect drains over your drain so that hair cannot get in. Cleaning hair from the screen is a much easier affair than it would be to get the hair out of the pipe.
Learning a bit about plumbing can be an invaluable tool to have in your possession. You can now offer your plumbing knowledge as a resource for your friends and family, while also saving yourself a good chunk of money on plumbing repairs. You hopefully understand some plumbing basics now and had fun learning them.
