Is your plumbing giving you a headache? Also, like most people, you probably want to learn to be a little more capable of handling basic plumbing problems in your house or apartment. If this is your goal, you are at the right place. This article contains tips that will advise you on how to improve your home plumbing system.
If one of your water pipes freezes, turn on the tap to the faucet nearest the pipe so that the water has somewhere to exit as the pipe thaws. This reduces pressure to keep the pipe from bursting, which could prevent a big mess in your home.
To maintain a clean, well-functioning septic tank, it is recommended that you clean it out once every five years. This keeps the sediment from building in the tank, which can cause septic tank failure or backup into your house. While you may find it costly to get your septic tank cleaned out, the cost is much higher to have sewage and backups cleaned up and your septic tank repaired or replaced.
You plumbing experiences will go much smoother if you know your tools, and have the knowledge of how to use each one. Read the instructions, which many people overlook, and check out the internet which has many resources to help with plumbing issues. Be sure to have a plan ahead of time before trying any type of repair, it could very expensive to fix the mistake.
Garbage Disposal
If your garbage disposal is giving you problems, never stick your hand in it to fix it yourself. Garbage disposals always pose a possible threat, even when powered off or non-working all together. Locate your garbage disposal manual, or do an Internet search for troubleshooting advice and a diagram that illustrates your model.
Cleaning your in-sink garbage disposal can extend its lifetime significantly. You can run lemon rinds and dish soap through your disposal to help keep it smelling fresh and operating in an efficient manner.
Schedule your plumbing work simultaneously. While you may be tempted to call the plumber whenever you have a slight problem, scheduling it all at once gives you the opportunity to save money to pay for the repairs. This can save you money since plumbers generally charge hourly, as they can’t charge multiple hours per trip if it’s only one trip out.
To reduce your plumbing repair costs, use preventative maintenance measures. Drain clogs are probably the most frequent issue you will run into with your plumbing. This is because pipes can retain and trap hair, and other particles, very easily. To keep hair out of your plumbing, use a screen or cover for your drains that allows water through but keeps hair out. It’s a lot easier to take hair out of a screen than to pull it from a pipe.
Cold weather can cause expensive plumbing repairs if your pipes freeze. Normally, you will be able to prevent this issue. First, make sure that your outside pipe are insulated well. Also, when it starts to get colder, drain and disconnect your hoses and turn off the outside faucet. This will help to save you money on plumbing bills.
Clean the buildup of sediment from your aerator to increase your water pressure if it’s low. A small brush (an old toothbrush is ideal) dipped in vinegar will do a great job on the aerator after it’s been removed and disassembled. Rinse the aerator, reassemble it and reattach it to the faucet. This should help increase the water pressure, because any obstacles in the aerator will have been removed.
Drain Cleaners
Keep from using harsh drain cleaners. Drain cleaners contain very corrosive chemicals that can damage pipes if used too frequently. Consider hiring a professional when you have drain problems.
As winter approaches, be sure that your external faucets are not dripping and leaking. If you find a problem, you need to move quickly to repair it, lest the faucet crack. Pipes that are made of copper, steel, or plastic are vulnerable to cracking when water freezes and increases the pressure. One small crack is all it takes to cause serious water damage to your home.
You need to always be aware of the location of the primary water cut-off valve on your piece of property. The cut-off valve will generally be close to the water meter. Toilets, sinks and some other fixtures can have cut off valves of their own. Make sure all the members of your family know where the cut-off valves are. In addition, add markings to show how they should be turned off.
Dealing with water is only one aspect of plumbing. A competent plumber needs to master a variety of additional skills. Plumbers fix water lines, install water heaters and help customers choose fixtures.
Since most people have little knowledge about all that plumbing entails, they are willing to pay whatever a plumber demands for repair work. If you own your own home, you owe it to yoruself and your wallet to learn enough about plumbing basics to at least understand what a plumber is doing and why. This will make sure that you aren’t ripped off.
Plumbing can be a nightmare, because it can cause a lot of damage to a home. By only knowing one thing, this nightmare can be avoided. Know where you can find the water register in your home, and how you can turn it off.
If, when you’re installing your new water heater, you notice that a pipe is extending from your draining pipe, make sure it’s reconnected. The recirculation pipe helps hot water circulate through your plumbing system so that you won’t waste water while heating it.
Now that you’ve read the entire article, you should be excited at the thought of doing your own repairs. We certainly hope these tips will save you some money in plumbing contractor fees, and provide ideas for easy fixes. If they don’t, keep trying something until you are happy with your plumbing system.
