Now is a great time to become more knowledgeable about plumbing. If you can fix small problems by yourself, you won’t have to hire a plumber and you can prevent large plumbing problems. Read the tips in this guide and you’ll be happy you did it if ever you experience any plumbing issues.
If your pipes make squeaking and hammering noises, it may be very simple to fix. Anchoring exposed pipes will decrease the amount of noise your plumbing system makes. You may need the assistance of a professional in the case that the pipes are contained within a floor or ceiling.
Septic Tank
Your septic tank should be pumped out at least once every five years if you want it to stay in optimum working order. This stop sedimentary particles from accumulating in the tank, and in the worst cases, flooding your home or making the entire system to fail. Although it could cost a good deal of money to pump out your septic tank, it will cost a lot more having to clean sewage backup or having to fix or replace a septic tank.
Knowing what tools are what and the proper way to use them will make you much better at plumbing. Read all of the equipment’s manuals and read up as much as you can on plumbing projects. You need to conduct research before attempting a repair, because it could be expensive to correct an error.
If your toilet will not flush, and there is very little water in the basin, try to fix the issue by dumping warm water in the bowl from around your waist line. Repeat this once your water goes back to a lower level.
Check for floor damage around your toilet. If the floor around your toilet feels softer than the rest of the floor in your bathroom, there’s damage you need to address. Sit on your toilet and sway across both feet to feel if there are any spots less firm than the others. It could potentially save money by discovering any problems before too much damage occurs.
Keep a strainer over every drain in your house to prevent stray debris from clogging your pipes. Each time a filter is clogged, it should be cleaned. Clean bathtub drain screens as often as needed.
Avoid putting grease, fat, and other oils down your drain. They might be in liquid form, but after they cool off, they will solidify and make a clog in your drain pipe. Oils are especially damaging to garbage disposals. The best thing to do is to dispose of oil-based liquids away from your sinks.
Schedule all your plumbing work at the same time. You might be tempted to call the plumber every time you need something fixed, but if you wait and hire the plumber for a single visit, you can save up money for repairs. You can save money by only paying a single service call fee instead of ending up with multiple hours being billed from multiple visits.
Pour baking soda and vinegar down your bathtub drain every month. Plug the opening or cover it with a cloth while the chemical reaction takes place. After about 10 minutes you can flush the pipes out with boiling water. This should help clear your pipes of accumulated hair and soap scum.
An incorrectly installed hose from the kitchen sink to the dishwasher can cause unwanted water to drain into the dishwasher. This hose should lead uphill first and then downhill so the water from the sink and the dishwater never mix.
If you have clogged pipes, try cleaning them with an enzyme pipe cleaner. Enzyme-based cleaners actually digest part of the sludge, liquefying it, and cleaning your drain naturally. The most highly recommended pipe cleaners are enzyme cleaners.
One costly plumbing repair is frozen pipes. Fortunately, you can generally prevent your pipes from freezing. The first thing you should do is ensure your outside pipes are thoroughly wrapped or insulated. Before winter, drain your hoses and disconnect your outdoor faucets. This will help to save you money on plumbing bills.
Always check for leaks in and around your toilets. Drop a few food coloring drops inside your toilet tank to test for leaks. Watch your toilet bowl, if you see some colored water, you will see that you are dealing with a issue that should be dealt with.
If sewage backs up into a toilet in your home, there is likely a clog in the line that connects your sewer line to your main line. If you are unable to fix the blockage, you will need to hire a professional to run a snake in the line to clean it.
Understanding how to fix basic plumbing problems is a valuable tool for any homeowner. Your relatives and close acquaintances are sure to find you a handy resource in their lives, and you personally can save some of your hard earned dollars. With any luck, the information and tips provided here will soon prove to be useful.