Plumbing Tips And Tricks That Everyone Should Know
Jan 25th, 2014 by administrator
If you are completely new to the world of plumbing, then you are probably thinking that some tips on plumbing will help you immensely so that you can begin maintaining your own at home. Listed below are some tips to get you started with your home plumbing maintenance and repair.
Before starting any plumbing project on your own be sure to do a great deal of research. There are many resources available to assist you in understanding your plumbing system and help you to avoid many common mistakes made by do-it-yourself novices. Reading about other people’s mistakes can make the difference of saving or losing money.
If you discover that a water pipe has frozen, find the tap closest to the pipe so when the thaw happens, the water has an exit point. This assists you in relieving pressure within the pipe, and could stop any bursting from occurring, which can prevent additional damage to your home.
Do not let your faucet leak. Did you know a leaky faucet can waste about 150 gallons of water every day? If you have a leak, never ignore it, hire a leak detection company immediately. It could be coming from the faucet or the pipes. Continually check pipes and faucets for extra moisture or small leaks.
Do not pour grease or oil down any of your household drains. Put them in containers and place in the fridge until they are solid, then throw them away. If you pour them down the drain, they can solidify in cold pipes. These solid masses will clog your pipes and are very difficult to remove.
To avoid sediment buildup, drain gallons of water from your water heater to flush any corrosion. This will help your heater to run more efficiently therefore saving you regular energy costs. Make sure to read your heater’s instructions before attempting this, and do this periodically to make sure that your heater is running as well as it can.
If you have clogged pipes and thinking about using a pipe cleaner, one that is enzyme based is highly recommended. A enzyme-based cleaner will remove the clog by turning it into a liquid, freeing it from the drain. The cleaners that have enzymes are the best you can buy.
If you don’t want to spend a lot on repairing plumbing problems, learn to prevent problems before they occur. Drain clogs are a common plumbing expense. Clogs in drains are often caused by buildups of hair. This can be prevented by using a drain cover or screen to keep the hair from going down the drain. Most objects will not fall through the drain cover, and even hair usually won’t make it through.
One way to avoid a common plumbing problem is to make sure never to flush anything but human waste and toilet paper down a toilet. Other things made of paper like tissues, paper towels, and the like do not dissolve the same way toilet paper does and can get stuck.
Heat up frozen pipes carefully if they have frozen. In colder regions, pipes placed closest to outer walls and ceilings could freeze if not properly insulated. Use hot rags, hot water, a blow dryer or similar heat source. Start heating at a place nearest the tap, then work backwards.
Make sure you shut off your main system before leaving your house for a few weeks. The water will stay in the pipes, but this should prevent any further damages in case a leak starts while you are away. Check that your shut-off valve is working properly before you leave.
To lessen the amount of hair going into your home plumbing, thoroughly brush hair and use a body brush to remove loose body hair before entering the shower or bath. If it’s been a while since you have shaved your legs or face, use an electric razor to remove the longer hair, before shaving in the sink or shower.
Having to wiggle the toilet handle or hold it down to get your toilet to fully flush indicates that the tank parts need to be replaced. Kits that include all of the parts needed can be purchased in any hardware or home improvement store to easily do the repair yourself.
It is imperative as a homeowner that you know exactly where your main water shut-off valve is located and can operate the valve in case of an emergency. The best first step measure for frozen pipes is to stop water from entering your home in the first place. Locate the main water supply valve and turn it on and off on a regular basis to keep it easily operable in an emergency.
As you can see from the above list of tips, maintaining and repairing your own plumbing can be very time and money-saving in the long run if you know what you are doing. After following these tips, you will no longer be new to plumbing, but you will become a plumbing expert.