Need Tips For Plumbing? Try These Fantastic Suggestions!
Author-Singh Ladefoged
Water can play multiple roles in your life. It is essential in order to keep living, but it can be a ruthless enemy when it comes to plumbing issues. Nothing except for a natural disaster will cause more harm to a home than a serious plumbing problem. Fortunately, homeowners can take a lot of steps to prevent plumbing nightmares and to minimize the effects when they occur.
Before starting any plumbing project be sure to turn off the main water supply. Water damage can be one of the most expensive things to repair. To minimize damage turn the main water supply off as well as any shut off valves near where you are working. This will save a great deal of hardship later on.
Use your garbage disposal with the cold water running so that you can preserve the blades of the disposal. Using hot water makes grease more liquid and can cause problems, including clogs. Make sure to clean blades by putting in a little dish detergent and run cold water at the same time.
You can check your toilet for leaks by adding a few drops of food coloring, Kool Aid or some coffee grounds to the water in the toilet's tank (not the water in the bowl). Check the water in the bowl after a half hour or so. If any of the coloring agent is visible in the water in the bowl, the tank is leaking, and you will have to have it repaired.
Pump out your septic tank at least every five years to keep it in proper working condition. Having your septic pumped will keep sediments from settling to the bottom of the septic tank and causing the tank to malfunction or backup. Getting your septic tank drained occasionally may be expensive, but it's dirt cheap compared to the cost of repairing a damaged septic system or the cleanup cost when raw sewage backs up into your home.
If you have noisy pipes, you can cushion them with a rubber blanket or add additional anchor straps. Banging pipes are usually caused by loose pipes, water hammering to a stop as you turn it off, or hot water pipes shifting in their position. All of these problems can be solved by cushioning and anchoring the pipes.
In cold climate areas, sometimes the pipes in the plumbing system freeze. You can thaw them out without calling a plumber. Before beginning this process, open the faucet and begin thawing closest to the faucet and then move down the line as sections thaw out. One method you can use is to wrap the pipe with a heavy towel or burlap and then pour hot water over it, set a bucket underneath to catch the water.
Keep grease, fat and oil out of your kitchen drain. Whenever they cool, they tend to harden and make clogs inside your drains. This is primarily true if you are someone who has a garbage disposal; the fats will make the blades go slower and less freely. Dump your oil outside or in a container that you throw out with the regular trash.
Keep the drains in your bathtub working properly by pouring a cup's worth of baking soda and than a cup's worth of vinegar directly down your drain every month. Cover it with a plug or rag, because a chemical reaction is sure to occur in your pipes. Allow some time to pass, then follow up by pouring down boiling hot water. This method clears out soap scum buildup and accumulated hair that gets caught in the pipes.
If you live in an area that sees routine freezing temperatures, make sure you do something to keep your pipes from becoming frozen as well. There are a wide variety of ways you can keep your pipes from freezing, which will help you avoid damage to your home and costly repairs.
When looking to find a good plumbing contractor, don't forget to check contractors against Department of Consumer Affairs records. Make sure that every plumber you're considering has an up to date license, and investigate whether they have outstanding negative complaints. They need a current license that is in good standing, and if not then you should look elsewhere.
If you have an odor coming from one or more fixtures in your house, it is likely this has to do with the water in water traps. Each fixture has a water trap that is sealed off to prevent odors. If the water evaporates, the odors can surface. Therefore, try adding water to the traps.
During clicking here , hair and soap can build up in your drains and can cause serious clogs. Make sure that you have strainers in each of your drains to help catch this debris so that it does not become an issue. This will help to keep your water flowing efficiently.
Use a foaming root killer, twice yearly, to remove tree roots that can bring your drains to a standstill. Foaming products fill the entire pipe with chemicals, killing roots that grow from the top of the pipe as well as the part that water flows through. They are more effective than regular root killers for this reason.
Sometimes in the case of minor and or major emergencies we all have to become Mr. Fix it ourselves. If you've got blockage in your drains the first step is to try a commercial de-clogger like Drano. Simply pour it down the drain, wait ten minutes, and presto, your drain should be clear.
Avoid over-tightening water faucet handles. Use only enough pressure to stop the water from flowing and dripping from the faucet. Anything else is overkill and will quickly wear out the gaskets and washers inside those handles and cause leaking or the inability to stop the water from coming out of the faucet.
If you have unused cooking grease, do not pour it down your kitchen drain. The grease or oil can clog your drain and even cause irreparable damage. Instead, put the unused grease or oil into a plastic bag. Or, you can put the grease into an empty tin can, set it in the refrigerator to solidify, and then throw it away.
Avoid using drain openers that contain chemicals while attempting to unclog the drain. Even though visit this web-site might be successful in unclogging the drain, the harmful chemicals in these products can be damaging to your skin. If you must use a chemical drain opener, wear a long sleeved shirt and rubber gloves.
Once or twice a year, drain a few inches of water from your water heater using the valve located at the bottom. The water may be rusty-looking or brown, which is the point of this practice; sediment settles to the bottom of the tank and rests there. Flushing some of this sediment from the tank can extend the lifespan of your hot water heater.
There are times when a plumber's service is necessary. However, many plumbing issues can be addressed easily if you know how. Learning more about how your plumbing works can save you time and money in repairs. Remember these tips, and they could save you a lot of headaches the next time you have a plumbing problem.
