Valuable Plumbing Tips From The Pro's That Know
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Many people attempt to do their own plumbing in order to save money on repair costs. They often fail due to a lack of proper plumbing knowledge or by using the wrong tools for the job. If you would like to do your own plumbing without doing more harm than good, then read the tips in the following article.
Rigid copper is used for main water lines in many homes. You cannot bend rigid copper, so joints and tees must be soldered on. When soldering, always apply flux (also called soldering paste) to both surfaces. Flux retards oxidation when the copper is heated. Always use lead-free or nearly lead-free solder when sweating a copper joint.
Use strainers in all drains to catch hair and other objects. This will prevent all the material from going down the drain and causing a clog, which can cause a bigger problem down the line. Clean out the strainers daily so that you don't start getting backup of water in your sink or tub.
If your pipes bang when you turn on the water, and all the pipes are anchored correctly, you should add some straps or cushion the pipes with a rubber blanket. There may be times when you will need to do both. Make sure that if you have copper pipes, you are not using galvanized straps.
Make sure that you disconnect all hoses outside your house when the fall season hits. This is important to reduce the chance of freezing, which can cause damage to the connecting pipes. Disconnect all of your water hoses and store them safely to put your family in the best position for the fall.
Frozen and bursting pipes from harsh winter weather is a problem that no-one wants, so plan now to winterize your exterior faucets and pipes against freezing conditions. A simple way to accomplish this is to find the exterior water shut-off valve located inside your home (often located in the basement). Turn off the water valve to stop water flow, and then open up the outside faucets to drain out any water that has collected. Be sure to turn off the outside water faucets tightly after the water has drained out. Take in any hoses you may have outside so they don't crack from the cold weather.
One way to prevent pipes from freezing during the winter is to keep cabinet doors in your house that contain the pipes open. This can insure that they get adequate heat to keep warm. Make sure also, to unhook and kind of hose outside and run a little water to clear the pipes of any remaining water going outside.
Do not be surprised if a plumber charges you more than you expected. Many customers think that fixing a toilet or other drainage problem should be easy, therefore the price should be low. You must remember that not only does a plumber have to charge for labor, but they have to charge for parts that you need.
Do a routine check around your house each month on each and every faucet to make sure there are no signs of leaks or drips. Over time, leaks can add a lot of money to your water bill and will worsen if you do not take care of the problem.
During the week, 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.
When you're going away on a vacation, you should consider shutting off the water supply to your home. This can help stop many problems before they start. If you don't do this, you should have someone stop by your house regularly to check that nothing has gone wrong and that your home isn't flooded.
Teach your children how to notice plumbing problems. Many parents handle plumbing issues without sharing that information with their children, who grow up not knowing anything about plumbing. Any time you make a small repair or notice a problem, call your kids in and explain what the problem is and what you are going to do. Educate them so they can make good decisions in the future.
Check for standing water in your yard which can be a direct result of leaking pipes. Standing water can cause an increased level of damage to your lawn and will attract bacteria and insects. Reduce your level of standing water to put your family and home in the most secure position.
If you cannot turn off your main water valve before leaving on vacation, turn off the individual valves for the toilets, sinks, and washing machine. If the valves do not look like they are in good working order, then leave them on and that will be something that you need to have changed when you return.
Always know in your mind exactly where the valve is that will cut the water off on your property. There will be a water meter there or nearby. Look for additional cut-off valves for you indoor equipment, such as toilets, sinks or any other water source. Show your family members where these valves are, and then add markings that show how they should be turned off if an emergency occurs.
If you are going to update the plumbing in your house, one thing to consider is installing a new tank-less water heater. They are much smaller than traditional tank heaters, which is a space-saver. Tank-less water heaters are available in gas or electric, depending on what your house needs.
When it comes to plumbing an ounce of prevention is the best thing to prevent things from going haywire. In order to prevent clogging avoid doing things that would clog drains. Do not pour oil down the kitchen sink, and install hair catching filters in all your bath tubs. Get Source will prevent a lot of unnecessary clogs.
Never pour grease of any kind down your kitchen drains, especially grease from animal sources, which tends to harden rather quickly. The grease can congeal in your pipes and cause disastrous clogs and back-ups. It's better to dispose of grease in the trash to keep your drains flowing well.
To avoid plumbing disasters in your kitchen, never place hard-to-grind, stringy, fibrous waste, such as poultry skins, banana peels, carrots, celery, or cantaloupe pulp, into the garbage disposer. The disposer can't sufficiently grind these food products and they will clog your sink drain. You should also run cold water down the drain for about 15 seconds before and after using the garbage disposer to flush the waste down the main drain.
As you can see, many plumbing problems are very easy to solve on your own if you have the proper knowledge. Don't let a professional plumbing service charge you a hand full for something that you can do on your own! Try the tips in this article next time and see the money you save!
