Plumbing as a whole might seem like a lot to take on. However, when you do the needed research and spend the time to teach yourself what you need to know, learning how to do your own plumbing is not as hard as it might seem on the surface. By using the following advice, your knowledge of plumbing will increase, thus allowing you to cater to your own plumbing needs.
To deal with a frozen pipe, turn on the faucet closest to the pipe. This gives the water a place to exit as the pipe defrosts. This helps decrease any pressure in order to prevent burst pipes. A burst pipe can create damage that is expensive to repair.
If a plumbing project is in your future, know two things: what tools you have, and how you are supposed to use them. So be sure to read through all your manuals as well as research as much as you can on the internet where you can gain information to help you with your projects. Think ahead and learn everything you can before tackling a plumbing repair project. If you make things worse rather than better, you’ll have to pay expensive plumbing fees to fix the problems.
If your toilet happens to be clogged, and the plunger is not working, you can pour a bucket of hot water down the toilet, but be sure to pour it from a height that is waist level or above so you do not flood the bathroom. Once the water level gets low again, repeat the process.
Garbage Disposal
Do not attempt fixing your garbage disposal with bare hands. Garbage disposals always pose a possible threat, even when powered off or non-working all together. You can search online to get schematics or troubleshooting advice for your garbage disposal.
Ensure that your sink’s overflow holes are clear. If your sink starts to overflow, the water will run into the overflow holes, this might not be a huge issue, unless they are clogged. Make sure to clean out the overflow holes each time you do maintenance checks on your sinks.
If the hose that leads to your kitchen sink has not been maintained or installed properly, you may notice that water is constantly draining to the dishwasher. The hose must lead uphill then back downhill to prevent the combining of water from each device.
If your home has low water pressure, you can often fix the problem by cleaning out the aerators on your fixtures. Get rid of the aerator, remove it, and clean it with a brush dipped in some vinegar. Wash it off, put it back together and connect the aerator to the faucet. This will improve the water pressure by clearing out blockages in the aerator.
You do not have to turn the water on when you are putting things in the garbage disposal. It is a common misconception that running water simultaneously is a good idea, but that is not really the case. In some cases, water can actually cause garbage to become lodged in awkward places, and contribute to future problems.
Check to see if you have toilet leaks. A simple way to check this is to put a few drops of food coloring into the toilet tank. Watch the bowl part of your toilet, and if you start to see colored water, you will know you have something that has to be taken care of.
Be sure to check that your faucets on the outside of your home are free of leaks as winter approaches. Checking them before winter is the best time, so you can make any repairs before the temperature gets down to freezing. Whether your pipes are made of plastic, copper or steel, the water pressure caused by freezing water will make them crack. Even a very tiny crack can cause water to get out and flood your home, or at least cause some water damage.
As you can see, plumbing isn’t as challenging as it might seem. There is much to learn when it comes to plumbing, and the knowledge available online is varied. With the right information, you can tackle some of the most common home plumbing problems. Hopefully, the tips above have given that to you.