It is common for plumbing problems to start right after you buy your home. The majority of the time this happens in the kitchen or bathroom. All homeowners eventually deal with plumbing problems. This advice will make dealing with these problems as painless as possible.
Anchoring your pipes can eliminate the hammering and squeaking noises caused by loose pipes and fitting. Anchor exposed pipes to get rid of noises. Pipes that are contained within the floors, walls and ceilings may need to be attended by a professional plumber.
It is important that you do not pay a plumber in full, until all of the work is complete and satisfactory. In some cases, you have to make a down payment prior to the first day of work. This is okay to do; however, don’t let your plumber talk you into paying the entire cost of a job before he’s finished, and never pay the whole cost before he’s even begun. It is vital that you check your plumber has done all the work he promised before you have over the full payment. This will protect you against being scammed by fraudulent tradesmen.
If you discover a frozen water pipe, turn on a nearby faucet so that thawed ice has a place to go. Letting the water drain out will relieve pressure in the frozen pipe, which will reduce the chances of it bursting and damaging your home.
You plumbing experiences will go much smoother if you know your tools, and have the knowledge of how to use each one. Read manuals and do some research on the internet before starting a plumbing project. When planning on repairs, plan on having a plan.
Use strainers on all drains to keep foreign objects and debris from clogging drains. Whenever large particles become trapped in the strainer, remove them. A strainer in your bathtub should be checked occasionally and cleaned whenever necessary.
Using your toilet as a garbage disposal is sure to cause problems! Never flush paper towels, tissue, diapers, or tampons. These things do not break up correctly and can clog your pipes. Even toilet tissue should be used conservatively. Use enough to clean yourself, of course, but if you need to use wads of tissue you should flush several times in the process instead of waiting till the end.
Chemical Reaction
Keep the drain in your bathtub working well by pouring one cup baking soda into the drain quickly followed by about a cup of white vinegar. This will cause a chemical reaction to occur and you should plug the drain. Wait until the chemical reaction runs its course, then flush the pipes by pouring in a kettle full of boiling water. Doing this periodically should keep your pipes free of hair and soap scum.
Look at the overflow holes to ensure they aren’t clogged up. The overflow holes help prevent a sink from spilling. When blocked, they don’t work properly and the water can spill out onto the floor. Take the time to clean out the overflow holes as you go through your house doing your regular checks for various issues.
An enzyme based cleaner is an excellent way of unblocking clogged pipes. These will utilize natural bacteria to transform sludge into a liquid that can be removed. The best cleaner available on the market are the enzyme ones.
Use lots of cold water when you run your garbage disposal. Cold water keeps blades sharp and encourage a smoother disposal. Running hot water down the drain while you are using the garbage disposal can cause the drain to clog from any grease that is in there liquefying.
If you have unwanted water that drains in your dishwasher, it’s probably due to the kitchen sink’s hose being improperly installed. The hose connecting the kitchen sink and the dishwasher has to go up and then down in order for the water of both locations to not mix.
To lower the chance that you will have issues with your toilet, do not approach it like it’s a trash can. Do not flush sanitary pads, paper towels, cotton balls, tissues, diapers or other materials, as these items do not dissolve and could cause clogs. Also, try to use the smallest amount of toilet paper you can.
If your home has low water pressure, you can often fix the problem by cleaning out the aerators on your fixtures. After removing the aerator, disassemble it, and use a small brush that’s been dipped in vinegar to clean it. After rinsing the aerator, put it back together and reinstall it. This technique causes the water pressure to rise via the removing of any blockage within the aerator.
Frozen pipes are on of the most expensive plumbing problems. Thankfully, you can prevent your pipes from freezing. First, insulate your outside pipes well. When it gets colder, disconnect and drain the hoses and turn the outside faucet off. Making sure that all of this is done will have you a lot of money in plumbing bills.
If you have grout stuck in the line, it’s futile to try and clean it out yourself. You can try to break it up to send it on down the line. This is more successful in plastic plumbing as compared to metal pipes. This usually requires professional people to come in to help you get rid of this problem.
Drain Cleaners
The actual individual plumber coming out to your home might not be something you have a say in, but that does not mean you can’t look them up online. In some cases, your insurance company may select a plumber for you, but you can still research the company online.
Avoid using drain cleaners as much as possible. Drain cleaners contain caustic and damaging chemicals which can destroy your pipes if used too often. If your drain frequently blocks, then call a professional to see what the real problem is, and get it solved once and for all.
When you have to take out the clean out plug, but it is not coming out, you can remove it using one of two ways. First, you should try a hammer and chisel to loosen the clean out plug. Your other option to try is to chisel through the out plug.
As the weather is becoming colder due to the coming of winter, be sure that your external faucets do not have leaks or drips. If your faucets are dripping, you must fix them before the first freeze. No matter what material your pipes are constructed from, the additional pressure that results from freezing water will crack them. Even a tiny crack can leak enough water to flood your home.
Select your drain cleaners carefully. Some drain cleaners have strong chemicals that can damage the pipes. Choose a drain cleaner that is well-known and whose label says it will not harm pipes. Note that some of the chemicals that you use will kill helpful bacteria that is needed by your plumbing system so it can functions properly. These chemicals can be harmful to people in your household, as well.
Calling a plumber for every issue will add up to a huge bill, so it’s important to deal with small plumbing issues yourself as they arise. All homeowners should have at least a basic understanding on plumbing tools and improvement tips. Avoid a huge plumbing issue by learning to handle the smaller issues as they occur.