Remodeling Your Home

Plumb Easy: Learn How To Solve Your Plumbing Problems

Posted on by mike Miller

If your plumbing goes haywire, it can really cause problems in your home. Here are some suggestions to help you correct any issues you have with plumbing.

TIP! To eliminate the possibility of having frozen pipes, maintain a constant temperature in your home above freezing, and be certain to adequately insulate those pipes that are out in the weather. Pipes can freeze when the ambient temperature in the area of the pipes dips below freezing.

Keep your plumbing flowing by maintaining a temperature above 32 degrees and wrapping up any exposed pipe works. Obviously, frozen pipes occur due to freezing environmental conditions. If you are lucky, you will only experience a minor inconvenience until the pipes thaw. The other option is the pipes may burst, which would result in significant repair costs and a mess to clean up.

TIP! If you have a frozen pipe, turn on the nearest faucet so the water has an escape route when the pipe starts to thaw. Doing so provides pressure relief, and might spare you the damage of a burst pipe.

You should clean your septic tank every five years! This will stop any buildup in your septic tank and prevent any horrible issues. It may be a bit expensive to pump a septic tank, but it will be very expensive to clean up an emergency sewage problem.

TIP! Pump your septic tank every five years to keep it working well. Doing so will help to avoid septic tank problems by ensuring that the tank does not become clogged with sediment.

Use baking soda and one cup of vinegar per month to keep the bathtub drain clear and running well. This will cause the vigorous bubbling you may remember from the “volcano” in a grade school science project, so be sure to close the drain with a stopper. After letting it sit for a few moments, clear the pipes out with a gallon of boiling water. Although this is useful for clearing away simple clogs made of hair and soap debris, it will not work for serious blockages.

TIP! It is important that you do not pay a plumber in full, until all of the work is complete and satisfactory. You might have to give them a deposit, but do not give them the entire sum of money until you are sure they have done a good job.

It is very important to to use lots of cold water when running your garbage disposal. Blades will stay sharper with cold water, making disposal quicker. Hot water liquifies grease and causes it to buildup in the drain, causing clogs in the pipes.

TIP! The areas of floor around your toilets are particularly susceptible to water damage; here’s how you can check them. Put a foot on each side of the toilet and put weight on each side, if you have any give you may have damage.

Using your toilet as a garbage disposal is sure to cause problems! You should never flush cotton balls, sanitary pads, tissues, paper towels, diapers, or certain other materials, because these things don’t dissolve and could clog up your toilet. As well, keep your toilet paper usage to as little as possible.

TIP! By installing shower heads that are more efficient, you will be able to save a lot of money. Most of our hot water is used in the shower.

Don’t skimp on quality when it comes to replacing a shower head. Many times, people think it is okay to buy the cheapest shower head that they can find. Usually these break easily.

TIP! Always buy a high quality fixture if you are going to replace your shower head. Many times people try to save money and buy the cheapest one that they see.

If you need to buy a pipe cleaner to unclog your pipes, it is best to find one that is enzyme based. A enzyme-based cleaner will remove the clog by turning it into a liquid, freeing it from the drain. These enzyme cleaners are probably the best that exist.

TIP! Cold weather can cause expensive plumbing repairs if your pipes freeze. Fortunately, such damage is easy to prevent.

Frozen pipes can cause some very expensive plumbing repair jobs. Fortunately, such damage is easy to prevent. Insulate your outside pipes. When it gets cooler, drain and disconnect the hoses and shut off your outside faucet. Doing so can prevent some nasty repair bills a professional plumber would charge you.

Drain Cleaners

TIP! Ensure your toilet does not have any leaks. To find out if your toilet is leaking the only thing you need to do is place a few drops of food coloring in the tank of your toilet.

Don’t use drain cleaners if you can avoid it. The chemicals in those kinds of drain cleaners can be corrosive and might damage pipes if you keep using them. Instead, if you find your drain is blocked up, look at hiring a professional to come out and look at it to see what the problem is.

TIP! Those valves will rarely get fully used but can fuse together. You can use penetrating oil to maintain them and turn the valves every once in a while so that they do not stick.

If sewage is backed up in your toilet, it’s most likely the result of a sever blockage of the branch line that connects the sewage line and main line. If you are unable to handle the issue on your own, you will need to hire a professional who can use a snake to unclog the line.

TIP! When the time comes and you need the assistance of a plumber, the DCA can supply you with excellent records for review or reference. You can look at their track record, looking to see whether their license is valid and if they have any complaints lodged against them.

The Department of Consumer Affairs is a great place to check if you need a plumbing contractor. There you can check on their license to see if it is valid, and also if there is any consumer complaints against the contractor. A contractor’s license must be in good standing and current for you to even consider him.

TIP! A lot of people find plumbing to be a very scary subject since it problems with it can cause much damage to their dwelling. If you know one thing, you can easily avoid this.

Plumbing nightmares are not uncommon, since many people believe that broken plumbing will demolish their house. There is an easy way to ensure that plumbing issues never go beyond your pipes. Know where your main water valve is so you can quickly turn off your water supply and prevent water damage.

TIP! When installing your new water heater, make sure you reconnect the pipe that is extending from your drainage. This could be a recirculation pipe.

To get your water heater to perform better, you will have to make a determination of your household needs in relation to the size of the hot water tank. Knowing how many appliances and people use the hot water in the house can help you become aware of the size that is best for your house.

Washing Machine

TIP! Try to limit the amount of exposure to the sun you receive. When you are absorbed in your work, it isn’t hard to ignore the sun’s heat, but it still poses a danger to you.

If the drain stack for your washing machine overflows, try snaking it with a standard pipe snake. Usually, this pipe gets backed up with a gentle clog of lint and tiny washing machine debris.

TIP! Copper pipes can sometimes expand a little as hot water passes through them. When this happens, the pipes will not fit into the pipe hangers, and will end up grinding against them.

If you want to go green try purchasing a water heater that is tankless. They don’t store water, and heat water only on an as needed basis. This reduces the amount of energy they use, since water is only heated when it is called for.

TIP! Water should never appear around the bottom of your heater; if you see some, throw the valves that shut off the flow. If you wait too long to shut it off then you could find yourself dealing with a small leak that turns into a larger problem, making it much harder to shut off.

If you need plumbing fixtures, think seriously about brass. Brass is a very durable material and will last a long time. In addition, the choice of brass fixtures will be much more pleasing visually than other fixture options. You can find these in home stores.

TIP! Regular maintenance will go a long way in preventing leaky faucets and dripping pipes. You should check underneath pipes for moisture or tiny leaks because you can lose as much as 150 gallons of daily water from them.

Try to limit the amount of exposure to the sun you receive. It may be easy to forget the sun’s heat when you get focused on your work, but overexposure is still extremely dangerous.

TIP! As to not damage the fiberglass in tubs and sinks, you should only use gentle cleaning products that are not abrasive or packed full of chemicals. Try laundry or dish soaps.

Ask your plumber to handle all your plumbing problems at once rather than calling him several times to resolve different problems. Your plumber charges for each visit, so it’s best to deal with as many problems in one visit as possible. Prior to seeking out a professional plumber, write out a laundry list of all plumbing issues that need to be addressed. The plumber can take care of all the problems at once, and you won’t have to be frequently calling him or her over.

TIP! Especially when going into the winter, it is important to keep your hot water heater in good working order so have it checked and tuned before the cold arrives. By ensuring that your water heater is in prime operating condition, you will save money on utility bills.

No one wants to have problems with their plumbing, but with the right knowledge and some hard work, these problems can be remedied. You may have to do some research and talk to a professional. The above plumbing advice can help you to avoid major fiascoes.

mike Miller