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Advice On How To Handle A Plumbing Problem
Advice On How To Handle A Plumbing Problem
Did you know that you run the risk of freezing your plumbing pipes if you have any rooms that are not heated? This can sometimes come unexpectedly because you expect the adjoining rooms of your house to stay warm enough. For this and other plumbing tips read the rest of this article.
Before starting any plumbing project on your own be sure to do a great deal of research. There are many resources available to assist you in understanding your plumbing system and help you to avoid many common mistakes made by do-it-yourself novices. Reading about other peoples mistakes can make the difference of saving or losing money.
To help you repair a leaky water line you should hire a plumber. A leaky water line can be a problem because it could lead to a flood. The best way to fix this problem is to hire a licensed plumber who is trained to repair the leak.
Check your gas water heater periodically to make sure the pilot flame is lit. The correct color for this flame should be blue. The tip of the flame should be yellow. If you find that you are only seeing a yellow flame you may need to call a professional for safety reasons.
Periodically check your pipes for leaks and cracks. These can be forgotten since pipes are usually hidden away but checking for leaks and cracks can help you identify a small problem before a big problem occurs. You may have to enlist the help of a family member to turn on and off the water stream as you are checking.
Position a strainer over all drains to collect any particles that would otherwise go down the drain and possibly cause a stoppage. The strainer in the kitchen sink should be cleaned each time you have large particles trapped in it. Kitchen filters should be changed often while bathtub filters can be changed as needed.
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.
To keep the pipes in your kitchen in tip-top shape avoid pouring fats or cooking oils down the drain. These liquid fats solidify in the pipes and create clogs. As an added protection wipe congealed grease from pots to further avoid creating clogged drains. By following these tips you can help avoid a plumbing disaster.
Never pour grease or anything fatty or oily into your drain. When they cool off they become hard and will clog your pipes. As an owner of a garbage disposal this is important because the blades will stop working if they have fat on them. Dump your oil outside or in a container that you throw out with the regular trash.
The key to finding a great plumber for new construction is to look at their prior jobs. Good plumbers take pride in the work they do so they will have photos and references from previous jobs. If the plumber you are considering hiring does not have references or photos of previous jobs then stay away and find another.
Never try to undertake a project that you are unsure of. Additionally never call on a friend to help you with something if they are not a professional. There have been hundreds of good friendships ruined by a guy claiming to know exactly what he is doing when the truth is he is clueless.
In any DIY plumbing project make sure that you always test the drains and the supply lines before you close up the walls. It is a lot easier to find and solve problems if you look for them while you are still in the process of actively doing the job.
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.
Tank-less water heaters are a great space saving alternative to traditional tank units. They are available in many models some for indoors and some models are capable for outdoor mounting. Tank-less water heaters are known as great money savers when it comes to your water bill.
Be sure to have a running toilet fixed as soon as you can. Having a running toilet uses more water which raises your water bill. To fix it yourself you just have to find out what the problem is and buy the supplies you need. If you cant fix it yourself call a plumber.
Governmental regulations sometimes prevent plumbers from actively providing maintenance to copper piping. If you have a calcium buildup in your copper piping you are going to need to take care of this yourself. You have to get rid of all the water and add vinegar which eats away the calcium buildup out of copper pipes.
Having to wiggle the toilet handle or hold it down to get your toilet to fully flush indicates that the tank parts need to be replaced. Kits that include all of the parts needed can be purchased in any hardware or home improvement store to easily do the repair yourself.
If you can see water dripping in or near your walls shut off the water and call a professional right away. This indicates a serious plumbing problem. Water within walls can cause not just flooding but also toxic mold or mildew.
While plumbing can be a very personal type of home improvement it does share the main goal of needing to be functional in the home. As you have seen in these tips there are various approaches but they are all created around the idea of having a great plumbing system.
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