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Plumbing Tips And Tricks Made Simple For You
Plumbing Tips And Tricks Made Simple For You
Contrary to popular belief it isn't all that difficult to handle a few plumbing tasks around the home. The right knowledge and equipment make it simpler though. The following tips will get you started and help you complete that project that has been bugging you in no time.
Avoid plumbing problems! Do not stop up the toilet! Some common items that will stop up a toilet include: toys hair paper towels birth control items and feminine personal products. Do not flush these items down your toilet - unless the instructions say otherwise! These can stop up your toilet - to the point that nothing else will work - except calling a plumber!
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.
Your water heater works more during the fall and winter so make sure that you eliminate all sediment buildup around this piece of equipment. Flushing this device can lead to increased longevity so that you do not face plumbing problems during the winter. This precaution will save time money and effort.
If you have a frozen pipe turn on the nearest faucet so the water has an escape route when the pipe starts to thaw. This relieves the pressure contained in the pipe as it also prevents it from bursting which would reduce the damage done to your house.
Keep your bathtub in good shape by using a cup of baking soda and a cup of vinegar down its drain monthly. Seal off the drain with a conventional plug or a piece of fabric while the natural chemical reaction takes place. Wait for a little while and then allow boiling water to go down the drain. This process should open up the pipes by clearing out hair build-up and soap scum.
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.
When replacing your shower head pay attention to the quality of the replacement head. People try to save money by buying the least expensive shower head that is out there. The issue with that is they're less tough and can break.
When you wash your hands be sure that you have not left any soap on the faucet handles. What people do not know is that leaving soap on these fixtures can cause fixtures to corrode. Just take two seconds after you are done washing your hands to remove excess soap from the handles.
One way to avoid a common plumbing problem is to make sure never to flush anything but human waste and toilet paper down a toilet. Other things made of paper like tissues paper towels and the like do not dissolve the same way toilet paper does and can get stuck.
Be sure to clean your dryers lint trap. This is preventative maintenance that will prevent many problems including fires. Regularly check your dryers lint trap to see if it has any tears or holes that could potentially damage your dryer and clog up your plumbing.
If you are going on vacation look for individual valves under each of your sinks. Turn off water for each appliance. If you live in an apartment building you will not be able to shut off your system completely but will have to turn off individual valves to prevent any leak from ruining your apartment.
If water is flowing out from where your meter is located a professional is required to come out and fix the leak. If your water bill goes up this is most likely because the leak is on the house side of the water meter. You will need to get a professional to come out and fix the leak.
Check for leaks behind the wall tile in your bathroom especially any tile surrounding your bathtub by gently pressing each tile and feeling for some give. If you find any mushy or soft spots you will need to find the source of the leak and repair it to prevent further damage.
Make sure to never leave any flammable liquids near your water heater. Certain liquids like gasoline solvents or adhesives are flammable and if left too close to the water heater can ignite. If you have to have these liquids in your basement place it far away from your water heater.
If you see a pipe coming out of the drainage pipe when putting in your new water heater reconnect it before you finish the job. It is usually a recirculation pipe. This pipe is essential to keeping your water nice and warm without wasting water which will help keep your bills down.
A great way to save a few dollars is to add insulation to your hot water heater. Much of the energy required to heat the water in your home is the expense from keeping the water in the tank hot for when it is needed. Adding an extra layer of insulation can help reduce this cost.
Every year you should check your toilet tanks for leaks by pouring red food coloring into the tank. Leave it in there for an hour and check the toilet bowl water. If the water turns red that means you probably have a leak and you should have it fixed soon.
As you can see hiring a professional plumber is usually an unnecessary and expensive thing to do compared to fixing the problem yourself. Next time your plumbing needs repair try pulling up this article and trying to solve it yourself. You may be surprised how easy it is to do!
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