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Handle Your Plumbing Problems With These Tips
Handle Your Plumbing Problems With These Tips
As fun as planning to do your own plumbing can seem it is a very important reason to start learning how now. Another thing is that it can save you a lot of money in the future so you can handle any issues yourself. These tips below can help you start.
Solder with safety in mind. When you solder a copper pipe you want to direct the flame on the copper pipe. The flame of the torch has to be four inches away from the piping. The flame should be targeted directly at the point where the copper piping needs to be disconnected.
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 dont crack from the cold weather.
Dont use harsh chemicals such as toilet tablets in your toilet. They may get rid of toilet odors but they can damage the rubber in the toilet which can cause it to break down completely or to not function at all.
If you have issues with the plumbing making a hammering sound when you turn it off check your water pressure. Any time your water pressure is above 80 PSI you will hear extra water noise. This can be easily solved by the installation of a pressure-reducing valve which can be done by most homeowners.
Got a leaky pipe? In many cases you can repair this yourself without the expense of a plumber. If a joint is leaking tighten it with a pipe wrench. If the leak is coming from a damaged section of pipe you can try repairing with a store-bought patching kit. One method involves applying waterproof tape to the section of pipe where there is leakage. Before applying the tape make sure the pipe is thoroughly dry. Make sure that the tape covers two to three inches on either side of the breakage in the pipe.
Check overflow holes regularly to prevent blockage. Overflows holes can be used in the event the sink overfills which is a big problem if they are clogged. Inspect and clean the overflow holes as part of your regular household maintenance.
Before you can fix a toilet that does not flush properly it is important that you find out what is causing the problem. Depending on what the problem is you may be able to fix it yourself. However more complicated toilet flushing problems may require the services of a plumber.
If possible try not to use drain cleaners. Drain cleaners contain very corrosive chemicals that can cause damage to your pipes if used too much. If you find that your drain is clogged think about hiring a plumber to do a estimate and tell you what the issue is.
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.
When leaving on vacation or leaving your vacation home be sure to turn off the main water before you leave. If something happens while you are gone you can cause some serious damage from a flooded basement or a broken pipe in the wall that leaks for weeks until you return.
Do you have a frozen drainpipe? You can use a garden hose to thaw it out. First of all remove the trap from the drainpipe and insert the hose until it will not go any further. While lifting up the other end of the hose pour hot water down it. Keep pouring hot water down the hose until the drainpipe thaws. To save time with cleanup keep a bucket underneath to catch the water that overflows.
If you are having any kind of problems with your water line or plumbing in general then you will first want to cut of your water supply. One of the most common mistakes that people make is to leave their water running while they are trying to fix things and this leads to bigger problems.
If you have a lot of hair in your shower drain be sure to get a stopper and put it in the drain. This will catch the hair from going down the drain which can clog it. Just make sure that you remove hair that is already in the drain before using the stopper.
To avoid hair from accumulating and clogging pipes. Use fine mesh strainers in every drain where hair is washed. Fine mesh strainers can catch the hair and still allow the shower tub or sink to drain and are also useful in the kitchen to catch and stop small food debris from going down the drain.
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.
If you are starting a plumbing project due to have discolored water especially black be sure to have your water tested first instead. There could be a mineral build up in your pipes or the source of the problem could be further down the line than you can reach. Most importantly you want to be sure your water is safe for drinking.
Now you see that plumbing is a lot more than haphazardly fixing a tiny leak. It takes skill and work. You dont want to create more problems so why not take some time to learn how to do it right? The above tips should have given you some pointers on how to do that.
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