There are lots of problems that can go wrong with plumbing.Some of things can be fixed easily, but others can be a little more challenging. Regardless of the difficulty, it is critical that you understand at least the basics of plumbing so that you can fix the problem or get it fixed in a very timely fashion.
Pump your septic tank every five years to keep it working well. Deposit and debris build up in your tank can result in major problems. Although it is somewhat of an expense to pump out a septic tank, it is nothing compared to what you will have to spend on cleaning up a backup of sewage or repairing or replacing your septic system.
To eliminate the possibility of having frozen pipes, insulate all exterior pipes and be sure to keep your interior house temperature above freezing, and insulate external pipes. Your pipes can freeze if temperatures around it is below 32 degrees. It may take time to thaw so you can have running water. However, they might burst, and that could make a mess and result in a big repair bill.
If you have a water pipe that freezes, turn on the tap to the faucet nearest the pipe so that the water has somewhere to exit as the pipe thaws. This will help relieve pressure in pipes to prevent them from bursting, and keeps it from bursting.
Keep a strainer over every drain in your house to prevent stray debris from clogging your pipes. Whenever large particles become trapped in the strainer, remove them. The bathtub strainer will prevent hair from clogging up your drain.
Do not pay your plumber until the problem is fixed. You may have to put money down before they start working, though you should not pay the full cost until you can be certain that the job was done correctly. You want to make sure that the plumber did what he promised before he is reimbursed for the entire amount.
Don’t use any colored tablets in your toilet. These may deodorize, but they have the side effect of damaging the rubber in your toilet, which can prevent your toilet from functioning correctly.
Use lots of cold water when you run your garbage disposal. The blades will stay sharper, and the overall disposal process will run smoother. If you use hot water, any grease in the disposal will turn into liquid, while causes pipe clogging.
Garbage Disposal
Never use your bare hands in your garbage disposal. Even an un-powered garbage disposal is turned off they can be dangerous. You can look online to get schematics or troubleshooting advice for your garbage disposal.
If water that is not supposed to be there is in the dishwasher, the likely culprit is a kitchen sink hose not properly attached. The hose connecting the sink the the dishwasher should be at an uphill angle and then downhill to prevent the water from mixing.
Use strainers on all drains to prevent debris from getting through. The ones in the bathroom can be cleaned out on a regular basis.
Don’t put fat, grease or fat down the drain. This can make your garbage disposal; fats and oils cause blades to run less efficiently and slow. Make sure you dispose of all oils away from the sink.
Don’t skimp on quality when it comes to replacing a shower head. People often times incorrectly believe that it’s alright to buy a cheap shower head. Cheap shower heads are not well-made and are very likely to break. Buying a cheap shower head will end up costing you more money over the long-term.
By regularly “cleaning” the disposal with lemon rinds, cherry pits and citrus rinds, you can ensure that your disposal runs smoothly and smells as fresh as one that is brand new.
Pour baking soda and vinegar down your bathtub drain once a month. Plug up the opening or cover it with a cloth while the chemical reaction to occur. After letting it sit for a few moments, flush the drain with boiling water. Doing this periodically should keep your pipes free of hair accumulations and soap scum.
If your home has low water pressure, you can often fix the problem by cleaning out the aerators on your fixtures. Get rid of the aerator, remove it, and clean it with a brush dipped in some vinegar. Rinse the piece, put it back together, and put it back on the faucet. Doing so will assist in increasing water pressure since obstructions in the aerator are removed in this process.
The key towards maintaining low plumbing repair bills is to prevent problems before they happen.Drain clogs are a very common plumbing issue and sometimes expensive to repair when they are not addressed promptly. Drains easily clogged by hair.It’s a lot easier to take hair out of a screen than eliminating it off a pipe.
Do not attempt to remove grout out of a line by yourself.You could try to break up all the grout to send it further down. This works better with plastic pipes as opposed to metal pipes.
Stop cleaning a persistent clog with harsh drain cleaners. The chemicals in those kinds of drain cleaners can be corrosive and might damage pipes if you keep using them. If you believe your drain is seriously clogged, have a professional plumber examine the line.
Drain Cleaners
Try to avoid the use drain cleaners as often as you can. Drain cleaners use abrasive chemicals that are not only harmful to you but also to your pipes if used too often. If you discover that you have a blocked drain, think about hiring a plumber to do a estimate and tell you what the issue is.
Many people aren’t well-versed in plumbing, and choose to pay whatever the plumber is asking for. If you’re a homeowner, it’s important you know enough to understand what a plumber is doing in your house. This will protect you against scams.
Like this article said, there are a lot of things that can happen to your plumbing. These issues can be small, or they can be big. By taking the advice provided in this article, it does not always need to be a major drama when plumbing issues arise.