Once you own a home, you can expect problems to arise with your plumbing sooner or later. The kitchen and the bathroom are the most common places that plumbing problems occur. All homeowners eventually deal with plumbing problems. Here’s some tips to use when this happens.
If your pipes are making a racket, there is a simple way to quiet them down. You will need to anchor any exposed pipes. Pipes that are contained within the floors, walls and ceilings may need to be attended by a professional plumber.
To prevent pipes in your house from freezing, do not let the temperature in the house dip below freezing. Also, any pipes exposed to the cold should be insulated. It is easy for pipes to freeze whenever the mean temperature near the pipes drop below freezing. If pipes do freeze, the best possible scenario would include taking time for the pipes to thaw and any frozen water to drain. But, they could also burst, causing a mess and a large repair bill.
You can prevent frozen pipes within the home, by ensuring the temperature does not fall below freezing. Another important step is insulating pipes that are exposed to cold temperatures. The pipes will be able to freeze if the temperature surrounding the pipes drops below freezing. It could take some time in order for the pipes to thaw out so that you can have running water. On the other hand, they can burst, which gets messy and really expensive.
Don’t pay a plumber midway through the job. Although you might be required to pay a down payment before the job is initiated, never pay the bill in full until you are certain that the job is completed to your satisfaction. You need to know the plumber did what he promised before he is reimbursed for the entire amount.
Avoid bleach tablets, blue toilet deodorizers or the other odor removers inside your toilet. While they may make your toilet smell pretty, they can erode the rubber parts in the toilet and cause it to stop working.
Never put your hands in your garbage disposal to fix a problem. Even when in the off position, garbage disposals are dangerous. Use a guide or the Internet to locate a blueprint of your disposal, or a troubleshooting manual.
Never reach into a garbage disposal that you think isn’t working. Even when in the off position, garbage disposals are dangerous. It’s advised to obtain a diagram, possibly off of the Internet, that depicts your machine in accurate detail.
Place a strainer on top of every drain so that you collect all debris that has the ability to clog the drain. Your kitchen sink strainer must be cleaned whenever it catches anything. You should also clean your bathtub strainer any time it is slow to drain.
Try to never pour grease, fat, or any oil-based liquids into your drains. They can clog your drains once they cool down. If the sink has a garbage disposal, it will also make the blades less efficient. Dispose of oils and fatty liquids in the trash.
Use a drain strainer to prevent small particles from sliding down your drain and causing clogs. Clean out the one in the kitchen whenever there’s something trapped there that shouldn’t be. Kitchen filters should be changed often, while bathtub filters can be changed as needed.
Water that leaves behind pink or orange tinged stains has an excessive amount of iron. You can combat this by using a water softener. You can either purchase it at a store, or hire a company to come to your house to set it up for you.
Pour equal parts baking soda followed by vinegar down your bathtub drain once a month. The combination will cause a chemical reaction, so just place a cloth or other object over the drain after pouring. Wait for a bit, then flush with boiling water. This simple solution can break up clogs caused by everything from hair to soap scum.
It is very important to to use lots of cold water when running your garbage disposal. The cold water will help keep the blades nice and sharp and will allow for a much smoother disposal. Hot water is not recommended because of what it does to greasy products.
Pour equal parts baking soda followed by vinegar down your bathtub drain once a month. Cover with a rag or plug, as a chemical reaction will occur in the pipes. Wait for a bit, then flush with boiling water. This procedure should be able to clear pipes of hair and soap scum.
If you notice water draining into your dishwater, check your kitchen sink. The hose might not be installed properly. The hose from your sink to your dishwasher needs to go upward before going back down so that there is no mixing between fixtures.
When replacing your shower head, spend the money on a high-quality model. Some people think it’s alright to get the cheapest head for your shower in the store. Cheap shower heads can break much more easily.
Being prepared for plumbing problems is essential. If you own your own home, you should know some basic plumbing skills, and have the tools ready to go. The next time something goes wrong, you’ll be ready.
Clean the aerator to fix low pressure problems in case you have sediment buildups. A small brush (an old toothbrush is ideal) dipped in vinegar will do a great job on the aerator after it’s been removed and disassembled. Rinse the piece, put it back together, and put it back on the faucet. This should help increase the water pressure, because any obstacles in the aerator will have been removed.