Sunday, July 8, 2012

Plumbing Like A Pro: Tips, Tricks, And Techniques

Now is a great time to enhance your plumbing knowledge. You have considered it before, but just never set the time aside to do so. If so, keep reading. This article is packed with useful tips and tricks for bringing out your inner plumber.

The flapper and flapper seat in your toilet tank, when damaged, worn or crusted with mineral build-up, allows water to keep running into the toilet bowl on a continuous basis, which drives up your water bills by a great deal. Clean the flapper seat of mineral deposits, and replace the flapper to resolve this issue.

Place a strainer over the drains to collect anything that could clog and cause stoppage. Your kitchen sink strainer must be cleaned whenever it catches anything. Bathtubs should be equipped with strainers as well, and they too will need to be cleaned regularly.

Garden hoses must be disconnected and drained as the winter season approaches. If they are not drained and disconnected, you run the risk of water damage to the pipes they are hooked up to. If the hose is connected in the garage, as long as it stays above freezing, it can stay hooked up there.

Good plumbers do work far beyond unclogging drains. Plumbers are most frequently called upon to repair or clear water lines.

Consider plumbing tools as an investment. You can watch videos online to learn how to do repairs yourself. You can avoid high fees if you don't have to hire a plumber for repairs you can do yourself.

If a pipe in your home freezes, use a hairdryer to try to thaw it. It may take a while to thaw your pipes with this method, but using the gentle heat from the hair dryer will save you from having to use harsher methods or have the expense of calling a plumber.

If you have a well at your home and notice pink or orange stains around the drains of your tub or sink, this is most likely caused by an excess of iron in your water. A water softener will take care of the issue. This can either be done by yourself, or you can hire a professional to come and take care of.

If you want avoid future issues with your toilet, don't treat it like a trash can. Do not flush sanitary pads, paper towels, cotton balls, tissues, diapers or other materials, as these items do not dissolve and could cause clogs. Don't flush massive amounts of toilet paper at once, either. Most of the time, you shouldn't need a lot of toilet paper to clean yourself; don't use more than necessary. If you have an emergency that requires a lot of cleaning, flush toilet paper a little bit at a time instead of all at once.

To keep your septic tank in good working order, it is advisable to have it pumped out every five years. Doing so will help to avoid septic tank problems by ensuring that the tank does not become clogged with sediment. While you may find it costly to get your septic tank cleaned out, the cost is much higher to have sewage and backups cleaned up and your septic tank repaired or replaced.

To increase the useful life of your garbage disposal, clean it out regularly. By regularly incorporating a routine using a combination of dish soap, lemon rinds, and even cherry pits, you can keep your disposal running smoothly and smelling as fresh as the day it was installed.

When you're attempting to determine a problem with your toilet, you should look at the flapper, because it's typically the cause of many problems. Over time, the flapper will degrade, and this may cause leaks. You should first check to ensure the pressure of the chain is right. If the chain isn't the problem, you should replace the flapper due to the fact that it's most likely worn out.

Stop cleaning a persistent clog with harsh drain cleaners. There are some harsh, corrosive chemicals found in these drain cleaners. That's why they work so well to knock out clogs. Over time, they will corrode your pipes. Consider hiring a professional when you have drain problems.

Understanding how to fix basic plumbing problems is a valuable tool for any homeowner. You will be useful to your family, as well as save a ton of cash if you learn how to plumb. Hopefully, you have found this information to be of use and interesting.

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