Water may be the source of all life, but it is sometimes a nemesis to a homeowner with plumbing problems. There are not many ways to destroy a home’s structure than to leave a major plumbing problem.
You can resolve most toilet clogs yourself. Try a plunger first. If plunging the toilet doesn’t seem to clear up a clog, check the toilet’s water level. If it’s too low, try filling a bucket with warm water. Open the toilet’s tank, and pour the water in. Repeat this as many times as necessary until your clog is gone, and you can flush normally once again.
To keep your pipes from freezing in the winter, don’t let temperatures drop under freezing in your home, and be certain to adequately insulate those pipes that are out in the weather. Pipes will begin to freeze if they are exposed to temperatures below freezing. It may take time for thawing to occur so you can have water again. However, frozen pipes commonly break or crack pipes, which will cause an enormous mess and repair bill.
You should clean your septic tank pumped once every five years for best performance. Although it could cost a good deal of money to pump out your 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.
Never put your hands in your garbage disposal to fix a problem. Even when the garbage disposal is turned off they can be dangerous. Troubleshooting techniques and schematics of your garbage disposal are available on the Internet.
Check the floor for any give in order to be sure that there is no damage in the toilet to determine floor damage. You could save money if you catch these issue sooner.
Use a drain strainer to prevent small particles from getting through. The ones in the bathroom can be cleaned out on a regular basis.
Check your floors for softness around toilets, so that you can ascertain if there is any floor damage. Straddle the toilet, then start rocking on each foot to check whether you feel softness or weakening on the floor under you. You can save money if you notice the problem as soon as possible.
Dish Soap
By regularly incorporating a routine using a combination of dish soap, lemon rinds, dish soap and even pits from a cherry, your disposal can be kept smelling fresh and running smoothly for many years to come.
Try to avoid putting things like fat, oils and grease down the sink drain. They might be in liquid form, but after they cool off, they will solidify and make a clog in your drain pipe. This is most true if you use a garbage disposal, as the fat causes the blades to function slower and they will become less efficient. Dispose of your oils in a coffee can or other suitable container instead of your sink.
Schedule your plumbing work at the same time. You might be tempted to call the plumber every time you need something fixed, but if you have problems repaired all at once, you can save up money for repairs. Most plumbers charge an hourly rate and a flat rate for the trip: asking a plumber to fix multiple problems in one trip is cheaper than calling them more than once.
Shower Heads
If your home has well water and you start seeing orange or pink stains, that is from iron in your water supply. This is fixed by using water softener, which can be bought at a store, or you can have someone come to your home and fix it.
Installing efficient shower heads could save you tons of money on your energy bill. Most households use a lot of hot water is consumed in the shower. If you invest in purchasing and installing shower heads that are energy-efficient, you can save hundreds each year on your bills.
If you are seeing water at the bottom of the dishwasher, the likely culprit is a kitchen sink hose not properly attached. The hose from your sink and the dishwasher needs to go up and then down in order for the water of both locations to not mix.
To maintain your garbage disposal and avoid malfunction, you should regularly clean it. By regularly using a mixture of dish soap, cherry pits and citrus rinds, you can ensure that your disposal runs smoothly and smells as fresh as one that is brand new.
Don’t flush anything that is unlikely to dissolve and wind up clogging pipes, sanitary napkins, tissues, paper towels and cotton balls.
Use a cleaner that is enzyme based cleaners when cleaning clogged pipes.Enzyme based cleaners use “good” bacteria to transform the clog into a liquid, making it weak enough to be flushed out. The cleaners that have enzymes are currently rated the best you can buy.
To keep things flowing smoothly through the drain of your bathtub, each month you should feed it baking soda, one cup’s worth, with a cup of vinegar to chase it. Plug the opening or cover it with a cloth while the chemical reaction takes place. After giving the mixture time to work, flush it out by running boiling water through the drain. This procedure should clear the pipes of soap scum and accumulated hair.
The best way to avoid plumbing repair bills is to prevent problems before they happen. One of the most common repairs is clogs. Drains are easily get clogged by hair. It’s a lot easier to take hair that is on a screen than to pull it from a pipe.
Do not expect to clean grout from your plumbing.You can try to break it up to send it on down the flow get better. This works much better if the pipes made of metal.
Ensure your overflow holes aren’t clogged up. Overflow holes exist to act as a double check in case of an overfilling sink. That may seem unimportant – but it will become a problem if they are clogged. Periodically clear out the overflow holes when doing your other checks for things that may need repaired.
As it is with anything, good preparation and education are keys to avoiding problems, and this holds true with plumbing as well. A homeowner is likely to make good decisions and avoid plumbing disasters if he bothers to learn some things about the subject. It is best for one to do one’s research and try fixing one’s plumbing issues before things get worse.