2
Tips On How To Handle A Plumbing Situation Your home and belongings can be negatively impacted if you have any plumbing problems. Here are some tips to help you begin fixing whatever plumbing problems you may need help with. To prevent frozen pipes, always keep the living spaces in your house above freezing, even if you aren't home. Any exposed pipes need to be insulated against the outdoor temperatures. The pipes may freeze if the surrounding temperature drops below freezing. In the best situation, it can take hours for frozen pipes to thaw and water to run freely again. The worst case scenario is a busted pipe and a costly repair. To deal with a frozen pipe, turn on the faucet closest to the pipe. This gives the water a place to exit as the pipe defrosts. This assists you in relieving pressure within the pipe, and could stop any bursting from occurring, which can prevent additional damage to your home. Make sure the job gets done by not paying your plumber until you are satisfied, and the work is completed. You may have to put money down before they start working, but avoid paying the total amount until it's done. It is a good thing to know the plumber did his job as 24 hr plumbers he agreed to before he get's all of his money. A strainer positioned over a drain can prevent stoppage by collecting food particles as they try to enter the drain. The strainer used in the kitchen will need to be cleaned frequently. Bathtubs should be equipped with strainers as well, and they too will need to be cleaned regularly. Don't pour cooking grease, leftover frying fat or any oils down your sink drain. They can clog your drains once they cool down. Even with a garbage disposal, you are going to cause it to be less efficient and risk drain backups. Throw away oils nowhere near the sink. If you notice orange or pink stains in your bathroom fixtures, this is because of the iron in your water. To get rid of this problem, you can either use a commercial product to soften the water, or have a contractor come to your home and do the work for you. Don't use your toilet like a trash can, and you minimize potential problems. If you flush improper items such as disposable diapers, facial tissue, cotton balls, paper toweling, tampons or sanitary napkins down the toilet, you will surely have problems with clogs. Also, try to use the smallest amount of toilet paper you can. Be sure to clean your dryer's lint trap. This can prevent fires and malfunctions. Regularly check your lint trap for rips or holes which could let lint escape into your pipes and cause clogging. The best way to avoid plumbing bills is to prevent problems before they happen. Clogged drains are one of the more common issues when it comes to plumbing problems. Clogs in drains are often caused by buildups of hair. A drain cover or screen can be used to stop hair from going down the drain and into the pipes. You can remove hair much easier from a screen as opposed to getting it out of the inside of a pipe. Sometimes low pressure in water lines can be fixed just by cleaning sediment out of the aerator. You need to remove, disassemble, and clean the aerator with vinegar and a small brush. Rinse your aerator, put it back together and back into the faucet. Doing so will assist in increasing water

Tips On How To Handle A Plumbing Situation

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: Tips On How To Handle A Plumbing Situation

Tips On How To Handle A Plumbing Situation

Your home and belongings can be negatively impacted if you have any plumbing problems. Here aresome tips to help you begin fixing whatever plumbing problems you may need help with.

To prevent frozen pipes, always keep the living spaces in your house above freezing, even if youaren't home. Any exposed pipes need to be insulated against the outdoor temperatures. The pipesmay freeze if the surrounding temperature drops below freezing. In the best situation, it can takehours for frozen pipes to thaw and water to run freely again. The worst case scenario is a bustedpipe and a costly repair.

To deal with a frozen pipe, turn on the faucet closest to the pipe. This gives the water a place to exitas the pipe defrosts. This assists you in relieving pressure within the pipe, and could stop anybursting from occurring, which can prevent additional damage to your home.

Make sure the job gets done by not paying your plumber until you are satisfied, and the work iscompleted. You may have to put money down before they start working, but avoid paying the totalamount until it's done. It is a good thing to know the plumber did his job as 24 hr plumbers heagreed to before he get's all of his money.

A strainer positioned over a drain can prevent stoppage by collecting food particles as they try toenter the drain. The strainer used in the kitchen will need to be cleaned frequently. Bathtubs shouldbe equipped with strainers as well, and they too will need to be cleaned regularly.

Don't pour cooking grease, leftover frying fat or any oils down your sink drain. They can clog yourdrains once they cool down. Even with a garbage disposal, you are going to cause it to be lessefficient and risk drain backups. Throw away oils nowhere near the sink.

If you notice orange or pink stains in your bathroom fixtures, this is because of the iron in yourwater. To get rid of this problem, you can either use a commercial product to soften the water, orhave a contractor come to your home and do the work for you.

Don't use your toilet like a trash can, and you minimize potential problems. If you flush improperitems such as disposable diapers, facial tissue, cotton balls, paper toweling, tampons or sanitarynapkins down the toilet, you will surely have problems with clogs. Also, try to use the smallestamount of toilet paper you can.

Be sure to clean your dryer's lint trap. This can prevent fires and malfunctions. Regularly check yourlint trap for rips or holes which could let lint escape into your pipes and cause clogging.

The best way to avoid plumbing bills is to prevent problems before they happen. Clogged drains areone of the more common issues when it comes to plumbing problems. Clogs in drains are oftencaused by buildups of hair. A drain cover or screen can be used to stop hair from going down thedrain and into the pipes. You can remove hair much easier from a screen as opposed to getting it outof the inside of a pipe.

Sometimes low pressure in water lines can be fixed just by cleaning sediment out of the aerator. Youneed to remove, disassemble, and clean the aerator with vinegar and a small brush. Rinse youraerator, put it back together and back into the faucet. Doing so will assist in increasing water

Page 2: Tips On How To Handle A Plumbing Situation

pressure since obstructions in the aerator are removed in this process.

There are two ways to remove stubborn clean-out plugs. First, you can hammer a chisel around thefitting base to loosen it. Your other option to try is to chisel through the out plug.

If you find yourself needing a plumber, don't hire one until you have checked out his or hercredentials. Hiring a plumber who is not experienced enough for your problem could make thesituation worse. Check the reviews on any plumber you are considering, and ask friends and familyfor the name of a plumber that they use and trust.

Realize that branch lines can get blocked and cause sewage backups that affect main lines. If youhave tried and cannot remove the blockage, you will need a plumber to come to your home and runthe plumbing snake down into the toilet to clear the blockage.

As we near the winter months, you should check that none of your outdoor faucets are drippy orleaking water. If they are, it is important to have all repairs completed before the temperatures dropbelow freezing. Whatever the material of your pipes, freezing water causes pressure that can makethem crack. Even a small crack can cause a lot of damages to your home.

Many individuals have no idea what is involved in plumbing, so they willingly spend large amounts ofmoney to have a plumber make repairs. If you own a home, you should be educated in what theprofessional is doing. By gaining this education, you can protect yourself from getting ripped off by ashady plumber.

Plumbing issues can be a real pain, but with the right information, you can get them under control.Asking around and doing a bit of homework may get you some positive results. Help yourself out andtry following the tips provided above to fix all your plumbing problems.