Simple Tips To Help You Deal With Plumbing Issues
Plumbing can imply a lot of different connotations depending upon whom you ask or talk to about it. We all know that it's essential to your home, but that doesn't mean that you should neglect it or just leave it to a pro. Take some time to learn how to do it yourself using the tips below.
On very cold winter nights, allow your faucets to trickle slightly, especially if your pipes are located in a crawlspace. The running water prevents the pipes from freezing as quickly as they would otherwise. You can catch the water and use it for other household needs to prevent wasting it.
Act quickly if your pipes freeze! Shut off the water and open the faucet, enabling it to drain when it thaws. Starting with the faucet, and working your way to the iced-up area, aim a propane torch or hairdryer at the pipe - this will quickly defrost it. You could also wrap the pipe in a heating pad or aim a heat lamp at it, but this will take quite some time. A last resort is to wrap the pipe in rags and pour boiling water over it.
Knowing about the tools and how you're supposed to use them may greatly help with your plumbing jobs. So be sure to read through all your manuals as well as research as much as you can on the internet where you can gain information to help you with your projects. Plan thoroughly before attempting a repair. Mistakes can be very expensive to fix.
Use your garbage disposal with the cold water running so that you can preserve the blades of the disposal. Using hot water makes grease more liquid and can cause problems, including clogs. Make sure to clean blades by putting in a little dish detergent and run cold water at the same time.
If you have problems with a slow drain, there are easier things you can do other than removing the pipes to clean it. There are certain tools made just for this purpose that you insert into the drain to loosen the clog so it washes away or grab it and remove it completely.
To avoid freezing pipes in the winter, make sure to insulate any exposed pipes in you basement before winter comes. Pay extra attention to pipes near the outside walls. If you have had a problem with any particular pipe freezing in the past, apply some heat tape to insulate those pipes.
Try to limit the amount of hair that goes down your drains. Hair can become tangled up in the pipe and end up blocking up the them, preventing water from flowing smoothly. Buy a cheap screened drain cover to put over your drain to stop any hair from going down and clean it off regularly.
Check your toilet for any leaks. Try dropping a little food coloring in the tank. If you then see the colors show up in the bowl right away, you can be assured that there is an issue that should be addressed.
Rarely used valves can sometimes fuse together. Maintain them with penetrating oil, and turn them every so often to keep them from sticking.
If the pipes have burst in an upstairs area, use a tool to perforate the ceiling underneath in several places and places pots and pans under to catch the water. If this is not done, the weight of the accumulating water could cause a collapse of the entire ceiling.
Protect you plumbing pipes! If you live in an area which has cold winters and are leaving your home for an extended amount of time, protect your plumbing while you are gone! Shut off the main water valve! Drain the system of water by opening the faucets at the highest and lowest points of the house. Also, make sure that you have left some heat on in the house! Set the thermostat to at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
When getting plumbing quotes for your home, make sure you receive them in writing. Your quote should have the material and labor costs so that both parties know what to expect from the job. If you do not get it in writing, when the job starts, you have nothing to fall back on.
You may want to consider tankless water heaters if you want to conserve water in your home. These kind of water heaters heat up your water as soon as it is being used, so you are not wasting energy on keeping your water hot when it is not being used.
It's true that plumbing should be of utmost importance when it comes to home improvement. That said, you should not just leave it until there is a problem and then call a pro. You can learn to take care of it yourself and hopefully these tips gave you advice on how to do that.