Want Excellent Plumbing Advice? Then Check Out The Article Below!
Problems with plumbing can have an adverse effect on your house and your belongings. Here are some ways to prevent problems, as well as steps to take when you do have a plumbing issue.
To winterize a house that will sit unused during the winter months, you must completely drain all of the pipes. After turning off the main water supply, let all of the water drain from the faucets, toilets, and water heater (turn off the gas). Add a quart of antifreeze to sinks and the tub to prevent water from freezing in the drain trap.
To avoid wasting water and having a potentially high water bill, check your home for leaky faucets periodically. Fix any leaks that you find right away. You may be able to do the repair yourself, but if not, you may have to seek the services of a plumber to make the repairs.
Unclog drains with ease. Try using a plunger and drain cleaner, as your clog may simply be a build-up of hair and debris. If this doesn't work you may have to clear the drain with a snake. Feed the snake into the drain line as far as it will go. Turn the crank gently, which will help to loosen the clog. Remove the snake, and run water down the drain to see if the clog has been removed. You may have to use the snake a couple of times, before the clog is cleared so don't give up!
If water is not coming to the dishwasher, you most likely have a blockage somewhere. You will need to turn off the water supply and remove the hose that leads to the dishwasher. After securing the hose, turn the water back on. See if it feeds into a bowl. If not, then you must find the block where it is at which may include removing more piping.
Drain the sediment from the bottom of your hot water heater twice a year to keep the hot water heater working at its optimal levels. Simply open the drain valve and allow the water to run out into a bucket until the water runs clear. Then close the drain valve.
In order to keep your plumbing bills as low as possible, keep in mind prevention is key. Clogged drains are a major problem that often requires professional help. This is because pipes can retain and trap hair, and other particles, very easily. You can stop this by using a screen or drain cover that is designed to keep hair out of your drain and pipes. It is easy to get the hair out of a screen; however, removing it from a pipe is a different story.
If your home has low water pressure, you can often fix the problem by cleaning out the aerators on your fixtures. Remove the aerator, and then take it apart so it can be cleaned with a brush that has been dipped in vinegar. Wash it off, put it back together and connect the aerator to the faucet. This should remove any obstructions that were in the aerator, thereby improving your water pressure.
When you wash your hands, be sure that you have not left any soap on the faucet handles. What people do not know is that leaving soap on these fixtures can cause fixtures to corrode. Just take two seconds after you are done washing your hands to remove excess soap from the handles.
During the winter months, your water heater works the hardest. To keep it in optimum condition, flush it out before winter arrives. Flushing the system helps remove the sediment buildup, which causes internal corrosion of your water heater, shortens its lifespan, and reduces heating efficiency. Connect a hose to the faucet near the bottom of the tank and drain several gallons by directing the water into a nearby drain.
Avoid flushing cotton balls, cotton swabs and any feminine sanitary products down the toilet. Even small panty liners can cause big problems because their adhesive backing can stick to pipes and cause stoppages. Keep a small, covered wastebasket next to the toilet to encourage guests to properly dispose of used sanitary articles.
A great way to save a few dollars is to add insulation to your hot water heater. Much of the energy required to heat the water in your home is the expense from keeping the water in the tank hot for when it is needed. Adding an extra layer of insulation can help reduce this cost.
Let's face it, if you are not a plumber, you probably can't solve a plumbing problem without a lot of headaches and hard work. It just takes research and perhaps asking a plumber what to do and how to fix it properly. Do the smart thing for yourself and apply the advice in this article to fix your plumbing problems.