Content by-Payne Lohse
When you think of plumbing, do you just see it as a hidden and mysterious network of pipes and pumps that makes your toilets and sinks work? If so, then you are very unlikely to have a go at mauntaining or repairing the system.
drain blockage is not actually that complicated, and there are many things that you can do yourself to maintain and repair your system. Read on to find out how.
Avoid frozen pipes this winter! Keep a small trickle of water dripping from faucets, and wrap your uninsulated pipes with foam or newspaper. If possible, keep the doors open between unheated and heated rooms. In an unheated area such as a garage or laundry room, keep a small heater next to the pipes. Remember to do this before the first cold snap hits.
Don't let your house temperature drop to below freezing and make sure to insulate anything that is exposed to the outside elements to prevent frozen pipes. Obviously, frozen pipes occur due to freezing environmental conditions. Even in the best case scenario, it will take hours for thawing to happen before you have running water again. Frozen pipes can also burst, which can be very messy and expensive to repair.
You do not give the plumber all the money until he is finished with his work. You may need to pay some money in the beginning, though you should not pay the full cost until you can be certain that the job was done correctly. This ensures that the plumber will not abandon the job midway, and will also care about the quality of their work more.
Place a strainer on top of every drain so that you collect all debris that has the ability to clog the drain. Clean debris from these strainers after each use. Clean bathtub drain screens as often as needed.
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.
Have you tried patching your pipe with the store-bought patching kits only to have that section of your plumbing continue leaking? Replacing the damaged pipe is a more permanent solution than patching. First, you must shut off the main water valve, and drain the water from the damaged section. Cut out the damaged section of the copper pipe, leaving about an inch of extra pipe on both sides of the damaged area. Remove corrosion from inside the pipes with a wire brush. Apply flux to the replacement pipe and the remaining pipe. Slide the piece of replacement pipe into place with couplings. Apply solder all around the joint, and use a propane torch to solder the replacement section into place.
If you have an odor coming from one or more fixtures in your house, it is likely this has to do with the water in water traps. Each fixture has a water trap that is sealed off to prevent odors. If the water evaporates, the odors can surface. Therefore, try adding water to the traps.
If your sewer is backed up, there are things you can do to troubleshoot and clean, including renting equipment like a main line cable. However, often times this does not fully take care of the problem. A professional needs to assess the issue then, using a camera method, and thoroughly cleaning the main line.
One way to prevent water heater problems is to turn down the heat. As long as the water is still as hot as needed for showers and washing dishes, turning it down won't hurt anything, and will extend the life of the heater. Holding very hot water can corrode the inside.
If you are looking to get new piping in your home, try to stay away from copper ones. Copper tends to have problems, due to water and soil corrosion. It is also harder to install these kinds of pipes. Steel or lead pipes tend to offer the best quality and are the most durable.
If you have an odor coming from one or more fixtures in your house, it is likely this has to do with the water in water traps.
http://franklyn0roberto.blogzet.com/find-out-just-how-to-deal-with-any-type-of-pipes-issue-13519800 has a water trap that is sealed off to prevent odors. If the water evaporates, the odors can surface. Therefore, try adding water to the traps.
Make sure to never leave any flammable liquids near your water heater. Certain liquids like gasoline, solvents, or adhesives are flammable, and if left too close to the water heater, can ignite. If you have to have these liquids in your basement, place it far away from your water heater.
To avoid
http://dannie70greg.tribunablog.com/locating-the-right-individual-for-your-plumbing-demands-12950593 from accumulating and clogging pipes. Use fine mesh strainers in every drain where hair is washed. Fine mesh strainers can catch the hair and still allow the shower, tub or sink to drain and are also useful in the kitchen to catch and stop small food debris from going down the drain.
You should always know where the main water cut-off valve is located on your property. You can locate a water meter close to it. Many fixtures, such as sinks or toilets, will have their own valves to shut off the water to them. Add marks to the valves so everyone in your household knows what direction to turn the valves in case they need to cut them off in case the need should arise.
Plumbing is something that can be done as a hobby, or as a way to make some extra money. If you feel that your skills have progressed a good deal, then you could consider using it is as a way to supplement your primary income by helping out neighbors and co-workers.
If your kitchen sink sprayer hose is hard to get out, it might be catching the valve underneath the sink. Protect the valve with an insulation foam pipe. Cut the foam pipe in half and place it over the valve. Tape it if you need to. You can repeat this operation on other valves too if they are exposed.
When installing a new water heater you need to keep your budget in mind for the upcoming purchase. Low entry gas water heaters usually start around $200 and they usually hold 40 to 50 gallons. Higher line heaters start around $400 and they usually have extra features like 12 year warranties.
If attempting a plumbing repair yourself, be sure and have plenty of buckets on hand to catch spilling water. While you may have turned off the water supply, there is always some water left in the pipes and the larger the home and more extensive the plumbing system, the more water you may encounter.
Isn't doing your own plumbing a lot of fun? As you have seen in this article, there are a lot of ways this can be done and no two techniques or equipemnt will yield the same results. There are also lots of customizable options that can work with your home and budget.