SPOILER ALERT!
Plumbing Is Not As Hard As It Seems
Staff Writer-McDowell Ismail
Water may be the source of all life, but it can also be a nemesis to the frustrated homeowner dealing with plumbing problems. Except for a natural disaster, there are only a few problems which can cause more extensive damage than a plumbing issue. Luckily, homeowners have a lot of ways to avoid plumbing issues and ways to minimize the effects of those issues when they happen.
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.
Periodically check your pipes for leaks and cracks. These can be forgotten, since pipes are usually hidden away, but checking for leaks and cracks can help you identify a small problem before a big problem occurs. You may have to enlist the help of a family member to turn on and off the water stream as you are checking.
You can save lots on energy with efficient shower heads. Your shower consumes a majority of the hot water usage in your home. Invest in an energy-efficient shower head and you could save a hundred dollar every year on your water bill.
You need to winter-proof your house. You have to make sure you switch of the master circuit breaker or the shut-off valve before you leave your house. Since one small hole or congested water can quickly freeze and cause pipes to break and expand, you need to drain and open all outdoor and household water lines.
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.
Treating your drains every month is a great way to avoid future clogs and other problems, and it's a very simple procedure. Just run one to two gallons of hot tap water down each drain in your house.
If you have drains in your house that have not been used for a long period of time, pour one gallon of water through them to keep them functional. Furthermore, this will have the added benefit of reducing any odors from entering your house from lack of use during the year.
When chilly weather approaches, it is time to disconnect your water hoses from your outside faucets. If you forget to do this, water in the hoses can freeze and expand. This can cause the faucets and the connecting pipes inside your house to freeze and break. By simply rolling up your garden hoses and storing them for the winter, you can help prevent costly plumbing repairs.
There are simple ways to check your toilet for leaks that can ultimately lead to great cost savings in the long run. The easiest way to do this is to pour a small amount of food dye into the holding tank of your toilet overnight. In the morning, if you have any color in the basin then you know you have a leak that needs some attention.
Every now and then, you should pour a large bucket of water down your basement floor drain. This will help to keep the trap seal full and prevent certain gases from coming up into your home. Also, be sure that you have your floor drain checked by a professional every few years.
Hair can clog your drains if you do not clean them regularly. You could also get some screens to place over your drains to keep most of the hair from going down. Hair usually breaks down, but it can cause your drains to back up if they are present in large quantity.
Have a specific plumber in mind before you have an emergency. Most people don't think about plumbers until they find themselves having a big problem that needs to be fixed right away. Instead, choose a plumber who you are comfortable with and whose experience you trust--way before you actually need his services.
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.
In the winter months, if you live somewhere where temperatures fall below freezing, leave your faucets on a little bit to let a thin stream of water through. This will help prevent the pipes from freezing, which could be a major problem for you and all the pipes in your home.
Make sure Affordable Plumbing Greenwood that you hire can handle the type of job you have. There are many aspects to plumbing and many contractors can do almost all of them, but some are better suited to doing work involved in specific areas. If need a plumber for your septic system, get one that specializes in septic systems.
When leaving on vacation or leaving your vacation home, be sure to turn off the main water before you leave. If Heating Plumbing happens while you are gone you can cause some serious damage from a flooded basement or a broken pipe in the wall that leaks for weeks until you return.
Keep a grease vat in your kitchen to pour all used cooking grease into. Grease is a big reason that kitchen drains slow and eventually, stop up. Even the harshest drain cleaning products, tend to not be a match for a heavy grease clog. The grease you save in the vat can be formed into balls and rolled in bird seed for wonderful winter bird feeders.
If you notice a leak somewhere in your walls, turn off the water supply, and contact a plumber at once. This usually indicates a serious plumbing problem. These problems could potentially cause flooding as well as mold and mildew, which may be harmful to your health.
Now you should be much more prepared when it comes to plumbing. If you thought that you were ready before, well you should now be an expert! The tips that were given should have provided you some advice that can help you get started with maintaining and fixing your own plumbing.
Water may be the source of all life, but it can also be a nemesis to the frustrated homeowner dealing with plumbing problems. Except for a natural disaster, there are only a few problems which can cause more extensive damage than a plumbing issue. Luckily, homeowners have a lot of ways to avoid plumbing issues and ways to minimize the effects of those issues when they happen.
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.
Periodically check your pipes for leaks and cracks. These can be forgotten, since pipes are usually hidden away, but checking for leaks and cracks can help you identify a small problem before a big problem occurs. You may have to enlist the help of a family member to turn on and off the water stream as you are checking.
You can save lots on energy with efficient shower heads. Your shower consumes a majority of the hot water usage in your home. Invest in an energy-efficient shower head and you could save a hundred dollar every year on your water bill.
You need to winter-proof your house. You have to make sure you switch of the master circuit breaker or the shut-off valve before you leave your house. Since one small hole or congested water can quickly freeze and cause pipes to break and expand, you need to drain and open all outdoor and household water lines.
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.
Treating your drains every month is a great way to avoid future clogs and other problems, and it's a very simple procedure. Just run one to two gallons of hot tap water down each drain in your house.
If you have drains in your house that have not been used for a long period of time, pour one gallon of water through them to keep them functional. Furthermore, this will have the added benefit of reducing any odors from entering your house from lack of use during the year.
When chilly weather approaches, it is time to disconnect your water hoses from your outside faucets. If you forget to do this, water in the hoses can freeze and expand. This can cause the faucets and the connecting pipes inside your house to freeze and break. By simply rolling up your garden hoses and storing them for the winter, you can help prevent costly plumbing repairs.
There are simple ways to check your toilet for leaks that can ultimately lead to great cost savings in the long run. The easiest way to do this is to pour a small amount of food dye into the holding tank of your toilet overnight. In the morning, if you have any color in the basin then you know you have a leak that needs some attention.
Every now and then, you should pour a large bucket of water down your basement floor drain. This will help to keep the trap seal full and prevent certain gases from coming up into your home. Also, be sure that you have your floor drain checked by a professional every few years.
Hair can clog your drains if you do not clean them regularly. You could also get some screens to place over your drains to keep most of the hair from going down. Hair usually breaks down, but it can cause your drains to back up if they are present in large quantity.
Have a specific plumber in mind before you have an emergency. Most people don't think about plumbers until they find themselves having a big problem that needs to be fixed right away. Instead, choose a plumber who you are comfortable with and whose experience you trust--way before you actually need his services.
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.
In the winter months, if you live somewhere where temperatures fall below freezing, leave your faucets on a little bit to let a thin stream of water through. This will help prevent the pipes from freezing, which could be a major problem for you and all the pipes in your home.
Make sure Affordable Plumbing Greenwood that you hire can handle the type of job you have. There are many aspects to plumbing and many contractors can do almost all of them, but some are better suited to doing work involved in specific areas. If need a plumber for your septic system, get one that specializes in septic systems.
When leaving on vacation or leaving your vacation home, be sure to turn off the main water before you leave. If Heating Plumbing happens while you are gone you can cause some serious damage from a flooded basement or a broken pipe in the wall that leaks for weeks until you return.
Keep a grease vat in your kitchen to pour all used cooking grease into. Grease is a big reason that kitchen drains slow and eventually, stop up. Even the harshest drain cleaning products, tend to not be a match for a heavy grease clog. The grease you save in the vat can be formed into balls and rolled in bird seed for wonderful winter bird feeders.
If you notice a leak somewhere in your walls, turn off the water supply, and contact a plumber at once. This usually indicates a serious plumbing problem. These problems could potentially cause flooding as well as mold and mildew, which may be harmful to your health.
Now you should be much more prepared when it comes to plumbing. If you thought that you were ready before, well you should now be an expert! The tips that were given should have provided you some advice that can help you get started with maintaining and fixing your own plumbing.
