Article written by-Thestrup Graham

Having good plumbing is very important to having a safe and healthy home. There are many reasons why calling a plumber might not be an option, and in some cases it is not even necessary. This article can be a great database of knowledge for helping you maintain and fix your own plumbing.

Before starting any plumbing project on your own be sure to do a great deal of research. There are many resources available to assist you in understanding your plumbing system and help you to avoid many common mistakes made by do-it-yourself novices. Reading about other people's mistakes can make the difference of saving or losing money.





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.

Pass on seemingly convenient cleaning products like bleach tablets and blue toilet tabs. While they may be effective deodorizers, they can damage rubber parts in your toilet. If they become too damaged, your toilet will not operate properly.

In order to avoid unsightly and unnecessary clogs in your shower, invest in a drain strainer. This cost-effective addition to your shower will gather your hair before it makes it to the drain, and limit the chances that you will find yourself showering while standing in a clogged up mess.

At least once a year remove the faucet aerator and clean the screens. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lFgUchgS6b6r-7IlbOYftLA0Dk4f7H-R?usp=sharing helps it properly function. The function of a faucet aerator is to allow for an even flow of water and to conserve water. Be sure to clean out the aerator and you'll notice a these things working.

To keep possible toilet problems as small as possible, you should prevent using it like it's a trash can. Never flush paper towels, tissue, diapers, or tampons. These things do not break up correctly and can clog your pipes. Additionally, use the minimum amount of toilet paper required to clean up after you are done.

Be careful with putting household cleaners in your toilet. They can cause the toilet to malfunction. The debris that these cleaners leave can sit in your toilet's pipes and harden, making them almost impossible to get rid of. If it does harden, it usually requires the help of a professional.

To make sure there is no accident or sudden rush of water when you tackle a plumbing project, make sure you are ready for a cleanup. If you go into the work with a huge stack of towels and blankets ready to absorb water, the prospect of needing to actually do it will keep you alert enough to avoid triggering the accident in the first place.

Everyone in your home should know where the main water shut off valve is. By knowing where to find this valve, you'll be able to shut off the water in the event a pipe bursts, a bathtub or toilet overflows or any other emergency that requires you to turn off the water.

Do not place items in the toilets that do not belong there. For example, if you are a female, do not throw away sanitary pads or tampons in your toilet. This could cause severe damage to your toilet that could require a plumber, or even worse, a whole new toilet!

During the warm seasons, you will see that there will be many bird nests forming in and around your plumbing vent pipes. It is essential to clear these out, as they can have a devastating effect on the quality of your plumbing and the flow of water in your home.

When you are working on any kind of plumbing project, you always need a backup person. This is because, when working with water, you never know when an emergency can happen and that second pair of hands can come in very useful! This can even be an unskilled person who can follow directions.

Use a foaming root killer, twice yearly, to remove tree roots that can bring your drains to a standstill. Foaming products fill the entire pipe with chemicals, killing roots that grow from the top of the pipe as well as the part that water flows through. They are more effective than regular root killers for this reason.

Sometimes in the case of minor and or major emergencies we all have to become Mr. Fix it ourselves. If you've got blockage in your drains the first step is to try a commercial de-clogger like Drano. Simply pour it down the drain, wait ten minutes, and presto, your drain should be clear.

If you ever put food down the garbage disposer after a meal, make sure that you run cold water for about 15 seconds to help drain the excess debris. This will help in flushing out the excess particles down your drain, which otherwise, can build up and cause a clog, eventually.

Always keep a trash bin in the bathroom so that you can dispose of cotton swabs, facial pads, and hair. Do not put these materials in the toilet as they can cause clogs over time and disrupt your water flow. These items will not dissolve or break down when submerged in water.

If you have hard water, check intake hoses for washing machines and ice makers often to prevent them from splitting open from buildup. plumbing information columbus can be used to remove buildup, but replacing hoses is an economical method as well to take care of the issue. Change out hoses when you change the batteries in your smoke alarms to stop unexpected floods.

With the proper knowledge, you can accomplish plumbing tasks, if you take the time to learn and perform all of the steps correctly. Now that you have the information that you need, in order to accomplish your plumbing needs, don't waste any time trying to fix your plumbing problems.