When you buy a new home, it’s likely that some sort of plumbing problem will exist. The majority of the time this happens in the kitchen or bathroom. Plumbing troubles are an expected part of home ownership. Here are some tips to help you when that happens.
You don’t want to end up with frozen pipes, so take preventive action, such as wrapping outside pipes with insulation, and keeping indoor temperatures above freezing at all times. Pipes will begin to freeze as soon as they reach freezing temperatures. If pipes do freeze, the best possible scenario would include taking time for the pipes to thaw and any frozen water to drain. Frozen pipes can also burst, which can be very messy and expensive to repair.
In order to prevent any pipes within your home from freezing, you should never let the home temperature get below freezing. Always insulate pipes exposed to elements. If the temperature surrounding the pipes is anywhere below freezing, this can cause the pipes to freeze. It can take a while for the pipes to thaw, which means you will not be able to run water for quite some time. At worst, they will burst and you’ll be paying to repair the damage.
Know your plumbing tools and exactly how to use them before you start on any plumbing repair. Research the project you are going to attempt online, and read the manuals that come with the tools before you use them. Plan thoroughly before attempting a repair. Mistakes can be very expensive to fix.
Use a drain strainer to prevent small particles from sliding down your drain and causing clogs. Every time you have large particles in the strainer of the kitchen sink, it should be cleaned thoroughly. You should also clean your bathtub strainer any time it is slow to drain.
Don’t put oil, grease or fat into your drain. When they cool off, they become hard and will clog your pipes. This is most true if you use a garbage disposal, as the fat causes the blades to function slower and they will become less efficient. To keep your drain running efficiently, dispose of fats and oils in other ways besides pouring them down the drain.
Avoid bleach tablets, blue toilet deodorizers or the other odor removers inside your toilet. These may deodorize, but they can seriously damage the rubber pieces in the toilet, causing poor functionality or even complete breakdown of the fixture.
Garbage Disposal
Keep the garbage disposal clean to make sure it will last as many years as your house does. Cleaning can be done with a variety of things you may already have in your home, such as dish-washing soap, the rinds of lemons, or the pits of cherries. When you create a regular cleaning schedule, you can make sure your garbage disposal runs in tip-top shape and smells fresh and like new.
Install low flush toilets and energy efficient shower heads and faucets to reduce your utility bills. Most of your water bills comes from the water you use to shower. A single energy efficient shower head can save you $100 a year.
Ensure your overflow holes aren’t clogged up. Overflow holes exist to act as a double check in case of an overfilling sink. That may seem unimportant – but it will become a problem if they are clogged. Periodically clear out the overflow holes when doing your other checks for things that may need repaired.
Don’t skimp on quality when it’s time to replace that shower head. Some people think they can get away with the cheapest version at the store. However, they are inexpensive for a reason, this being that they are cheaply made and tend to break a lot easier.
One plumbing repair that costs a lot of money is frozen pipes. This, however, is typically preventable. Start by insulating the outside pipes fully. Once the temperature starts to drop, disconnect your hoses after you have drained them out, and make sure the outside faucet is turned off. This will help to save you money on plumbing bills.
Clean the aerator to fix low pressure problems in case you have sediment buildups. Take out the aerator, pull it apart, and clean inside with a brush soaked in vinegar. Then you can simply rinse off the aerator and reassemble the faucet. By removing any grit, grime and debris from the aerator, the water pressure should significantly increase.
Enzyme based pipe cleaners should be a first choice when you are trying to unclog a pipe that is blocked or draining slowly. These are cleaners that work by using natural bacteria to eat away at your clog, and turn it into a liquid that is then flushed from your pipes. The best options on the market now are enzyme cleaners.
Some people say that when you use the garbage disposal you don’t have to run the water. It is a common misconception that water will aid in flushing the food down the drain. It could even cause food to stick to the blades of the disposal, creating damage.
Plumbing problems are bound to happen, so it’s important to be prepared. Anyone who owns a home needs to have a small arsenal of tools and tips at their disposal, just in case. If you wind up with a future plumbing problem, the advice you have learned from this article will get you through it.