Knowing what you are doing is essential if you plan on undertaking any plumbing projects in your home. There aren’t many ways to destroy a house faster than to leave a major plumbing problem unfixed. Luckily, homeowners have a lot of ways to avoid plumbing issues and ways to minimize the effects of those issues when they happen.
If your pipes make squeaking and hammering noises, it may be very simple to fix. Any exposed pipes will need to be anchored. If pipes are located in the floor, ceiling or walls, you might want to have a professional help you complete the project.
Water hammer problems, pipe noise due to water hitting the back of the pipe, can be easily repaired. Anchor any easily-accessible loose pipes. If the pipes are in the walls, floors or ceiling, you may want to call a professional to come and help complete the project.
To prevent pipes in your house from freezing, do not let the temperature in the house dip below freezing. Also, any pipes exposed to the cold should be insulated. But, be advised that your pipes may freeze if the surrounding temperature near those pipes is less than freezing. If pipes do freeze, the best possible scenario would include taking time for the pipes to thaw and any frozen water to drain. At worst, they will burst and you’ll be paying to repair the damage.
If your home operates on well water and you notice pink or orange stains in your bathtub and other fixtures, this is no doubt due to iron in the water. Luckily, you can quickly fix this by adding some water softener to your supply. You can pick up this product at a lot of stores, or have it shipped out to you.
Always use cold water when your garbage disposal is running. The cold water helps keep the blades sharp and can make disposal much smoother. Hot water will liquefy grease and build up inside the drain, eventually causing clogs.
Do not give a plumber the entire payment for a job until the whole job is completed. You may be required to put some money down before a job is started, but never pay the total cost until you know the job has been completed correctly. You will feel better paying the bill when you are completely satisfied with the job.
Do not flush unneeded things down your toilet if you want to lessen your chance of having issues. Don’t put disposable sanitary objects down the toilet. The sewage system cannot deal with these items and will become clogged. Also, try to use the smallest amount of toilet paper you can.
Good education and preparation are the key to avoiding plumbing woes. A homeowner who learns about plumbing will make wiser decisions and be able to avoid dangerous plumbing issues. It goes without saying that someone who has done research and is prepared before a problem arises will be better capable of fixing things faster.