Plumbing problems can seem catastrophic if you don’t know how to fix them. Hiring a professional can take way too long and cost way too much for a problem that probably could have been solved without a lot of trouble, if you only knew how. Keep reading to discover ways to make plumbing repairs and fixes that much easier!
If you aren’t having any luck using a plunger on a clogged toilet, you may want to try pouring warm water into it from waist high. Once the water level is low again, you may repeated this procedure.
Never reach into a garbage disposal that you think isn’t working. A garbage disposal can be dangerous, even when it is not on. Locate a diagram of the garbage disposal, or some sort of troubleshooter, online.
Each month, treat your drains by pouring one cup of baking soda down it, and then follow that with a cup of regular white vinegar. Cover with a rag or plug, as a chemical reaction will occur in the pipes. Wait for a little while, and then pour boiling water down the drain. This should help clear your pipes of accumulated hair and soap scum.
Install low flush toilets and energy efficient shower heads and faucets to reduce your utility bills. Energy efficient shower heads can save you money on your energy bill and water bill. If you use energy efficient heads for your showers, you can save hundreds each year on your bills.
The key towards maintaining low plumbing repair bills is prevention. One major repair is a drain clog. Drains easily get clogged by hair. This can be prevented by using a drain cover or screen to keep the hair from going down the drain. It’s more convenient to remove hair before it has a chance to get down the drain and into the pipes.
Clean the buildup of sediment from your aerator to increase your water pressure if it’s low. You need to remove, disassemble, and clean the aerator with vinegar and a small brush. Then simply rinse and reattach the aerator. Doing so will assist in increasing water pressure since obstructions in the aerator are removed in this process.
If there is grout stuck in your line, it is most likely going to be a lost cause attempting to clean it all yourself. With a little effort, you can get some of the grout broken down and on its way down the line. This works best if your pipes are plastic rather than metal. However, usually you will need the services of a professional to get rid of this problem.
When running your garbage disposal, plumbers recommend using only cold water to help ease food particles down the drain. It seems like water would help make the disposal function more smoothly, and many people simply assume that this is so, but it is not really the case. The truth is that water could make garbage stick to the disposal, which might create a problem later.
As you can see, plumbing problems don’t have to be so difficult. If you can solve the problem yourself, you can save time waiting for a plumber, as well as saving a whole lot of money. Try applying what you’ve learned from this article next time you have a plumbing problem!