It is common for plumbing problems to arise in a newly purchased home. The bathroom and kitchen are the most frequent sites for these problems. Really, at some point every homeowner will deal with some kind of plumbing problem. Here are some tips to help you when that happens.
Anchoring your pipes can eliminate the hammering and squeaking noises caused by loose pipes and fitting. Anchor any easily-accessible loose pipes. If pipes are located in the floor, ceiling or walls, you might want to have a professional help you complete the project.
If you know what tools you should use, it can help you deal with your plumbing problems in the right way. Read every manual, and use the Internet and library to research the projects that you plan on doing. Plan properly prior to beginning any type of repair, because fixing a mistake can cost a lot of money.
Avoid the use of products for your toilet that help with odor, such as bleach tablets. Either kind of toilet tablet might break down obnoxious smells in your toilet, but they might also break down the rubber parts, resulting in malfunction.
Position a strainer over all drains to collect any particles that would otherwise go down the drain and possibly cause a stoppage. Each time a filter is clogged, it should be cleaned. The bathtub strainer will prevent hair from clogging up your drain.
Pour equal parts baking soda followed by vinegar down your bathtub drain once a month. Cover it with a plug or rag, since a chemical reaction should happen in the pipes. Wait for a bit, then flush with boiling water. Doing this periodically should keep your pipes free of hair and soap scum.
Check your fixtures to ensure the overflow holes are clear of debris and mineral build-up. The overflow holes are there to make sure the sink doesn’t overfill, which can become a problem if they are blocked. It’s easy to maintain your plumbing, in this regard. When you’re performing periodic checks, simply clear any overflow holes while checking for other potential problems.
Be sure to clean your dryer’s lint trap. This could prevent you from a tons of trouble, and it can also prevent fires. Check your lint trap for holes to make sure the lint is not going in your plumbing system.
Keeping up with maintenance is the number one way to keep plumbers from having to come fix issues. One of the major repairs is clogs. Built up hair can actually clog drains. Stop hair from going down drains with a drain cover or screen designed for this purpose. Cleaning a screen is is a lot easier than cleaning out your pipe.
Some people say that when you use the garbage disposal you don’t have to run the water. A common misconception is that if you flow water into the disposal while you’re putting solid items down there, the process will be smoother, but that just isn’t true. In point of fact, sending water and garbage through the disposal together can shorten its lifespan by encouraging more waste to stick to the moving parts.
Not being prepared for plumbing issues can prove to be troublesome. Everyone should be ready for common plumbing problems, and have the tools at hand. This tips shared here will allow you to handle plumbing issues more readily when they occur.