Water can be a serious source of issues for a homeowner. Next to a natural disaster, the one thing that can ruin your home is a major plumbing issue. Thankfully, owners of homes can take steps to avoid plumbing nightmares.
Don’t let your house temperature drop to below freezing and make sure to insulate anything that is exposed to the outside elements to prevent frozen pipes. But, be advised that your pipes may freeze if the surrounding temperature near those pipes is less than freezing. It takes time for thawing to occur so you can have water again. But, more importantly, the pipes can burst, which will cause a huge mess and big repair bill.
It’s easy to fix noisy pipes which squeak or sound like hammering. Any exposed pipes will need to be anchored. If pipes are located in the floors, ceiling or walls, a professional might be needed for the job.
Septic Tank
Have your septic tank cleaned every five years to keep it in prime condition. This will stop any buildup in your septic tank and prevent any horrible issues. It is a small price to pay now to keep your septic in good working order and prevent having to pay for a major repair caused by a backup.
If your garbage disposal stops working, never try to fix it by reaching down with your hands. Your garbage disposal is a dangerous device, even when turned off. Look for a diagram of the garbage disposal you have on the Internet.
Know your plumbing tools and exactly how to use them before you start on any plumbing repair. Read the instructions, which many people overlook, and check out the internet which has many resources to help with plumbing issues. Think ahead and learn everything you can before tackling a plumbing repair project. If you make things worse rather than better, you’ll have to pay expensive plumbing fees to fix the problems.
Floor Damage
If you want to look for floor damage around your toilet, just check the flooring for softness. An easy way to test for floor softness is by straddling the toilet and shifting your weight. If the floor feels soft when you do this, you have floor damage. You can wind up saving your money simply by noticing the problem early on.
Ensure that the overflow holes in your sinks are not clogged. Overflow holes catch the excess water from an overflowing sink. They may not sound like a matter of great importance until you actually need them. When checking for potential problems and repairs, you should also remove obstructions from the overflow holes.
Try to have all your plumbing repairs done at once. You might be tempted to contact a plumber every time you face a small problem, but if you have problems repaired all at once, you will have time to save money for the fixes. Most plumbers charge an hourly fee that can be minimized if there is only one visit to your home.
When running your garbage disposal, always use a lot of cold water. The cold water keeps your blades sharp, which helps your disposal run smooth. If you use hot water instead of cold, it will turn any fat into liquid and cause the fat to clog your pipes when it later cools and solidifies.
If water is draining into a dishwasher, it is probably because the hose attached to the sink is not installed correctly. The hose between the kitchen sink and the dishwasher has to have a peak in the middle so that the water can’t wash back in the wrong direction.
When your pipes have clogs and you are thinking of using a pipe cleaner, choose a cleaner that is enzyme based. This type of cleaner uses natural bacteria to transform sludge into liquid, that makes it disappear from the pipes. The cleaners that have enzymes are the best you can buy.
If you run your garbage disposal after working in the kitchen, use a large quantity of cold water. Cold water keeps blades sharp and encourage a smoother disposal. Hot water will liquefy grease and build up inside the drain, eventually causing clogs.
Lint Trap
Clean your dryer’s lint trap. This will save you trouble, such as preventing fires. See to it that you look at the lint trap and find out if it has tears or holes in it that could cause lint to go inside your pipes. This could lead to clogs or other problems in the future.
Trying to clean grout caught in a line by yourself is fruitless. You could dislodge the grout and cause it go further down. This will work better if the pipes you have are plastic instead of metal. Yet keep in mind that it is probably going to take professional work to eradicate this problem for you.
If you have clogged pipes and thinking about using a pipe cleaner, one that is enzyme based is highly recommended. These will utilize natural bacteria to transform sludge into a liquid that can be removed. The cleaners which use enzymes are currently rated the best available.
Good education and preparation are the key to avoiding plumbing woes. Any homeowner who is willing to learn more about plumbing will have more favorable outcomes from maintenance and repairs; this may also make the home much safer. Indeed, those who proactively understand plumbing issues are far more likely to be able to solve a problem as soon as it occurs.