Seeking Good Advice About Plumbing? Check Out These Helpful Solutions!
Plumbing can cost a lot of money, so being prepared and knowing how to take care of your plumbing can be very beneficial to you and your wallet. By knowing how to take care of your plumbing, you can save time and save yourself a lot of money, in the end.
Before starting any plumbing project on your own be sure to do a great deal of research. There are many resources available to assist you in understanding your plumbing system and help you to avoid many common mistakes made by do-it-yourself novices. Reading about other people's mistakes can make the difference of saving or losing money.
The next time you have a clogged drain, avoid the simple solution of dumping drain-clearing chemicals into the pipes. While this method involves the least amount of effort, the chemicals in these liquid cleaners are destructive to your piping. Instead, consider using a little bit of elbow grease with a plunger, snake, or other device designed to clear your clog without chemicals.
Do not put cooking oils, fat, or grease, down your drain. These fats cause clogs by solidifying in pipes. To properly dispose of fats, put them in a bowl with a lid that you can dispose of. Once it gets hard, throw it in the trash or compost bin.
Be careful about using liquid clog cleaners. These liquids can contain chemicals that are extremely bad for your pipes. Instead, use a snake or a plunger to dislodge any clogs you might encounter. Be sure to try these things before giving up and calling a plumber, who will probably re-perform those same acts.
Make sure overflow holes are cleaned out. This can help to prevent any water damage. Overflow holes are a way to stop water from overflowing if a sink is left on by accident. If the overflow hole is clogged it will not be able to do its job.
Do not overload your garbage disposal. If you need to dispose of large items, cut them up into smaller pieces. Also, do not put too much in at a time, put one or two items in and wait a few seconds to dispose of the rest. Overloading your disposal can cause the engine to overheat.
Set the temperature on your hot water heater to a temperature that does not exceed 120 degrees. This helps to save energy and prevents the water from becoming too hot and potentially scalding someone in your household. Older models that do not have a temperature setting should be set on Medium.
In cold climate areas, sometimes the pipes in the plumbing system freeze. You can thaw them out without calling a plumber. Before beginning this process, open the faucet and begin thawing closest to the faucet and then move down the line as sections thaw out. One method you can use is to wrap the pipe with a heavy towel or burlap and then pour hot water over it, set a bucket underneath to catch the water.
Don't shrug off that trickle coming from your toilet as a small problem. Even the tiniest leak can be quite expensive in the long run as you end up wasting potentially hundreds of gallons of water. See if you can find the root of the leak, or seek out professional advice, and keep your toilet running efficiently.
Clean your dryer's lint trap. This is a good idea for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is fire safety. Search the lint trap to see if there are any tears or holes, this helps to prevent lint from getting into the pipes, which can cause clogs and many other problems.
Never pour grease down the kitchen-sink drain. This will help you avoid clogs in your kitchen sink. Place grease in a can or other receptacles and dispose of in the trash. Grease that has congealed on pots, and pans can be wiped off with paper towels that can be thrown in the trash.
When chilly weather approaches, it is time to disconnect your water hoses from your outside faucets. If you forget to do this, water in the hoses can freeze and expand. This can cause the faucets and the connecting pipes inside your house to freeze and break. By simply rolling up your garden hoses and storing them for the winter, you can help prevent costly plumbing repairs.
If you find yourself needing a plumber, don't hire one until you have checked out his or her credentials. Some plumbers are not trained to take on certain tasks, and can end up making your problem much worse. It is always a good idea to get referrals from friends or family members, or to check out reviews about any plumber you are thinking about hiring.
By knowing your plumbing and how it works, as was stated before, can save you a lot of time and money. There's nothing worse than a plumbing accident to mess up your day. So, using the advice from this article, you can be sure to save yourself a big headache!