The great benefits provided by indoor plumbing are rather hard to explain to a homeowner dealing with a flooded basement, a broken fixture or a leak in a wall. Fewer issues, minus a natural disaster, may cause so much damage to a home like a serious plumbing issue. Thankfully, there are many steps a homeowner can take to prevent plumbing headaches from occurring, while also minimizing problems should they happen.
Anchoring your pipes can eliminate the hammering and squeaking noises caused by loose pipes and fitting. Exposed pipes need to be anchored. You may need the assistance of a professional in the case that the pipes are contained within a floor or ceiling.
Septic Tank
Pump your septic tank about once every five years, to make sure it is working well. This keeps the sediment from building in the tank, which can cause septic tank failure or backup into your house. 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.
Never pay a plumber until the job is complete. 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 need to know the plumber did what he promised before he is reimbursed for the entire amount.
If a plumbing project is in your future, know two things: what tools you have, and how you are supposed to use them. Read your manuals and books, either online or at the library, to teach yourself do it yourself plumbing. Have a good grasp of what you’re attempting to do before you do it, so you don’t have to repair your repair.
You can check for damage to the floors around the toilets by checking for soft areas. Straddle the toilet and rock from one foot to the other to see if you feel any weakening or “softness” in the floor beneath you. It could potentially save money by discovering any problems before too much damage occurs.
If you want avoid future issues with your toilet, don’t treat it like a trash can. For example, don’t flush sanitary pads or diapers down your toilet. These items can clog the pipes. You will also want to use the least amount of toilet paper as required.
Having to repair pipes that freeze could be very costly. Fortunately, frozen pipes are easy to prevent. The first thing to do is make sure that all of the outside pipes are well insulated. Before winter, drain your hoses and disconnect your outdoor faucets. Taking proper precautions can save you lots of money on plumbing bills.
If grout is stuck in your plumbing, getting rid of it is likely not going to be a do it yourself project. You can attempt to break up some of the grout which works to help the line go a bit smoother. This works much better if your home has pipes made of plastic. However, ultimately it usually requires a professional to rid you of this problem.
Garbage Disposal
Don’t run the water while putting food through your garbage disposal. Water will not make your garbage disposal run smoothly. This could actually make the garbage more sticky and cause more issues.
Avoid using drain cleaners as much as possible. If you utilize them too often you can damage your pipes. Rather than using drain cleaners, hire a plumber to fix your blockage problems.
In order to stay away from plumbing problems, you should make sure you are knowledgeable about the basics and prepared for the worst. A person that learns the basics will make less mistakes and avoid hazardous plumbing situations. Also, that savvy homeowner who researches everything and prepares for undertaking a plumbing issue before it really begins is better able to repair the problem more quickly and easily.
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