Looking After your Own Plumbing

Water is a major part of any plumbing issues in homes. Fortunately, there can be many steps taken by homeowners in order to prevent any plumbing nightmares and to avoid calling a plumber as much as possible.

Empty your septic tank after every five years, and maintain it properly. With sediment building up, the septic system can fail altogether. Thoroughly clean out the aerator by using a small brush dipped in vinegar. Rinse off the aerator after cleaning it, and put it back on the faucet. Also, remove any obstacles in aerators in order to improve the water pressure.

It is quite easy to fix noisy pipes. Any exposed pipes can be anchored. Simply cut a hole in the wall or ceiling for doing so.

Do remember that garbage disposal blades can get damaged by pumpkin, chicken sink and bananas. Use your garbage can for storing such materials that your disposal can not handle.

Put strainers in all drains strainers in order to gather particulate matter which can lead to clogging of pipes. Clean out these strainers frequently. Also, keep your bathroom drains cleaned out.

In case of any unwanted water draining into your dishwasher, check out if the hose to the kitchen sink has been installed properly. The hose that goes from the dishwasher to the sink has to angle uphill and then go back downhill in order to prevent water from both of these getting mixed.

Use proper tools and chemicals in order to maintain your pipes and to prevent any kind of blockages. This is especially important for the outside pipes as well as toilet drains.

In order to avoid frozen pipes, ensure that no area of your house will ever fall below freezing point. Also, any pipes that are exposed to these temperatures need to be protected with insulation.

In case of a clogged toilet, resolve this by pouring warm water directly into the toilet bowl. Repeat this till the water in the toilet goes back to its normal level.

Be careful when selecting a drain cleaner. This is because some drain cleaners may even damage your pipes.

Remember that plumbing is not related to water only. There is so much else that you need to know and do in order to develop your plumbing skills.

In order to avoid any kind of toilet problems, never use it like a trash can. Do not flush anything down the toilet except just human waste besides toilet tissue. Never flush sanitary napkins, diapers, or disposable napkins, or any other such material as this will surely lead to a clogged drain along with a backed-up toilet. Also, minimize your toilet paper use.

If you find that a pipe has frozen, use your hairdryer in order to warm it. Use a low heat setting on your hairdryer. It will take some time, but you will not have to call a professional plumber.

In case of any plumbing issue in the toilet, check the flapper first as it is usually the cause behind a lot of problems. Also, the flapper tends to deteriorate much more quickly than any other toilet parts.