Content written by-High Ogle
While it's the source of life, water is the enemy of a homeowner facing plumbing problems. Next to a natural disaster, the one thing that can ruin your home is a major plumbing issue. There are a lot of things homeowners can do to prevent serious plumbing problems and reduce the effects if they do happen.
You always want to solder correctly, the biggest mistake most people make when soldering is failing to get the interior of the fitting and the exterior of the pipe clean and shiny. Polish these surfaces with a fine emery clot until bright. When soldering, never heat the pipe, but instead heat the fitting. Doing so allows the solder to be drawn into the fitting by capillary action.
If any water pipe that you have freezes, be sure to turn on the faucet that is closes to the pipe to give the water an exit as the pipe thaws. Letting the water drain out will relieve pressure in the frozen pipe, which will reduce the chances of it bursting and damaging your home.
Do not use your toilet to get rid of garbage. Don't flush items like paper towels, sanitary napkins, diapers or cotton balls, because these items don't break down and may cause clogging issues. Try to minimize the amount of toilet tissue that gets flushed, too - but don't neglect basic hygiene!
If your water is coming out black, then most likely you have an iron and magnesium issue to your water. You need to contact a water softener company, and get them to come out and assess your water. They will be able to fix the problem by adding a water softener.
While it may seem like a seemingly harmless thing to do, never run potato peels through your garbage disposal. The chemical make up of this seemingly harmless food allows the potato to turn into a thick, viscous substance that can wreak havoc on the disposal itself, with the potential to render it completely useless.
You should drain all of the water out of the tank of your hot water heater at least once every three to six months. Draining all of the water out of the tank helps to prevent sediment build-up at the bottom of the tank. This sediment can cause the tank to bang or to heat less efficiently.
During the winter, preventing frozen pipes when you live in a small dwelling can be something good to know. Frozen pipes will not only stop your flow of water but can crack and damage pipes. By running a little water out of every faucet during the coldest parts of the day, you can avoid this.
If you have a foul odor coming from your garbage disposal, this is due to food debris buildup. You need to put ice cubes, orange peels, and lemon peels into the disposal and run for about 30 seconds. Next, run some liquid dish soap through the disposal. This should take care of the problem if there is not a substantial blocking buildup.
If you are trying to decide on the material to use for your hose, stick with stainless steel. Stainless steel has a very solid construction and stays durable for many years, eliminating the need for replacement. Also, this material is less prone to bursting, which can yield severe plumbing issues.
When you wash your hands, be sure that you have not left any soap on the faucet handles. What people do not know is that leaving soap on these fixtures can cause fixtures to corrode. Just take two seconds after you are done washing your hands to remove excess soap from the handles.
In any DIY plumbing project, make sure that you always test the drains and the supply lines before you close up the walls. It is a lot easier to find and solve problems if you look for them while you are still in the process of actively doing the job.
If you are looking for a plumbing contractor, take some time to check with the Department of Consumer Affairs. This will allow you to be sure that they are properly licensed and that they have not received a ton of complaints from previous clients.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1D4mXlq70tcIdUbO_rjE7xWz1o7tG_Dhx&ll=33.656076462998534%2C-112.32622600000002&z=12 must be current and in good standing, otherwise you do not want them in your home.
When you are working on any kind of plumbing project, you always need a backup person. This is because, when working with water, you never know when an emergency can happen and that second pair of hands can come in very useful! This can even be an unskilled person who can follow directions.
As the winter months encroach on your home, check your outdoor faucets for dripping and leaking. If they are, it is necessary to repair them before the arrival of freezing temperatures. No matter what material your pipes are constructed from, the additional pressure that results from freezing water will crack them. Even a small crack will let enough water out to cause some serious damage.
If
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/never-pour-hot-oil-down-sink-drain_l_5e3dbcc8c5b6b70886ffabea have an ice maker or other plumbing going to your refrigerator, every six months or so pull the refrigerator away from the wall and inspect this plumbing. There should be no condensation or corrosion on these plumbing lines, if there is, contact a plumber and have them look at it.
While it is possible to do plumbing activities yourself, it is generally not recommended. If you are not sure of what you are doing, then you must hire a professional. This will help to insure you don't make a bigger mess of the small problem that your plumbing previously had.
Never pour grease of any kind down your kitchen drains, especially grease from animal sources, which tends to harden rather quickly. The grease can congeal in your pipes and cause disastrous clogs and back-ups. It's better to dispose of grease in the trash to keep your drains flowing well.
While you may not be able to tackle every problem that comes up, you can surely feel more confident about dealing with some of the basic stuff. Take any situation step by step, and you will find that it's not as difficult as you may have thought.