When it comes to plumbing issues, no one can beat the repair skills of professional plumbers. This article will provide you helpful tips from pro plumbers that can take you a long way from expensive repairs that are mostly overlooked by many.
When it comes to plumbing issues, no one can beat the repair skills of professional plumbers. However, this does not mean that we always rely on real plumbers to fix things for us all the time especially if the problem is only a trivial one and is something that can be addressed using DIY methods. What you need to do is to simply learn basic professional plumbing tips so that you can perform those plumbing tasks at home with less worry.
One benefit you can get from doing things on your own without calling for professional help is saving money to pay for the plumbing services. Plumbing companies typically charge big for professional fees. You can spend as much as $200 for hiring a professional to do the fixes in your plumbing system.
Therefore, if you can help it and if you happen to have the right plumbing tools at home, try to acquire plumbing skills and be a real plumber by following these tips:
Tip #1: Get familiar with your main water valve including its location.
Many homeowners do not actually know where their main water valve is located, which is a bad thing especially if a disaster occurs and you need to turn off the main water valve to lessen the damage. If you really wish to act like a professional does, at least you possess the know-how about your main water valve. In case your pipes burst, you no longer need to struggle finding your main valve and suffer further disasters.
Tip #2: Check your toilet’s flush valve seal for leaks.
It is best to detect toilet leaks as early as possible before the leaks lead to further plumbing problems in the future. A simple tactic that you can employ to determine a toilet leak is to test the flush valve seal of your toilet for possible leaks using food coloring. Funny but this actually works. First, you need to release a few drops of the food coloring into your toilet tank and see if the tinted water somehow manages to flow into the toilet bowl after several hours. This is a clear sign that the flush valve is leaking. If you can do this early on, you will be able to save time and energy solving the leak problem.
Tip #3: Prevent frozen pipes.
Having frozen pipes is a common issue during winter. You need to be aware of the ways to keep your pipes from freezing. First, make sure to allow your faucets to drip so that water consistently flows through the pipelines. This helps relieve pressure from your water system. As far as faucets are concerned, make sure to disconnect your hoses from outdoor faucets, too. Second, you have to let warm air to circulate inside your home by opening cabinet doors both in the kitchen sink and bathroom. In addition, you may use a portable heater, a fan, or a blow dryer to expel warm air to your pipes. During winter, set your thermostat on and maintain a household temperature of at least 55 degrees. Of course, properly insulating your pipes helps prevent them from freezing. You can wrap your pipes using simple materials like blankets, towels, or newspapers or use insulating tape and foam sleeves for insulation. Lastly, be mindful of any cracks or openings that are unsealed in all areas of your household including the garage. Seal these cracks to prevent the entry of cold air which can freeze your pipes.
Tip #4: Keep Teflon tape handy.
There are two variations of the plumber’s tape—the yellow tape and white tape. The yellow one is intended for gas line connections, while the white one is for ordinary plumbing jobs. Being a real plumber means you keep a supply of plumber’s tape, also called Teflon tape, in the home so that you can readily use the tape to wrap around pipe threads exactly three times when sealing leaking joints and fittings. When it comes to fittings, you must remember to not to over-tighten connections and to keep fittings just “hand tight.”
Tip #5: Watch what you flush down your drain and toilet.
Household members should always be reminded of taking care of their toilets and drains as these are important parts of the home. One way to do this is not treat your toilet bowl and kitchen drain as a garbage bin. Avoid flushing or dumping down just any nasty debris like food, oil/grease, tissue papers, baby wipes, plastic wrappers, and vegetable peelings down the sink or toilet. The most appropriate place to dispose of these wastes is the trash can. Hence, keep your drains clean by using a basket strainer to collect those residues that could potentially clog your sink or shower drain. Clogged drains and toilets are such a headache and, when left unattended, could lead to major plumbing issues.
It actually takes a no brainer to be able to do these five plumbing tips, yet not everyone is well educated of the impact these tips bring to you plumbing system that people tend to neglect them. If you get to apply these methods to your own household
, you will relish the benefits of a well-maintained plumbing system and keep your home in great condition like what a professional plumber does.