Handy Plumbing Suggestion From The Pro's Who Know

There are so many things to consider when it comes to doing your own plumbing that it can often behard to figure out where to start. Continue reading to find all the knowledge you'll need to fix yourown plumbing and even install new fixtures!

Act quickly if your pipes freeze! Shut off the water and open the faucet, enabling it to drain when itthaws. Starting with the faucet, and working your way to the iced-up area, aim a propane torch orhairdryer at the pipe - this will quickly defrost it. You could also wrap the pipe in a heating pad oraim a heat lamp at it, but this will take quite some time. A last resort is to wrap the pipe in rags andpour boiling water over it.

On very cold winter nights, allow your faucets to trickle slightly, especially if your pipes are locatedin a crawlspace. The running water prevents the pipes from freezing as quickly as they wouldotherwise. You can catch the water and use it for other household needs to prevent wasting it.

To avoid clogs, pay attention to what you flush. Sanitary napkins, thick toilet paper and baby wipesshould never be flushed. These items can expand and cause a clog, or get caught on a pipe. Instead,dispose of them in a sanitary way that does not involve flushing them down the toilet.

Check your gas water heater periodically to make sure the pilot flame is lit. The correct color for thisflame should be blue. The tip of the flame should be yellow. If you find that you are only seeing ayellow flame, you may need to call a professional for safety reasons.

You can check your toilet for leaks by adding a few drops of food coloring, Kool Aid or some coffeegrounds to the water in the toilet's tank (not the water in the bowl). Check the water in the bowlafter a half hour or so. If any of the coloring agent is visible in the water in the bowl, the tank isleaking, and you will have to have it repaired.

If you have a toilet that is backing up, this can be from a blockage. If you can't clear the blockageyourself, contact a professional plumber, who can insert a snake into the line to break up theblockage.

Do not be surprised if a plumber charges you more than you expected. Many customers think thatfixing a toilet or other drainage problem should be easy, thereforehttp://contractormag.com/plumbing the price should be low. You must remember that not only doesa plumber have to charge for labor, but they have to charge for parts that you need.

One way to prevent pipes from freezing during the winter is to keep cabinet doors in your house thatcontain the pipes open. This can insure that they get adequate heat to keep warm. Make sure also,to unhook and kind of hose outside and run a little water to clear the pipes of any remaining watergoing outside.

If water is draining into a dishwasher, it is probably because the hose attached to the sink is notinstalled correctly. The hose going from the dishwasher to the sink must go downhill, and thenuphill, to prevent https://twitter.com/howardroyden water mixing from the two devices.

Make sure that your tool box is ready for any project youare preparing to do. The last thing you want is to be kneedeep in a job only to find that you are missing the one toolyou need to finish. Be sure to have various sizes of pipewrenches that can be used to complete any job.

If you are having any kind of problems with your water lineor plumbing in general then you will first want to cut ofyour water supply. One of the most common mistakes thatpeople make is to leave their water running while they are trying to fix things and this leads tobigger problems.

Do not ignore a slow flushing toilet. This is usually a sign that something is wrong. It can also causebackups and overflows. The most common causes of a slow flushing toilet are sediment build up,tank malfunctions, or partial clogs. You should periodically check for these problems.

Look at your hot water heater and make sure that the temperature is not higher than 120 degreesFahrenheit. If it is, it could cause you to get burned or it could reduce the unit's energyconsumption. If you determine that the temperature is too high, adjust immediately to avoid any ofthese things from happening.

When getting plumbing quotes for your home, make sure you receive them in writing. Your quoteshould have the material and labor costs so that both parties know what to expect from the job. Ifyou do not get it in writing, when the job starts, you have nothing to fall back on.

If you have plumbing that runs into your refrigerator, you should be sure to shut it off if you areleaving on vacation. You do not want a leak to develop while you are away and leak all over yourhome. It will only take a minute to avoid what can be a disastrous situation.

If your lawn has areas where the grass grows very quickly compared to the rest, seems constantlywet or has a noxious odor you may have a sewer line leak. A leak or crack in sewage pipes can berepaired if caught early and save thousands of dollars in failed septic inspection expenses.

You should consider getting a stainless steel sink if you are in need of a new sink. Stainless steelsinks are much better than other ones for many reasons. They are more durable, they absorb shock,they are easier to clean, and they go with almost any decor.

Plumbing is something that can be done as a hobby, or as a way to make some extra money. If youfeel that your skills have progressed a good deal, then you could consider using it is as a way tosupplement your primary income by helping out neighbors and co-workers.

As you can see, plumbing is not rocket science. All you need to do is to find reliable sources that willgive you great tips on addressing plumbing problems. The time you invest in educating yourself onplumbing issues will be time well-spent, because it will save you a lot of money in the long run.