Clogged drains are a problem for several people, as substances like food particles, hair, and other blockages can make a sink or toilet overflow. With a bit of prevention and purchasing a product like Dran-O, you can try plumbing yourself. Read this article for some tips on how to do plumbing yourself.
Avoid frozen pipes this winter! Keep a small trickle of water dripping from faucets, and wrap your uninsulated pipes with foam or newspaper. If possible, keep the doors open between unheated and heated rooms. Keep a small heater next to the pipes in an unheated area such as a garage or laundry room. Remember to do this before the first cold snap hits.
Do not put cooking oils, fat, or grease down your drain. These fats cause clogs by solidifying in pipes. To properly dispose of fats, put them in a bowl with a lid that you can dispose of. Once it gets hard, throw it in the trash or compost bin.
Use your garbage disposal with the cold water running to preserve the disposal blades. Using hot water makes grease more liquid and can cause problems, including clogs. Make sure to clean blades by putting in a little dish detergent and running cold water simultaneously.
Certain things shouldn’t go into your plumbing system. Knowing what you can and cannot flush or throw into the garbage disposal and sink can save you from a costly repair or disaster. A plumber can usually get your plumbing back into working condition but can be avoided if you know how to dispose of items correctly.
Frozen and bursting pipes from harsh winter weather is a problem no one wants, so plan to winterize your exterior faucets and pipes against freezing conditions. A simple way is to find the exterior water shut-off valve inside your home (often located in the basement). Turn off the water valve to stop the water flow and open up the outside faucets to drain any water collected.
Be sure to turn off the outside water faucets tightly after the water has drained out. Take in any hoses you may have outside, so they don’t crack from the cold weather.
Install screen traps or drain covers on all of your sinks and tub drains. Most home plumbing calls are about clogged pipes. These can be caused by debris, especially hair washing down the drains. Putting in a trap means that you can clean this debris off before it ends up in the pipes.
Check the overflow holes for clogs. Overflow holes drain sinks that fill too full and may go unnoticed until needed. Clean the overflow holes, like doing periodic checks for various other repairs and problems.
To lower the chance of having issues with your toilet, do not approach it like a trash can. Nothing should be flushed down the toilet except human waste and toilet tissue. Flushing sanitary napkins, diapers, disposable napkins, and other materials is a sure recipe for a clogged drain and a backed-up toilet. Also, be conservative in your use of toilet paper.
Find out the plumbing codes in your local area before starting any project. Plumbing codes can vary wildly from area to area, and you don’t want to run afoul of the codes. Visit your local building department to find out information or hire a plumber for a day to help you go over your plans and provide advice.
Be careful with putting household cleaners in your toilet. They can cause the toilet to malfunction. These cleaners’ debris can sit in your toilet’s pipes and harden, making them almost impossible. If it does harden, it usually requires the help of a professional.
Regular maintenance of your plumbing lines is a great idea. Your options are getting your lines snaked or jetted. Jetted is a technology that is proven more effective than snaking is. It gets deeper and cleans harder. So jetting is a good idea next time you have maintenance performed on your lines.
To get a good plumber you can be comfortable with, remember which of your friends are actual home owners and not renting. At some point, every homeowner has had to call in a plumber. They can give you an excellent personal reference with which they had a positive experience.
If you have sewage backing up into your toilet, this is due to a blockage in the branch line connecting the mainline and sewage line. If you can’t clear the blockage yourself, contact a professional plumber who can insert a snake into the line to break up the blockage.
While it is possible to do plumbing activities yourself, it is generally not recommended. If you are not sure what you are doing, you must hire a professional. This will help ensure you don’t make a bigger mess of the small problem your plumbing previously had.
If water is flowing out from where your meter is located, a professional is required to come out and fix the leak. If your water bill goes up, this is most likely because the leak is on the house side of the water meter. You will need to get a professional to come out and fix the leak.
If you are the kind of person who likes listening to music when you work, you should avoid using headphones. A radio is a much smarter choice, as it will allow you to hear the music you want without distracting you from hearing important sounds.
Hiring a plumber can be an expensive endeavor, which may be unnecessary. Simple problems like clogged drains can be fixed at home without hiring a professional. Remember the tips in this article if you have trouble with a sink or toilet overflowing or need to clear a drain.
