Any homeowner who does not happen to be a professional plumber, will eventually be dealt a headache or two by some plumbing problem in their house. Professional plumbers are extremely expensive, and often have long wait times. Why not solve the plumbing problem yourself? Keep reading to arm yourself with some very useful plumbing advice!
Before starting any plumbing project on your own be sure to do a great deal of research. There are many resources available to assist you in understanding your plumbing system and help you to avoid many common mistakes made by do-it-yourself novices. Reading about other people's mistakes can make the difference of saving or losing money.
Act quickly if your pipes freeze! Shut off the water and open the faucet, enabling it to drain when it thaws. Starting with the faucet, and working your way to the iced-up area, aim a propane torch or hairdryer at the pipe - this will quickly defrost it. You could also wrap the pipe in a heating pad or aim a heat lamp at it, but this will take quite some time. A last resort is to wrap the pipe in rags and pour boiling water over it.
Drain the sediment from the bottom of your hot water heater twice a year to keep the hot water heater working at its optimal levels. Simply open the drain valve and allow the water to run out into a bucket until the water runs clear. Then close the drain valve.
If your toilet is slow to flush, add some white vinegar to the overflow tube. White vinegar helps the water from your tank to flow quickly, which will make the toilet flush faster. It is recommended that you use about a quart of the vinegar and let it stay there for at least an hour before flushing.
If grout has gotten stuck in the line, trying to clean it out yourself is probably not the best idea. Do your best to break it up and flush it down. This works better with plastic piping than it does with metal. It's up to a professional to fix this problem, though.
To be able 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 home owner has had to call in a plumber. They can give you a good personal reference they had a positive experience with.
Every now and then, you should pour a large bucket of water down your basement floor drain. This will help to keep the trap seal full and prevent certain gases from coming up into your home. Also, be sure that you have your floor drain checked by a professional every few years.
If there is grout stuck in your line, it is most likely going to be a lost cause attempting to clean it all yourself. You might be able to break it up a little bit and then get it a little further down the line. This is more successful in plastic plumbing as compared to metal pipes. It's up to a professional to fix this problem, though.
Hopefully, now that you've read the above tips, the fine art of plumbing is a little less scary to you. Remember what you've learned here, so that you can put in practice when you need to. Also, remember that when all else fails, a plumber is just a speed dial number away. For plumbing service, call us at (916) 231-5681 or contact us online.
Park Mechanical Plumbing & Sewer
8324 Luzon Ave
Sacramento, Ca 95828
(916) 231-5681
