Saturday, September 1, 2012

HOW TO FIX YOUR OWN HOUSE PLUMBING: PIPE AND PLUMBING TRICKS FOR YOUR HOME

If you really master the art of plumbing, the results will show in both your home and your pocketbook. It shows you take home maintenance seriously and proactively fix problems before they happen. That's an admirable quality. Like any other skill that you have, there is always ways to improve and add to what you know. The below article provides some advice to assist you.
Be sure to keep your pipes clean and clear with tools or chemicals so they do not clog and block up. Toilet drains and pipes that flow outside are especially prone to getting blocked by roots, so it is critical to take the time to clean those out.
To avoid frozen pipes in your home, never allow the temperature in your house to drop below freezing and insulate any pipes that are exposed to the elements. If the ambient temperature around the pipes is below freezing, the pipes can freeze. In the best case scenario, you will have to wait until they thaw so that the water runs again. The worst case would be that they burst, creating water damage and a big repair bill.
Purchasing plumbing tools can really prove as a wise investment, costing you a little more upfront, but saving you a bundle in the long run. You can watch videos online to learn how to do heating and plumbing repairs yourself. With good knowledge and good tools, you will be able to handle minor plumbing issues yourself, without calling a plumber.
You should contact your local Consumer Affairs Department before you hire any plumber. This way, you can see that their licenses are valid and the status of any complaints that have been made about their work. Do not hire a plumber with a license that is not in good standing.
For the conservation-minded consumer, it might be wise to purchase a tankless water heater. Tankless water heaters heat on demand rather than keeping a large amount of water constantly hot. These water heaters will save you money, as they are not wasting energy to heat water that you are not using.
If you should wake up one morning and find a frozen pipe, go to work on it with your hair dryer. Using a lower level of heat, such as a hair dryer, can ensure that you fix the problem, while not causing another, like a fire. It also means you don't have to use the services of a plumber.
Be sure that the dryer's lint trap is clean. By keeping it clean, you can prevent fires and other problems. Be sure you inspect your lint trap for tears or holes that could mean lint is going into your pipes, which can cause clogs and issues.
If you work outdoors for extended periods of time, make sure you build in breaks to get in the shade. When you are absorbed in your work, it isn't hard to ignore the sun's heat, but it still poses a danger to you.
Avoid dumping oil, fat, and grease in your drain. When they cool, they will harden and create clogs in your drains. Your garbage disposal is particularly vulnerable to this issue, as the fat solids will slow the motion of the blades. This results in the disposal operating less efficiently. Make sure you dispose of oils away from the sink.
Avoid septic tank problems by having your tank pumped out in five year intervals. Regular maintenance will keep sediment from backing up inside of the tank. Sediment can not only cause the sewage in the tank to back up into your house, but it can cause the tank to fail completely. Hiring a professional to pump out your septic tank is costly, but it is far preferable to the damages that could be incurred if the tank becomes backed-up or inoperative.
You have all that you need to better your home plumbing system. With the right tools, you will be able to save money and get the job done sooner. The tips listed above were put together with you in mind to help you keep improving on your plumbing skills. As you put these tips in to practice, you may find that some of the ideas presented here become your favorites.

NOTE: Please visit our website on how to do your own home plumbing  for more tips and information

Friday, August 24, 2012

HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR OWN PLUMBING AND HEATING: ADVICE ON HOW TO DEAL WITH ANY PLUMBING SITUATION

After you move into a new house, you'll likely see some sort of plumbing problem arise. The bathroom and kitchen are the most frequent sites for these problems. Eventually, nearly every homeowner has to face one type of plumbing issue or another. Keep reading to find tips that will assist you in dealing with these problems.
If you take care of your heating and plumbing, you will have lower plumbing bills. One major repair is a drain clog. Built up hair can actually clog drains. There are ways around this; you can use a drain cover or screen which is actually designed in order to keep your pipes and drain free of hair. It is much easier to remove the hair from a screen than it is to get it out of a pipe.
To keep your garbage disposal working at its best, use plenty of cold water when you turn it on. Cold water keeps blades sharp and encourages a smoother disposal. Hot water can clog your drain by allowing liquid grease to build up in it.
You can check for damage to the floors around the toilets by checking for soft areas. Straddle your toilet by rocking it from foot to foot to see if there's any weakening or softness on the floor below you. By noticing a problem early on, you can save yourself a bunch of money if you were to leave it alone.
You should regularly use either tools or chemicals to clear out your pipes to prevent blockages from occurring. This is especially important for toilet drains or pipes which are outside and can be affected by tree roots.
It's just as harmful, if not worse, to tighten your pipes too much when installing them, as it is to leave them too loose. The threads can break and might crack the pipe; you need to tighten pipes only enough to stop leaks.
You need to avoid using any kind of tablet or odour remover in your toilet if at all possible. While they may be effective deodorizers, they can damage rubber parts in your toilet. If they become too damaged, your toilet will not operate properly.
To make sure that your water heater is running efficiently, you need to know what size your hot water tank is. Purchasing the proper size tank can be assessed ahead of time and thus greatly improve the availability of hot water when needed.
Ensure that if something goes wrong in your garbage disposal that you resist any and all urges  to put your hands inside to fix a problem. Even when in the off position, garbage disposals are dangerous. Hire a professional, or at least find your owner's manual to look at a diagram of the disposal. Many owner's manuals are available online, and may even contain interactive trouble-shooters.
Metal expands and if your home has copper pipes, when hot water goes through them, they will expand a little. When they do, they can rub against the pipe hangers, causing pipe damage. You can wrap your pipes with tape so it stays in the hanger.
Don't pour chemicals down your drain to unclog it, even if the product is labelled as a drain opener. The chemicals can be damaging to your skin, but will open your drain. Wear proper protection, such as long sleeved shirts and gloves, if you have to use these products.
Fix low water pressure by cleaning out the aerator to clean out sediment build up. Take out the aerator, pull it apart, and clean inside with a brush soaked in vinegar. Rinse the aerator with water, put it back together and then attach it back onto the faucet. Doing so will assist in increasing water pressure since obstructions in the aerator are removed in this process.
If your water pipe freezes, switch on the nearest faucet tap to that pipe so that water can exit when the pipe thaws. This reduces pressure to keep the pipe from bursting, which could prevent a big mess in your home.
When plumbing issues come up, you need to be prepared. All homeowners should have some basic plumbing knowledge. The tips you learned here will assist you in dealing with whatever plumbing problems you encounter in the future.

NOTE: Please visit our website on how to do your own home plumbing  for more tips and information

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

EASY DIY TIPS TO FIX YOUR HEATING AND PLUMBING WOES

Everyone has questions about in-house plumbing at some point in time. Everyone should want to understand how to correct minor problems and how to do their own maintenance. By reading this article you will learn both so you're ready for a plumbing emergency.
Flapper seats with excess mineral deposits, or a flapper that is damaged can make water run continuously and increase the bill. Cleaning the flapper seat and replacing the flapper itself can solve the problem.
Certain property owners are choosing to put in flood alarms for a portion of their entire system for home plumbing. Flood alarms work in a similar fashion as smoke alarms. They are powered by batteries and an alarm goes off when the water reaches them. Flooding and leaks are easily prevented through the installation of flood alarms.
Try to avoid the use of drain cleaners as often as you can. There are some harsh, corrosive chemicals found in these drain cleaners. That's why they work so well to knock out clogs. Over time, they will corrode your pipes and plumbing fixtures. If you find that your drain is clogged, think about hiring a plumber to do an estimate and tell you what the issue is.
Frozen pipes can cause some very expensive plumbing repair jobs. It can also be easily prevented. First, you need to check your outside pipe to make sure it has the proper insulation. When it gets colder, disconnect and drain the hoses and turn the outside faucet off. You can save a bunch on your plumbing bills this way.
Do this little test to investigate whether your toilet leaks. Drop a few food coloring drops inside your toilet tank to test for leaks. Then, observe the bowl. If the water turns the same color as the food coloring, you know there is some sort of leak that must be fixed right away.
You should always put plenty of cold water through your garbage disposal while it is running. Blades will stay sharper with cold water, making disposal quicker. If you use hot water, any grease in the disposal will turn into liquid, which causes pipe clogging.
If you get grout in your pipes, you won't be able to get it out by yourself. You can try breaking it up to have it fall further which will help the flow get better. This works better with plastic piping than it does with metal. However, this will most likely require a plumbing professional to do the job.
Keep your garbage disposal clean and it will last longer. Create a routine that uses both normal soaps and natural materials like cherry pits or lemon rinds. With this, you'll be able to keep your garbage disposal running and smelling like new.
As soon as you notice any water accumulating on the floor by your water heater, turn off the water valves. If you don't, that small leak could become a big leak that can be hard to shut off.
If you want to go green try purchasing a water heater that is tankless. Unlike conventional water heaters, they store no water, and instead heat the water only as needed. This reduces the amount of energy they use, since water is only heated when it is called for.
Look at loose tiles to see if they were caused by water damage. Loose tiles are one of the first indications you might have about a leak. Gently push down on the floor or wall where the loose tiles are located to determine if it yields easily, or has a spongy feel to it. You can deal with a problem more easily if the tiles help you find the problem early on.
Check overflow holes regularly to prevent blockage in  your plumbing  The overflow holes help prevent a sink from spilling. When blocked, they don't work properly and the water can spill out onto the floor. The overflow holes should be cleaned out regularly; do this when you are making your regular checks for other issues that necessitate fixing.
Learning about these problems can save a lot of headache down the road. Knowing how to perform routine plumbing maintenance will also prevent future problems. Keep these tips handy so you'll be prepared for any future plumbing needs.

NOTE: Please visit our website on how to do your own home plumbing  for more tips and information