3
Plumbing Tips That Will Save You Money What knowledge do you have about plumbing? If you do, can you make it better? What kind of skills do you have? If you cannot answer these questions confidently, look at the tips below. If you have pipes that make hammering and squeaking noises, you have one easy repair. You must anchor any type of exposed pipe. If the pipes are in the walls, floors or ceiling, you may want to call a professional to come and help complete the project. If a plumbing project is in your future, know two things: what tools you have, and how you are supposed to use them. Use as many resources as you need, such as online or the library, to find the right information to repair your plumbing issues. When planning on repairs, plan on having a plan. Never reach into a garbage disposal that you think isn't working. Even if it is are switched off, a garbage disposal can be very dangerous. Go online and search for sketch of your disposal, or a troubleshooter. Check for softness in your floor to determine flood damage. Stand above the toilet with a foot positioned on each side up close to the base. Shift your weight back and forth to detect any weakness or sponginess. As with many problems, early detection can save you a lot of money. Have all the plumbing repairs done in one visit. It might be tempting to call up a plumber every time you have a small problem, but if you will save all the plumbing issues for one time, it can be helpful. It will allow you save the money for the repairs. It can also save money since most plumbers will charge you by the hour. Coming out just once will cut down on the time it takes, making your bill smaller. To keep things flowing smoothly through the drain of your bathtub, each month you should feed it baking soda, one cup's worth, with a cup of vinegar to chase it. Plug the drain afterwards or cover it with a washcloth, as the two chemicals are going to react with each other. Wait a while, then flush it with boiling water. By following this tip, you should be able to clear all the soap scum, hair, and other grime out of your pipes. If you run your garbage disposal after working in the kitchen, use a large quantity of cold water. The helps sharpen the blades and clears out the drain mechanism. If you use hot water instead of cold, it will turn any fat into liquid and cause the fat to clog your pipes when it later cools and solidifies. If water that is not supposed to be there is in the dishwasher, the likely culprit is a kitchen sink hose not properly attached. This hose should lead uphill first and then downhill so the water from the sink and the dishwater never mix. If you've got a shower head to replace, get a good quality replacement. Avoid the temptation to purchase an inferior quality head for your shower. The problem with doing that is the cheaper shower heads are not known to be sturdy, and they tend to break easier. Frozen pipes can lead to a large plumbing bill. Normally, you will be able to prevent this issue. First, make sure that your outside pipe are insulated well. When cold weather sets in, turn off your outside faucets, disconnect all hoses and drain them. Doing this can help save a lot of plumbing repair bills.

Plumbing Tips That Will Save You Money

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: Plumbing Tips That Will Save You Money

Plumbing Tips That Will Save You Money

What knowledge do you have about plumbing? If you do, can you make it better? What kind of skillsdo you have? If you cannot answer these questions confidently, look at the tips below.

If you have pipes that make hammering and squeaking noises, you have one easy repair. You mustanchor any type of exposed pipe. If the pipes are in the walls, floors or ceiling, you may want to calla professional to come and help complete the project.

If a plumbing project is in your future, know two things: what tools you have, and how you aresupposed to use them. Use as many resources as you need, such as online or the library, to find theright information to repair your plumbing issues. When planning on repairs, plan on having a plan.

Never reach into a garbage disposal that you think isn't working. Even if it is are switched off, agarbage disposal can be very dangerous. Go online and search for sketch of your disposal, or atroubleshooter.

Check for softness in your floor to determine flood damage. Stand above the toilet with a footpositioned on each side up close to the base. Shift your weight back and forth to detect anyweakness or sponginess. As with many problems, early detection can save you a lot of money.

Have all the plumbing repairs done in one visit. It might be tempting to call up a plumber every timeyou have a small problem, but if you will save all the plumbing issues for one time, it can be helpful.It will allow you save the money for the repairs. It can also save money since most plumbers willcharge you by the hour. Coming out just once will cut down on the time it takes, making your billsmaller.

To keep things flowing smoothly through the drain of your bathtub, each month you should feed itbaking soda, one cup's worth, with a cup of vinegar to chase it. Plug the drain afterwards or cover itwith a washcloth, as the two chemicals are going to react with each other. Wait a while, then flush itwith boiling water. By following this tip, you should be able to clear all the soap scum, hair, andother grime out of your pipes.

If you run your garbage disposal after working in the kitchen, use a large quantity of cold water. Thehelps sharpen the blades and clears out the drain mechanism. If you use hot water instead of cold, itwill turn any fat into liquid and cause the fat to clog your pipes when it later cools and solidifies.

If water that is not supposed to be there is in the dishwasher, the likely culprit is a kitchen sink hosenot properly attached. This hose should lead uphill first and then downhill so the water from the sinkand the dishwater never mix.

If you've got a shower head to replace, get a good quality replacement. Avoid the temptation topurchase an inferior quality head for your shower. The problem with doing that is the cheapershower heads are not known to be sturdy, and they tend to break easier.

Frozen pipes can lead to a large plumbing bill. Normally, you will be able to prevent this issue. First,make sure that your outside pipe are insulated well. When cold weather sets in, turn off your outsidefaucets, disconnect all hoses and drain them. Doing this can help save a lot of plumbing repair bills.

Page 2: Plumbing Tips That Will Save You Money

If your home has low water pressure, you can often fix the problem by cleaning out the aerators onyour fixtures. Disassemble the fixture to remove the aerator, and then scrub it with vinegar and asmall brush. Finally, rinse off the aerator, put it back together and then reattach it to your faucet.Removing obstacles in aerators should improve the water pressure.

Don't bother running water when you use your garbage disposal. Although some say that runningwater will help keep the disposal running smoothly, this isn't always the case. In contrast, it couldactually cause garbage or waste to stick to the insides of the disposal and do more damage thangood.

Main water cut off valve is a very important piece of information you should be aware of, and youshould know exactly where it is. There will be a water meter on top of it. Toilets and sinks mighthave a cut-off valve of their own. You will want to make your family aware of the location of eachvalve, and add markings that give directions on how to shut each one off whenever an emergencyarises.

Although plumbing mostly has to do with water, you still need many other skills to become a goodplumber. Fixing water heater repair water lines is a common thing plumbers work on.

Since most people have little knowledge about all that plumbing entails, they are willing to paywhatever a plumber demands for repair work. If you own your own home, then you must learn whatyou need to know what the professional will be doing. By learning a little bit about the topic, you canrest assured that you won't be robbed blind by a plumber.

Read the labels and choose a chemical drain cleaner with care. Avoid those that have chemicals thatare damaging to pipes. For this reason, it is essential that you choose one that is gentle on yourplumbing pipes. There are varieties of chemicals that are not only dangerous for humans, but willalso destroy certain types of bacteria that are helpful to the plumbing system.

Do you know more about plumbing than you previously did? Do you know which type of plumbingyour home has? Do you feel your skills have improved? Will you be able to use the things in your

Page 3: Plumbing Tips That Will Save You Money

system? Can you properly operate the equipment? You should feel better about your next plumbingjob, thanks to the tips provided in this article.