It seems that plumbing problems often occur right after a new house is purchased. Plumbing issues can occur in any room in the house, but usually happen in the kitchen or bathroom. All homeowners eventually deal with plumbing problems. Keep reading to find tips that will assist you in dealing with those problems.
To help you repair a leaky water line, you should hire a plumber. A leaky water line can be a problem because it could lead to a flood. The best way to fix this problem is to hire a licensed plumber who is trained to repair the leak.
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Ensure that everyone in your household knows how to turn off the main water supply, or knows how to contact someone who can. In the event of a burst pipe or other water-related emergency, you should immediately turn off the water to prevent flooding, structural damage, and a sky-high water bill.
To avoid having your outdoor faucets freeze up in the winter, detach all hoses before the first freeze. Also, close the shutoff valve that leads to the outdoor faucets, then turn on the outdoor faucets to let any remaining water in the lines drain. Once temperatures warm up in the spring, you can reverse the process.
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Taking preemptive action to fix a strange smelling kitchen sink can be a good way to keep your kitchen smelling great. Make sure not to throw hair or grease into your sink. Use baking soda if you have a strange smell coming from your drain. Make sure you use your garbage disposal if you have one to grind up any food and use water while doing this to prevent damage to the blades of the garbage disposal.
One way to prevent water heater problems is to turn down the heat. As long as the water is still as hot as needed for showers and washing dishes, turning it down won't hurt anything, and will extend the life of the heater. Holding very hot water can corrode the inside.
Check the overflow holes for clogs. The overflow holes are there to make sure the sink doesn't overfill, which can become a problem if they are blocked. Clear overflow holes when doing periodic checks for problems and plumbing issues that should be addressed.
Plumbing should only be done by professionals if there is a major problem or if you do not understand plumbing. Many of the big problems that plumbers deal with, actually have simple solutions. The average person, who does not understand the intricacies of plumbing, usually end up compounding the problem by causing other costly damage to the house during the failed repair. The plumber will need to be called in the end, anyway.
If you have an automatic sprinkler system, you want to consider getting a spring-loaded timer which can be attached directly to your hose. This prevents your lawn from getting too much water in case you forget to turn your system off. Getting too much water could kill your grass and plants.
You should contact your local Consumer Affairs Department before you hire any plumber. You can learn if a contractor's license is valid and if any complaints have been filed against them. If they don't generate appealing results, you can simply move forward and find someone who does.
When unclogging a drain in the home, try to avoid using a chemical drain opening product. Even though these products may help to open up your drain, the chemicals in them can cause damage to your body, especially if they get on your skin. If you must use them, do so while wearing protective clothing like gloves on your hands and shirts with sleeves long enough to cover your arms.
Before you have a plumber come out to your house, research their history with your local government consumer affairs department or agency. Make sure that every plumber you're considering has an up to date license, and investigate whether they have outstanding negative complaints. If a plumber does not have a current license and even a limited number of complaints, you probably don't want them working on your home.
Take advantage of the information that you can obtain from the department or division of your state government that handles consumer affairs and protection when you are thinking of hiring a plumbing contractor. You can look at their track record, looking to see whether their license is valid and if they have any complaints lodged against them. If a plumber does not have a current license and even a limited number of complaints, you probably don't want them working on your home.
If you are seeing areas in your ceiling or walls that appear to have water damage or are sagging, make sure you turn off the power before inspecting. Electricity and water do not mix. The last thing you need is to go into the attic and get shocked by a pool of water.
When replacing any PVC type pipes in your home, make sure you buy the correct PVC for the job. PVC comes in several different sizes and grades as well as for different temperature applications. If the water going through the pipes is headed for the kitchen or bathroom, or is for laundry or gardening usage, it must be labeled as "Potable."
Speak to a professional before using harsh chemicals to unclog drains or a septic system. Some homes still have very old copper pipes that can be full of rust. While these pipes can still work efficiently, if they are clogged, it is best to use a gentle solution as those harsher chemicals can eat away at the pipe and cause severe issues.
Before starting a plumbing project be sure to know your pipes. Each pipe has a different use and every municipality has different codes for what pipes can be used for. Making a mistake in this area can be very costly, if you are forced to remove all the pipes from the work you have just completed.
As you can see, hiring a professional plumber is usually an unnecessary and expensive thing to do, compared to fixing the problem yourself. Next time your plumbing needs repair, try pulling up this article and trying to solve it yourself. You may be surprised how easy it is to do!