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Plumbing Problems At Home? Try These Helpful Tips!

A lot of people say that plumbing is difficult to do. Though it tends to be a lot easier if you have right education and advice to get the job done. This article has lots of tips to help you with your plumbing needs.

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.

If your drain in any device is taking longer to drain water, then you may need to have your pipes professionally cleaned depending on the severity of the circumstances. Before you do this, there are several different products you can try. However, some of them are professional strength and all products should be used with caution.

It is not always necessary to call in a plumber when you have a damaged section of pipe in your plumbing. There are repair kits you can buy in your local hardware store which are excellent in repairing leaks. If you have a small leak, you can rub a compound stick over the hole or crack in the pipe to seal it shut. Epoxy paste is also an excellent remedy for a leaking pipes. Make sure you turn off the water and completely dry the pipe before applying the epoxy.

If you run your garbage disposal after working in the kitchen, use a large quantity of cold water. Using cold water not only preserves the sharpness of the blades, but also makes the disposal process itself smoother. 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 your water is coming out black, then most likely you have an iron and magnesium issue to your water. You need to contact a water softener company, and get them to come out and assess your water. They will be able to fix the problem by adding a water softener.

Be careful about using liquid clog cleaners. These liquids can contain chemicals that are extremely bad for your pipes. Instead, use a snake or a plunger to dislodge any clogs you might encounter. Be sure to try these things before giving up and calling a plumber, who will probably re-perform those same acts.

Keep an eye on the hoses for your dishwasher and washing machine. These hoses can leak and bulge, which can be a problem. Check them for signs of wear and tear and replace any hoses more than 10 years old. You'll find that these hoses age well, but you have got to make sure they are doing the job they should.

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.

Is your toilet leaking? Find out by putting some food color in the tank and then check the bowl later. If there is colored water in the bowl, the toilet has an internal leak. To fix an internal leak you can simply replace the tank's ball or flapper.

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.

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.

Rarely used valves can sometimes fuse together. Use penetrating oil to maintain them, and make sure you turn them every once in a while.

Make sure to never leave any flammable liquids near your water heater. Certain liquids like gasoline, solvents, or adhesives are flammable, and if left too close to the water heater, can ignite. If you have to have these liquids in your basement, place it far away from your water heater.

Having to wiggle the toilet handle or hold it down to get your toilet to fully flush indicates that the tank parts need to be replaced. Kits that include all of the parts needed can be purchased in any hardware or home improvement store to easily do the repair yourself.

If you have drains in your house that have not been used for a long period of time, pour one gallon of water through them to keep them functional. Furthermore, this will have the added benefit of reducing any odors from entering your house from lack of use during the year.

If you are remodeling your house, take pictures of the inside of your walls, ceilings and floors. You will be able to have a clear idea of where your pipes are located in case you need to do maintenance later. You should also consult your pictures if you want to drill holes in your walls.

If you are starting a plumbing project due to have discolored water, especially black, be sure to have your water tested first instead. There could be a mineral build up in your pipes or the source of the problem could be further down the line than you can reach. Most importantly you want to be sure your water is safe for drinking.

Use a shop vacuum to unplug your toilets or drains, if a hard object is clogging it. Using a plunger will only push the object further and make it impossible to remove. If you do not have a shop vacuum, you can rent one from most Walmart stores or from similar franchises.

As you can see, solving your plumbing problems yourself can be a satisfying way to save money and take care of your house independently. Next time you have a plumbing here problem, you'll be ready to tackle the issue yourself with the tips you've taken from this article.

Sudbury plumbers share tips to prevent frozen pipes

Rod Lefebvre has been a plumber for 34 years and said one common mistake people make is not having their homes checked on if they go away.

"Just make sure that if you are away from your house that you have the right people that are actually going inside looking at things making sure everything is fine and stuff," said Lefebvre.

Lefebvre said some homes are more at risk if pipes are on outside walls but says issues with pipes freezing can happen to any home when temperatures plunge.

"If you can just get the heat in there as quick as possible to get things thawed out then you are saving yourself damages down the line," said Lefebvre.

Castle Plumbing and Heating said space heaters can help prevent frozen pipes but they have to be used properly and safely. There is also another preventative step.

"When you know it’s going to be really, really cold outside it never hurts especially if you know you have a trouble area in your home it never hurts to leave your facet a trickle because if there is some movement in that pipe then it can’t freeze," said Jean.

In a recent tweet, the Greater Sudbury Fire Service said never use open flames to thaw frozen plumbing. For a safe solution, consider a certified plumber.

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