While they may be comparatively infrequent, house plumbing problems can hit at any moment and it is always best to look after the issue once possible. Fortunately, a number can be mended yourself without the hassle and expenses of employing a professional plumber. Below is a listing of the most frequent house plumbing issues and advice about the best way best to repair them yourself.
Possibly the most frequent and potentially most serious plumbing problem people encounter is clogged toilets, particularly if you just have one in your house.
The very first step is to be certain that there is sufficient water from the bowl to completely submerge the suction cup section of the plunger. Ensure that you do NOT flush, since this may easily make the toilet to float and make a completely new set of issues to take care of. If your routine plunger is not doing the trick, odds are you might have to purchase what is known as a bellows plunger.
There might be a range of causes, and so an assortment of possible fixes which vary from easy to complicated.
1 frequent cause is that a stuck tank float or flapper, which can be set by opening the tank or simply by jiggling the flush manage to test for looseness. If was the situation, fixing the problem is often as simple as un-jamming the tank float or making certain the flapper closes the drain. Sometimes, the entire flapper might have to be replaced. Even though this might seem intimidating to the newcomer home builder, it is not. A replacement flapper is comparatively cheap and can be easily substituted all on your own.
Clogged bath tub drains are another probable plumbing problem that a lot of individuals can encounter sooner or later. More times than not, bathroom tub clogs occur fairly slowly so you’re given plenty of warning before it gets too serious of an issue. In case of a clog start to form, you’ll observe that water will slowly take more and longer to complete draining from the tub.
If you discover any of these symptoms, 1 choice is to utilize a hammer snake. Another procedure is using drain cleaner goods, together with the”Drano” brand possibly being the hottest. Just be certain the formulation is specially made for bathroom tubs, otherwise it might cause more damage than good.
As you can see, taking good care of particular home plumbing problems can barely be any perspiration off your spine. All it requires is a little bit of understanding and a couple of inexpensive tools you may find in most shops and it’ll most likely be a long time before a plumbing company is going to need to set foot to your house.
Plumbing tools you should have
You may not run into plumbing issues very often, but when you do they can be a real hassle. Fortunately, most of them can actually be fixed yourself fairly easily. All it takes is a bit of knowledge and a few simple tools and you’ll soon be on your way to performing your own plumbing repairs and avoiding the potentially high costs of hiring a professional plumber.
Plunger – Arguably the most popular plumbing tool that most people have is the plunger. By using the application of force and vacuum, plungers can be used to help unclog all sorts of drains, including but not limited to toilets that most people may associate them with. Bear in mind that plungers can come in a variety of styles and sizes so you know what kind to purchase for different types of plumbing. What all plungers have in common is the general design: a rubber cup attached to what is usually a wooden shaft that serves as a handle. Sink plungers generally look like a ball that has simply been cut in half while toilet plungers are somewhat mushroom-shaped.
Pipe Wrench – While perhaps not as commonly owned, the pipe wrench is the classic plumbing tool that comes to mind for most people when they think of “plumbing”. Widely considered a must-have for any plumber, pipe wrenches allow gripping around objects of a wide variety of shapes and sizes thanks to its adjustable design. As the name suggests, they are usually used on pipes, whether securing or removing them.
Pliers – While normal pliers can be used for plumbing repairs and even be interchangeably used with wrenches in certain situations, plumbing pliers are usually highly adjustable and have an irregular clamp shape. Such a design allows for better gripping on rounded objects such as piping, naturally.
Drain Snake – Possibly the least known plumbing tool and maybe even the most intimidating, drain snakes are fairly straightforward to operate and can be very useful in solving what may appear to be major plumbing issues without enlisting professional assistance. Thanks to its rigid yet flexible design with an auger at the end, drain snakes can remove tougher clogs when plungers can’t get the job done. They can be pushed and navigated through piping with relative ease to otherwise hard-to-reach places. Like plungers, drain snakes can be useful in a variety of situations ranging from toilets to bath tub drains. While they tend to be the most expensive tool on this list, they can arguably also prove to be the best investment.
Teflon Tape – Also called thread seal tape or plumber’s tape, teflon tape is used to secure pipe leakages. They are commonly applied on the pipe’s threading to provide an effective sealing surface when connecting piping together. Think of it as the duct tape of the plumbing world.
As you can see, investing in just a few tools and learning how to use them can save you on potential costs and headaches that may come with hiring a plumber. With a little practice, many common household plumbing mishaps can quickly and easily resolved on your own.
