How much knowledge do you have when it comes to plumbing? Do you need to improve it in any way? Just what are your plumbing skills? If you are not sure, look at these tips.
Solder with safety in mind. When you solder a copper pipe you want to direct the flame on the copper pipe. The flame of the torch has to be four inches away from the piping. The flame should be targeted directly at the point where the copper piping needs to be disconnected.
Avoid putting grease, fat, and other oils down your drain. These substances will clog the drain as they cool and harden. This is especially the case if you possess a garbage disposal; fats and oils cause blades to run less efficiently and slow. Be sure to get rid of oil products away from your sink.
If you live in a home using well water and your bathtubs have stains pink and orange in color, this is likely a result of iron levels in the well water. You can deal with use by using a water softener, which is something you can get on your own at a local retailer, or by hiring a professional to come out.
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.
Make sure that your tool box is ready for any project you are preparing to do. The last thing you want is to be knee deep in a job only to find that you are missing the one tool you need to finish. Be sure to have various sizes of pipe wrenches that can be used to complete any job.
Avoid using harsh chemicals to clear clogged drains by purchasing a hand-held manual auger. A drain auger is a one-time purchase as opposed to purchasing a new bottle every time a drain is clogged. This is especially helpful for people who deal with clogged drains often, such as people with long hair or kids who like to drop things down the drain.
Do not, under any circumstances, put lemons down your disposal. Although the lemon smell will give your disposal a great smell, its acid can corrode the metal parts in it. Instead, use products that are made specifically for this use. You can purchase these products at most hardware stores or wherever cleaning products are sold.
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.
Temperatures are dropping, so check your outside faucets for dripping in order to prevent a freezing nightmare. You will have to fix this potential problem before freezing temperatures come. Regardless of whether you have steel, plastic or copper pipes, the water in them expands when it freezes and will make the pipes crack. Even a very small crack can cause significant water damage or even can flood your entire home.
To prevent pipe banging when you turn on the water, think about rubber blankets or straps. Instead of assuming the pipes need replaced, consider anchoring them or buffering them. If your pipes are plastic, leave them some room for expansion and contraction. If pipes do not leak but just make noise, eliminate the noise.
If you have a crack in your toilet tank, you can sometimes fix this with an epoxy resin. However, it is very difficult to keep up with this type of maintenance, and the best bet may be contacting the supplier and ordering a new tank to be installed in your bathroom. Nevertheless, keeping some epoxy resin on hand for emergencies is a good idea.
Teach your children how to notice plumbing problems. Many parents handle plumbing issues without sharing that information with their children, who grow up not knowing anything about plumbing. Any time you make a small repair or notice a problem, call your kids in and explain what the problem is and what you are going to do. Educate them so they can make good decisions in the future.
If you have an underground leak in your pipes, it is possible to detect the leak before digging. Today’s leak detection equipment is very sophisticated and modern, allowing technicians to detect and pinpoint exactly where leaks are before they go about trying to fix them with professional grade equipment for you.
If you install a new water heater, and you start to have a leak from the pressure relief valve, you may need an expansion tank installed. The pressure increases when the functioning of the water heater is being performed properly. Therefore, with your new water heater, it may be necessary to have an expansion tank as well.
Do you now feel more knowledgeable where plumbing is concerned? Do you know which type of plumbing your home has? Do you feel your skills have improved? Are you now well versed in what works well with your own system? Have you figured out how the equipment works? Hopefully, after reading this article, your answer to all these questions is a resounding yes.
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