Ready to make plumbing work for you? Great, time to get started! Wait, how do you do that and how do you get started? Never fear, here are some plumbing tips! This collection of advice should provide you with just the right amount of knowledge and inspiration to do your own plumbing.

Before you start a plumbing project you should tighten all of the pipes that are easily accessible. Especially if your pipes are making a range of loud banging sounds, as this is a clear sign that there are loose pipes along the line. It is also a good idea in case there is a clog so the excess pressure released does not break a loose pipe.

If any water pipe that you have freezes, be sure to turn on the faucet that is close to the pipe to give the water an exit as the pipe thaws. Letting the water drain out will relieve pressure in the frozen pipe, which will reduce the chances of it bursting and damaging your home.

To winterize a house that will sit unused during the winter months, you must completely drain all of the pipes. After turning off the main water supply, let all of the water drains from the faucets, toilets, and water heater (turn off the gas). Add a quart of antifreeze to the sinks and the tub to prevent water from freezing in the drain trap.

Schedule all the plumbing work at one time. If a problem is minor, it can be wise to put off repair until you have more than one item to fix. This also gives you time to save up for the needed repairs. You can save money by only paying a single service call fee instead of ending up with multiple hours being billed from multiple visits.

If you want to keep your kitchen drains from clogging up, don’t pour grease down them. As it cools and congeals it can trap other food or waste particles, which over time can slow the draining of water and even form a clog that will not be easy to remove.

To reduce your plumbing repair costs, use preventative maintenance measures. Drain clogs are a common plumbing expense. Built-up hair can actually clog drains. You can stop this by using a screen or drain cover that is designed to keep hair out of your drain and pipes. It’s a lot simpler to eliminate hair that is on a screen than eliminating it off a pipe.

Do not place items in the toilets that do not belong there. For example, if you are a female, do not throw away sanitary pads or tampons in your toilet. This could cause severe damage to your toilet that could require a plumber, or even worse, a whole new toilet!

One way to avoid a common plumbing problem is to make sure never to flush anything but human waste and toilet paper down a toilet. Other things made of paper like tissues, paper towels, and the like do not dissolve the same way toilet paper does and can get stuck.

If you have a foul odor coming from your garbage disposal, this is due to food debris buildup. You need to put ice cubes, orange peels, and lemon peels into the disposal and run for about 30 seconds. Next, run some liquid dish soap through the disposal. This should take care of the problem if there is not a substantial blocking buildup.

Never hire a plumber that is not licensed, insured and bonded. If the plumbing company cannot provide you with reference numbers for their credentials, move on quickly. It is a common question and it should be a no-brainer for them to provide them to you. If they have issues with you asking, take that as a big red flag.

If water is flooding your home, immediately switch off the main electrical power. If water comes into contact with any electrical components, it can become a fatal situation. Once the power is off, then deal with the floodwater. Put your own and your family’s personal safety first, and show each member of the family how to shut off the power.

Now is the perfect chance to make plumbing work for you! Don’t worry; it can be personally tailored for just your home. After reading these previous tips, you should have seen that techniques and equipment are numerous and that anyone can apply them to their plumbing jobs. It just takes research and experimentation.