Pipes Tips You Can Do By Yourself

Pipes Tips You Can Do By Yourself

Are you intrigued by how your plumbing system works? Plumbing can be intimidating to many people on the surface, but it is really not that difficult to learn. Many plumbing issues can be addressed by a simple fix. You can start learning more about plumbing by reading this article for some useful tips.
Roots from a tree in your backyard can be a real headache when it comes to plumbing. Make sure if you have a big tree or bush or some kind of plant with a big root system, that you ask your plumbing company about root-killing agents. You can flush these down your toilet and kill any roots that may be blocking your pipes and save yourself a lot of money by stopping a backup before it happens.
Find a better way to discard cooking oil instead of pouring it down the drain where it can easily clog your pipes. Keep a coffee can or another metal container handy to pour grease into after cooking. Place the can in the freezer to harden the grease and when it’s full, discard it with the trash.
You can check for damage to the floors around the toilets by checking for soft areas. Straddle your toilet by rocking it from foot to foot to see if there’s any weakening or softness on the floor below you. This will save you a lot of trouble and money if you find the issue before something horrible happens.
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 strengths and all products should be used with caution.
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.
If you are trying to decide on the material to use for your hose, stick with stainless steel. Stainless steel has a very solid construction and stays durable for many years, eliminating the need for replacement. Also, this material is less prone to bursting, which can yield severe plumbing issues.
Cover pipes that are outside or in cool areas. Use heat tape to make sure that the pipes are completely covered and insulated. This will prevent frozen pipes in the winter, which can be an expensive problem. Check outdoor pipes for other problems such as leaks and cracks which are better to catch early.
If you are having trouble removing clean-out plugs, there are a couple of ways in which to resolve this. The first one is to use a hammer and chisel to attempt loosening the fitting. Your other option to try is to chisel through the out plug.
Make sure that any exposed pipes in your home are insulated, especially those found in crawl spaces on the outside walls of your home. This will help keep them from freezing and causing you tons of problems. Frozen pipes can often be devastating and leave you with problems that are expensive to fix and no water in the middle of winter.
Be sure that you check on your water meter when it is not being used. Then, check on the meter 8 hours later. If the meter has changed, even a small amount, this could be a sign that there is an undetected water leak, which can be a severe problem.
If you are having any kind of problems with your water line or plumbing in general then you will first want to cut off your water supply. One of the most common mistakes that people make is to leave their water running while they are trying to fix things and this leads to bigger problems.
As you can see, plumbing is not rocket science. All you need to do is to find reliable sources that will give you great tips on addressing plumbing problems. The time you invest in educating yourself on plumbing issues will be time well-spent because it will save you a lot of money in the long run.