If you're a home owner unfamiliar with plumbing, you're probably familiar with the experience of bei...

1. Plumbing Like A Pro: Suggestion, Tricks, And Techniques
If you're a home owner unfamiliar with plumbing, you're probably familiar with the experience of
being water heater thermostat repair cost charged an arm and a leg for what seems like a simple
plumbing repair. If you'd like to avoid this experience again, read on for some advice and tips on
how to fix your own plumbing.
Don't be afraid to call a professional. Don't take on jobs to save money, if you aren't sure how to fix
them. Calling a professional plumber saves you money, the experience and know-how can fix your
problem sooner and with less fuss.
Check your faucets for leaks. Check the knobs and the faucet itself. Hundreds of gallons of water a
day can be wasted due to leaks and that's not good if you're paying your water bill. By stopping a
leak now, you can save yourself a lot of money. Leaks can grow over time as well, so avoid a disaster
and check all faucets for leaks!
Get the appropriate tools, and know exactly how to use them before you start working on your
plumbing. Read manuals and do some research on the internet before starting a plumbing project.
Have a good grasp of what you're attempting to do before you do it, so you don't have to repair your
repair.
You can check your toilet for leaks by adding a few drops of food coloring, Kool Aid or some coffee
grounds to the water in the toilet's tank (not the water in the bowl). Check the water in the bowl
after a half hour or so. If any of the coloring agent is visible in the water in the bowl, the tank is
leaking, and you will have to have it repaired.
Unclog drains with ease. Try using a plunger and
drain cleaner, as your clog may simply be a
build-up of hair and debris. If this doesn't work
you may have to clear the drain with a snake.
Feed the snake into the drain line as far as it will
go. Turn the crank gently, which will help to
loosen the clog. Remove the snake, and run
water down the drain to see if the clog has been
removed. You may have to use the snake a
couple of times, before the clog is cleared so
don't give up!
In cold climate areas, sometimes the pipes in the plumbing system freeze. You can thaw them out
without calling a plumber. Before beginning this process, open the faucet and begin thawing closest
to the faucet and then move down the line as sections thaw out. One method you can use is to wrap
the pipe with a heavy towel or burlap and then pour hot water over it, set a bucket underneath to
catch the water.
Do you have a frozen drainpipe? You can use a garden hose to thaw it out. First of all, remove the

2. trap from the drainpipe and insert the hose until it will not go any further. While lifting up the other
end of the hose, pour hot water down it. Keep pouring hot water down the hose until the drainpipe
thaws. To save time with cleanup, keep a bucket underneath to catch the water that overflows.
Sometimes kitchen sinks can be clogged up due to a slow accumulation of solidified grease. One
quick fix for this is to try pouring very hot grease down the sink, which will liquefy the grease
clogging the drain and carry it down. Water won't work, because grease will not dissolve in water.
When you wash your hands, be sure that you have not left any soap on the faucet handles. What
people do not know is that leaving soap on these fixtures can cause fixtures to corrode. Just take two
seconds after you are done washing your hands to remove excess soap from the handles.
Do you have a frozen drainpipe? You can use a garden hose to thaw it out. First of all, remove the
trap from the drainpipe and insert the hose until it will not go any further. While lifting up the other
end of the hose, pour hot water down it. Keep pouring hot water down the hose until the drainpipe
thaws. To save time with cleanup, keep a bucket underneath to catch the water that overflows.
Do not be surprised if a plumber charges you more than you expected. Many customers think that
fixing a toilet or other drainage problem should be easy, therefore the price should be low. You must
remember that not only does a plumber have to charge for labor, but they have to charge for parts
that you need.
In any DIY plumbing project, make sure that you always test the drains and the supply lines before
you close up the walls. It is a lot easier to find and solve problems if you look for them while you are
still in the process of actively doing the job.
When looking at new fixtures for your plumbing, look at the option of purchasing ones made of
brass. Brass tends to be much more durable than other materials in plumbing, so you will not need
to replace the fixtures as frequently. Brass is also more attractive to the eye than typical fixtures.
You can find these in any home improvement type of store.
If you are putting in a water heater make sure that the pipe that is connected to the drainage pipe is
reconnected. This could be a recirculation pipe. This kind of pipe helps keep your water hot without
wasting any of it.
Make sure any plumber that you hire can handle the type of job you have. There are many aspects to
plumbing and many contractors can do almost all of them, but some are better suited to doing work
involved in specific areas. If need a plumber for your septic system, get one that specializes in septic
systems.
When you are going to do laundry in your home washing machine, do not use excess detergent,
bleach or other chemicals. Too many of http://www.homedepot.com/c/SV_HS_Water_Heaters these
products can cause the natural bacteria in your septic system to be killed. Just use enough of these
products in order to get your laundry done.
If you need to locate a pipe under the floor, attach a strong magnet to a solid line coated with fish
tape. Flush the magnet or throw it in a drain. Make sure to attach the line to something or to have
someone hold it. Use a compass to locate the magnet and the pipe.
Check the plumbing in your home. If your home has the flexible gray polybutylene water pipes, you
need to have a plumber come out and assess their condition. These types of pipe are prone to failure

3. and can lead to very costly repairs if they have a failure within your home.
By knowing your plumbing and how it works, as was stated before, can save you a lot of time and
money. There's nothing worse than a plumbing accident to mess up your day. So, using the advice
from this article, you can be sure to save yourself a big headache!