Some New Challenges For Prudent Programs For Plumber

Don't Let Plumbing Issues Be A Bother

Everyone has questions about plumbing at some point in time. It's useful to be able to fix minor problems on our own, and it's great to know some general tips about plumbing maintenance. This article will give you plumbing repair tips as well as maintenance tips, so you are ready for a plumbing crisis if it occurs.

Avoid the use of products for your toilet that help with odor, such as bleach tablets. These products will reduce the smell, but they will also cause problems with the rubber gaskets. Over time, the damage will accumulate and could eventually stop the toilet from functioning at all.

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.

Ensure that everyone in your household knows how to turn off the main water supply, or knows how to contact someone who can. In the event of a burst pipe or other water-related emergency, you should immediately turn off the water to prevent flooding, structural damage, and a sky-high water bill.

Do not let your faucet leak. Did you know a leaky faucet can waste about 150 gallons of water every day? If you have a leak, never ignore it. It could be coming from the faucet or the pipes. Continually check pipes and faucets for extra moisture or small leaks.

When running your garbage disposal, always use a lot of cold water. Using cold water not only preserves the sharpness of the blades, but also makes the disposal process itself smoother. Using hot water will cause grease to liquefy and accumulate in the drain, which will cause clogs in your pipes.

Do not put your hand in the garbage disposal to remove a clog. This can be potentially harmful. Always use tongs to get out whatever is stuck in the disposal. Using tongs is much safer, and you will make sure your hand does not get cut on the disposer's sharp blades.

Try to limit the amount of hair that goes down your drains. Hair can become tangled up in the pipe and end up blocking up the them, preventing water from flowing smoothly. Buy a cheap screened drain cover to put over your drain to stop any hair from going down and clean it off regularly.

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.

During the winter months, your water heater works the hardest. To keep it in optimum condition, flush it out before winter arrives. Flushing the system helps remove the sediment buildup, which causes internal corrosion of your water heater, shortens its lifespan, and reduces heating efficiency. Connect a hose to the faucet near the bottom of the tank and drain several gallons by directing the water into a nearby drain.

When chilly weather approaches, it is time to disconnect your water hoses from your outside faucets. If you forget to do this, water in the hoses can freeze and expand. This can cause the faucets and the connecting pipes inside your house to freeze and break. By simply rolling up your garden hoses and storing them for the winter, you can help prevent costly plumbing repairs.

To prevent the most common kitchen sink clogs, avoid putting any sort of solid foods down your drain. Many foods, such as eggs and vegetable and fruit waste actually harden with exposure to cold water and over time can form clogs that are next to impossible to remove without professional help.

If you own property where the temperature gets below freezing for an extended amount of time each year, you should make sure that pipes located in unheated areas, such as crawl spaces and garages, are insulated. Pipes that are exposed to the outside elements or those that are prone to freezing, should be protected by heat tape or thermostat-controlled heat cables to prevent them from freezing.

When getting an estimate from a contractor on a job, make sure to ask how long the written estimate is good for. For big jobs you usually want to get estimates from a few different plumbers. Knowing how long your estimate is valid will help you know what your time limit is for making a decision on who to hire.

Always keep a trash bin in the bathroom so that you can dispose of cotton swabs, facial pads, and hair. Do not put these materials in the toilet as they can cause clogs over time and disrupt your water flow. These items will not dissolve or break down when submerged in water.

If you live in a very cold area, think about using heat tape and pipe wrap to protect the pipes that might be exposed to the cold. Do not settle for cheap materials that would not protect your plumbing system from the cold efficiently. Make sure you protect your whole plumbing system.

To prevent exposed pipes under your home from freezing during the winter, use foam pipe insulation or electric heat tape to cover your pipes according to the manufacturer's directions. A burst pipe can cause damage and high more info water bills, so preventing freezing and bursting is essential during the coldest months of the year.

To prevent hair from clogging your drains, install strainers in each tub and shower to capture the hairs before they can go down the drain. When combined with soap build-up, hair can bring your drains to a complete standstill, so it's important to prevent the hairs from reaching the pipes in the first place.

Remove all foreign objects from your drain, before you clean the area with chemicals. These objects include all kitchen utensils, fruit pits and certain types of metal objects. These cannot be flushed down your drain and could damage your unit significantly, if you put them through the garbage disposal.

As you can see, plumbing isn't such a scary thing, it just requires proper knowledge and instruction. Fixing your own plumbing can save a lot of money. Hopefully this article has given you at least a few of the ideas that you need, so that next time your plumbing has a problem, you can fix it yourself.

Sudbury plumbers share tips to prevent frozen pipes

Rod Lefebvre has been a plumber for 34 years and said one common mistake people make is not having their homes checked on if they go away.

"Just make sure that if you are away from your house that you have the right people that are actually going inside looking at things making sure everything is fine and stuff," said Lefebvre.

Lefebvre said some homes are more at risk if pipes are on outside walls but says issues with pipes freezing can happen to any home when temperatures plunge.

"If you can just get the heat in there as quick as possible to get things thawed out then you are saving yourself damages down the line," said Lefebvre.

Castle Plumbing and Heating said space heaters can help prevent frozen pipes but they have to be used properly and safely. There is also another preventative step.

"When you know it’s going to be really, really cold outside it never hurts especially if you know you have a trouble area in your home it never hurts to leave your facet a trickle because if there is some movement in that pipe then it can’t freeze," said Jean.

In a recent tweet, the Greater Sudbury Fire Service said never use open flames to thaw frozen plumbing. For a safe solution, consider a certified plumber.

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