Plumbing jobs are not for everyone. Many people desist the idea of getting wet and messy with leaky faucets and rusty pipes. Yes, you almost always have an option of choosing a furnace repair dallas to do the plumbing job for you, but a little knowledge would do no harm to you. In this article we list down some easy and practical plumbing tricks that everyone can use to ease their lives and carry out some basic plumbing jobs.
Knowledge about cut-off valves:
Cut-off valves are also known as shut-off valves. Their main purpose is to stop the water supply to a specific water appliance. The idea behind is, if you want to carry out a repair job on a particular appliance, you turn off the cut-off valve of that particular appliance instead of turning off the water supply from the main source to the entire house. This is a very useful hack that you should know of. To turn off the cut-off valves you better be aware of their location. They are usually provided close to the appliance they are meant to cut off the water supply to. You can look for them behind, underneath, on the wall, or close to thar appliance. Look for them and identify which valve is meant for which appliance. You can label them with marks to know which valve is for which appliance.
Don’t flush everything:
It has become a common tendency that we tend to flush anything and almost everything down the toilet. It shouldn’t be so. Nothing should be flushed in the toilet except for the toilet papers. Please take a note of it. If you go about throwing everything in it brace yourself for a clogged toilet. In case of a clogged toilet, a plunger is your best friend. You will have to put the plunger in the toilet and thrust it several times. The thrusting motion will create suction which will then produce pressure to unclog the toilet. You will keep repeating the thrusting action unless the toilet is cleared off. To save yourself time and energy, we therefore advise you to stop using your toilet as a waste bin. You can put one waste bin in your bathroom which should resist your temptation to throw everything in the toilet.
Fix the leaks:
Even if it is a drop, a leak should not be ignored. Chances are the small drop will get a big problem if you do not address it in time. A leaky faucet waster up to 8 gallons of water everyday whereas a running toilet can cause a loss of 200 gallons per day. This is a huge waste of a precious resource. Usually a leaky faucet can be fixed without much fuss. It is most commonly caused by the fault in rubber seals contained in the faucets. These seals, known as washers are O rings get cracked or chipped with the passage of time. If you open the faucet assembly you will see these seals underneath and in the knobs. You can get new ones easily from the hardware store. Take the old one with you so that you get the exact same size. If you do not want to change it by yourself you can always take the services of a professional plumber.
Avoid chemicals for drain opening:
The pipes can get clogged and you will need to unclog them. There are many chemicals-based drain openers now available in stores. However, they are not always healthy to use. You should avoid using them as much as you can. Or if it is necessary use them sparingly. The fumes they produce are pretty toxic. You better use a mask while using such drain openers. After putting them leave the area and don’t’ forget to keep the windows and doors open. The fresh air should neutralize the toxicity of the fumes. Some people get so frustrated with clogged pipes that they go to the extent of using raw acids to clear the pipes. This is not recommended at all. Whenever you are buying a chemical-based drain opener look for the chemical compositions on the label. It should also display the certifications from health departments that it is safe to use. You can use DIY drain opening remedies. Use the mixture of baking soda and vinegar to unclog your pipes. It will take time to unclog but it is safe. You can also use metal snake. It will make its way in the pipe and pull out the gunk which is clogging your water pipes.
Plumber’s tape:
A plumber’s tape is your best friend when it comes to fixing many plumbing issues. It is also known as a Teflon tape. It comes in white and yellow colors. White is used for water pipes while yellow is used for gas pipes. This tape can fix a lot of water leakage issues. It is wrapped around pipe threads for sealing purposes. It comes in various width sizes. You can choose the one according to your specific requirement and use to fix many dripping issues. It is especially useful for pipe joints and areas around pipe fittings. You won’t have to replace the entire pipe due to a leaky joint. The tape can fix it and you are good to go.
These are some of the tricks and tips that everyone should know when it comes to plumbing. By employing these tricks, you make sure that you fix the issue in hand and stop it from getting out of control. Sometimes a little precaution goes a long way in ensuring safety and well-being of you and the equipment. We hope many of your plumbing related problems would mitigate if you start using these tricks in your every day lives.