Whether you’ve just purchased your first home or have a portfolio of rental properties, you should know a few plumbing basics.
You’ll have to deal with plumbing issues, and being prepared may save you money and headaches. Everyone has experienced a plumbing problem at some point. Therefore, there is plenty of plumbing advice for homeowners to find online.
Here are the plumbing suggestions for homeowners that our skilled local plumbers have determined to be the most helpful.
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Be Familiar with Your Water Central
The source of the water coming into your house is the water main. Its usual basement location is next to the water heater. There is a valve for turning off the main water supply. If you turn this valve off, no water will enter your house. When dealing with a significant plumbing job or emergency (such as a leaking or busted pipe), you’ll first turn off the main water supply.
How To Clear Drains
Your drain will inevitably become blocked at some time. Excess hair accumulates in the shower and has to be removed. You might be tempted to go for one of those liquid drain cleaners when faced with a blockage. Wow, it was a colossal blunder.
To put it bluntly, stay far away from liquid drain cleaners. It’s frustrating that such a simple solution looks so difficult to implement. However, the chemicals included in Liquid Plumber and other similar treatments may wreak havoc on your pipes.
Get a snake or another piece of equipment that can clear the pipes of debris if water from your sink or tub refuses to drain.
Observe The Water Pressure Levels
It’s a crucial component of every functional plumbing system. You should check your house’s water pressure as frequently as your blood pressure at the doctor’s office. A straightforward pressure gauge may be purchased for next to nothing at any hardware or home improvement store.
Intelligent home water monitoring systems, such as the Flo by Moen, provide a more accurate and up-to-date alternative. You can monitor your water pressure, find leaks, and keep tabs on your water consumption.
Pressure-Reducing Valve Working
Reduce the water pressure in your home to an appropriate level if it is too high. The pressure reduction valve (PRV) can be set up (or swapped out) to do this. Most residences that use municipal water should have PRVs installed.
This is because fire hydrants, high-altitude houses, and skyscrapers are all serviced by municipal water companies, which need them to pump water at high pressures. They often supply water above 100 psi, but most homes can only handle 50–60 psi pressures.
Maintain The Toilet
The first step is to put human waste and toilet paper in the toilet. Clogs can be caused by anything from cotton swabs, and baby wipes to paper towels and other paper products. Get a plunger the next time you go shopping if you don’t already have one.
Verify that the toilet is clean and flushing correctly. If your toilet is constantly running, it may be time to replace some of the parts in the tank.
However, there are situations when a toilet leak is so slight that it goes unnoticed. Use food coloring to detect these hidden leaks in the toilet tank. After thirty minutes, you should check the water level in the toilet. The presence of any hue indicates the presence of a leak.
Avoid Putting Trash Down the Drain
Trash compactors are great appliances to have, but they have their limits. Don’t mistake washing grease, oil, or other fatty substances down the sink. These, when cooled, can solidify and may clog pipes.
Run cold water down the drain for five to ten seconds before turning on the garbage disposal, and keep it running for a few seconds after you’re done. To maintain the garbage disposal’s blades in good working order, toss a few ice cubes down it every so often.
The Pressure Reducing Valve Must Work
If your home has high water pressure, you should lower it to a safe level. Your pressure-reducing valve (PRV) or pressure-regulating valve (PVR) may now be set up. Most households that get their water from the city will need a PRV.
Municipal water providers must pump water at a high pace to meet the demands of fire hydrants, high-elevation dwellings, and high-rise structures. However, your house and its plumbing components are designed to withstand pressures of 50 to 60 psi.
Don’t Allow Your Toilet to Damage Your Plumbing
First, avoid causing any harm to the plumbing by simply flushing toilet paper and human waste down the toilet. Cotton swabs, and other object can cause clogs in plumbing systems. Get a plunger the next time you go shopping. Make sure the toilet is flushing before you leave as well.
Maintain Regular Gutter Cleaning
Though they aren’t officially a component of your plumbing system, gutters play a significant role in keeping water away from your house. If your gutters are clogged, the rain will pool on your roof and weaken the structure, eventually finding its way inside.
It would help if you took every precaution to protect your property against water damage. At the very least, you should empty them in the early spring and late summer.
Protect Your Pipes from The Cold
Frozen, broken pipes can cause water damage that easily costs five figures to fix. Lines should be winterized in areas where temperatures drop significantly throughout the winter. Protect your home’s exterior pipes and fixtures from the cold by ensuring they are adequately insulated. When homeowners are gone for long periods, and the thermostats are left too cold, pipes can explode.
When To Replace A Water Heater
A water heater will eventually wear out and need to be replaced. A decade or more of use means it’s time to upgrade. One should not put off the action in this regard. There are at least fifty gallons in that water heater tank. If the tank springs a leak, all that water might significantly damage. Your sump pump should be replaced simultaneously with your water heater.
Dispose of Your Waste with Care
For example, large quantities of food waste are too much for plumbing trash disposals to handle. Oils, fats, and grease should not be flushed down the toilet. They will cause clogs if allowed to cool and harden in the pipes. Before turning on the disposal for the first time, cold water should run through the drain for a few seconds. Running ice cubes through your garbage disposal might help keep the blades sharp.