Do you like DIY projects and plumbing or do you simply prefer to be self- sufficient around your house? These useful tips will definitely ‘give you a hand.’
Ensure your pipes are kept warm
An important bit of plumbing advice to keep in mind is to avoid letting the pipes freeze during the cold months of the year. It is required to easy to understand: imagine that your cold water pipes are touching the facade of a given building. The pipes could freeze during the winter months if not used due to the drastic fall in temperatures. Among the perfect means to retain your home’s pipes warm is to insulate them accordingly.
Do regular check-ups
Obviously, you are not a professional or an expert plumber but just look for obvious issues which are easy to view, such as rust, buckling, and dripping water. It will get rid of the chance of dealing with any surprises like water puddles that can ruin your floors or you’re your furniture.
Watch your kitchen sink carefully
While corresponding to the tip above, you need to pay close attention to this bit of advice. From time to time, take a look at the pipes underneath your sink. It is easy for sink pipes to get blocked. These blockages often cause ‘out the blue’ leaking. Check for leaks now and then to ensure that everything is working, as it should.
Check your radiator pitch
The radiator pitch check-up should be conducted approximately every 12 months because with time radiators tend to sag. To enjoy their full potential available, you should make it a habit to check the radiator with a level & if it is required you should pitch it towards the supply valve. It allows the compressed water to drain to the boiler easily.
Common DIY Plumbing Mistakes Made at Home
The most common and general plumbing mistake by DIY homeowners involves wrong selection of pipes when repairing leaks in your house. This includes both the size and the type of the pipe that is used. The pipes may, therefore, fail to fit into each other, as is required. Using more force than is required when connecting two pipes together or forcing the connectors may break the pipes or the connectors. Additional leaks may form in the pipes, and they may burst when pressure builds up in them. Corrosion can also occur if you use the wrong pipe type. Professional plumbers know in which situation they should use galvanized pipes and when to use copper pipes. Connecting the two pipes together will lead to corrosion which will require regular and frequent replacement of the pipes.
Improvising with makeshift tools and equipment in place of what a professional plumber uses is another mistake seen often. For example, many DIY homeowners use marbles or ball bearings in place of a real level when installing or repairing bathroom fixtures. Importantly, getting the level wrong when installing the toilet could also lead to the slow flow of sewer or even backups in the pipes. Using the correct tools for a given task will not only save you time but will also ensure that the pipes do not crack as you fit them into place.
Ensure you have a professional design of where the sewer pipes are to be placed. It is important when carrying out plumbing work in the upper floors of a building or apartment block. A silly DIY plumbing mistake involves routing the pipes in the wrong places so that they interfere with occupants of the lower floors. A common custom by professional plumbers includes designing and planning the drainage network before implementation of the system.
The last DIY plumbing mistake often seen is a failure to turn off the water stopcock before attempting any repairs. Typically, this is the first thing that a professional plumber will do even for the smallest plumbing tasks at hand. Doing so prevents flooding, which often causes damage to the household and household items. It will also take you added time to drain the water from the area.
Trying to fix a minor plumbing problem on your own and getting it wrong could create a major problem. Hiring an emergency plumber to rectify the bigger problem will cost you more now but save you in the long run. You should, therefore, take time when carry out your plumbing work to avoid such mistakes or call a professional plumber in case you are not sure hot to fix the problem.
Any number of different plumbing problems ranging from simple clogs to total sewage disasters can come up in the average home. Fortunately, the more common plumbing problems are also quite easily fixed that you can do it yourself without having to call a plumber.
Knowing how to repair common plumbing problems yourself can save you a lot of money.
1. Low pressure. Complaints of low pressure usually happen at the sink faucet. If both hot and cold water are affected by low pressure, the most likely cause of the problem is your aerator. It is caused by the buildup of calcium deposits in the faucet aerator. Fixing a blocked aerator is easy. You just need to take it out by hand or if that’s not possible, use a pair of pliers. Simply clean out any debris then put it back on. If cleaning no longer helps, the aerator may need to be replaced.
2. A sink that drains slowly. It is often caused by the buildup of debris and hair on the pop up used to stop up the sink. You’ll need to clean up the debris to let the drain flow smoothly again. You can use a drain cleaning tool, like a Zip-It tool. Just insert it into the drain, wiggle it a little bit and pull out any hair or debris that gets stuck to it. Repeat until it comes out clean. If that doesn’t work, you’ll need to remove the pop-up to clean it. Pop-ups are usually secured in place by a nut attached to the drain located just under the sink. You can unscrew the nut with your hand or with a pair of pliers. Remove the pop-up and clear the debris then reinstall. The sink should be draining smoothly again.