Monday, June 4, 2012

Plumbing 101: Tending To Your Pipes Like A Pro

The topic of plumbing can be very stressful for a homeowner who isn't familiar with plumbing repairs. You often have to wait for a plumber to make a house call, and you may end up paying a lot for a repair you could have made on your own. Avoid the wait and the expense by following these simple tips! A great tip to use to stop your septic tank from backing up is to make sure you have it pumped at least every five years. Deposit and debris build up in your tank can result in major problems. Although it is somewhat of an expense to pump out a septic tank, it is nothing compared to what you will have to spend on cleaning up a backup of sewage or repairing or replacing your septic system. If your home uses well water and orange or pink stains become noticeable in your bathtub or in other fixtures, this occurs when the water has too much iron. A water softener can cure this problem and can be installed by you, or you may opt to have a professional to come and install it for you.
TIP! If you are working outside under the sun for a long time, make sure to take frequent breaks in the shade away from direct sunlight to cool down. It's easy to forget the sun's heat when you're involved in working, but it's still dangerous.
Avoid bleach tablets, blue toilet deodorizers or the other odor removers inside your toilet. These tablets have chemicals that can damage rubber parts that are essential to the proper functioning of your toilet. Fall is the perfect time to have someone check the hot water tank in your home to ensure it's prepared for the winter. This will save you cash on your winter heating costs by allowing your hot water heater to easily operate at full capacity. Every winter, drain and disconnect garden hoses. If you fail to do this, the hoses can damage the water pipes to which they are connected. If there's a hose hook up in the garage, and it stays above freezing, you can safely leave it attached.
TIP! Try not to use drain cleaners too often, it at all. Drain cleaners are composed of extremely corrosive chemicals and can actually damage pipes with frequent use.
To make sure that your water heater is running efficiently, you need to know what size your hot water tank is. Knowing how many appliances and people use the hot water in the house can help you become aware of the size that is best for your house. As you can see, plumbing problems don't have to be so difficult. If you can solve the problem yourself, you can save time waiting for a plumber, as well as saving a whole lot of money. Try applying what you've learned from this article next time you have a plumbing problem!