You may not know this, but plumbing is actually a fairly simple concept, when approached correctly. ...

1. Exceptional Recommendations To assist You Remedy Your
Plumbing Issues
You may not know this, but plumbing is actually a fairly simple concept, when approached correctly.
Once you have a good understanding of how replace old bathroom light fixture everything works,
then even the largest projects will appear to be a lot more simple. Read on for more great advice
about plumbing in your home.
Rigid copper is used for main water lines in many homes. You cannot bend rigid copper, so joints
and tees must be soldered on. When soldering, always apply flux (also called soldering paste) to both
surfaces. Flux retards oxidation when the copper is heated. Always use lead-free or nearly lead-free
solder when sweating a copper joint.
Routinely check your appliance connections and faucets around the house for any kind of obvious
leaks or nearby signs of moisture. Not only do even the smallest leaks lead to a large waste of water
and money, they also can lead to damage to your home or even the development of harmful molds.
Never pay a plumber until the job is complete. There might be a down payment required, but you do
not give him the total cost before he is finished. You want to know the plumber has fulfilled all his
requirements as promised in the agreement before he gets paid.
Make sure there is a strainer covering all drains in order to collect particles that would cause a clog
if they went down the drain. Clean out the one in the kitchen whenever there's something trapped
there that shouldn't be. Bathtub strainers need regular cleaning as well.
Avoid using hard cleaners on your toilets, such as drop-in cleaner tabs in the tank. When these tabs
are almost completely dissolved, what's left of the tab gets washed into the bowl. This can then end
up clogging the toilet's port holes, preventing the toilet from flushing properly. It can take months
for this debris to finish dissolving in those holes.
If you have problems with a slow drain, there are easier things you can do other than removing the
pipes to clean it. There are certain tools made
http://www.hometime.com/Howto/projects/plumbing/plum_1.htm just for this purpose that you insert
into the drain to loosen the clog so it washes away or grab it and remove it completely.
If water is not coming to the dishwasher, you most likely have a blockage somewhere. You will need
to turn off the water supply and remove the hose that leads to the dishwasher. After securing the
hose, turn the water back on. See if it feeds into a bowl. If not, then you must find the block where it
is at which may include removing more piping.
Install water-saving shower heads to reduce your energy costs. Showers and baths are responsible
for the bulk of your hot water usage. By installing an energy-efficient shower head that might cost a
few dollars, you could save at least $100 a year per person who showers in your house.
If the pipes have burst in an upstairs area, use a tool to perforate the ceiling underneath in several
places and places pots and pans under to catch the water. If this is not done, the weight of the
accumulating water could cause a collapse of the entire ceiling.
To be able to get a good plumber you can be comfortable with, remember which of your friends are

2. actual home owners and not renting. At some point, every home owner has had to call in a plumber.
They can give you a good personal reference they had a positive experience with.
Make sure that any exposed pipes in your home are insulated, especially those found in crawl spaces
on the outside walls of your home. This will help keep them from freezing and causing you tons of
problems. Frozen pipes can often be devastating and leave you with problems that are expensive to
fix and no water in the middle of winter.
Do not ignore a slow flushing toilet. This is usually a sign that something is wrong. It can also cause
backups and overflows. The most common causes of a slow flushing toilet are sediment build up,
tank malfunctions, or partial clogs. You should periodically check for these problems.
Make sure to never leave any flammable liquids near your water heater. Certain liquids like
gasoline, solvents, or adhesives are flammable, and if left too close to the water heater, can ignite. If
you have to have these liquids in your basement, place it far away from your water heater.
When looking for a plumber, you have quite a few options. Ask friends for recommendations of who
they use. Check online for plumbers with good reviews and references. Use your yellow pages and
look under "Plumbing Contractors" or "Plumbing, Drain and Sewer Cleaning". Make sure that you
contact more than one plumber before making a choice.
As tempting as it may be to try and save on the heating bill, keep your furnace set no lower than 55
degrees over the winter to prevent inside pipes from freezing. If you have pipes located in an
excessively cold basement, consider running a space heater in the basement, but only when it can be
checked on frequently.
When you are working on any kind of plumbing project, you always need a backup person. This is
because, when working with water, you never know when an emergency can happen and that
second pair of hands can come in very useful! This can even be an unskilled person who can follow
directions.

3. To avoid water damage to walls in the kitchen, make sure all seams in your counter tops and back
splash are properly sealed using a waterproof silicone. Silicone will dry out over time, crack and
shrink and should be replaced once every three years. Keeping your silicone in good shape will keep
kitchen spills where they belong and not running down the walls.
Plumbing is something that can be done as a hobby, or as a way to make some extra money. If you
feel that your skills have progressed a good deal, then you could consider using it is as a way to
supplement your primary income by helping out neighbors and co-workers.
In conclusion, there is a lot to know about plumbing, but it all ends up being well connected in the
end. Build on any knowledge that you already have and you can take care of just about any home
improvement project or plumbing issue that you might be faced with.