Clever Programs For Plumber Info
Save A Lot Of Money With This Plumbing Advice
If plumbing is something that can have you stumped, you probably know how expensive it is to have it done professionally. You also may have to wait for a plumber to arrive when there's a problem happening now! Don't let this happen, read on for tips on solving your own plumbing problems!
Act quickly if your pipes freeze! Shut off the water and open the faucet, enabling it to drain when it thaws. Starting with the faucet, and working your way to the iced-up area, aim a propane torch or hairdryer at the pipe - this will quickly defrost it. You could also wrap the pipe in a heating pad or aim a heat lamp at it, but this will take quite some time. A last resort is to wrap the pipe in rags and pour boiling water over it.
Use a hairdryer to thaw frozen pipes, after you shut off the water to the house. A hairdryer will gently heat the pipe and thaw the ice without causing significant damage to the pipe. Shutting off the water first means that if the pipe is broken, there will be no rush of water into the house.
Prevention will save you money in plumbing bills. The repairs that plumbers perform the most are for drains that are clogged. One major thing that causes clots is grease. It builds up over and time. You can help prevent grease build up by looking for a product on the market that will clean the grease out.
You should drain all of the water out of the tank of your hot water heater at least once every three to six months. Draining all of the water out of the tank helps to prevent sediment build-up at the bottom of the tank. This sediment can cause the tank to bang or to heat less efficiently.
Never pour grease down the kitchen-sink drain. This will help you avoid clogs in your kitchen sink. Place grease in a can or other receptacles and dispose of in the trash. Grease that has congealed on pots, and pans can be wiped off with paper towels that can be thrown in the trash.
The actual individual plumber coming out to your home might not be something you have a say in, but that does not mean you can't look them up online. If your insurance provider has set up the appointment, check the company website to see customer reviews and feedback. This allows you to have some information before they arrive.
Regular maintenance of your plumbing lines is a great idea. Your options are getting your lines snaked or jetted. Jetted is a technology that is proven more effective than snaking is. It gets deeper and cleans harder. So jetting is a good idea next time you are having maintenance performed on your lines.
Before the cold season hits, check out the condition of your gutters on the roof of your house. Remove all debris, leaves and branches so that you can have a smooth flow of water and easy drainage. Caretaking in advance will help to prevent serious issues with plumbing down the road.
Call different plumbers before choosing one. Plumbing prices among professionals are not uniform. Before you hire someone to fix a major problem, call two or three other plumbers to see what their prices are like. This can be difficult if you have a major plumbing problem that you need solved right away, but will save you money in the end.
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.
If you have a crack in your toilet tank, you can sometimes fix this with an epoxy resin. However, it is very difficult to keep up with this type of maintenance, and the best bet may be contacting the supplier and ordering a new tank to be installed in your bathroom. Nevertheless, keeping some epoxy resin on hand for emergencies is a good idea.
If water is flowing out from where your meter is located, a professional is required to come out and fix the leak. If your water bill goes up, this is most likely because the leak is on the house side of the water meter. You will need to get a professional to come out and fix the leak.
So, website after reading and applying the helpful tips listed above, you should feel a bit more at ease in the land of plumbing. You have the tools; it's time to use them. You should feel empowered and ready to begin your plumbing journey to start taking care of your home's plumbing system.
How to get a decent plumber without going round the U-bend
Finding the valves
You can also search for reputable tradesmen in England and Wales via the Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors (APHC) and in Scotland and Northern Ireland through SNIPEF.
John Thompson, the chief executive of the APHC, says there really is no need to stick with the first available plumber that you stumble on.
"If you feel pressurised into accepting work without a full explanation, have the confidence to question or get a second opinion. Also check if the tradesmen has the right credentials to work on your appliances," he says.
Mind you, if water is pouring, or even just dripping from the ceiling, you will need to try and isolate the problems to minimise damage before the plumber arrives.
For major leaks, turn off the water supply at the main stop tap, usually in the kitchen. You might need to resort to turning off the water company tap at the boundary of the property. Older ones may also turn off your neighbour's supply.
Smaller internal leaks can be stopped using local isolation valves - usually next to the appliance or tap concerned. These may be less familiar to older consumers as they take the form of levers or are just turned with a screwdriver.
On a combi boiler the isolation valve will be located underneath the boiler.
Ian Ruddick
Image caption,
Turning the thermostat up too suddenly can push your boiler over the edge, says Ian Puddick
Lagging
Ian Puddick is the founder of the London Boiler Company. His team is well used to being called out to replace worn out boilers which give up the ghost when they are pushed too hard.
"What happens is that all of a sudden people turn the thermostat up, but this pushes your boiler over the edge," he says.
"Also where you have tanks in the loft, check the little one to see that it's full of water. These can work with little in them for years, but when you turn the temperature up it drives the system a bit harder and then it stops."
Mr Puddick also has a helpful tip for avoiding a big freeze in your loft.
"Once you have checked all your pipes and tanks are lagged, protected and covered, check underneath the water tank. If there's some insulation there just pull it out and leave that area clear so heat can rise and protect the tank."
Emergency repairs are costly. So to avoid being fleeced by an opportunist plumber, it's worth getting your pipes and systems checked and serviced by a reputable engineer before temperatures drop once again.