Advice on how to deal with a plumbing situation

Everyone who owns a home knows how common plumbing problems can be. These problems are usually in the kitchen or bathroom. Really, at some point every homeowner will deal with some kind of plumbing problem. The following advice will help, when that homeowner is you.

Before starting any plumbing project be sure to turn off the main water supply. Water damage can be one of the most expensive things to repair. To minimize damage turn the main water supply off as well as any shut off valves near where you are working. This will save a great deal of hardship later on.

Be careful about using liquid clog cleaners. These liquids can contain chemicals that are extremely bad for your pipes. Instead, use a snake or a plunger to dislodge any clogs you might encounter. Be sure to try these things before giving up and calling an Adelaide plumber, who will probably re-perform those same acts.

Don't use harsh chemicals such as toilet tablets in your toilet. Either kind of toilet tablet might break down obnoxious smells in your toilet, but they might also break down the rubber parts, resulting in malfunction.

Make sure that your tool box is ready for any project you are preparing to do. The last thing you want is to be knee deep in a job only to find that you are missing the one tool you need to finish. Be sure to have various sizes of pipe wrenches that can be used to complete any job.

Drain

To winterize a house that will sit unused during the winter months, you must completely drain all of the pipes. After turning off the main water supply, let all of the water drain from the faucets, toilets, and water heater (turn off the gas). Add a quart of antifreeze to sinks and the tub to prevent water from freezing in the drain trap.

Place a strainer on top of every drain so that you collect all debris that has the ability to clog the drain. Your kitchen sink strainer must be cleaned whenever it catches anything. The ones in the bathroom can be cleaned out as needed.

There are many ways to unclog a drain. You can try plunging it at first. If that doesn't work try using a chemical agent from the store. Before you go and spend money at the store though, if you have baking soda and some vinegar handy, you can mix those together and pour them in the drain and try to plunge that but if all else fails they have stronger remedies at your local hardware store.

You should always put plenty of cold water through your garbage disposal while it is running. Cold water keeps blades sharp and allows for smoother disposal. Running hot water down the drain while you are using the garbage disposal can cause the drain to clog from any grease that is in there liquefying.

The worst thing you can do is to be unprepared when a plumbing problem arises. Especially when you need an emergency plumber in Adelaide. As a homeowner you will need to have some basic plumbing tools, as well as the knowledge to be able to use them. The tips you have found above should go a long way towards preparing you to deal with a plumbing problem when it occurs.

Adelaide based writer focused on providing informative articles about a wide range of interesting topics from marketing, accounting, SEO to home improvement.