Yes, you may be reluctant to tackle tough plumbing projects
alone, but small clogs and leaks can often be fixed without calling in the
professionals.
It's a good idea to have a plumber's number on hand just in case
you encounter an issue you can't solve.
Hopefully, you will likely find that
minor plumbing projects are easy and satisfying to work on by yourself.
Are you ready to
become a Do It Yourself plumbing expert, or at least someone who can fix the minor
plumbing issues that come up?
You could save many
hundreds of dollars by taking care of dripping faucets or
overflowing toilets yourself. Take care of minor plumbing problems before they
become something that only professionals will be able to solve. [Link: http://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/plumbing/]
I've got some
useful tips that you can apply to your plumbing problems as soon as you
have the right tools.
Check Your Shower head for Issues
Thread tape is also one of the
easiest ways to fix a dripping shower head. Chances are, the leak means the
threads aren't connecting tightly.
Unscrew the shower head, apply new tape by
wrapping in a clockwise direction, and re-attach to stop the drip.
If the shower head is clogged, soak
it in a bowl with warm water and vinegar for about an hour. Use a small
brush to loosen any mineral deposits that could be causing blockages in the
spray.
Don't Be Afraid to Replace Parts Inside Your Toilet or Faucet
Taking apart pipes
under your sink or shower can lead to messy issues if you make a mistake.
However, there's very little you can damage by trying to replace your toilet's
flapper or your faucet's cartridge.
Worn flappers are
a common cause of leaks between the toilet tank and bowl. And they only cost a
few dollars! As a bonus, the package comes with easy-to-follow instructions for
replacement.
Most modern
faucets can be repaired by replacing the entire interior with a new cartridge.
This only requires that you remove a screw or two.
So, if you hear the toilet
running frequently, or your sink is dripping, get replacement parts and give it
a go.
Forget Thread Sealing
Compounds, Use Thread Tape
Thread
sealing compound, commonly known as "pipe dope," can drip and smear.
For most Do It Yourself projects involving pipe threads around the house, thread tape will
work just as well or better. You can buy a multi-purpose tape, which is usually
white.
Thicker tape is usually yellow for gas or pink for water. Try one of the
thicker options for easier handling. When
you wrap the tape, /roll it counterclockwise around the threads. Can't get the
roll into a tight space? Wrap a few turns of tape around a cheap pen and apply from that. You'll want
to wrap your tape around the pipe threads roughly three times for best results.
Make Your Water Heater More Efficient
Check your water heater's
thermostat to make sure it's not set too high. You should be able to go down to
115 degrees and still have enough hot water for your needs.
You'll also want to insulate
your water heater's tank. Hot water will stay hot longer this way–but be
careful not to cover the thermostat. Some utilities provide inexpensive or free
insulating blankets that are simple to install.
You may live in an area where
sediment collects quickly in the lines. Sediment can also collect quickly in systems using a well. Get rid of
the grit by draining a quart of water from your tank once every 3 months.
First, turn off the water
heater and open the drain into a steel bowl or bucket. This will
remove a lot of the sediment that has settled near the bottom of the tank which
can make your water heater run less efficiently.
Remove Clogs Without Chemicals
Next
time your drain is clearing slowly, don't buy expensive, chemical drain
cleaners. Manually unclog a drain with a drain snake. Just insert into the
drain and pull back out with (hopefully) the clog culprit attached.
If you
don't have or don't want to hassle with one, try using a wet/dry shop vacuum to
suck out the clog.
Use Heat to Loosen
Tough Water Pipe Fittings
Can't get that trap under the sink or pipe
fitting loose, no matter how hard you try with a pipe wrench? Hardened fittings
make it nearly impossible to budge the fitting with brute strength.
You might be able to apply heat to
loosen up old, solidified pipe dope.
A small propane torch will do the trick,
but you'll have to apply heat for a few minutes before much progress can be
made. Be sure to use heat-resistant material to protect nearby walls.
It may seem obvious, but only
heat on metal water pipes, never on or next to gas pipes, and not on plastic
pipes or fittings.
And
just in case you need to go there, here is ….
How to Get the Best Price for a Good Plumber
The cost of plumbing repairs can
vary widely depending on where you live.
For example, in California,
the cost of having a plumber fix a drain clog ranges from $75 to
$250, depending on who you call.
To be sure that you don’t overpay,
you’ll need to do your homework and be proactive.
Don't be afraid to
call around and get different price quotes, no matter what the job.
You
should ask for an estimate of the cost before you hire a plumber for any job,
big or small.
The following tips can help ensure
you pay a fair price when hiring a plumber.
Ask
friends, family, and neighbors for recommendations. Word of mouth can be the
best source for finding a reliable and reasonable plumber. Don't overlook
on-line directories, such as Angie's List and others.
As they can be a great way
to find plumbers with good customer reviews. A local hardware store may also be
able to recommend skilled plumbers in your area.
If
you are using the phone book, don’t overlook small ads and single-line listings
of local small companies. Remember that those large ads cost money.
Small
companies may not have the advertising budget because their prices are lower.
Sometimes the local plumber can offer more reasonable prices simply because he
doesn’t have to drive as far.
After you call the well- known, larger plumbing
companies, compare their prices with the smaller companies to establish a range
of fair pricing.
Ask
for an estimate over the phone. Phone estimates are not always possible,
especially when you don’t know the exact source of the problem.
For the more
common repairs, however, you should be able to get the established prices over
the phone.
Asking for this is also a good way to gauge customer service. If
they refuse to give you prices (or at least a range) or if they insist on an
in-home estimate, they may be more focused on the sale than the customer.
Be sure to look
for strong customer service which can lead to a long relationship with a
trustworthy plumber.
If
they offer free in-home estimates, be sure to ask whether the estimate is free
even if you don’t hire them.
Sometimes these offers for free estimates have a
catch—they are only free if you agree to let them do the work; otherwise, you
pay for the service call.
Consider
the cost of doing it yourself—but don’t forget to include your time and effort.
If you have the time and you are looking to save some money, you may opt for
doing the work yourself.
In that case, you may still want to call around and
get some estimates from plumbers to find out how much you’ll be saving. If you
know what a plumber will charge, you can get a better idea of your true savings
after adding up the cost of tools, material, and time.
As
always, stay safe !
-Bird
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