It is common to find the plumbing systems in your kitchen, bathroom or other areas of your home developing problems. If you are a DIY expert and are ready to handle many of the emergencies in your home all on your own, you would probably like to try to fix plumbing issues as well – before calling a professional plumber? Here are some useful plumbing tips that are offered by expert plumbers – which can help you address minor plumbing issues or contain the problem before emergency plumbing professionals arrive.
Creaking Pipes
Running hot water often causes the expansion of copper pipes, and makes them grind against the joists and hangers and pipes. Choose adhesive-backed felt to wrap the pipes. You can get the felt at any hardware store in your locality and snip it into small strips. Take out every hanger and have the pipe wrapped up prior to the time you reattach the hanger.
Sprayer Snarls
In case there are sprayer snarls, you need to pull the kitchen sink sprayer out. If the hose has to be jiggled in the process, there is a possibility of the hose being caught on the shutoff valves. Slip a half-inch piece of foam pipe insulation on the shutoff handles and pipes to ensure seamless operations. In case it does not stay in place, apply tape to secure it. You can buy the insulation at 2 or 3 dollars at home centers.
Drain Vacuum
If there are any hard objects such as toys, comb, toothbrush or anything else blocking a drain in your toilet or kitchen, the only solution might not be a plunger. Using a plunger will only end up pushing the object deeper into the drain. Rather, you should use a dry or wet shop vacuum to suck the water out and the blockage along with it.
Finding a Pipe
If you are trying to spot a pipe beneath the surface of the floor, get hold of a neodymium (rare earth) magnet and attach it to an electrical fish tape. Insert it via the cleanout plug into your drain lines. Use a standard compass to find the pipe and magnet, which can wildly turn once it senses a strong magnet. If this seems to be too tough, call a professional plumber.
Loud Sinks
If the kitchen or bathroom sink makes a lot of noise, use expanding foam to fill up the space between the two basins. The use of foam will reduce the vibrations and reduce the loud effect. Although you can do this even after installation, it can be much easier and cleaner for you to try this prior to the setup. In any case, you should allow the foam to harden. Use a knife to trim the excess away.
Bucket Flush If you must flush the toilet, follow these steps:
Make use of a whole bucket of water.
Before shutting off the supply of water, use water to fill up two buckets – one gallon in each.
Pour the water down into the bowl to flush the toilet. With every bucket, you will be able to get a flush.
This acts as fine as the standard technique, although this will not refill your bowl.
Removing the Trap
Before you remove the trap, first you should plunge water. Use a toilet plunger to give a few plunges to the drain prior to sink trap removal. It will help remove most water from the sink trap and reduce the amount of mess while pulling the trap. In case of a double sink, make sure that the other drain is plugged – so that a vacuum is created, and the air pressure is contained. A professional plumber can, of course, save you all these hassles.