Plumbing: Questions and Repair Tips

How you will exactly feel when you are in hurry to office and find your toilet is blocked. Or you have invited your son’s classmates for a birthday party and your washbasin got blocked when you were preparing food for them? Unfortunately you don’t have much time to call you plumber and wait till he finishes his job. Nobody wants to go through these bitter experiences or never will to face them again. There are few simple tips to follow to avoid such kind of uncertain situation. Let’s starts from the plumbing problems most often at your home or neighbors.

Most Common Plumbing Problems

1.Drain Clog
2.Pipe & Joint leakage
3.A dripping faucet / Faucet leakage
4.Showerhead problems.

First check, do you have any idea about how water runs through pipes in your own home? When you decide to go through this experience, make sure that you have proper lay out of your drainage system and basic knowledge how and from where to shut off the water flow. It might help you in emergency situation. (Ask your Builder or Drainage System Planner for plumbing map.)

You need to equip your storehouse with following necessary things.

1.Safety tools: Remember, things can go wet and wild. Always use rubber gloves and wear safety goggles

2.Drainage Plunger: Go for quality rubber (thick & flexible) and considerable shape.

3.Plumber’s Snake (Mechanical snake): A flexible long wire coil with corkscrew like tip.

4.Slip Joint Pliers: used for a tight grip on the pipe (metal pipes), tightening and loosening bolts.

5.Screwdriver: loosening and tightening screws especially shower heads.

6.Adjustable wrench: useful to free multi shaped pipe joints and grip to loosen pipes.

7.Cleaning Chemicals (Environment friendly): baking soda, Lemon juice, grease and lubricants.

8.Plumber’s joint material: Joint sealer, fluorocarbon tape etc. For minor leakages

Where to get all these stuff? Just have a walk at corner’s Hardware shop or Supermarket. Most of these things, you will find under one roof. Always make sure about brand name, durability and quality of the product. Salesperson is the best person to help you making your choice.

1.Drain Clog: Most often you or your neighbours face this problem. Child toys, Plastic stuff, Food waste or no clean up since months are the few basic responsible factors. Toilet, Bathtub and Kitchen sinks and washbasins are the soft targets for drain clog.

a.Search for drainage plunger; make sure of enough water in the bowl to cover the plunger. Now plunge gently, push in and out, it will force water inside with air pressure and after 15-20 strokes, you will get rid of clog. Don’t forget to flush plenty of water after getting done.

b.Yet plenty of flushed water remains plenty in the bowl? All right, Get a Mechanical snake; push it inside the pipe. Rotate it in clockwise direction. It will make a hole through the hard clog and can hook up the hard objects at its tip. (Most often they are Plastic bags, Wrappers, Rubber things and child toys.)

2.Pipe & Joint leakage: In Feng Shui dripping water resembles with dripping money. Sometimes it can flood your home when you’re enjoying your picnic. You or your family member returns home, might slip on the wet floor.

Plumber’s joint sealer will help you in minor cases, for major leakage use rubber strip kit, available in hardware store, just get it home. If you are looking for more easy option then go for fluorocarbon tape Stop the water supply and follow "how to use" tips. Every standard product has its own manual printed inside or outside of the box. Just ask for most durable and effective product. You might need to change the pipe.

3.A dripping faucet: Most plumbing problems are related with faucet. It can be anything, from leakage to noise. Yet many of us ignore it or instead of repairing it, they simply replace it. But remember it is one of the easiest parts to repair. Shut off the supply and remove faucet with the help of wrench, disassemble it. Clean it up with mild chemicals (inner threads), replaces damaged screw, if any. Reassemble and replace it again. Always make sure that water supply running through your pipes is under pressure.

4. Leaking Showerhead: Many times you find a leakage at the showerhead's swivel. The main reason behind it is - Weak packing. Simply unscrew showerhead from swivel-ball ring. Clean it up carefully with chemicals, make holes free from particles, apply joint sealer and reassemble it.

If you got bigger problem just call professional, license holder plumber. Few more dollars will provide you peace of mind. Always go for durable material (Steel, copper pipes). Once in a year, call professional plumber for routine check. Remember, prevention is always better than cure. Make sure that any of the toys not missing from you kids collection. And who says just gardening or walking on treadmill burns your calories? Checking and servicing (cleaning) your home plumbing system can also help you in burning calories.