If you’re headed off to college or maybe as a new graduate moving into your first home, now is an important time to arm yourself with the basics of plumbing. Plumbing problems can strike when you least expect it. It’s important for them to be prepared and know what to do ahead of time, so you can reduce your risk of major damage to your home, and a hefty repair bill. The more preparation you can do in advance, the better your chances of reducing the damage.
Here are 6 Plumbing Tips Everyone Should Know:
1. How to turn off the water at the sink, toilet, and water main. – If you’re having a leak, it is CRITICAL that you know how to turn off the water to prevent further damage. Remember the old saying “Righty-Tighty/Lefty-Loosey” 2. Did you know there are multiple types of plungers? Do you know which type should be used where. For SINKS: I’ve always heard you should use a bowl shaped rubber plunger. TOILET plungers have an additional rubber piece that allows it to get inside the opening. 3. Don’t use an auger if you haven’t been properly trained, you don’t want to damage your pipes! 4. Home Remedy Liquid Drain Cleaner. Most of us use the kind you buy at the store, but what do you do in an emergency and you don’t have any handy? I have safely used 1/2 cup Baking Soda and 1/2 Cup Vinegar. When you pour it in, it will fizz, which is how it’s clearing the clog. When the fizzing stops, you need to pour HOT water down the drain to flush it, and ensure that the clog is completely gone. If it’s not, you may need the stronger store bought chemicals, but hopefully you have these two ingredients in your home already, and this might be a band aid fix until you can get to the store. 5. Maintain your septic tank – you do NOT want it backing up! If you have septic tank, make sure to use only septic friendly tissue, etc. It’s a good idea to have the tank professionally tested annually, and pumped out as needed. Be sure not to plant anything with ROOTS, such as trees, over your lines, to avoid them breaking lines. If you want to install a pool, be sure it’s far enough away from the pipes. You’ll know if you have a problem – and at that point – it’s probably an expensive fix, so you want to try and avoid that! 6. Keep the number for your plumber handy. This is a number that needs to be quickly accessible in the event of an emergency. Plumbing problems can escalate quickly, and if you already have debt or money management issues, this can exacerbate them. Taking a few precautionary measures NOW can help you avoid costly repairs later. No one wants to flush money down the drain! Want to receive more tips from D&D? Sign up for our newsletter and register to win a $200 Gas Card.
