There are a lot of plumbing problems that are destined to occur while you live in your home. Some of these problems will happen even when you have not done anything wrong.
When a plumbing problems pops up, it is important that you take care of it as soon as possible. This can be frustrating because we all lead very busy lives.
If you just do not have the time to deal with the plumbing problem you really should hire someone to fix it for you. If you have never hired a plumber before you should do some quick research before you call someone.
You should talk to friends and family that you trust. Ask them if they have hired plumbers before and who they would and would not recommend.
Make sure you ask them their reasoning for recommending or not recommending someone. Once you feel you have a good recommendation call the plumber and make an appointment.
If you can plan the appointment to occur while you are home this will be your safest bet with a new plumber. This way you can watch the plumber work and you will know if you want to hire him or her again.
If you notice that you have a plumbing problem and you want to take a crack at it, make sure you do your homework before you start to work. You do not want to end up doing more damage than good.
There are some common problems that you may be able to handle on your own. One of the most common plumbing problems is a clogged drain.
Most of us are quick to reach for our favorite drain cleaner to pour down the drain. Although this may seem like the easiest fix right now it may end up causing you more problems in the long run.
Know what kind of plumbing system you have. If you have a septic tank you need to make sure that the drain cleaner you are planning on using is safe to be used with a septic tank.
There are some cleaners that are not safe to be used with a septic tank. You can do permanent damage if you use the wrong cleaner when you have a septic tank.
If you are set on using a drain cleaner make sure that you use it properly. Many different drain cleaners have different sets of instructions.
You have to read the directions ahead of time and only use the cleaner the way that it is supposed to be used. Not following the directions can be permanently detrimental to your plumbing system.
Sometimes a drain cleaner is not going to do the job. Some clogs will require you to pay them a little more attention.
First, you should attempt to use the plunger. Many times you will at least be able to loosen the clog with the plunger.
If you are experiencing a clog in your kitchen or bathroom sinks a plunger may be useless. The plunger is able to get rid of clogs by using hydraulic pressure.
In many different plumbing systems the bathrooms and the kitchens will have multiple outlets. Because of these outlets the hydraulic pressure is not going to be effective at all.
If you notice that there is no build up of pressure while you are plunging you might as well stop. There is no point in plunging if you cannot get any pressure to build up.
If a plunger does not work your next move should be to remove the sink trap. If you have gotten this far you should make sure that you have a bucket and old towels handy.
Try to drain as much from the sink as you possibly can. If you used a chemical drain cleaner in the beginning and it did not work there may still be some sitting in your pipe.
When you know that there are chemicals in the pipe you will want to make sure that you protect your hands. Wear a good pair of gloves so that the chemicals do not touch your skin.
Start by loosening the part of the pipe that is going down from the sink to the trap. By starting with this portion you will be much more likely to have a contained mess.
You can check the portion of the trap that you removed and the horizontal portion of the trap that is still attached. Once you find the obstruction you should be able to remove it with a long screwdriver or a bent wire hanger.
About the author of this article:
Terry Daniels has been a plumber for the past 12 years and written hundreds of articles on plumbing. He recommends (http://www.youpicktheplumber.com) for your Sacramento plumbing needs.
Contact Info:
Terry Daniels
TerryDaniels09@gmail.com
http://www.youpicktheplumber.com
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