Homemaking is such an important aspect of independent living. Aside from keeping your place tidy and clean, being able to perform minor repairs on your own will be a real advantage.
However, sometimes, it feels like it’s just easier to call someone up to do the repairs. John Vuong usually advises their Canadian clients who are looking for top plumbers in Toronto that it’s important to look into a company’s reputation. After all, you’re trusting them with issues that can be found behind the walls, under the sink, or even underground.
Unfortunately, these repairs can be challenging to schedule and costs money. Not to mention that there is also security risk involved.
You’ll be surprised how common plumbing problems arise. From clogged drainages and toilet bowls to dripping faucets, the amount of money you’ll spend for these fixes can easily blow your budget out. Which is why it’s better to fix these issues on your own.
We’ve listed seven useful tips to help you save money and time to avoid these issues:
1. Have an inspection checklist
Regular maintenance is the key to prevent sudden plumbing problems, especially since plumbing problems can be quite too much to handle when they arise.
Having an inspection checklist will ensure that you’re not missing out on any areas of your house’s plumbing system.
Of course, the areas where you should do most of your inspection are in places with plenty of plumbing fixtures such as your bathroom and kitchen. However, don’t leave out other areas around the house such as your garden hose spigot, your water tanks, and water heater.
Having a diagram of your house’s plumbing system and doing a visual inspection every year or so is also a good practice that will help you avoid catastrophic plumbing incidents at your house.
2. Clean your drains regularly
Your kitchen sink drain, as well as your bathroom shower drain, are hot spots for drainage issues.
When you allow debris to go down the drain, it will eventually build up and clog the flow of water. If left unchecked, these could lead to water overflows, or worse, a pipe breakage.
To avoid this, regularly remove fallen hair from your shower drainage. If you or someone else at home is fond of shaving right above the sink, it would be better to stop this practice and, instead, use a towel to catch shaved hair. In the kitchen, investing in a grease trap would help prolong your sink’s drainage.
3. Replace old faucets
Aside from enhancing your sink’s aesthetic, faucets are meant to control water flow. If you notice water leaks on your old faucets, the first instinct that may come to mind is to consider replacing them right away.
However, this is not always the case.
There are a few factors you should look at, such as the water pressure coming from the water source, as well as pipe linings. If in case these factors check out and there are still leaks, then consider replacing your faucets with newer models, which are designed to be more water efficient by up to 30 percent.
4. Upgrade your water heater
As a rule of thumb, water heaters that are more than 10 years old tend to be less efficient.
Older models can cost you more money through electricity and gas. These are also more prone to plumbing issues that can be very hard to fix.
To avoid issues down the road, you should consider replacing your water heater if they’ve been operational for 10 years or more.
5. Repair cracks and leaks immediately
Water leaks should be avoided at all cost because these can damage the structure of the house further if left unattended.
If you notice moisture and dampness forming in a certain area in your house’s roof or walls, this could indicate a possible pipe leak. Aside from water wastage (which could be as much as two gallons a day), the structural damage of water can make matters even worse.
Locate the source of the leak immediately and apply a water sealant as a short-term fix. This will give you time to assess what things you have to do in order to properly fix the leak.
6. Loosen tight metal water pipe fittings
Pipe trap is a u-shaped feature in sink drainages that catches debris which should be regularly cleaned. However, it can be hard to do this when the fitting is too tight.
If you can’t get the trap loose no matter how hard you budge, you might want to apply heat to make the metal pipe expand before you try again.
Experts normally use a small blow torch to do this, but you can also boil hot water in a deep pot to submerge the pipe fitting on. Just make sure to take extra care when doing this step!
7. Replace drain lines with plastic
Metal pipes are known for their strength, but these are also prone to rust. Because drain pipes don’t really need to be as strong as water pipes (which tend to be pressurized), using plastic pipes is actually a wiser and cheaper choice.
Conclusion
You might be hesitant to undertake plumbing repairs on your own, but minor issues such as clogs and small leaks can actually be solved without the help of an expert. With proper care and by following these tips, you can save time and money in solving your plumbing needs at home.
