Beginners Plumbing Tips

If you’ve got a serious leak or issue with your property, it’s always best to call in the experts and leave them to work their expertise. However, there are some basic plumbing issues that can be solved easily through DIY and a bit of investigation into the water system.

Here are some beginner’s tips for your plumbing, and the basics you should know that can save you both time and money:

How to Turn Off Your Water Supply

Sometimes, when you’re having decorating or renovations done, it might be necessary to turn off your water.

Similarly, if you return home to find your house has sprung a leak, the first thing to do to prevent damage would be to turn off the water supply. You don’t want to be calling out a plumber to do this –you could be waiting some time for them to arrive, and it will cost you.

Mains water supply valves are often located near your utilities on the ground floor, such as in the garage or basement, or near the washing machine.

How to Replace Basic Parts

There’s a huge difference between trying to take out or replace the pipes under your shower and replacing your toilet flapper.

One is a job for professionals, and one can be a quick DIY fix. Knowing how to do basic repairs or replacements can save you both time and money when it comes to your water system

How to Solve Drainage Clogging

Clogged drainage is an issue likely to plague every household from time to time. Whether it’s blocked from food waste down the sink, or hair in the shower, there are some quick fixes that will help your drainage problems that you should know.

Commercial drain cleaners can work, but some of these are so strong they can actually be harmful to the pipes. A natural combination like baking soda, vinegar and hot water can help dissolve some of the worst clogs.

Alternatively, you could use a drain snake. These are flexible augers used to pull our debris and hair from drains. They are worth investing in, but if you don’t have one to hand you can make your own from a coat hanger, and in a pinch even a plastic straw or pipe cleaner can do the job!

Even if you can only remove a small amount of dirt from the drains, it’s better than nothing, and will be kinder to your pipes and avoid blockages. Try doing this every month to keep them as clean as possible.

Understand Your Water Pressure

Low water pressure is most often associated with leaky taps, clogged aerators, or blockages, which  and it’s important to understand your water pressure so you know when something’s not quite right.

It’s worth investing in a pressure gauge. This will attach to an outside spigot and help you determine whether your pressure problem affects the whole household or just one appliance/area of the home.

This in turn can help you estimate what the issue and subsequent repairs might be.

Which Leaks Are A Big Deal

Some leaks spell trouble, some really aren’t a big deal.

If you return home to a flooded floor or soaked carpet, then yes, you probably need to call in a professional.

However, if you’ve got a bit of a dripping tap, it’s usually a washer or other component that might be causing the issue, which can be easily replaced.

Spotting the difference between these can save you time and money in repairs.

These basic plumbing tips are sure to help you around the home and ensure you know when and where you can try your hand at fixing the problem yourself, and when you need to call in the experts.

Shop plumbing equipment here.