Often, the plumbing in a house starts malfunctioning soon after you move in. A lot of the time, problems start in the kitchen or bathroom. Practically everyone will experience problems with their plumbing at some point in their lives. The following advice will help, when that homeowner is you.
If your pipes make squeaking and hammering noises, it may be very simple to fix. Exposed pipes need to be anchored. If pipes are located in the floors, ceiling or walls, a professional might be needed for the job.
Your septic tank should be pumped out at least once every five years if you want it to stay in optimum working order. This will keep sediment from building and causing backup into the house, and possibly causing the septic system to fail. There is a cost to having a company pump out your septic tank. But, a serious backup can cost a lot more if it mean replacing the tank.
Only pay pay the plumber once the job is done.
You might have to put money down initially before the plumber begins the job. However, do not pay everything up front; instead, only pay once the job is successfully completed. You want to make sure that the plumber completed everything that they said they would before they get your money.
Set up a time when all plumbing work will be completed at one time. While you may be tempted to call the plumber whenever you have a slight problem, scheduling it all at once gives you the opportunity to save money to pay for the repairs. Doing this can also save you money, since it's common for plumbers to charge hourly rates. It'll condense the total amount of time they need to spend to something you can more easily afford.
Run lots of cold water whenever you use your garbage disposal. The cold water helps the blades that are inside stay sharp, and will keep your disposal running smoothly. Don't use hot water while running the garbage disposal. Hot water converts the grease in your trash to liquid form. When the liquified grease goes down the drain, it clogs the pipes.
Trash should go in the trash basket, not the toilet. Use the toilet for what it is designed for, and it won't give you a lot of problems. Don't flush anything that is unlikely to dissolve and wind up clogging pipes, such as diapers, tissues, paper towels and cotton balls. Even toilet tissue should be used conservatively. Use enough to clean yourself, of course, but if you need to use wads of tissue you should flush several times in the process instead of waiting till the end.
Enzyme based pipe cleaners work really well at unclogging your pipes. The natural enzymes in these cleaners dissolve the clog, turning it into liquid, freeing it from the pipes. The cleaners that have enzymes are the best you can buy.
Lack of preparation can really cost you in the event of a plumbing problem. Invest in the proper tools, and learn the proper techniques for common plumbing problems. The next time something goes wrong, you'll be ready.