Money-saving Plumbing Tips

Plumbing problems are an unavoidable part of being a homeowner. Every now and then, a plumbing issue could crop up, and you will have to deal with it.

While some plumbing problems actually require the services of a professional plumber like myself, many of the plumbing issues that we face are actually simple enough that we can deal with them ourselves, even without the help of an expert. Let me list some of those money-saving plumbing tips.

Prevent Blocked Drains with Strainers

You can help prevent blocked drains by putting strainers on all drains inside and outside the house. These strainers should be more than enough to prevent hair, soap and other kinds of foreign objects from blocking the drain lines. Make sure that these strainers are also cleaned out regularly to prevent flooding.

Warm Water to Unclog a Toilet

If you have a clogged toilet and a plunger doesn’t seem to be doing you any good, try pouring warm water into the bowl from waist level. If the water returns to a level that is too low, repeat the procedure.

Clear Pipes with Soda and Vinegar

Despite your best efforts, fat, hair, soap and other debris will still accumulate in the pipes and eventually cause a blocked drain. Pouring a mixture of baking soda and vinegar down the drain can help you prevent blocked drains. The chemical reaction between these two substances is strong enough to remove any accumulated scum in the pipes. Once a month, pour baking soda and vinegar in equal parts down the drain, wait for a few minutes for the chemical reaction to finish, then use boiling water to flush everything away and prevent blocked drains in the process.

Use Water Softener for Stains

If there are pink or orange stains in your bathtub and other plumbing fixtures, it is likely caused by excessive iron in your water. This is most especially true of homes that run on well water. For this problem, all you have to do is buy a water softener from the neighborhood store and use it to remove excess iron and other elements from your hard water.

Dealing with Frozen Pipes

If you live in a very cold part of the globe, make sure to protect any of your exposed pipes because they could freeze and eventually burst and cause much bigger problems. Wrapping electrical heating tape on those pipes could insulate them from the freezing temperatures. If the night is really cold, let your faucets slightly drip so that the water in the pipes would keep moving. Should the pipes freeze despite these measures, you should thaw the pipes very slowly so they won’t burst. Hot water bottles will do the job, and start with the part of the pipe that is closest to the tap.

Smelly drains

Are offensive odors emanating from your drains? Then it’s highly likely that they have breached the water seals in the drain traps that are designed to contain such smells. This is a typical problem that arises among drains that aren’t used that much. Of all the money-saving plumbing tips in this article, this is perhaps the easiest to do. Just pour a gallon of water into the offending drain to fill the trap and stop odors from entering the house.

These are just a few plumbing problems that any homeowner can easily deal with with the help of the above money-saving plumbing tips. For bigger plumbing issues, however, it is recommended that you hire a professional plumber so the problem can be dealt with more quickly and effectively and you can save more money in the process.