\n If you have ever lived in a home before, you probably have at least a passing knowledge of plumbing. However, unless you have been living under a rock for the past few decades, you also know that plumbing is a notoriously tricky and fickle field. You never know what might go wrong or when – especially if you have an older home, or if you live in an area where there is seasonal or occasional water shortages. Fortunately, the basics of plumbing maintenance are simple enough for even the greenest of green thumbs. But even if you don’t understand how a hydro-air balancing system works, you can still benefit from knowing these basics before you become the proud owner of a home with its own plumbing system. This article will give you an overview of common plumbing problems and how you can keep them from becoming more serious issues in your home.
Clogged or Sticky Toilets
There are three major causes of clogged or sticky toilets: Build-up – If your toilet is clogged, the most likely culprit is that some sort of build-up is blocking the opening into the sewage pipe. This could be hair, paper towels, food scraps, or other bathroom items that don’t belong in the sewer. If this is the case, you can clear the blockage by using a plunger or other plumbing device to push the build-up further into the pipe. Hair or other items that aren’t biodegradable can be problematic in the long term, especially if you have a septic tank or other sewage system.
Leaking Toilet – The worst case scenario
If your toilet is leaking, you might be able to fix it yourself, but even if you can’t, you should know the basics of how a toilet works. A toilet is basically a bowl with a hole in the bottom and a pipe leading from the bowl into the sewer. The bowl uses water pressure to flush waste down the pipe and into the sewer. If the bowl has a hole in it, then water can easily find its way into the pipe, resulting in a serious leak and a very ugly cleanup. A toilet that leaks is often caused by the wax ring, which is a ring of rubber that seals the bowl from the inside. If the ring gets old or cracked, it can start to let water through. In this case, you may be able to find a new ring at your local hardware store, or you may need to call in a plumber to replace the entire toilet.
Water hammer
Water hammer is a phenomenon that occurs when the water in your home is under pressure and suddenly drops back to near-zero (or even below zero). This drop in pressure causes a sudden pressure change, which results in a loud “water hammer” noise. This noise is usually heard when you are showering or running the dishwasher, as the sudden pressure drop can create a pressure spike that is strong enough to create a noise. The most common cause of water hammer is when your city shuts off your water supply for maintenance or other reasons, usually during an unusually hot or cold weather. If this happens, you might be able to mitigate the noise by closing the water flow in the shutoff valve as soon as you hear the water hammer.
Water leaks
Water leaks can be a serious problem for the health of your home. If you have a bad water leak, it can cause damage to your walls and flooring, it can make your home smell musty, and it can even be dangerous if mold and mildew grow as a result of the excess water in the home. The most common cause of water leaks is damage to your pipes from things like an earthquake or a flood. If you notice a wet spot in your home that doesn’t go away or smells musty, you should call a plumber to check for a water leak.
Drain cleaning
Drain cleaning can be a tricky business, so if you aren’t sure whether your drains need cleaning, you should always err on the side of caution. This means that if you are ever unsure if the drains in your home need cleaning, you should clean them out. Many people clean their drains unnecessarily, which can cause unnecessary wear and tear on your pipes. However, there are a few situations where you definitely need to clean your drains: When you have a new toilet or a new kitchen sink, you may need to clean the pipes to get them flowing properly. Once you’ve had the new pipes in the home for a while, they should be able to handle the extra water without needing to be flushed out. If you notice a foul smell coming from the drains of your home, this could be an indication of a serious build-up in the pipes.
Conclusion
With all these common plumbing problems to worry about, it’s nice to know that there are a few that you can simply ignore. But hopefully this article has given you a good overview of what you can expect when it comes to common plumbing problems and how you can prevent them from becoming worse issues.