Your plumbing system works day and night, and it barely gets any attention – let alone a reward. People who take their plumbing system for granted will face regret, however. Neglected plumbing is at bigger risk of severe disrepair and even system failure than a plumbing system which is regularly maintained. If you notice something fishy with your plumbing fixtures, or plumbing system in general, then whip out your magnifying glass and get to investigating! Here, we’ll go over some common DIY fixes to help you out. If you end up needing a nearby plumber, you can always call Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Ohio Valley to schedule plumbing service or repair.
If you get whiffs of foul odors from the drains, then you might be experiencing one of the first signs of a drain blockage. Kitchen drains are more likely to stink thanks to food scraps, and they should be rinsed with hot water regularly. We also recommend flushing the drain with one parts baking soda followed by two parts vinegar. The ensuing chemical reaction should break down some grime and buildup in the drains.
If your drain blockage is too stubborn for science projects to solve and water just keeps backing up, then bring out the plunger and some elbow grease. Use buckets or containers to remove as much water as you can. Then, gently lower the plunger and seal the drain opening with it. Push down firmly to push pressure against the blockage. Do this several times and pull out the plunger to see if the blockage has been dislodged.
This is not a guaranteed solution though. For long-lasting results, you should schedule professional drain cleaning. Hydro jetting, for instance, uses pressurized water accompanied by video technology to deliver safe and thorough results.
The splashing noise from a running toilet is enough to keep many people up at night – especially those who are counting the money go down the drains! A running toilet can waste tens of thousands of gallons of water through the year. Unless you do something about it, that is.
At the very least, you should find the water shutoff valve near the toilet and turn the water off. If you can remove the water tank’s lid, gently set it somewhere and investigate the parts of the toilet tank. Is the flapper connected to the flush lever? Is the flapper worn? These are easy fixes. For more serious leaks, like a cracked toilet bowl, you can call Mr. Rooter Plumbing.
Is your water not getting hot enough? First thing’s first: check the thermostat on the water heater. We recommend you set it to 120 degrees – not too hot and certainly not too cold. If the water is still coming in cold, then you can try resetting the water heater and waiting a bit. We don’t recommend DIY water heater repairs because there are many sophisticated parts involved. A mistake can be very costly, especially if you have a gas-powered water heater. Call Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Ohio Valley to leave that work to the professionals.