While fixing your own plumbing is a great DIY project, it doesn't take much for a quick plumbing fix to become a full-fledged, whole-house, 3-inches-of-water-in-the-living-room plumbing disaster. So here's what you should know before you get started.
There are some DIY projects that are the most fun and rewarding if you simply dive in and learn as you go. And then there's plumbing. Learning to fix your leaks or replace your toilet can save you money, but DIY plumbing can turn to disaster quickly if you're not careful.
While some problems can be avoided, many nightmares are inevitable, especially if you have old or poorly installed plumbing. Even so, there are steps you can take to either head off problems before they begin or minimize the chaos once it starts to unfold.
Know Where Your Shut-Offs Are
This is a biggie. Before you start any plumbing project, even if it's tightening your toilet seat, you should locate all of your shutoff valves and know what they control. If you have a nice system that was installed with some thought, you might even have shutoffs for each bathroom.
Most of these valves are found in the basement, though some might be hidden behind access panels. If you're unsure what a specific valve controls, just close it off and start turning on your faucets and flushing your toilets.
Most importantly, always know where the main house shutoff is. It's usually right where the water line enters the house. Keep in the back of your head the fastest route to the shutoff. You could be sprinting there someday.
Understand Your House
Before starting a plumbing project, even a minor one, it's smart to get a sense of your plumbing system as a whole. Do some research and get a grasp of the basic concepts of plumbing, such as the function of a vent pipe, how big your drain lines should be, and how much pitch a waste pipe needs. Then apply that knowledge to your own house and try to map out your plumbing. If you have an unfinished basement, you'll have an easier time of this. Try to figure out which walls have pipes in them and where the main waste line leaves the house. The more information you have, the less intimidating things are going to be—and the easier it will be to troubleshoot any problems.
When you want plumbing work done, two things come to mind right away. Should you call for a professional for assistance, or simply do it by yourself?
A heating professional can perform the job if the plumbing issue includes gas. Somebody certified to work on natural gas home appliances are aware of the procedures, and if an inspector is called it will possibly pass. And if you choose to do it without assistance, will you be confident your work will pass if checked by an inspector? In case you are not comfortable doing the work, then better contact a plumbing contractor for a quotation.
Local Plumbing Companies: How to Locate Them
There are lots of plumbers that prefer to travel as little as possible, as most of them prefer to work close to home. You can probably see them in your local papers. There is the usual media of course and Yellow Pages still have a lot of plumbers listed. You can make use of the search engine too by searching key terms such as “plumbing” or “plumber” with your area included in it like for instance “plumbing Vancouver”. When you are in their site, one of the indications of a good service provider is a well-designed site.
Should a Call-Out Charge to be Expected
When you have contacted a plumber, many of them usually give you a quote for a particular job. Plumbers who reach your place to work on your plumbing normally asked for a “call-out fee” if you turn them down. Plumbers don’t like that charge but would prefer to concentrate on the work asked. Simply because it’s a usual practice among them given that manpower is involved.
Plumbing pipes are built to last a long time. Better to ask them if will they be sending a journeyman. Inform them that the work available needs an expert plumber.
Maintenance Needed: Just the Basic Ones
You can consult the plumbing technician working on your furnace or hot water tank on how to better lengthen their durability. A few simple things can be carried out like figuring out how often the filter must be changed or is it great to have a better air filtration system.. If you have radiant heat that has its own schedule for upkeep. Learning when to schedule your major home appliances for maintenance is very beneficial in the long term.. Every two years is the suggested maintenance schedule on a forced air furnace, and you might as well have the guy check out your water tank as well.
Any time you require a professional to help with a plumbing emergency, call us, or follow this link for more details. KCs Plumbing
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