If there’s anything in your home you can’t afford to have in disrepair—it’s the plumbing. Seemingly small issues like low water pressure could actually indicate major problems in your plumbing. One of the best ways to save money is to handle some of these repairs yourself.
Plumbing may not be an ideal hobby, but it’s worth learning how to fix the occasional leak or clogged drain rather than calling a plumber for everyday problems. Everything from your home’s water heater to the garbage disposal relies on the plumbing, but these tips will help you do the small-time plumbing in your own home like a pro.
Backed Up Toilet
Don’t you hate when you walk into a bathroom, and you can tell from the odor what the last meal someone ate was? Bathroom odors can make you speak a new language—it’ll just be unintelligible. Homeowners face a wide variety of plumbing repair issues, but toilet problems are probably the most hated.
In most cases, fixing a backed-up toilet is simple. With a plunger, you can usually unclog the toilet in several plunges. If plunging doesn’t work, try flushing some hot water and dishwashing liquid down the toilet. The hot water should dissolve whatever is causing the clog, and the dishwashing liquid will act as a lubricant.
If the hot water and dishwashing liquid don’t do the trick, then you may have a plumbing problem that’s above your expertise. It’s a good idea to go ahead and call a professional plumber when you run into fixes you can’t solve. Continuing to try to fix the problem yourself could actually make things worse eventually. Calling a plumber isn’t throwing in the towel—it’s just saving more of your household towels from an irredeemable plumbing mess!
Leaky Faucet
A leaky faucet is more of a pesky plumbing repair than a major problem. However, if left unfixed, a leaky faucet could lead to a leaky wallet in the form of high water bills.
Usually, a leak in your faucet means you need to replace a washer. Washers are simple to replace, but it’s important to make sure you get the correct size.
Faucet and Shower Head Replacement
If you want to remodel your bathroom, you can manage some minor renovations without a plumber or contractor. If you want to replace the water faucet or showerhead in your bathroom, then all you need is a monkey wrench and some vice grips. The key is to make sure you put the fixtures on properly to ensure the water pressure remains at the proper level.
Replacing Toilet Parts
Believe it or not, there are other simple plumbing tasks aside from unclogging that you can perform on your commode. One of the simplest plumbing repairs is replacing the floater in the tank of the commode. If you’re having problems with a runny commode, then you probably need to change the floater.
Sealing a Bathtub
Water leaking into your walls can be a major problem or a minor repair. The problem is that water leaking behind your walls can cause mold, bulging walls, and foundation problems. The good news is that sealing the cracks when you notice the problem is a cheap, simple repair.
If you notice cracks in the seams between your bathtub and the wall, sealing it yourself is a way to save money on a plumber and save your home from future catastrophes. You can find tubes of silicone caulk at any home improvement or hardware store for right around $10.
Even if you’re looking to try a new hobby to increase your IQ, it’s worth giving plumbing a try. Plumber repairs require troubleshooting and problem-solving skills and will challenge your mind in new ways. Who knows? If you take it seriously, it could even become a means to earn some extra cash on the side.
