Plumbing Basics For the Do-It-Yourselfer

Many new home-owners learn early on that calling a plumber or other service professional for everything that goes wrong in the home isn't always feasible. Not only is this type of behavior cost-prohibitive but it is an extremely inefficient use of time. Even still many plumbers and other home contractors will tell you that many of the service calls they go out on require simple repairs that the average home-owner could do themselves. Let's go over a few plumbing basics that will help homeowners everywhere become a little handier around the house.

Most plumbers will tell you that their most important tool by far is a good plunger. When used properly, a good $10 plunger can solve the vast majority of toilet flow issues and this can be done without the aid of a plumber. The key to using a plunger correctly is understanding how the plunger forces out blockages in the sewage line. The basic principle is that the plunger applies pressure generated by forcing water into the sewage line. This pressure helps to free any blockage which returns the entire system to normal operation.

The primary problem most people have when using a plunger is that they do not properly seal the plunger around the opening in the toilet basin. If there is a poor seal then much of the pressure that should be applied to the waste line escapes through the sides of the plunger and only a fraction of the energy generated makes its way to the blockage. Often times this energy isn't sufficient to clear the blockage and many home-owners resort to calling a professional. Taking the time to actually ensure that the plunger has a good seal around the base of the toilet prior to applying pressure will increase the effectiveness tremendously. Once a good seal is verified several forceful plunges(without breaking the main seal) should clear well over 90% of blockages.

In addition to a good plunger home-owners should do their best to take the proper precautions to avoid clogs in sinks and drains. The most effective way to prevent clogs in sinks and drains is to always use a screen that will prevent large debris from entering your waste lines. Often times for one reason or another home-owners remove these screens and this can lead to excessive hair and debris entering the drain lines. Over time these things can start to slow normal drainage and with enough time this will eventually clog a drain entirely. This can be prevented fairly easily by making sure that all drains have screens.

In addition to drain screens home-owners may consider using a commercial strength drain cleaner periodically to dissolve any debris that may be building up in drain lines. Occasional use of drain cleaner throughout the home can be a great preventative measure that will help avoid larger problems.

Following these basic measures can help many people avoid unnecessary calls to their local plumbing company. This will not only save their wallet but also help that house feel a little more like home.