Many homes, even brand new homes, can have plumbing problems. However, instead of getting a plumber involved, it is possible to fix many of these plumbing problems without professional help. Here are seven common plumbing problems, as well as how to fix them:

Lack of hot water

Plumbing problems related to water temperature always lead to your water heater. You might be able to turn up the thermostat on your water heater. However, your water heater may be clogged with calcium deposits, which limits the amount of hot water it can produce. In this event, it is possible to remove these deposits from most water heaters. Replacing the heating elements is can also restore hot water to your home. Another possibility is that the water heater is beyond repair and must be replaced.

Leaky faucet

A leaky faucet is one of the easiest plumbing problems to fix. The source of the leak is usually a bad seal in the faucet handle. Simply disassemble the faucet, replace the worn out part (usually a rubber gasket), and put it back together.

Clogged Toilet

A clogged toilet is among the list of common but easily solved, plumbing problems. Most clogged toilets can be fixed by plunging. However, if plunging the toilet does not alleviate the clog, serious plumbing problems could be the cause.

Toilet Does Not Flush Everything

If your toilet is not clogged, but does not flush everything, there may not be enough water to carry everything away. In the tank behind the toilet bowl, there is a float that controls how much water is used. Making the float sit higher so that more water is used should cure plumbing problems related to a weak flush.

Slow Draining Sinks

Most home remedies for slow draining sinks involve pouring some kind of solution down the drain to loosen deposits that slow the flow of water. Remedies for these plumbing problems include solutions from store bought drain cleaners to bleach or hot vinegar. Another way to solve and prevent these types of plumbing problems is to fill all the sinks with water and drain them all at once. The pressure caused by this volume of water can help push deposits out of your pipes.

Pipes under the Sink Leak

Before you tackle these plumbing problems, make sure the fixture with the leak is not clogged. If there is no clog, find the source of the leak. In the event that the leak is coming from the juncture of two pipes, try to tighten it. If this does not work, take the leaky section apart and check for stripped or damaged threads. Replacing a damaged part may be necessary, but wrapping the threads with Teflon tape will eliminate most leaky joints. However, if there is a crack in a pipe or appliance component, replacement is usually the only option.

Toilet Leaks from the Base

A toilet leak, if it is in fact coming from the base, can usually be fixed by replacing the wax ring that fits between the toilet and the floor. This can be relatively simply to do, unless the floor is uneven or something else prevents solid contact between the toilet and the wax ring.

Dealing with Common Plumbing Problems

Although fixing plumbing problems is not usually fun, you can save yourself a lot of money by not calling a plumber. Even if you do decide to get a plumber involved, diagnosing the problem can shorten the process and ensure that a plumber does not try to fix anything that is not broken.

By: Henry S James

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Shed Plans

Most homeowners are unaware that the majority of water heaters have a magnesium bar called an anode rod installed in their heater. It can be identified by looking at the top of the water heater for a hexagonal fitting. This rod is designed to help keep the tank from corroding by simply beating it to the punch and corroding first. However, when the bar finally corrodes and falls apart, your tank is the next target for corrosion. Believe it or not, you can increase the life of your water heater substantially by making sure that this anode rod is replaced before it disappears. A rule of thumb is to replace the rod every three to four years depending on the corrosiveness of your water. If you don’t have this hexagonal fitting on the top of your water heater, make sure that the next water heater does because it can potentially double the useful life of your water heater saving you a lot of cash.

The replacement of the anode rod is fairly simple and straightforward. Turn off the cold water supply to your water heater first. Next, turn off the gas line or the circuit breaker. Using a standard garden hose attached to the drain at the bottom of the heater, remove several gallons of water. Remove the anode rod with a pipe wrench or similar tool. Sometimes a long handled tool is necessary to get enough leverage to loosen the fitting.

Purchase a comparable anode rod at your local hardware store, home center or plumbing supply house. If a bendable rod is available, consider purchasing it to make installation easier if you have little headroom to work with. Remember, the old rod will probably be only a fragment of its original length and won’t give you a true idea of the room you need to install its replacement. Before installing the new anode rod, wrap the threads with Teflon tape to create a better seal. Make a note of when you made the replacement on or near the water heater (my wife recently asked me when the I replaced the air filter on our furnace – I said it was just a few weeks ago – actually it was seven weeks earlier – time does have a habit of getting away from us).

Another problem that homeowners face with water heaters are occasional bumps and other strange sounds coming from their water heater. These noises are a result of steam that is being generated inside the water heater. This steam results from the flame heating accumulated junk resting on the bottom of the heater. The water lodged inside the junk becomes hot enough to create steam bubbles, which eventually rise and turn back into hot water. When these steam bubbles burst, they create those unpleasant sounds.

Unfortunately, if you have hard water, this junk in the form of scale and sediment form fairly quickly and need to be drained every few weeks. You need to put this task on the calendar (you do have a calendar?) so time doesn’t slip away. Nearly all hot water heaters have a drain near the bottom of the tank. Using a standard garden hoe, drain off several gallons of water that should be loaded with the aforementioned junk. When you eventually replace the water heater, look for a model that has a device built-in that reduces the volume of sediment that builds up.

Lime buildup is common in toilet bowls. The fix is easy. First, shut off the valve that supplies water to the toilet and then flush the toilet several times until it is empty. Soak paper towels with distilled white vinegar and lay them over the lime deposits letting them soak for a few hours. After removing the towels, use a scrub brush to remove any remaining lime sediment.

For the ambitious, you can keep your house drains open by using a recipe of a cup of baking soda, a cup of regular salt and a fourth of a cup of cream of tartar powder. You only need about a quarter of a cup of this solution per drain, adding a few cups of boiling water as a chaser.

Ah, the caulking between the tub and the wall. It seems that no matter who does the job or what they use, cracks will eventually appear. Before making repairs, fill the tub with water, which will weigh it down slightly. Roll up your pants (or whatever) and apply the caulk. When you drain the tub, it moves upward slightly, compressing the caulk and eliminating the possibility of ending up with new cracks the first time you use the bathtub.

By: Chuck Lunsford

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