According to WaterSense, an average family can waste 9400 gallons of water a year due to problems in plumbing that are either not diagnosed or not fixed after diagnosis. Not only is it an unwanted pressure of your wallet but it is also hurting the environment too.
The main reason for this wastage seems to be a late diagnosis. While we become aware of the issue in our plumbing, most of us tend to ignore it. It then becomes such a huge mess that requires a lot of money. You don’t have to wait for the little issue to become huge before contacting a professional.
Let us look at some common plumbing problems and how they can be fixed.
Pipes leaking
Issues in the pipes create most of the plumbing problems. Especially in houses with old pipelines, the issues keep coming back every now and then. Most of the pipes these days are made of PEX while older pipes were made of copper.
Now we know that copper, being a metal, is a lot more durable than PEX. Yet, it can’t hold its own in areas with extreme temperature. Metal contracts and expands in extreme heat and cold. This makes the pipe susceptible to breakage. PEX is not damaged with extreme weather.
You can prepare your pipes by using an adhesive insulating tape and wrapping it around pipes that are in open spaces, more susceptible to cold. Since cold damages metal pipes, if your heater isn’t working properly, the cold water might be damaging your pipelines. Get a new energy-efficient heater so that you would use less energy and the pipes wouldn’t damage.
Sink draining slowly
The low draining sink is usually caused by some sort of blockage that restricts the water flow. The kitchen sink is usually blocked because of food remnants. your bathroom sinks might have pieces of soap and knotted hair that clogs it. You think it is a small problem, but if left unresolved, it can completely block the drain.
Luckily it is not so difficult to drain a sink by yourself. Mix together baking soda and vinegar in a 1:2 ratio. Pour the mixture down the drain and you would have an unclogged sink.
You can go for chemical clog removers that are usually available in superstores. Though, they are a bit dangerous and shouldn’t be used often. Often usage might harm the pipelines. All you have to do is read the instruction carefully and follow it. For safety, you should have gloves and goggles. Pour the chemical in the drain and your problem would be solved.
Low pressure of water
The lower pressure of water is usually because of the faucet in the sink. If the pressure is low for both the hot and cold water, the chances are that aerator has some problem. It can have calcium deposits that build slowly on the aerator and reduce the pressure. To clean the aerator, you need to carefully remove it and clean the buildup. Place it back once you are done cleaning.
Running toilet
If the toilet is running, you might be losing more than a liter a day. So much water wastage requires you to fix the problem immediately. Check the flapper, flapper chain, fill tube and float. Most of the time, the problem is within them. If it is not the case, you might need to get a new toilet.
A lot of the small plumbing problems can be fixed by yourself. Although, it is better to take the opinion of a professional technician. Ford’s Plumbing and Heating provides 24/7 emergency service. Contact us to schedule a service or get a get a FREE estimate online.
