How to Fix Common Plumbing Problems: A Do-It-Yourself Guide
From relatively minor issues such as a leaky faucet to major ones, including a sewer system back-up, a property owner is likely to face many different plumbing problems over time. While some issues are complicated and require a professional plumber to fix, some are pretty easy to fix, and you can solve them yourself.
However, whether you should solve your plumbing issues by yourself or call a professional plumber will depend on several factors, including experience and knowledge of the problem. Knowing how to detect and fix some of Tucson’s common plumbing issues will help you avoid unnecessary inconveniences while saving you hundreds of dollars.
Below are common plumbing issues and a do-it-yourself guide on how to fix them.
- Dripping Faucets – A dripping or a leaking faucet is one of the most common plumbing issues in the average home. With a single faucet drip wasting thousands of gallons of water in a year, a dripping faucet usually leads to significantly high water bills. Besides the increased cost of water, dripping faucets are wasteful and irritating. Most drips or leaks occur when the internal washer becomes worn-out, stiff, or out of place. Mostly, you only need some basic tools and DIY skills to fix the issue. You can easily disassemble the dripping faucet with the right tools, replace the worn-out or dislodged internal washer or seal, and reassemble the faucet.
- Leaking Pipes – Unlike dripping faucets, leaking pipes can be more than annoying as they can cause huge severe structural damage to a house, including walls and the ceiling. A leaking pipe can also damage the content of a home including, furniture and other appliances. Essentially, a leaking pipe can be costly both in terms of wasted water and other severe damages. Mainly, pipe leaks occur around pipe joints and areas susceptible to rust corrosion. Extreme weather conditions can also break your pipes. You will know of pipe leaks through puddles of water on a pipe or water patches on your ceiling or walls. You can immediately repair a leaking pipe after detecting it using tapes and fillers. However, this is only a temporary solution as you may require a professional plumber to replace the faulty area, including replacing problematic pipe joints.
- Worn Out Hose Bibb – Extreme temperature changes, especially in frosty winters, are likely to wear out and damage your hose bibb. Typically, your average hose bibb can only survive for so long, and you may require to keep changing it every other winter season. A worn-out hose bibb can waste gallons of water in a month, increasing your water bill. Since leaking hose bibbs are primarily due to temperature changes in frosty winters, the solution is to replace the hose bibbs. However, it is essential to buy a heavy-duty frost-proof hose bibb to avoid frequent and often costly replacements.
- No Hot Water – For most people waking up to a cold shower or no hot water can be stressful. Having a damaged water heater is the leading cause of the no hot water plumbing issue. Other causes include electricity problems, build-up sediments in the tank, and plumbing leaks due to corrosion and rust. While a water heater should last for an average of ten years, it is not always the case. You can solve basic water issues such as relighting the pilot light by yourself. However, most faulty water heater issues will require a plumbing professional to inspect and fix.
- Running Toilet – If undetected, a running toilet is costly and messy. Besides the likelihood of an external leak messing your floor, a silent internal leak will likely waste hundreds of gallons and lead to an inflated water bill. Mostly, a running toilet occurs due to a faulty flapper valve. The valve controls water passage from the tank to the bowl, and it can lead to a running toilet if it becomes worn out or dislodged. With a toilet repair kit, it is reasonably easy and cheap to fix a running toilet. Replacing the entire flushing system is also relatively inexpensive. However, where the flapper valve is not the cause of the toilet issue, you may require a professional plumber to inspect and fix the problem.
- Clogs and Slow Drains – Your toilet, sinks, drains, and tubs are likely to clog either fully or partially from time to time. Clogs and slow drains can be frustrating and messy. While fixing a clogged toilet is relatively simple, including using a pipe snake, fixing clogged sinks and slow-draining tubs is not straightforward. While hair debris, toilet paper, soap, and toothpaste are the common culprits in a clog or a slow drain, other things can also clog your sinks, drains, or tubs, including brush bristles, toothpicks, and toothpaste caps. You can easily remove hair, toilet paper, and such-like debris using a pair of needle-nose pliers. However, removing a toothpaste cap that is clogging your sink or drain can be challenging. In most cases, you will require a professional to help you.
Solving Your Tucson Plumbing Problems
Fixing these and many other common plumbing issues by yourself can save you a lot of money. However, there are some plumbing issues that you should leave to professionals; otherwise, you might make things worse. Some DIY repair tips include always shutting off the main water supply before doing anything else.
Since plumbing is naturally messy, you should also dress appropriately for the work. You should also carry out the repairs using the proper tools while ensuring you buy appropriate and authentic replacement parts.
However, if things go wrong or you are unsure of what tool to use or which part goes where you can always contact our skilled and experienced plumbers at Curtis Plumbing in Tucson. We will answer all your questions and, if need be, come over to your house for an emergency fix.
