Some homeowners try to deal with plumbing issues themselves. While there are those who are successful with this quite challenging feat, there are also those who encounter more serious problems after a DIY (do-it-yourself) solution. Perhaps the reason why the latter often happens is that professional plumbers not only have the tools and experience to address the issue, but they also have the knowledge and some secrets that they won’t probably share with you. This article lists down some of the things that plumbing experts don’t want you to know.
Trade Secret #1: “Flushable” labels cannot be trusted.
One of the primary things that expert residential plumber canton oh won’t tell you is that the products marked with “flushable” in their labels can be misleading. Even wipes with this label should still never go down your toilet. According to the best local plumber Sydney locals often rely on, you should never flush these products because they don’t break down as toilet paper does. This means that they can cause a clog in your drain that can lead to an emergency plumbing situation later on.
Trade Secret #2: Toilet handle issues are easy to fix.
Another thing that expert plumbers will not tell you is that toilet handle issues can be quite relatively easy to fix. For instance, when you have a toilet handle that is always jiggling, all you need to replace is the flap valve, which often costs less than five bucks. However, when plumbers do this work, you may be billed a hundred dollars.
Trade Secret #3: Garbage disposal jams can be easily fixed as well.
When it comes to garbage disposal jams and issues, you may be surprised to know that these can be effortlessly resolved as well. All you need to find is the Allen wrench that comes with it, which is usually hidden under the sink. Just make sure that you follow the directions in the manual to resolve the jam and you won’t need to call a plumber.
There is even a myth that putting lemon peels in your garbage disposal will make it smell better. However, the truth is that these peels will only clog your garbage disposal faster. Thus, if you believe this myth, then you will most likely need the services of a plumber.
Trade Secret #4: Your meter can tell you a lot.
There are instances wherein your water bill is mysteriously skyrocketing even if you exert the effort to conserve water or reduce your usage. In this case, your meter can help you get to the root cause of the problem. What you need to do is to shut off all of your fixtures. Make sure to include the valve on your hot water tank in the shut off. If the numbers on your meter keep on moving after doing this, then you may have a hidden leak underneath your floor or behind your walls. For this, you may already need to call a professional plumber.
Trade Secret #5: Pipes are not meant for hanging things.
Finally, you should avoid hanging things like clothes in the exposed pipes in your basement. Your plumber won’t likely tell you this but in doing so, you are risking your pipes to break and be damaged.
The Bottom Line
The trade secrets listed above are only some of the things that expert plumbers won’t care to tell you because of various reasons. However, now that you are aware of them, you are in a better position to make more informed decisions when it comes to your plumbing system. In this way, you are less likely to encounter any plumbing emergency which is not only costly but quite inconvenient as well.
