Whether you live in an old home or a newly constructed house, things will inevitably break and fall apart with use. Some problems seem too daunting to fix, but forking out the cash to get a professional opinion can be equally intimidating. Here are some simple fixes for plumbing issues you might not know how to handle.
Seats and Springs
In many single-handle faucets, there are seats and springs that are internally used to completely shut or open to allow or stop the flow of water. They look like a small metal spring with a black, rubber disk sitting on top. When these wear out, you will get a slow drip even when the faucet is off.
Turn off the water at the valves under the sink, take your handle apart and see what’s inside. Just know your type of faucet when looking for replacement parts. If there are no seats and springs to be found, HELP Plumbing, Heating, Cooling and Electric can help with getting the right cartridge or valve stem parts.
Loose Shower Head
If your shower head itself is loose, this can easily be tightened. If the arm coming from the wall is loose, you may be able to fix that too. Unthread the shower head from the arm and slide the escutcheon from the wall down the arm. The fitting that the arm threads into, in the wall may be loose. You will need an extension Philips bit and a drill to reach in and tighten the screws holding the fitting solid. You can unthread and remove the arm if it gives more room. Just use Teflon tape on all threads when rebuilding.
Plunging Drains
Did you know that you can plunge most any drain in your house? A little dish soap for lubrication of the clog as well as a plunger and standing water, and you will have a good chance of clearing the clog. In a double-sided kitchen sink however, you will need to plunge from one side and seal-off the other with your strainer. Having another person help in this situation is even better.
Toilet Dye
Many people are aware that dye can be dripped into the toilet tank to see if it shows up in the bowl, this indicating the flapper is leaking. However, rather than spend money on dyes, there are a few common household items that will do the same trick. If you have food coloring in your pantry, you are armed for the task. Put a few drops in the tank and wait a few hours to check the bowl.
These are just a few minor service items that can often be performed at home and on your own. If a problem persists or appears to be too big to handle always call a professional in for help. Sometimes small problems become bigger issues if you wait too long to get it checked out.
