Don't Pay the Plumber, Fix Your Toilet Yourself

One of the biggest issues many people have when it comes to plumbing is the toilet. Many things can go wrong. Your toilet can get plugged up, or it could be that it is constantly running, or it could even be leaking. These are the main problems many people face with home plumbing. They are fairly common and easy to repair.

Two things that could be the cause of the toilet running constantly are you either need to change the flapper or adjust the float. To change your flapper you will need to turn off the water to your tank and flush the toilet; once this is done you can easily remove the flapper from the chain and where it sets at the bottom of the toilet bowl. Now you can install the new flapper and hook it back to the chain.

If you find that after replacing the flapper that your toilet is still running then you may need to adjust your float as the water is running into the overflow tube. All you need to do is locate the adjustment screw that is found at the top of the fill valve, until your water stops flowing. The water level should be around one inch below the top of the overflow tube.

For clogged toilets all you need is a plunger and possibly a drain snake. If plunging by itself will not work to get that clog out then you may need to get yourself some sort of drain snake. Drill snakes are the best for a job like this. You simply feed the snake all the way into the toilet drain letting it drill through whatever is clogging the toilet and break it up allowing you to plunge and flush the toilet until the clog is gone.

What You Need to Fix Your Plumbing Yourself

When it comes to plumbing you should not have to spend a fortune on labor. Most things can be done by you. First thing you should be aware of are the laws of the state you live in, as some states do not allow do it yourself bathroom plumbing.

Safety is also a big issue with bathroom plumbing. Be sure you have the proper equipment before you take on any job. Rubber soled boots and rubber gloves are essential in keeping yourself from being electrocuted. Goggles are something you should also have to keep from getting anything in your eyes.

Some basic tools you will need are, a pipe wrench, a set of basic wrenches, tubing cutters, plumbers cloth, a torch, level, drill, some cola which works good to remove rust, magnet and a plunger.

One of the biggest plumbing problems next to a clogged drain is frozen pipes. If your pipes freeze that can expand and destroy your pipes as well as your home. You need to take measures to keep them from freezing over. Some things that can be done are to wrap your pipes with rubber or some form of insulation, taping them tightly. You need to be sure and heat the pipes on a regular basis. You can do this with a hair dryer, a heating lamp or a portable heater.

If you find that your pipes have already frozen you need to move quickly to thaw them. Be sure you turn your faucets on so that the thawing water has a place to go. Place electrical heating tape around your frozen pipes, and again use a hair dryer or simply place heating laps over your pipes until they begin to thaw. Then be sure to keep them heated and insulated so that they will not freeze again.