One of the most critical parts of the American Dream is to have a house of your own. To be able to save enough to buy your place is something everyone dreams of. But if you’re lucky enough to have turned that dream into reality, you’d know that getting a house and maintaining one are two very different stories.
Home maintenance takes a lot of effort, time, and money, especially if you know nothing about housecare. But that’s where this post comes in.
The goal is to provide you with information that you can use to make caring for your house as smooth as possible. You can even turn this knowledge into an alternative source of income. You can earn through your services, your knowledge, or by selling the products you know most people will need. Through the use of multiple hardware wholesalers and websites like bannersolutions.com, you can easily choose from a wide variety of repair products and order them at cheaper packages, ensuring a higher profit.
With that in mind, here are the most common plumbing problems and the best ways to solve them:
Clogged Drain
Clogged drains are the most frequent household problem that almost everyone has encountered. Clogged drains can result in temporary flooding or, worse, the destruction of your pipes.
These are the most common causes of clogged drains:
- Hair (bathroom)
- Soap residue (bathroom/kitchen/toilet)
- Toilet paper (toilet)
- Food waste (Kitchen)
- Oil/fat Buildup (Kitchen)
Before focusing on fixing it, preventing your drains from getting clogged up should be your priority. Avoid throwing non-breakable substances and oil in the drain. Oil will eventually build up in your pipes, and with non-breakable materials, you’re setting yourself up for a world of hassle.
Regularly maintain your drains by using drain guards to prevent more significant objects from getting in. You can also pour boiling water down every weekend to melt oil buildups. If ever it didn’t work and you still ended up with a clogged drain, concocting a mixture of baking soda and vinegar can help break down the grime and gunk clogging your pipes.
- Pro tip: Never unscrew the U-shaped pipe below your sink without a bucket or a basin underneath it. Most likely, the cause of clogging and the liquid trapped in it will gush out. And you won’t want its smell sticking on your kitchen floor.
Leaky Pipes
The more dangerous brother of clogged drains is faulty plumbing. Leaky pipes can lead to multiple problems ranging from constantly running toilets, low water pressure, and even ones that can be dangerous to your health, like rusting pipes and mold buildups.
To solve this problem immediately, thoroughly inspect all the connected pipes. Once you find the leak, turn off the main valve and reseal the faulty parts with the plumber’s tape.
You should also remember to never over-tighten pipe fittings to avoid broken bolts where leaks might arise. And keep in mind that if the situation gets out of hand, calling a professional plumber should be done immediately to save your floors and furniture from irreparable damages.
- Pro tip: To quickly check if there are pipe leaks, tightly seal all faucets and showerheads in your house for a few hours and check if your meter increased.
Mold Buildup
Molds are very common in damp areas. Indoors, mold tends to grow in improperly ventilated bathrooms and kitchen sinks with wooden builds. Mold growth can also be seen on wooden pillars, ceilings, and walls due to either pipe leaks or damaged roofs.
To remove molds from bathroom tiles, soak them with a mixture of water, vinegar, and baking soda for 10 to 20 minutes and scrub it thoroughly with hot water afterward. You can also clean mold-stained grouts with the same procedure. But if it still doesn’t go away, pressure washing can be the solution you’ve been looking for.
For wooden surfaces and walls with mold buildups, make sure to dry heat the area once you’ve brushed the mold away. Once it’s dry, seal the moldy areas with paint. It’s ideal to look for latex paint with mildewcide to ensure that any remnants would be gone.
- Pro tip: Wherever the mold buildup may be, always wear gloves and face masks when cleaning them out to avoid any health risks.
Things to Remember
Prevention is always better than cure. Routine plumbing inspection and maintenance are must-dos if you want to avoid costly damages. Don’t be too proud to call for help. Some professionals can handle more dangerous or intricate situations. Letting them handle it can help you avoid further problems.
Knowledge is power. This is just the start. If you keep researching for information like this post, taking care of your home will become easier. Plus, you can even turn it into a money-generating business.