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10 Handy Tips from Your Trusted North Myrtle Beach, SC Plumber
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It’s never too late to call it a day. Why not let your trusty plumber from North Myrtle Beach, SC handle your plumbing issues for you ? This will rid you of a headache in the process. If your answer is that you’re very handy around the house and you don’t mind filling in for the plumber today, there are a few things you could easily do to restore your plumbing to its former glory.
Silence the Sinks
Rather than replace an old metal sink that’s very loud, try to muzzle the gongs with expanding foam. Spray the foam around the sink and let it harden, trimming away any excess. The technique is especially useful with double basins, because you only need a strip of foam between them. And you don’t need a fancy plumber‘s diploma to do it.
Vacuum Hard Objects from the Drain
Children and pets have an uncanny ability to ‘misplace’ items in the toilet or down the drain. And trying to force hard objects like combs or toys out of a toilet is easier said than done. Instinctively, when something clogs up a drain, we rush to get a plunger. But plungers can sometimes make matters worse, because they can push the objects in even deeper. One solution is a wet/dry vacuum cleaner, which can dislodge the object as it sucks the water in. It’s certainly much simpler than having to call a plumber to North Myrtle Beach, SC, and explain to them why there’s an alarm watch calling from a sewer drain.
Find Your Pipes with a Compass
If you’ve started a DIY project and realized your pipes don’t go where you thought they did, all is not lost. For pipes hidden under your floor, the obvious solution is a magnet. You’ll need a rare-earth magnet (e.g. neodymium), which you can tie to some steel fish tape and insert at one end of the pipe or through the cleanout plug. Then take a compass and move it across the floor. When it’s on top of the magnet, the pointer will turn around uncontrollably. Of course, a plumber would be able to do all this for you professionally, though maybe not as craftily.
Use Felt to Stop Pipes from Creaking
With time, copper pipes can expand. When they do, they sometimes push against joists and pipe hangers, making creaking noises. But you could easily find a few felt sheets with an adhesive underlay in hardware stores around North Myrtle Beach, SC. Cut them into strips and use these to cushion the noisy grinding. Wrap the felt strips around the pipes and refit the hangers. Problem solved!
Insulate the Pipes Under Your Sink
If you have a sink sprayer and it feels like it’s catching onto valves or items stored under the sink, it’s worth thinking about pipe insulation. A pipe insulation tube about half an inch thick is all you need to keep your pipes, valves, and handles covered, safe, and out of the way. And if you’re a perfectionist, you can even tape it to make sure it stays put. It sure beats having to replace your sink sprayer, though you’d be able to find a plumber willing to do it for you in North Myrtle Beach, SC in a heartbeat.
Keep a Record of Your Plumbing
When you’re remodeling, be sure to take pictures and make sketches of the pipes and electrical wires, and how they’re laid out across the walls, floors, and ceilings. That way, next time you work on an area, you’ll know which parts are off-limits and which can easily be taken down. Not only will you be doing your future self a favor by not damaging the existing plumbing, but you’ll also spare yourself the trouble of having to urgently call a plumber to North Myrtle Beach, SC. Obviously, keeping a record would also help future owners with their remodeling projects.
Leave No Stone Unturned
Whether you’re running new wire or doing a complete overhaul, there are bound to be some things behind those walls that you didn’t know about, especially if your house isn’t newly-built. Check every nook and cranny and shove your camera behind every spotlight recess, socket, toilet tank, and sink coupling. If you think you see a pipe, check with a professional plumber if you can move it and if it’s worth the hassle.
Test the Toilet Flush
Toilet leaks can cause serious damage quickly. To spare yourself hefty re-plastering and painting costs, it’s best to check the toilet flush valves seals regularly and spot these leaks early. If you think water is trickling into your toilet bowl even when it isn’t in flushing mode, simply use some food coloring to test your hypothesis. Squirt a few drops of food coloring straight in your toilet tank. Leave it there for a few hours. If you see colored water in your toilet bowl, it’s clear you have a leak. Time to replace that valve seal.
Empty Your Sink Trap Regularly
You’d be amazed how quickly things can get stuck in the trap. Emptying it regularly can help prevent a blockage. But before you take the sink trap out, make sure you use a plunger on the drain a few times. When you use the plunger, the water gets pushed out of the trap, so taking it out isn’t as messy. With double sinks, it’s important to cover or plug the other drain completely. Otherwise, you’ll lose air pressure and the plunge won’t be as effective. It’s not pretty, but it’s not worth calling a plumber for either.
Flush with a Bucket
Obviously, if there’s something seriously wrong with your plumbing, then give Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Myrtle Beach. But if it’s a minor issue, like an easily accessible clogged drain or a small leak under your sink, then you could try tackling it yourself. Before you cut off water supply and roll up your sleeves, remember to save a few buckets of water for those unexpected trips to the restroom.