Plumbing Tips and Tricks | Plumber in North Myrtle Beach, SC

6/28/2018

Plumbing is not a job for everyone as it requires the skills of an experienced person. It is common to get irritated when your water line breaks down but without the proper expertise and training, there’s not much that you can do about it.

You find yourself just hopelessly staring at the water leaking for hours, praying that it would stop.

Your frustration might even increase if the job is not done properly and the problem reappears. That is why it is important to hire a professional plumber in North Myrtle Beach, SC. However, you can have a look at these tips and tricks so that you can perform some small plumbing tasks.

Use Plastic Instead of Metal for Drain Lines

Plastic drain lines look less reliable than metal ones. However, plastic has some benefits. It’s easier to install and is cheaper. Moreover, in case a leak occurs, plastic drain lines can be easily tightened or adjusted. Furthermore, plastic does not corrode but metal does rot away.

Therefore, a plumber in North Myrtle Beach, SC would often advise you to replace metal with plastic for drain lines.

Use Heat to Loosen Jammed Pipes

Sometimes heat is quite effective in loosening stuck pipes. When a connection is too tight to be moved, especially an old connection, then heat it. What you need to remember is to be patient. It would take some time to heat the metal.

A professional plumber in North Myrtle Beach, SC would use a flame resistant cloth to protect nearby equipment. However, never use this method for fuel or gas lines as it is only applicable on waste and water pipes.

Never Overtighten Supply Lines

Many people and often rookie plumbers are in the habit of overtightening the supply lines. Although it looks safe to tightly crank the supply lines, it actually is quite risky.

You can easily tighten a loose connection whenever you want, but if you overtighten it you increase the chance of cracking the nuts or wrecking the rubber seals.

You might have seen an expert plumber in North Myrtle Beach, SC loosely tightening the supply line and then checking for leaks. If there is leakage, then he makes further adjustments and this is what you should actually do while handling supply lines.

Piggyback Shutoff

It is common for shutoff valves which are present under sinks to rot away. Sometimes, you would have a problem in closing these valves, but you don’t always need to replace the shutoff.

In many houses, there is a piggyback shutoff valve that is connected to the old shutoff. Before installing the new valve, disconnect the supply line and then you are good to go. You don’t need to turn off the main valve, if the existing shutoff closes.

A professional plumber in North Myrtle Beach, SC would normally place a bucket under the valve to avoid water wastage while he works.

Using Thread Tape Properly

Dopes and tapes are commonly used to seal pipe threads as they are reliable and effective. The benefit of using tape is that you won’t have to wipe your hands after the task is complete. You can follow these tips while using thread tape:

• Make sure to adopt a clockwise direction to wrap the tape around the threads. If you fail to do this, then the tape will come off when you put screws on the joint.
• It is often difficult to determine how many times the tape needs to be wrapped around the pipe. Although there are no hard and fast rules, a skilled plumber in North Myrtle Beach, SC generally wraps three times.
• You should use tape only on pipe threads. It is not for other connections.
• Cheap tape can be effective, but a good quality tape is still recommended for more efficiency.

After Cutting a Pipe Reheat Solder

You have to cut a soldered pipe in order to disconnect it. However, there are some cases in which this is not possible. A plumber in North Myrtle Beach, SC won’t be able to cut a pipe because the tool would be too big to fit in the space.

Other times, cutting the pipe would shorten it and making a new connection would be difficult. What you can do is heat the joint and pull the fitting off when the solder melts. Immediately use a wet rag to wipe away the molten solder to prevent it from hardening.

An expert plumber in North Myrtle Beach, SC recommends people to wear gloves while carrying out this task so that they don’t burn their hands. Mostly you will have to rub extra solder with emery cloth or sandpaper before slipping on a fresh fitting. However, a quick wipe would be enough in some cases.

Opting for a Professional Plumbing Service

Most of the times, the plumbing job would be too tough that you won’t be able to handle it. In that case you will need a professional plumbing service.

If you have a complex plumbing issue or you think you cannot handle the job, it is better to call the experienced plumbers in North Myrtle Beach, SCof Benjamin Franklin Plumbing. They have talented and skilled employees who can work their way out even in complicated situations.

Moreover, the plumbers of Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Myrtle Beach regularly attend seminars and take educational courses to improve their skills. These professionals can analyze the problem in a few minutes, tell you about what needs to be done, and then carry out the job effectively.

The best thing is that the plumbers are friendly and well-mannered and you won’t have to pay if:

• The plumber does not wear shoe covers inside your house or does not clean your house after the job is complete.
• The plumber swears or smokes in your house.

Hire an expert plumber in North Myrtle Beach, SC and save yourself the trouble of repairing water leaks, unblocking a clogged drain or any other plumbing job.