Doing Plumbing Repairs

When plumbing problems occur, as they inevitably do, repairs must be made quickly and properly. This usually means hiring a professional plumber, but there are many common plumbing problems that you can take care of yourself.

Some Common Plumbing Repairs

There are a few things you need to remember when undertaking a plumbing repair job.

• * Some of the tools you might need are: augers, plungers, pipe wrenches and adjustable wrenches, washers, screwdrivers and pliers.
• * Always remember to shut off the supply stop valves, built-in shutoff valves, and main water valve before you start.
• * You should close the drain so you don’t accidentally drop anything down it, such as small parts and tools.
• * When you’re working on a part that carries water remember, to cut off the supply of water on either side before removing it.
• * Make sure that when you’re done with repairing, you put the parts back exactly as they were before. Write the order down or draw a picture if you have to.
• * Most leaky toilets can be easily repaired by fixing the flush valve. Just get a new flapper or drop ball and a set of lift wares for it and replace the old one.
• * To replace a bathroom faucet you’ll need to remove both the existing faucet and the pop-up drain, then install a new faucet and drain pop-up.
• * To repair a leaky faucet, replacing the compression washer or o-ring for the cartridge. Leaks in a ball faucet may occur around the handle, spout, collar or base. Check these components and replace them if necessary. If the faucet is still leaking, its outer housing may have a crack. In this case, buying a new faucet is the only way you’ll be able to fix the leak.

Plumbing Repairs: An Occasional Necessity

No amount of care taken in the initial installation of a plumbing system can guarantee that the system will never need repairs. Proper maintenance is necessary to prevent problems from cropping up, but even then, there is still the possibility that something could go wrong. Unfortunately, all plumbing systems will occasionally need repairs. Thus, when plumbing problems do occur in your plumbing system, repairs should be made promptly and as fully as possible, preferably by a competent plumber.