Err, it happened again, you are taking a shower or doing the dishes and the water just will not go down!  This can be very frustrating and annoying and can make you want to pull your hair out. What do you do?

Here are some steps that you can take to help rid whatever is clogging your drains!

1. First, remove everything that is located from under your sink.  This will help you gain better access to the pipes and keeps things a little less frustrating!  This also helps to protect the items in case of a leak.

2. Make sure you cut off the water!  This is very important to remember.  Located the water shut off, usually at the back of the wall.  It will be a silver knob and you need to turn it clockwise to close off the supply.  If there is standing water in the sink you should remember to plug it before you remove the pipes.

3. You can place a towel or a small pan under the sink to catch any leaking water and then remove the pipes.

4. Newer homes that use PVC pipes will not require any tools to remove them but older homes may need a large pipe wrench.  Remove the pipe at the elbow and try to find the clog.

5. Once the clog is found you can now place the pipes back on.  Be sure to tighten them gently but firmly to assure there are no leaks.  You may want to test the water slowly with a bucket underneath to make sure that the pipes are screwed on properly. 

It can be very annoying when your sink is clogged and it can seem like a difficult thing to fix.  However, it is fairly simple and does not usually require the help of a plumber.  Doing it yourself could save you time and money!

Try following these simple tips and tricks in order to help you keep your garbage disposal working as it should.

•    Always run water in it before and after you use it. This will help you keep it running smoothly.  The water will help things wash down smoothly and it will keep it clean.  You should allow the water to run for 20 second before and after the use of the garbage disposal.

•    Do not run hot water down the garbage disposal.  It is a common misconception that a lot of people do, but it is not advised.  It actually melts any fats and it then builds up on the disposal blades.

•    Only place food in it.  You should never try to crush bones or fabric materials.  The garbage disposal was designed for food only.

Some of these tips are common sense but that does not mean that people do everything they are supposed to with this equipment.  If you would like your garbage disposal to work properly for a long period of time you need to follow these tips. 

If you do run into an issue with your garbage disposal make sure you know quick fixes for common garbage disposal problems. Also, NEVER attempt to fix a broken disposal unless you have unhooked the power to it first. You should never place you hand down a running garbage disposal or a disposal that the power is still hooked up to. So go take care of that garbage disposal!

If you notice that the flow of water from the spray is sluggish, first make sure the hose is not kinked. If the spray hose is not kinked, then you may need to clean the aerator in the spray nozzle. If the water flow remains sluggish after you have cleaned the aerator, you may have a diverter valve problem. You’ll have to clean or replace the diverter. 

If the spray head leaks however, you just need to replace the washer from the hose. For a leak at the faucet end of the spray hose, tighten the hose coupling. For a hose that leaks itself you probably have a cracked hose and will need to replace it.

Three common problems of a sink spray and how to fix them:

Clogged Spray Nozzle: Remove the nozzle screw and clean the perforated disc with a soapy water and small scrub brush. Open the clogged holes of the nozzle with a safety pin. Replace the nozzle.

Leaking Spray Head: With the water off, unscrew the spray head and replace the spray washer. Make sure the coupling is tightened once you reattach the spray head. 

Leaking Spray Hose: Remove the spray hose with a basin wrench. Remove the coupling under the sink along with the spray-head coupling. Replace the hose with a new one and reattach the spray head coupling and the sink coupling.

How to Clean the Diverter Valve: Unscrew the sinks faucet cap to reach the diverter. Make sure you know how to take apart a faucet.  Loosen the screw that is on top of the diverter just enough that the diverter is loose to lift it out of the faucet. Once you have the whole diverter out, take it apart for cleaning. Use soapy water and a small scrub brush to clean the inside and out of the diverter. If the diverter is too corroded you may need to replace it. Once you have cleaned the diverter or had purchased a new one, you are ready to reinsert it into the faucet.

•  When winterizing your pipes you will need to turn off the main shut off valve or have the water company turn off water service to the home.  From the top floor and working down, open all of your faucets inside and outside of the home.

•  Once all the water has dripped for the taps, open the plug from the main water shut off and let it drain. Turn off the power/gas to the water heater and open the water heater drain valve.

•  To freeze proof the water system of your home, make sure to empty toilet bowls and tanks, remove the cleanout plugs on all the sink traps or remove the traps completely.

•  Once emptied, fill with low temperature windshield fluid. Repeat the same step with the basement floor drain and main house trap.

•  For tub and shower traps, add at least a quart of RV antifreeze or windshield fluid.

*Never place antifreeze or windshield fluid in a dishwasher or clothes washer.

In the chart listed below are the major categories of caulks and sealants that are used for repairs around the home. Many Caulks and Sealants offer a variety similar characteristic and categories. To choose the best type for a particular job, consult the chart below.

Silicone Rubber: For interior/exterior home use on moving joints. Works well on metal, glass, masonry, tile, porcelain, and ceramic.

Polyurethane Sealants: Good for sealing cracks and for glazing. Works well with wood, masonry glass, and metal.

Polyurethane Foams: Seals interior/exterior cracks when used with a primer on unpainted wood and masonry.

Butyl Rubber: Joins like materials inside and outside of the home. Bonds well to metals, works well when fixing repairs with gutters and flashing.

Acrylic Latex: Good for narrow interior joints and for nonmoving exteriors. Joints well around painted doors and windows.

Plumbing Repair Tools

Tools you’ll need for plumbing repairs include some that are part of your homeowner toolbox collection and some you may want to add to it. Among the basic tools that you should have on hand are Standard/Phillips screwdrivers for faucet screws, adjustable and open-end wrenches for nuts and bolts, and rib-joint pliers to remove some fixtures. You may also need a set of Allen wrenches for setscrews and a hacksaw blade to cut off any rusted on bolts.

 Additional plumbing tools fall into three categories: Drain-clearing tools, Wrenches and Job-specific tools.

Drain-Clearing Tools: These three tolls are used to clear plumbing clogs, like hair clogs, in fixtures and drains:

1. Plunger: A plunger uses exchangeable pressure and suction to unclog drains and plumbing fixtures. The funnel cup types are intended for toilets, but it can fold flat for drains as well.
2. Snake: A snake, drain and trap auger, comes available in lengths from 10-75 feet. The snake stretches into a drain and clears deep clogs within pipes. By locking the snake’s thumbscrew and tuning the handle will drive the corkscrew-like tip into the clog and releasing the blockage.
3. Closet Auger: A closet auger is designed especially for toilets; it’s bent into the toilet’s trap.

Wrenches: You may need some addition wrenches then what you have that are specialized for plumbing:

1. Spud Wrenches: With its wide, smooth jaws, this wrench is useful for unfastening extra large nuts and fixtures on sinks and toilets.
2. Pipe Wrenches: With serrated jaws for gripping fittings and galvanized or cat-iron pipe. Use them in pairs on pipes. One wrench holds one section of pipe as the other turns the pipe or fitting.
3. Basin Wrenches: With its long handle you can reach out-of-the-way couplings and nuts. Its jaws allow you to tighten or lessen nuts as well.

Job-Specific Tools: Certain jobs call for very specialized tools:

1. Valve-Seat Wrenches: And valve-seat dresser is tools you will need for compression faucets. A valve-seat has both a hexagonal and a square end to remove valve seats. A valve-seat dresser cleans corroded seats and smoothes pitted non-removable seats.
2. Deep-Socket Wrenches: This wrench will remove the hard-to-reach packing nut on a tub or faucet.

Adjustable Wrenches: Adjustable wrenches are a must have for any home owner’s toolbox. A 6, 8, and 10 inch length should meet most of your household needs. To use an adjustable wrench, open the wrench all the way and then place over the item to be tightened or loosen. Seat the head all the way into the jaws and tighten the jaws.  Always turn an adjustable wrench toward the direction of wrenches adjustable jaw.

Types of Wrenches

Fixed-end Wrenches: Fixed-end wrenches can handle tons of pressure, but you must have the right size that exactly matches the fastener’s head. These wrenches come in box-end, open-end, or combination styles.

Ratchet Wrenches: A ratchet wrench with interchangeable sockets does what fixed-end wrenches do, but does the job a lot faster. For each turn you make on the lever of the handle, it reverses the turning direction of the socket on the nut or bolt.

Allen Wrenches: To loosen a set screw use an Allen wrench. Make sure to perches a set that includes a range of sizes. When using an Allen wrench make sure to tighten by hand only. Don’t use pliers to apply any pressure to turning the Allen wrench.

Kitchen or bathroom faucet assembly diagram - Make sure you line up the parts as you dismantle the faucet to ensure easy re-assembly.

However, here are a few faucet repair tips to consider before taking apart the faucet in your house.

1. Before you start working on a faucet, turn off the water at the fixture shutoff valves.  Then open the faucet to make sure the pipes are drained completely.
2. Wrap the claws of the wrench with electrical tape so you don’t gouge up the visible parts of the fixture while you perform the faucet repair.
3. Before you begin any faucet repair, block or plug up the sink so the small parts can’t fall down the drain.
4. Line the sink with a towel to prevent damage from parts and tools unintentionally dropped.
5. As you take apart the faucet, soak difficult connections with oil.
6. As you disassemble the faucet, line up the pieces in the order you remove them in order to more easily put the pieces back together.