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!

1.)   Drain the water out of the toilet and turn the water off so that it cannot refill the bowl.

2.)   Make sure that you put gloves on before you begin, for you will be using harsh chemicals and you do not want to burn your skin.

3.)   Get a toilet ring remover pad.  You can find these pads in any store where cleaning supplies are sold.

4.)   Start by spraying the stain with a rust remover.  Consider purchasing a stain remover that is very strong and is recommended for iron stains.

5.)   Scrub the stain with the pad and continue adding rust remover as you move along the inside of the bowl. 

6.)   Repeat the process until you get the results that you desire. 

7.)   Turn the water back on and let the toilet refill. 

It can take a lot of time and elbow grease to get rust stains out of your toilet.  Because of this, you will want to keep your toilet cleaned once the stain is gone. Repeat the steps above, but with not as strong chemical, once a month to ensure the iron stains do not come back. You do not want to have to go through this entire process again with a strong stain.  

Harsh water can cause rust stains on a regular basis and continuing to use harsh chemicals for cleaning your toilet can be damaging for your septic system.  So, you will want to clean your toilet regularly in order to avoid rust build up in the toilet.

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!

1.) You will need to get the carpet up off of the floor and then get it taken outside where it can begin to air out.  This is very important because you want to get the padding underneath of it out so you can replace it.  You do not want any mold growing under there.

2.) Clean the carpet with fresh, clear water so that it any dirt and residue will be removed.

3.) Use a good cleaner to clean the hard wood floor and run fans over the hard wood floor so that it will dry more quickly. You may need to replace any molding tongue and groove boards.

4.) Let the carpet air out for several days in order to ensure that it is completely dry.  You will only be defeating the purpose if you put it back while it is still wet.

5.) Place new padding on the floor and then tack the carpet back into place.

It is possible to save your carpet after you have experienced water damage.  However, you need to remember that it will be labor intensive and it will be time consuming.  If you do not have the time to do this work, or you just do not want to,  you might want to call a professional.

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.

If your shower head leaks where it meets the arm, you probably need to replace the washer. To replace the washer, loosen the collar using tape-wrapper rib joint pliers to avoid damaging the finish; then unscrew the head from the ring and remove the old washer with the new.

Weak water pressure from the shower head usually means there is a mineral buildup in the shower head. To remove buildup and restore water flow, clean outlet holes with a pin or unscrew a perforated face plate of the shower head and soak it overnight in vinegar. Once soaked over night scrub the face plate clean and rinse off.

If the shower head will not pivot with ease, check the washer for wear and tear. If the washer is fine than coat the swivel ball with petroleum jelly before reassembling the shower head.

Tip:

If the nuts and couplings are frozen in place, instead of using a wrench to force them loss, place penetrating oil on the connections. Wait half an hour, then loosen the nuts and couplings with a wrench.

Make sure you always have handy the tools to help with plumbing repairs. Most are need for the repairs that are mentioned above for fixing a faulty shower head.

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.

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.

Leaking or Broken Pipe:

• Turn off the house’s main shutoff valve to avoid water damage or further plumbing problems.
• Make temporary repairs to stop the leak; the pipe will have to be replaced as soon as it is suitable to do so.

Overflowing Toilet:

• Reach within the toilet tank, press the tank stopper down into the valve seat, and hold it there.
• Turn off the water at the fixture shutoff valve under the toilet. If theirs is no valve, turn off the house’s main shutoff valve.
• Unclog the toilet with a funnel-cup plunger or closet auger.

Clogged Sink:

• Shut off any faucet or appliance, such as a dishwasher, that drains into the sink.
• Unclog the sink using a plunger or snake. Don’t use a chemical drain cleaner if the blockage is entirety clogged.
• It is a good idea to keep a plumbing snake to fix numerous common pluming problems.

Faucet That Won’t Shut Off:

• Right away turn off the water at the fixture valve beneath the sink. If there’s no valve, turn off the house’s main shutoff valve.
• Repair or if necessary replace the faucet to stop any further pluming problems.

Steaming Hot-Water Faucet:

• Open every hot water faucets to relieve the overheated hot-water heater.
• Turn off the electric or gas supply to the heater.
• Let the faucet run until cold water flows from it. This a sign that the water in the heater is no longer overheated, then you can close them.
• Call in a professional to make any needed repairs to the heater.

Sleeve Clamp:

Adjustable Hose Clamp: Place an adjustable hose clamp over a rubber blanket over a small pipe leak and tighten the clamp.

C-Clap: Lock a C-clamp and a small block of wood on a rubber blanket for a small leak.

Epoxy Putty: Submit an application of epoxy putty to a leaking pipe joint (after turning off the water) using a putty knife or your fingers. Let the joint dry before turning back on the water.

Quick Fix-Up

Stopping A Small Leak: You can temporarily plug a small pipe leak with breaking off a pencil point in the leak hole. Then wrap the pipe with at least three layers of electrical tape, extending the tape 3 inches on each side of the leak.