When you’re a homeowner, you know a plumbing horror story.
Even if you personally never had your plumbing go wrong, you know someone who has. Here are some ways to keep that story from coming home:
1. Know where your shutoff valves are. If you have a leak, you’re going to want to shut the water off before you’re floating.
a. Turn off water using the shutoff valves before doing any repairs.
b. Make sure all of these valves are in good working order before you need to use them.
2. A dripping faucet or a toilet that keeps running can cost you big money in wasted water.
a. For a leaky faucet, remove the handle on the tap that keeps leaking and check the washer. A worn washer may fall apart in your hands or be thin in some spots. Either way, it’s the reason why you couldn’t get the tap to shut off the water completely. Replace the worn washer and reassemble the faucet handle. Note: You probably want to take the old washer to the hardware store to make sure you’re getting the right size and type washer for your faucet.
b. For a running toilet, pull the lid from the tank and check the inside of the tank. The ball or flapper (located at the bottom of the tank) cover an opening, allowing the water to leave the tank when you flush the toilet.
- The running toilet might be very simple to diagnose: The chain that lifts the ball or flapper is tangled, meaning the tank never fills with water. As a result, the water continues to run.
- If the reason the water keeps running isn’t so easily seen, check the float. If it’s set too high, above the overfill tube, then the water in the tank will overflow into the tube, emptying the tank as fast as the water supply tube can fill the tank. Move the float down below the overflow tube so that water levels are about an inch below the overflow tube.
3. Maintain your water heater tank.
a. Drain and refill your tank at least once a year, clearing rust and other accumulated sediment out. This is particularly important if you have hard water.
b. Turn your temperature control down to 120 ͦF.
Call City Wide Plumbing 480-966-8795.
Our local plumbing experts are ready to handle your plumbing problems for you.
