So you’ve just bought your first home? Well first off all…congratulations! With so many things running through your mind, I’d venture to guess that plumbing isn’t one of them.
While this isn’t the most glamorous of topics, why not take a few minutes to read through some of the basic plumbing issues that may occur in your home. If you can fix these problems while they are still minor hiccups, just think about all money you can save and put towards decorating your new humble abode.
So here we go…
The Clogged Toilet: Toilets are fairly innocuous and straightforward appliances however occasionally you will find that when you flush the toilet water will rise in the bowl as opposed to descending. Should this occur, simply shut off the valve to the toilet and turn it off quickly. The valve will likely be located under the toilet tank. Once you’ve done this, use your plunger and relieve the clog that has occurred.
Sweating Toilet: During the summer months, toilet tanks have a tendency to sweat…wait what? As I said, these plumbing issues wouldn’t be the nicest, but just hang in there! When the temperature rises, hot and humid air comes into contact with a toilet tank filled with water. To prevent a sweating toilet, install insulating rubber or foam materials inside the tank.
Continuously Running Toilet: This is a common plumbing problem that people seem to have. It occurs when the float arm does not raise high enough to turn the inlet valve inside the toilet. It can happen when the float ball filling with water or the inlet valve stopper no longer shuts off properly. Should this occur, check the assembly of both the float ball and the inlet valve. Replacing either one is very easy and inexpensive.
The Noisy Toilet: Another very irritating plumbing issue. When the toilet tank fills with water causing you to hear a high pitched noise it is most likely due to a blockage in the supply line. To remedy this, shut the toilet supply valve off and disconnect the supply line hose. Check both the hose and the valve area for potential blockages that could be constricting the flow of water. Should the supply line hose be crimped in any way, it is recommended that you replace it.
Toilet Doesn’t Flush Well: If you find your toilet is not flushing properly it could be caused by the toilet flapper not rising up far enough or staying up long enough when you push the handle on the toilet. In this case, remove the toilet tank cover and check the toilet lever arm to see if it is working properly. When checking it, make sure that it pulls up the toilet flapper high enough and long enough to allow an adequate amount of the toilet tank water to enter into the toilet bowl.
Now that you’ve learned some basic plumbing tips you are ready to tackle any problems that hopefully never arise!
Author Bio: Sarah Saadoun works for HMS Plumbing, a family-owned business in Manassas, Northern Virginia. If you need plumbers in Fairfax, Herve and his dedicated employees at HMS are proud to be serving the plumbing needs of Northern Virginia residents and businesses. For a reliable Northern Virginia plumber, HMS Plumbing is your first choice.
