BATHROOM

How to Unclog a Toilet Using a Plunger

Having a toilet bowl in your house is definitely a life-saver. Back before this handy plumbing fixture existed, people would go to great lengths to get rid of their waste. Nowadays, most people would take the functionality of a toilet bowl for granted. That’s why there will be times when your toilet bowl will malfunction and prevent the water inside of it from being flushed.

Once this happens, you can expect your bathroom floor to be flooded with all sorts of waste in it. This is going to cause a lot of annoyance and trouble for everyone in your home. If you don’t want that unwanted scenario to happen, you better equip yourself with a plunger right away.

Causes of Toilet Clogs

Before you go ahead and learn how to use a plunger, you need to familiarize yourself with the main cause of toilet clogs. Most of the time, throwing any external items in your toilet bowl rather than the trash can cause a blockage. These items include tissue paper, tampons, and diapers, among others. If you are not that careful, plastic shampoo bottles or bars of soap can find their way into your toilet bowl.

All of these items can get stuck in your toilet and block the flow of water. If you don’t want a flood inside your bathroom, you need to be vigilant in preventing these items from being thrown into your toilet bowl. Plus, you also need to remind everyone in your household to throw their respective trash into the proper container.

How to Use a Toilet Plunger

When you encounter a clog in your toilet, the best and simplest way to handle it is to use a plunger. Basically, this tool consists of a handle, flange, and the plunger itself. To use a toilet plunger, you need to have a firm grip on the handle and insert the other end using a 90-degree angle. Now, don’t exert all your effort into that first thrust. You need to go gentle because there will be some air inside the main compartment of the plunger. Using a hard thrust will push the item that’s clogging your toilet farther down your toilet’s drainage system. Once this happens, it will be impossible for your plunger to take the external item out of your toilet.

After you have made the first thrust in a gentle manner, you can now exert more effort gradually. The air inside the plunger will act as a suction to attract the external item. The more you push on your toilet plunger, the item that caused the clog will slowly be sucked into this tool. Once it has entered the compartment of the plunger, carefully scoop it up. This should be done to prevent the clogging material from falling back into the toilet.

Not having a plunger inside your bathroom will be detrimental to you when an item clogs your toilet. This particular bathroom tool is easy to procure and much easier to use. Do yourself a big favor and get one for your household today.  If all all else fails call a great plumber

faucet

Tips for Replacing a Faucet

Today’s faucets are easy to install. You can even purchase a faucet that installs entirely from the top of the sink so you don’t have to crawl around. However, there are still a few things that can help you with a quick and leak-free installation. Use these tips to get started.

UPGRADE SUPPLY LINES

One of the challenges of putting in a new faucet used to be connecting the supply lines without worrying about their leaking. However, the newer style of connectors has gaskets in each end that make the connections almost foolproof. They’re a little more expensive than the older style of connectors but they’re well worth the extra cost.

You don’t even need to make sure that the nut is extremely tight for a good seal. Use your hands to make the connection finger-tight and then use a wrench for an additional half turn. Replacing your supply lines with stainless steel connectors is the best choice you’ll ever make.

SAVE INSTRUCTIONS AND PARTS

When you replace the faucet, you’re going to have tools and other parts that you’ll want to keep around. One of the best ways to make sure you don’t lose anything you might need is to put any extra parts, tools, and instruction sheet in a freezer bag and then hang the bag inside the sink cabinet. You’ll be able to find it if needed for any repairs.

CHECK FOR LEAKS

Whether you’re replacing the sink or you’ve hired a plumber to make the change, check for any leaks. After the sink is first installed, turn the water on and let it run for a few minutes. Then get a tissue and go under the sink. Use the tissue to wipe the joints and see if it stays dry. Even a small leak will show up as a wet spot. Tighten up the connection near any leaks that you find.

TURN OFF THE WATER SUPPLY

This is something that you’ll want to do before getting started. Before you replace a sink or do any repairs, it’s a good idea to turn off the water supply leading to the faucet. Most people forget this step, but it’s an important but simple one to do. You’ll be glad that you did!

When you replace a sink today, they come with instructions and are fairly easy to do. These tips are just a few extra ways to make sure that you end up with a good replacement and avoid any leaks or problems along the way.

Watch this video that will show you how to replace a faucet.

For more information, take a look here: elizabethdrainservice.com

drain

How Cleaning a Septic Tank Can Eliminate the Problem of Clogged Drains

If your home has a septic tank, and you have neglected it for too long, it could be the reason you always have clogged drains. Sometimes, people only think about the pipes and sinks when they notice that water is not flowing as it should.  However, a dirty tank can also lead to this situation. Here are some facts that you may want to know.

Accumulation of Dirt in the Tank Can Block the Pipes

Statistics from reliable sources have shown that tanks that are not regularly cleaned contribute to the blockage of pipes. This is because, at the point where pipes connect to the tank, dirt accumulates and could block it if it is not removed. As a result, the water will not flow into the septic tank fast, and this is how clogging starts. You may be wasting your time trying to locate the materials that are blocking your drains yet all you need to do is to clean your septic tank.

Emptying the Tanks Can Also Reduce Clogging

Sometimes, when the tank is almost full, it tries to slow down the flow of water in the pipes. This is more likely when the pipes enter the tank at a lower level, and there obviously is no overflow. Therefore, when you notice an unusual slowdown in water flow, you may want to check if your tank is almost full already. If it is, just empties it, have it cleaned and everything will come back to normal. A reliable plumber will always tell you when the problem is with your tank.

Regular cleaning of the septic tank should not be a difficult task. You only need to ensure that the plumber has the right cleaning equipment. They also should be able to inspect the tank and detect other problems such as leakages. A properly working plumbing system is what you need in your home.

If you need a thorough discussion on this, it is detailed here: https://elizabethdrainservice.com

lavatory

10 Things that Clog Your Drain and How to Avoid Them

All kinds of oddities get put down in the sinks. It’s a serious issue for many families, and it can be a serious financial issue if you have to call a drain service to solve the problem.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure when it comes to plumbing. Professional plumbers in Elizabeth have literally seen everything come out of a clogged drain. Though there are a wide variety of things that end up in the drain, there are a few repeat offenders that plumbers know are going to clog those drains over and over again. If you can manage to avoid these, then you’re in pretty good shape.

  1. Baby products – Wipes are the main culprit here. Those things are really never flushable, and it’s much better not to try.
  2. Cotton – Cotton swabs, cotton balls, cotton from cigarette filters. This stuff absorbs water and expands, causing a plumbing nightmare.
  3. Hair – If your family has a lot of hair, it’s best to protect your drains and insist that everyone do their part to keep it out!
  4. Grease – This stuff gets gooey and hardens into a disgusting blob in the drain. It’s not pretty.
  5. Food scraps – So many people put food down the drain! Pasta noodles are some of the worst, as they get smashed and then expand. Vegetable peelings are another tough contender that clog drains constantly.
  6. Coffee grounds – They might be small, but coffee grounds are gnarly in your kitchen sink. Prevent kitchen clogs by never putting coffee grounds down the sink!
  7. Super ply toilet paper – The higher the ply, the more likely it is to give you a clogged toilet. Don’t go overboard.
  8. Bath salts and bath bombs – These luxuries don’t always dissolve as well as we’d like them to, leaving that tub drain clogged.
  9. Soap – Yes soap! It’s, of course, necessary in the bathtub or shower, but the little bits congeal and then grab every little substance in your drain to get it clogged beyond belief.
  10. Children’s toys – This is the classic toilet clog, and it’s rough stuff. You’ll end up with a plumbing service if your child decides to see what goes down the hole.  

The great thing about these ten common drain clogs is that you can avoid all of them! Keeping clogs out of your sink doesn’t have to be a massive challenge. Change your habits when it comes to drains, then don’t worry about calling a plumber!

Looking for a trusted plumber to fix your clogged drain? Check out this company that offers professional residential and commercial plumbing services.