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Call Today!      206-432-9044

4 Common Do it Yourself Plumbing Fixes

How to repair common plumbing issues yourself

Do it yourself plumbing fixes are a good idea if you are confident in performing basic household repairs.  If you are not confident in your handy skills, it’s best to hire a professional plumber to handle the repairs.

Unclogging Blocked Drains in Your Home

It’s great that you’re taking the initiative to tackle clogged drains yourself! Consider, using natural methods like baking soda, vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide can be effective and environmentally friendly. Plus, it’s always satisfying to solve household issues on your own. The following video explains 8 ways you can naturally unclog your back-up drains including baking soda, plungers and snaking.

 

Seal a Leaky Faucet

To fix a leaking faucet, start by turning off the water supply under the sink. Next, cover the sink drain to prevent any small parts from falling down. Disassemble the faucet and locate the washer or O-ring. Replace the damaged component with a new one and reassemble the faucet. Finally, turn on the water supply and check for leaks.
This quick video takes you step by step.
 

 

Put a Stop to a Running Toilet

A running toilet is often caused by a faulty flapper or a problem with the fill valve. The flapper is a rubber mechanism that controls the flow of water from the tank to the bowl, while the fill valve is responsible for refilling the tank after each flush. You can try adjusting the chain on the flapper or replacing the flapper or fill valve to fix the issue. This can help prevent water wastage and save you from higher water bills.

 

 

Repairing a Leaking Pipe

When dealing with a leaking pipe, it’s important to first locate the source of the leak and turn off the water supply to that pipe if possible. A pipe clamp is a device used to seal leaks at joints or small holes in pipes. It consists of a rubber sleeve and two clamping plates that are tightened together to compress the rubber sleeve and stop the leak. Pipe tape, also known as Teflon tape, is a thin, white tape used to wrap around the threads of a pipe to create a watertight seal. It is commonly used in plumbing to prevent leaks at threaded connections. If you have a small leak in a pipe, you can try using a pipe clamp or pipe tape to temporarily fix the leak until you can replace the damaged section of the pipe.
 

If you’re not comfortable with any of these fixes, or if the problem is more complex, Rain City Plumbing can help you with your household plumbing maintenance and repair. If you’re not confident that you can get the job right on your own, we are just a phone call away.

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