When a qualified plumber installs piping and indoor plumbing, the pipes and fixtures are well-sealed to prevent leaks. Indoor plumbing leaks can have devastating results, ranging from damage to your walls, floors, and ceilings, to flooding. However, due to wear and tear, deterioration and corrosion, leaks occur after some time. Pipes fail and develop leaks or bursts. Using some expert tricks, you can avoid most major issues.

Step 1: Find the Leaks

The first step in stopping leaking pipes, is to find them. To do this, you will need to take a flashlight with you when you go inspect plumbing beneath sinks and in crawlspaces, where it is usually pretty dark.

When you have your light source and your tools, turn on the water in the bathtub or in the sink and wait for the water to start trickling out. The most likely places for you to focus on would be joints, where most leaks usually occur.

Step 2: Repair the Seals

Leaks that occur at the connectors can generally be easily repaired by repairing the connection. The first step to repairing the seal, is to switch off the main water supply. Now return to the crawlspace with a bucket, because when you unscrew the connectors, water will come out.

You will need to remove plumber’s tape from around the threads of piping before disconnecting and reconnecting the connection. Be sure to dry the outside of the pipes before taping it up with new tape. The threads should be covered with tape before you return the connector.

More Steps to Prevent Leaks

Leaks are often caused by leaks in the middle of a pipe, somewhere along the run. There are many temporary fixes for plumbing issues. Some manufacturers even sell tape to fix holes on pipes.However, they are temporary and will eventually require replacement. The tape is meant as a temporary solution until you are able to replace the pipe.

Ideally, you should consider replacing faulty components on your plumbing. Entire plumbing systems only require replacement in old homes with old plumbing and metal pipes that have become rusted or otherwise deteriorated.

A new connector or a seal can go a long way towards keeping your system running smoothly for a long time. Individual runs of pipes that have sprung leaks can also be replaced, preferably as soon as possible.

The key is to ensure that your plumbing works properly in order to save money on your water bill and to keep your home free from water damage, which leaking pipes can easily cause.

Creating and installing an effective plumbing system requires expert plumbing knowledge, and a keen solution mindedness. The installation method directly influences the way in which a plumbing system works, and can, as a result, affect the comfort of the people who live in the home. Installing the plumbing system correctly, can help prevent potentially serious problems, such as plumbing emergencies that cause major destruction to the the building structure, and the household contents.

As you can see, there’s a lot more to creating and installations of an effective plumbing system than just straight forward installation. Proper installation offers a great many benefits. In this post, we will share some of the keys to perfect plumbing installation with you.

1. Plan Ahead

Understanding plumbing is the most important key to installing a well-functioning plumbing system. A good plumbing system works with quiet efficiency. However, at the same time, pipes, fittings and valves should be easily accessible, should repairs and maintenance be required.

The right size of water pipe is important for an effective plumbing system, but even more important is the size of the pipes that carry waste. If the pipes are too small, draining will not be effective, and they will often become clogged. The pipes may not deliver the required amount of water, and there may be temperature swings in the shower when the toilet is flushed, or when another faucet is used, causing major inconveniences.

Each city has a range of codes that plumbers should adhere to when installing plumbing systems.

2. Choose the right pipes

Apart from choosing the right size of pipes, it is also important to choose the right type of pipe.

Initially, pipes were fabricated from cast-iron or brass. Some older homes and buildings still use copper and PVC, however, cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) piping is becoming increasingly popular.

The type of pipe used in plumbing delivers water to the home, and flushes waste away in the same way. However, some types are more prone to damage and deterioration. While PEX and copper are good types of pipe used in water piping, PVC should not be used inside the home. CPVC is more fragile, and therefore not ideal for use inside the hope. If freezing is a problem, it is better to avoid copper in favor of PEX.

3. Conserve and save

Proper installation can help save water, which will help both your pocket and the environment. Low-flow, dual flush toilets and tankless water heaters are just two of the fixtures that will help avoid water wastage.

4. Shut off the water

Once you have decided on and purchased all the fixtures, you should shut off the water supply at the valves. Turning off the water ensures that there is no major flooding when you accidentally cut a water pipe, or if an appliance or a person in the building tries to run water.

5. Install vents

Don’t neglect this very important step in order to save money. There should be vents near all drainage pipes. Refer to your local plumbing codes to find out how close the vents should be to your drains. Vents are effective in speeding the water down the drain, and locks the water in the traps to prevent the sewer gasses from leaking into the home.

All these steps are essential in creating and installing an effective plumbing system. It is crucial in the design of a new home, and can help improve the quality of life of those inhabiting the building.

When it comes to bidet toilets, the rest of the civilized world is much more advanced than most of the western countries. Most Americans don’t know how bidets work, never mind the various types available. Then, there are people who don’t even know what a bidet is.

Basically, a bidet is a toilet-like plumbing fixture, used for the same purpose, but it has an extra faucet placed inside the bowl, which is used instead or, or in some cases, in addition to toilet paper. Without going into too much detail, this article tastefully explains exactly how to use a bidet: http://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Bidet

For now, we will focus on the plumbing aspects related to a bidet. Apart from wondering what a bidet is and how it works, most people want to know why they would choose a bidet over a standard toilet.

The answer is simple: It is more hygienic for you.

As for designs, there are a wide variety available on the market, ranging from basic types to more luxurious bidets with adjustable temperature faucets, heated seats, pulsating streams and built-in dryers.

Another benefit of the bidet is that you can manage the water consumption better than you can with a standard toilet. For that, and hygienic reasons, more people are installing bidets in addition to their standard toilets.

If you don’t want to go through the painful (and costly!) remodeling, or you don’t have space for a bidet in your bathroom, you may want to consider a bidet seat.

Added to your standard toilet, the bidet seat transforms your traditional toilet into a bidet. Manufacturers offer a range of quality products with a wide selection of added extras from which you can choose. Now you can quickly and easily turn your standard toilet into a more hygienic, comfortable and luxurious bidet with electronic controls.

When buying a bidet seat, you have to consider factors such as your toilet shape. Ensure that you buy a bidet seat that fits your bowl perfectly and is compatible with your toilet. Ideally, you should let your plumber help you choose the right bidet or bidet seat.

If your experience is your number one priority, you could consider one of the more expensive electronic bidets, which, at the touch of a button can heat your seat, play music, rinse and dry your bum.

There are more affordable, basic options for the less discerning user, who can choose a non-electronic option. One of the most common choices is a standard porcelain bidet with one or two faucets.

Of course, the faucets are another important consideration since they, too, are available in a range of styles with different options and features. The most important consideration is your personal hygienic needs.

Different bidet faucets come with different spray styles and one or two handles. Generally, those with one handle spray a horizontal arc of water out of the rear section of the bidet. Those with two handles generally have a vertical spray, shooting up from the bottom of the bowl.

For the purpose of choosing the spray type, your personal preference will dictate. However, some users find that the one-handled bidets are easier to adjust, while the two-handled bidets with vertical sprays offer a more comprehensive clean.

When it comes to choosing a bidet, or a standard toilet, your personal preference should be the deciding factor. Speak to your plumber about installation options, and ask him to help you choose the best bidet for your needs from the showroom.

Regular use can cause foreign objects such as toilet paper, paper towels, food, skin oils and more to enter your sanitary sewer system. When these particles adjoin, it will often form a mass that can clog your sanitary drain.

The best way to prevent these clogs is to take the necessary measures to avoid them from occurring in the first place. Drains need careful monitoring and preventative measures to help prevent particles from building up and resulting in a clogged drain.

By keeping to a regular maintenance and prevention schedule, you can save several call outs  to your local plumbers and money in the process.

These are some of the expert tips that we suggest to our regular callers:

1. Know What Can / Can’t Be Flushed

Remember that toilet drains are meant only for human waste and toilet paper. Never flush sanitary products, q-tips, fat and grease down the toilet, as these are some of the items that cause the worst clogged drains.

Tip: Dispose of disposable items in the rubbish. Instead of pouring fat or grease down the kitchen drain, rather allow it to cool down and become solidified, before scraping it up and disposing of it in the rubbish.

2. Install Filters

Washing machines have filters to prevent lint from being carried into the drainpipes. Lint traps, installed on the discharge hose, can catch lint and other materials before they enter the pipes.

Tip:  Install strainers in all the kitchen and bathroom drains to stop pieces of soap, food particles hair and other foreign objects from entering the drains.

3.  Keep Your Drains Clean

Regular maintenance will ensure that your drains stay clean. It doesn’t take much effort to keep your drains clean as part of your regular house-cleaning routine. Here’s how:

Regularly clear out the filters and strainers on your washing  machine, zinks, basins and baths to ensure that the water clears out of there quickly, while also keeping the water clean while you use it.

Pour hot water down the drains after use, particularly if you shaved, used bath oils, or cleaned the dishes. Those activities are particularly greasy. The water will already be cool when you let it out, but running the hottest water you can stand right afterwards, will help clear the dirt and move it along the run.

Avoid pouring harsh chemicals down your drains, as they may be caustic, causing your pipes to become rusted. When that happens, you will develop even bigger issues, ranging from low water pressure, and dirty water, to no water at all. Another risk with chemicals, is that it may shoot back up and damage your skin and eyes.

If your drain does become clogged despite your best efforts, rather call your local plumber before the problem becomes a big issue.