Plumbing Guides From Clog Heroes
Page 5 of 7
Straight answers on the drain, sewer, water heater, well and toilet problems we see in Fredericksburg-area homes.
All Guides, Page 5
Low Water Pressure at the Kitchen Sink? Check the Aerator First, Then These Seven Things
When only the kitchen faucet runs weak, the cause is usually within a few feet of it. Start at the aerator, then work back through the cartridge, the shutoff valves and the supply lines.
Five Types of Bathtub Drains: How Each One Works and Which Fits Your Tub
Toe-touch, lift-and-turn, trip lever, flip-it and pop-up drains each seal the tub a different way. Each has pros and cons, and they share a handful of common problems.
How to Get Hair Out of a Shower Drain: Four Methods, Easiest First
Start with a barbed plastic drain tool. It grabs tangled hair and pulls it out without harming the pipe. If that doesn't do it, a baking soda flush, a wet/dry vacuum or pulling the stopper or trap will.
A Leaky Toilet Flapper Can Waste Up to 200 Gallons a Day. Five Causes and the Fixes
Put food coloring in the tank and wait 15 to 20 minutes. Color in the bowl means the flapper isn't sealing. Five things cause that, and the fix usually comes down to a new flapper or a chain adjustment.
Footing Drains: How They Keep Groundwater Out of Your Basement and the Signs You Need One
A footing drain is a perforated pipe in gravel along the base of your foundation. It collects groundwater and carries it away before it reaches the basement. It isn't a French drain, and it can go in after the house is built, though that means digging around the foundation.
Air in Your Water Lines: Five Causes and the Flush That Clears Most of Them
Sputtering taps, spitting water and sudden pressure drops usually mean air got into the pipes. Five causes account for most of it, and four fixes are worth trying yourself before a plumber takes a look.
Bleach Only Kills Drain Flies for a While. Here's What Gets Rid of Them
Bleach kills a few adult flies and larvae on contact, then leaves behind the buildup they breed in. Four steps work better, and a strip of tape over the drain tells you when they're gone.
How a Submersible Well Pump Works, How Long It Lasts and the Signs It's Failing
Most submersible well pumps last 10 to 15 years. The pump sits below the water line, pushes water up to the pressure tank and shuts off once the tank reaches 40 to 60 psi.
Slow Draining Toilet? Four Fixes to Try Before You Call a Plumber
Toilet flushing slow? Look for a partial clog in the trap, mineral-blocked rim jets or a low tank level. Try four fixes in order. If none works, the problem sits deeper, in the drain line or vent.
Basement Drain Backing Up? Five Causes and How to Tell Which One You Have
Most basement backups trace to one of five things: a main sewer clog, a blocked floor drain trap, tree roots, a failed sump pump or backwater valve, or a city sewer overwhelmed by rain. The warning signs and the fix differ for each.
A $20 Sump Pump Alarm Can Warn You Before the Basement Floods
For around $20 to $40, a basic sump pump alarm sounds a siren when water rises in the pit. Wi-Fi models, at $100 to $300, send the alert to your phone.
Black Ring in the Toilet? Five Causes and a Five-Step Cleanup That Keeps It Away
That black ring in the toilet is usually mold or mildew feeding on moisture, minerals and biofilm. Scrub the tank as well as the bowl, because the grime it feeds on hides there too.