6 Ways to Avoid Expensive Plumbing Repairs

1. Fixing a running toilet

Not the kind where you gotta chase them around the house but the one where your toilet would take forever to fill up its tank or notice that it flushes randomly—while it creeps the living crap out of you.

It can only mean one thing, the flapper inside your toilet tank has worn off and it needs replacing. A replacement flapper could be bought from your local hardware store. Follow the simple steps below to fix this toilet-catastrophe:

a. Close the shut-off valve behind your toilet

b. Remove the lid off of your toilet tank

c. Flush the water and wait for it to drain completely

d. Remove the old flapper by unclipping it from the base of the toilet and removing the chain that links it to the flush handle

e. Once removed, you can place the new one and fill the tank again with water by opening the shut-off valve.

f. Try out your new flapper and flush your toilet.

2. Unblocking your toilet

This one could get messy—clogged toilet due to toilet paper or organic matter and not a good plunger on-site.

Don’t worry; the right hot water and dish soap dose can help you with your problem. Follow these simple household steps, and you’ll see your situation as it flushes down the toilet drain:

a. Get a hot cup of water with dish soap

b. Stop the water flow by closing the shut-off valve behind your toilet

c. Pour both the dish soap and hot water into your toilet bowl

d. “By a flush,” the magic unfolds as your worries go down the drain

3. Clogged Sink Drain Plumbing Repairs

There’s no need to call in a plumber to fix this one. All you need to do is get yourself some vinegar and baking soda. As helpful as removing food stains from your shirt, these two kitchen essentials can unclog your sink drain. This is how:

a. Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain and 1 cup of vinegar b

b. Cover the drain immediately, and you will hear it fizzle

c. Remove the drain cover after 10-15 minutes and pour hot water down the sink drain

d. The chemical reaction caused by the baking soda and vinegar will help break down the food trapped in your drain.

4. Filthy and Foul Old Toilet Bowl?

You’re cleaning the toilet bowl and notice it’s not as shiny as before. Meanwhile, while trying your best to clean it with a brush or scrub, the mess and all your insecurities remain.

Well, this could mean that there seems to be some mineral buildup from the water coming into your house through time. You can make your toilet shine along with your dignity with toilet cleaner and sandpaper.

Firstly, wash your throne with a toilet cleaner and rinse it. Secondly, gently scrub the stain marks with your 2000 Grit Wet and Dry sandpaper. Rinse again, then viola!

5. Deodorize your Garbage Disposal Unit

Imagine walking into your kitchen in the morning to prepare your breakfast, and before you even get a sip of that hot coffee, you’re smelling this unpleasant aroma from your kitchen sink—causing your brain to go into high gear.

That could only mean that your garbage disposal unit stinks. It’s likely caused by rotting food debris in the pipes. But there’s no need to call your plumber just yet. By religiously following these steps, try deodorizing your garbage disposal unit and kitchen sink.

a. Put ice cubes and a healthy amount of lemon peel down the disposal unit.

b. Run the disposal unit for about 30 seconds

c. Add a small amount of dish soap while it’s running.

It will make it easier for the blades to remove the debris with soap while the lemon peel naturally deodorizes it.

6. Prevent Drain Clogs

Ok, so the steps we provided in number three (3) were to help you fix your drain when it clogs. But what about preventing that same problem from happening again?

We got you covered. Here’s a simple maintenance hack to prevent your drains from clogging and dodge this small problem from turning into a full-blown plumbing disaster:

a. Go to your nearest local hardware store and buy some durable, stainless-steel mesh strainers. Make sure it fits in your drain, or make multiple trips to obtain the correct size.

b. Pop them over your drains, and let that thing catch hair and other things that cause your pipes to clog.

c. Once a week, or if the mesh is complete, clean it or replace it before you pop it over to your drain.

If out of the league, don’t think twice about Free Estimates

If professional plumbing repairs are needed

And just that simple, you can dodge the damage of expensive plumbing repairs with these DIY plumbing hacks. Not a biggy and would only cost you a bit of your time and a few bucks.

Although, through the interest of time, broken units can be out of your cap as they will need long-term plumbing repairs. If this happens, don’t hesitate to call the professionals to avoid much bigger damages or more expensive plumbing repairs.