A sudden pipe leak or an appliance malfunction can damage your property. Unfortunately, you cannot always just wait for a plumber. Water damage is imminent, and ignoring the problem can exacerbate things. Knowing a few basic fixes is vital to help you recover swiftly and without minimized expenses from a plumbing disaster. Here are four easy repairs that could potentially save you from a larger and more expensive catastrophe.
Deal With a Leaking Pipe
It doesnt matter how small your pipe leak is. The main thing is you dont want water infiltrating your home. Even tiny drips can escalate! Fortunately, there are many fixes you can count on to fix the problem. Start by turning off the water shut-off valve to cut water flow. Theres usually one underneath the sink or toilet that connects to the main supply. If the leak is not located near a valve, you must turn off the main water line outside your home.
From there, you can purchase materials from the hardware to temporarily plug the leak. For example, an epoxy compound applied to the leak works like magic for iron pipes. Meanwhile, a clamp or wrap around the leak works best for copper or PVC pipes. But, again, these are temporary fixes until your plumber comes in to provide a permanent solution.
Fix a Leaking Pipe Joint
Just like an ordinary leak, start by turning off the water source. Then, make sure you have repair sleeves that are elastic enough to wrap around the leaking joints. The angle of these joints may make it trickier to fix. Finally, ensure you cover the connector tightly around the leak to squeeze the water back into the pipe.
Some even fortify the sleeves with duct tape to make them last longer. But, again, this fix is not permanent. Eventually, water will follow the path of least resistance and loosen the sleeves. Thats why you must call a plumber before the pipes burst.
Seal Cracked Porcelain
Just like ceramic cups, your tubs, sinks, showers, and commodes can crack, too. However, some of them are full of water, making it a big issue. When you see a crack in your toilet receptacle, it can flood your bathroom. So calm your nerves and shut off the toilet valve.
From there, buy plumbers putty to the inside of the crack. You can also do this to your damaged tubs and sinks to prevent water leaks. Squeeze the putty as tight as you can. This material naturally resists water, and it can hold for a fair amount of time. Apply caulk as a secondary seal to make the putty last longer for the best results. Of course, you must save money for an eventual complete replacement.
Address a Faulty Water Heater
If your water heater is malfunctioning, sedimentation in the bottom of the tank is the most likely culprit. This builds up over time and blocks the heat from warming the water. To solve the problem, turn off the device. Then you need hoses to flush out your water heater. Check out this detailed tutorial.
However, if youre unsure what to do, it is best to call and wait for the plumber rather than worsen the problem. A reliable plumber will make your life easy by making permanent fixes swiftly.
Check out this article for some additional plumbing ideas!
Bad Valve Seat/Washer
Between the faucet and the spout rests the valve seat and washer holding it into place. If these connections wear out or become loose, you can get a leak at the spout. Again, mineral deposits are often the culprit here, corroding the valve seat.
You can also run into problems if the washer was installed wasn’t the correct size. Without a perfect seat, friction loosens the washer and lets water through.
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