Keeping Your Plumbing Flowing Smoothly

If you deal with plumbing clogs on a regular basis, you might find yourself struggling with bent wire hangers, chemical drain cleaner, and unfamiliar pipes. Unfortunately, unless you are a trained professional, all of your efforts might be in vain. Most people don't realize it, but it is possible to damage your plumbing by making a few missteps. If you use the wrong chemicals or you push a little too hard, you might end up dealing with damaged pipes or your clogging problem could get worse. Fortunately, you might be able to use this blog to help you to keep your plumbing flowing smoothly.

Easy Way To Solve The Most Common Shower Issues

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Your shower should be a place where you feel relaxed and at-ease. It's hard to unwind after a long day if your shower shoots out blasts of hot water whenever someone flushes your toilet, or if the water drains slowly and pools around your feet. Thankfully, most common shower problems are not that difficult to solve. Here's a look.

Problem: The water gets too hot after someone flushes.

This problem can be more than annoying -- it can be downright dangerous if your water gets hot enough to scald you! Surges in temperature are common with older showers because the mixing valves in these showers were not set up to change the amount of hot water flowing into your shower when the amount of cold water changes. So, when someone flushes (using cold water) the same amount of hot water keeps getting sent through the shower -- but without the cold water to balance it out.

A simple way to solve this issue is by partially closing your toilet valve. Turn it a few rotations counter-clockwise to do so. This way, the toilet won't demand as much cold water when you flush it, so there should be more left to flow through the shower.

If you're looking for a more permanent fix, you can also hire a plumber to replace your shower's mixing valve. Newer mixing valves are designed to measure the amount of cold water flowing through them and adjust the hot water flow accordingly.

Problem: Water pools around your feet.

If your water is draining slowly, leaving you to stand in a puddle of water throughout your shower, this is probably due to a partial clog in the drain pipe. In most cases, you can loosen such a clog with a plunger. Fill the tub, and then place the plunger's cup fully around the drain. Move the handle straight up and down, with as much force as possible, to loosen the clog.

If your drain is still slow after plunging, try pouring some baking soda and vinegar down it. The acidity of the vinegar and the foaming action of this mixture should help loosen grime on the inside of the drain. In the worst case scenario, you may have to call a plumber and have them snake the drain. Do not use drain cleaner; if it does not go down the drain properly, you may end up stepping in it as you shower, which can be dangerous.

Problem: Your water pressure is low.

Most people prefer a strong, forceful shower to a slow trickle. If your water pressure is low, it may just be because your shower head has become clogged with mineral deposits. This issue is easy to solve in a single evening. Remove your shower head, and place it in a bucket of either vinegar or limescale remover. If you choose vinegar, let the shower head sit all night. If you choose limescale remover, let the shower head sit for 2 hours. Then, rinse the shower head off and re-attach it.

If cleaning the shower head does not do the trick, then give your plumber a call. There may be mineral deposits further down in the pipe, and clearing them may require that you have a portion of the pipe replaced. You may also have low water pressure coming into your home. In this case, installing a pressure tank can help create a more forceful shower experience.

If you have any other issues with your shower, be sure to bring them up to your plumber. Most problems are rather easy to fix, and it's worth paying for plumbing repairs if it means you'll finally get to enjoy shower time!

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10 July 2017