Maintaining A Sound Plumbing System

How to maintain a sound plumbing system

I would venture to say that probably the most overlooked component in a home has to be your plumbing, sure we feel very inconvenienced when the lights go out, but for those that had to endure the weeks post hurricane Katrina or any other major natural disaster, not having a running water was the worst part of the process, obviously not having electricity is not a lot of fun and a major inconvenience, but not having a proper potable water supply and sanitary system for disposal of waste actually threatens the health and physical integrity of those involved, I hope by now we all agree that our plumbing system is very under estimated, without getting too graphic, we can compare our homes plumbing to our own bodies need for proper circulation and disposal of fluids, and just as with our bodies, prevention is the best medicine, we all know how expensive things become when we need to call a plumber on a Sunday morning because one of the pipes just sprung a leak, add to that the water damage caused by the leak and it could put a major dent on our finances. Here are some tips on how to do some of your own preventative medicine on your plumbing system.

Annual physicals or in this case inspections are definitely the first line of defense.

• Look for signs of leaks, not only underneath the sinks but if you are on a raised foundation take a quick peek under the house and check for puddles or corrosions spots on pipes, also check the perimeter for water stains.

Go to each lavatory or kitchen sink:

1. Remove aerator and turn on both hot and cold water.
2. Let the water run for at least 1 minute rinse the aerator removing any sediment that has accumulated, notice the water pressure, if you noticed that the water is not coming out with the same force as it did originally, you may be developing a build up of sediment in your water line.
3. While you are doing this check the speed at which the water is draining if it’s draining too slow you may have some minor accumulation of sediment in your drain.
4. Close the cold water valve and with a thermometer check the hot water temperature, in most households a temperature of a 120° is sufficient if it is higher you may adjust it  at the time of the water heater inspection.
5. Close both valves and check for water drips, water should stop dripping within a few seconds of closing the valves.

• Remove each showerhead and check for sediment, if you noticed clogging of the showerhead jets, soak the showerhead in a 50/50 solution of water and vinegar overnight, while you have the shower running also check the drain speed of the water, a quick visual inspection to check for broken tiles and/or missing  caulking.

• Inspecting your water heater properly could be a chapter all in its own, but the main point is to check for signs of leaking or rust, a quick visual inspection goes a long ways when it comes to maintaining your water heater running properly, although a periodic draining of your water heater will do wonder for removing built up sediment in the tank.

Of course if you see any major sign of trouble it is best to get the expert opinion of a professional plumber, undoubtedly whatever you pay him to fix it now will be much less than if you ignore it until t becomes an even major issue.

How to clean and maintain your showerhead

Care and maintenance of your showerhead

Fortunately showerheads do not require much maintenance but in any case to keep your showerhead giving you optimum performance, there are a few things you can do.

Before installation let the water run for at least a minute, this will help clear any debris.

Some  shower heads are equipped with “easy clean” rubber jets, at least once a week run your finger across the rubber jets this will help squeeze out debris that may start accumulating.

Clean the showerhead at least once every 6-8 weeks by removing it and flushing out any debris by turning the showerhead upside down and gently tapping the showerhead to dislodge any solid matter that may have collected, some Kingston Brass Shower heads have a mesh screen, you can remove the screen with the aid of a small screw or needle nose pliers, and rinse it under flowing water, if the screen shows signs of extreme build-up it you can also try cleaning it with an old toothbrush

Every 3 months remove the showerhead and soak overnight in a 50/50 solution of water and vinegar, rinse thoroughly before reinstalling it, if you do not want to remove the showerhead, we have another solution, fill a large Zip lock bag or any suitable plastic bag with the same water/ vinegar solution place it on the showerhead so the solution is fully covering the entire surface of the showerhead, tie it with a twist or a zip tie, leave it soaking overnight, rinse thoroughly .

Because your showerhead is in a very humid environment, we recommend applying a light coat of carnauba wax, this will add an additional barrier to preserve your showerheads finish.

 And if you just want to change your showerhead please visit Plumbing Parts Warehouse .

How to replace the ceramic cartridge on your clawfoot tub faucet filler

Roman tub faucets with ceramic cartridges are designed to last a lifetime, and replacing the cartridge may seem like a difficult task, but hopefully after reading this article you will feel courageous enough to tackle this project on your own.

Shut off water supply
Check your rigid supply lines, chances are you have an inline shutoff valve, if you don't then you may need to shut off the supply of water coming into your home, Turn faucet on to release any water left in the lines.

 Pry Button Loose by inserting a thin flat object under the button and gently pulling up, applying steady pressure

 with the aid of a Phillips head screwdriver, remove handle screw.

 Unscrew Bonnet by hand.

Unscrew cartridge using crescent wrench

 Open the shut off valve for at least 30 seconds, that will clear any debris left on the line, reverse the above steps to re-install your cartridge.

To find the right cartridge for your faucet visit www.plumbingpartswarehouse.com
 

How to Replace the seats and washers on your Compression faucet

Replacing your compression cartridge may seem like a very difficult undertaking, our goal is to give you provide with easy to follow step by step instructions.

Most compression faucets work by pressing down a rubber washer to form a seal against a metal ring, generally referred to as seat, in some cases you only need to replace the rubber washer at the bottom of the cartridge and the seat, most of the steps are the same, and you can always decide upon inspection of the cartridge.
First shut off the water supply valves to the faucet, turn faucet on to release water left in faucet water lines.
Remove cap by inserting any thin flat object and gently pushing up. 

 

 This will expose the screw securing the handle.

Using a Phillips head screwdriver, unscrew and remove handle

Using a crescent wrench, smooth jaw channel locks

 





 

or a socket, unscrew cartridge

Coat threads with pipe dope (such as rectorseal #5) prior to replacing seats, this will prevent leaks.

 

 Reverse Above steps to install cartridge and assemble handle, as a last step, remove aerator and let water run fur a full minute, this will clear any debris present in the line, reinstall aerator and you are ready to enjoy your faucet for many more years.

Article provided by Plumbingpartswarehouse.com