We all face plumbing problems at one time or another. There are many problems that can happen around the house and the bathroom seems to be the trouble spot of many a home. When something goes wrong with our bathrooms, we immediately dash to the phone, but there are more common problems than others that we can fix ourselves without the expense of calling a plumber out. With that in mind, here are some top tips for DIY bathroom fixes:
A blocked sink
The first thing for you to try is using a sink plunger. You should place the plunger around the drain and push up and down; you should repeat this until the blockage is clear. If this fails place a bucket or large bowl under the drain. At the u-bend unscrew the larger part of the pipe. You can clear the blockage using a wire or wooden stick. Wash out the detached parts before re attaching.
A leaky tap
A leaky tap usually happens due to washers being worn and needs replacing, or the whole tap needs replacing which is easy enough to do. Turn your water off at the mains. Remove the tap cover to unscrew the handle and remove it. You will see the old washer at the bottom. Replace it and put it all back together. Turn it on to check no more leak. If there is, make sure it is tight.
A blocked toilet
This can be caused by a build up of waste. A simple plunger in the toilet pushing up and down can remove the blockage. You could also try a wire down the u-bend to try to release it. If this doesn’t work you could try replacing the ball cock, which is found near the flush.
Low water pressure
Low water pressure can be over looked. You should check the water gauge on your boiler a simple turn of the dial can help. If both hot and cold water is affected, it could be the aerator, which is a build up of calcium deposits. Remove the aerator clean out anything that has built up a place it back on.
A jammed garbage disposal
You should have a key that came with the garbage disposal; if you have not got it still an Allen key can be used. At the bottom of the disposal you should see a place to put the key. Once the key is in turn in both directions the motor should come out for you to clean. Then replace it.
Of course, if you do have a problem and are not sure how to fix it, then you should definitely have a plumber you know on speed dial- just in case!