Price Busters’ DIY Plumbing Tips

We care about your plumbing! And, we’re not just talking about the big jobs that require a professional’s help. On the contrary, we’re truly concerned with the whole health of your pipes, drains, and fixtures (whether it involves us or not). In many cases, a problem or disaster is completely preventable; all it takes is regularly performing some simple maintenance tasks. As a trusted Seattle plumbing company, we’re never above providing people with the tools they need to keep a plumbing system running as smoothly as possible. As such, we’ve compiled some tried-and-true DIY plumbing tips that are quick and easy.

Check Your Shower Head

It’s a good idea to keep an eye on your shower head to ensure it is operating properly. It’s not unusual for mineral deposits to build up and cause congestion. On the other hand, if parts are worn out, you may have to deal with a constant leak of water. Fortunately, both issues are a cinch to fix:

Shower Head Congestion

At Price Busters, we obviously have access to the latest technology; however, there are some issues that don’t take any real technology at all. If your shower head is congested, turn the water off, place the head in a bowl filled with a warm water and vinegar mixture, and leave it for an hour. After the hour, use a small brush to loosen deposits.

Shower Head Leak

A leak is possibly a threading problem. But, that doesn’t mean there is a lack of DIY plumbing tips to handle it. A good way to deal with a leak is to use thread seal tape. Simply unscrew the showerhead and wrap the tape around the shower arm thread (in a clockwise direction, two to four times). Once the showerhead is reattached, your leak should hopefully be fixed

Deal With a Clogged Drain

The easiest way to prevent a clog is to utilize strainers on every drain. Then, you can routinely clean the strainers and remove debris. But, sometimes clogging is just inevitable. There are a couple of ways to attack the problem:

Water/Vinegar/Baking Soda Combination

You have to love DIY plumbing tips that require run-of-the-mill kitchen ingredients! There are multiple steps with this method, but it’s still pretty painless:

1. Pour a pot of hot water down the drain
2. Pour in a half cup of baking soda
3. Pour in a combination of one cup of hot water and one cup of vinegar
4. Cover the drain with a plug and wait until it stops fizzing (or up to 10 minutes)
5. Once more, pour a pot of hot water down the drain

Snake Tool

You should be able to rent or purchase a snaking tool from your local hardware store. Slowly slide the tool into the drain and let it go down as far as possible. Once you feel you’ve reached a clog, twist the snake and pull out the debris. Easy peasy.

Take Care of Your Garbage Disposal

*image from handyman tips

Old, pungent food can make for a smelly, unpleasant garbage disposal. Nobody wants the aroma of rotting material to permeate an area where they eat. Maintaining your garbage disposal doesn’t take harsh chemicals or major tools. Every one of these DIY plumbing tips is safe and straightforward:

• For a fresh scent, toss citrus rinds (lemon, orange, lime) into the disposal and run water as the disposal is on
• To reach the upper parts of the disposal, plug the disposal drain, squirt a decent amount of dish soap in, fill the sink up halfway with hot water, unplug and run the disposal as the water/soap mixture drains
• To clean the blades, throw a few ice cubes and run the disposal for up to 2 minutes

Eradicate Well Water Stains

Many people still use well water in their homes because it’s cheaper than other sources. Unfortunately, there are some problems that are unique to groundwater. It is not atypical for well water to cause stains on bathtubs, sinks, toilets, and even clothes. This is often the result of bacteria or mineral buildup.

If you’re using well water and you notice pink and/or orange stains, this likely means the iron levels are too high. While it’s true that you can try various cleaning sprays to remove stains, it’s really not a solution to the main problem. The best way to fix this — buy a water softener that uses ion exchange to remove minerals. As this is a bit more complicated than other DIY plumbing tips, its perfectly acceptable call in some help. The technicians at Price Busters are happy to assist with well system needs.

We hope you’ve found this list useful! Our goal is to bring as much value to our clients as possible. For that reason, we often share strategies for maintaining plumbing systems. But, don’t forget — we are highly-trained Seattle plumbers available for hire! We offer a wide range of services and abide by a philosophy of honesty, efficiency, and complete customer satisfaction. Our rates are reasonable and, in many situations, we can complete a job within the same day!

When DIY plumbing tips don’t do the trick, you need an affordable and trustworthy plumber. Connect with Price Busters to chat or schedule an appointment!