Fix It, Felix:
Common Fixes You May Not Know You Can Do!
(Blog Post by Your Favorite Fix-It Felix- Byron Thomson!)
One of the first things everyone should learn about their plumbing system is where to shut off the water. It is one of the most commonly needed things to do with plumbing.
You can either turn off the water to the whole house (which in our area is usually located outside) or at the individual fixture causing the problem.
To do this simply turn the handle clockwise till it stops or moves the lever handle till it stops. Pretty simple isn’t it?!
Toilets are another very common problem. Sometimes they will run and run.
If your toilet is not turning off try removing the lid on the back of the toilet and look inside. There is a rubber flapper piece (in most cases) that is supposed to float up when the toilet is flushed and then settle back down after the flush.
If you see that it is caught on the chain or somewhere in the toilet just adjust it so it will fall back down. That usually will solve the problem! If not, you may need to call out the plumber.
Toilet Seat Needing Repaired/Replaced?
Another pretty simple and easy repair is to replace the toilet seat. When that old one gets grungy looking just find a new one to fit online or at a store.
The seat will bolt on with two bolts at the back of the seat. Usually, you can just pop off the top piece that is covering the bolts and then unscrews both bolts and remove the seat.
Then follow the instructions on your new seat to install it. No plumber is needed for this easy fix!
Shower Running Cold?
If your shower is not getting as hot as another place in your house it is a good idea to test it with a simple kitchen thermometer.
Just take the temperature at one fixture you know gets really hot and that will show you the max temperature you have in your house. Then take your shower head off and run it all the way on hot till it gets hot. (It can take a few minutes in some cases). Make sure to measure the temperature there.
As long as you are within a few degrees of your max temperature it is working fine, if you are way off then it is time to call a plumber.
Sometimes it is just the shower head that is the problem causing too low of a flow with too thin a stream of water that cools the hot water down more than you would like.
We hope these quick-fix suggestions will help you out and save you some money! If you need a plumber or are looking for a free estimate on any plumbing problems please reach out to us! You can call or text, or email us today.