Plumbing Basics
If you don’t know anything about plumbing, don’t let that stop you from learning some of the basics that every renter or homeowner should know. A little knowledge can go a long way in case of a plumbing emergency or if your plumbing starts doing something it shouldn’t. You don’t need to become an expert to familiarize yourself with the basics that could prevent an emergency before it happens. By learning a few basic facts you can determine which plumbing situations are dire and which ones are merely annoying. Additionally, by increasing your knowledge about plumbing, you’ll have a better understanding of which plumbing problems require a professional and which ones you can deal with yourself.
How Do I Turn the Water or Gas Off?
There two valves that turn off the plumbing system to your home or building, one that turns off the gas and one that turns off the water. You can find this valve on a pipe where the water enters your house from outside plumbing. Sometimes, in modern U.S. homes, this valve is located in the garage. Your shutoff valve will be on the largest pipe that you’ll see anywhere in the home and the shutoff valve looks like a lever that comes right off the pipe. To turn off the water, simply move the lever from the up position to the down position. On many older homes, the shutoff valve may be outside and rather than a lever, you’ll find a round handle that turns clockwise and counterclockwise. Practice this before you have an emergency so you are able to shut down the system fast if the need arises.
Major Plumbing Issues
If you hear rattling pipes there are various reasons for why it could be happening. A common cause for rattling pipes is when they begin to pull away from the wall, pipes should always be strongly secured. In this case, a plumber should re-secure them. If your toilet tank has a leak, this signifies a faulty or worn out part inside the tank and you should book an appointment to have a professional plumber examine it to find out what needs replacing. If you lose hot water when another tap is turned on then your valves need re-balancing, which is a job for the professionals.