Four Plumbing Repairs You Can Handle On Your Own

I know part of being a homeowner is knowing when to tackle a repair yourself and when to call in the pros. Often, though, I hear of people living with small, annoying plumbing repairs because they know the issues are easy fixes but they just don’t know how to do them. Here are a few common plumbing repairs and how I would solve them:

Faucet Aerator

If you have a faucet that’s shooting water in crazy directions, check the aerator. Remove the aerator and, while holding all the little pieces in place, turn it over and rinse it off. Use a pin to poke out any clogs you see in the mesh insert. If needed, carefully take the aerator apart and, using an old toothbrush, gently scrub each piece then reassemble in the exact order your took it apart. Replace the aerator.

Clogged Drain

Here’s a tried and true method for clearing clogged drains: Pour a cup each of baking soda and white vinegar down the drain. Let this mixture do its bubble and fizz job until no more bubbles appear. Pour boiling water down the drain to clear out the remaining gunk.

Running Toilet

The first step in this repair is to jiggle the handle. If that halts the running water, simply tighten the handle’s nut (found just inside the tank) to seal it back in place. If jiggling doesn’t work, check the flapper chain to see if it is too short or too long. Adjust if necessary. If the flapper isn’t sitting properly, turn off the toilet’s water supply and flush to empty the tank. Now remove the flapper, dry it off completely, run a bit of petroleum jelly along the seal and replace the mechanism. Turn the water back on.

Clogged Toilet

I cannot stress this enough: bail out some of the toilet bowl water first! Trust me, this step will save you extra clean up time. Leave enough water in the bowl to cover the top of the plunger. Toilet bowl plungers have a short extension that fits into the bottom of the bowl for a better seal. Plunge away until the clog is cleared.

Now, if at some point you feel overwhelmed by a plumbing issue, please do not hesitate to contact the professionals. We are here to help you!