As a homeowner, there are certainly many tasks and projects around your home that you probably feel comfortable with. Painting your walls, replacing air filters, repairing a broken or missing shingle, or cleaning your gutters may be some of the regular tasks that you need to perform around your home. If you’ve ever had a simple plumbing issue, you may be comfortable working on some of the basic issues that arise from time to time such as a drippy faucet, a clogged toilet and the like. Hiring a professional plumber may not be at the top of your list if you’re handy enough to tackle basic plumbing tasks. However, knowing when to call a professional plumber is critical in moments of plumbing uncertainty.
When to DIY plumbing repairs
A running toilet
After you flush the toilet, you typically hear about 60 seconds of water running refilling the tank in preparation for the next flush. If you hear your toilet constantly cycling on and off, or constantly filling itself with no end in site, then you definitely have an issue. Usually the issue is with the actual lever that you use to flush with. Sometimes the chain itself needs to be adjusted. The gasket that covers the outflow of the tank into the toilet bowl may not be sealed properly if the chain is even just a few millimeters short of allowing a tight seal. In some rare cases, the actual gasket itself may need to be replaced.
To fix a running toilet DIY style, remove the tank top on the back of your toilet, have a look inside. Does the chain that’s attached to the lever look like it has slack or is it very tight? Try letting it out by a chain link or two. Give it a flush and see how it behaves when refilling. If that doesn’t help the problem, it may be time to call in a professional from Steve Mull Plumbing to have a quick look. We can usually fix these types of issues in less than an hour, so it won’t cost you an arm and a leg!
A clogged drain
Before you pour any chemicals into your drain, try a few other methods. First, grab a plunger, get a tight seal over the drain or in the toilet by surrounding the plunger seal in water. Press down and pull up with a quick force. Do this a couple of times and see if that pushes or jars the clog away. If that doesn’t work, try a mixture of baking soda, salt and hot water to unclog the drain. If you’re still having issues with a clog, it could need to be snaked by a professional to a deeper level to remove the clog.
A dripping faucet
A water drip is not only annoying, it’s also a waste of money! It’s usually an easy fix. Typically when you have a dripping faucet it’s because it needs a new o-ring or washer. Check your local hardware store for the proper type to fit your faucet. Replace that and it should fix the problem. If that doesn’t help, you may need to replace your entire faucet. For this, we would recommend calling in the professionals to make sure there are no unforeseen problems.
Water is one of nature’s most destructive forces. Water is powerful and can be damaging to a home in many ways. Because of this, there are simply some plumbing tasks that shouldn’t be touched by the average homeowner.
The expert team at Steve Mull Plumbing of Lebanon, TN serves the entire Middle Tennessee area including Lebanon, Mt. Juliet, Hermitage and surrounding areas. Give us a call at 615-449-5019 or reach out to us through the form below. We can help solve any plumbing problems you may be experiencing. We also specialize in water heater replacement, whole home re-piping, new plumbing lines, and other repairs and replacements.
