The drum auger, also known as sink auger, drum auger or canister auger comes in handy when dealing with clogged drain repairs. The cup plunger is a must have and a very common plumbing tool in any home. It is shaped in a rubber cup form with a wooden handle and helps with unclogging showers, tubs and sinks.

The faucet valve seat wrench for typical compression faucets are the oldest styled faucets and least expensive. The faucet valve seat wrench comes handy in grabbing a nylon or rubber washer opposite a valve seat in faucet bodies. Teflon tape technically known as PTFE (PolyTetraFluoroEthylene) is a silky textured, strong tensioned tape breaks in a stringy style preventing leakages at threaded water line links, plumbing links, sealing pipe threading and shower heads. Teflon tape is typically white in color. The closet auger consists of a hand crank, a lengthy sleeve grip, and a strong auger bit at the end. A flexible shaft connects the auger bit to the crank handle, reaching about 3 feet. This tool will help with any stubborn clogs in the toilet drain line.

The flange plunger is a special shaped ball plunger comes in real handy in clearing congested toilets by applying vacuum and water force. Unlike a standard goblet shaped plunger used in tubs and sinks, this tool’s unique silhouette shuts the gap at the floor of a toilet bowl. A faucet valve reseating tool, also called the valve seat grinder or dresser, aides in smoothing out the valve seat of the faucet. The tube cutter is an ideal tool when working with copper pipes for smooth, well fixed joints. The adjustable pipe wrench, a quintessential plumbing tool, this provides incredible force and grip. The wrench tightens around pipes by jabbing its spiky saw–like teeth into the pipe with the pressure increasing on turning the wrench. Faucet packing and washers/compression faucets are still old fashioned with nylon/rubber washers with sealed faucet stems. Newer models come with rubber washer or O–rings for the stem–retaining nut.

A homeowner will usually have most, if not all, of these tools in their arsenal. These plumbing tools will make dealing with plumbing problems much easier for either a homeowner or professional plumbing contractors.

Open the lid on your toilet tank, flush, and watch to see if any of the parts in the tank are catching on each other.  If that is the problem, you can easily untangle the catching mechanism and your problem may be solved.

Next, try adjusting the length of the lever chain and check the ball cock to make sure it isn’t waterlogged.  To do this, lift the ball cock out of the tank and shake it to determine if water is lodged in the ball.   If it is, empty the water if you can, and if that doesn’t work, you’ll need to replace the ball cock.

Should you still have a leak, you’ll need to investigate further, using more sophisticated methods of identifying your toilet tank problem.  First cut the water supply to the toilet tank and mark the water level inside.  Re-check the water level in about 20-30 minutes to see if the water level has decreased or increased.  If it has increased, your flush valve is probably broken.  To repair the flush valve, replace the rubber flapper that seals the tank after flushing and you’re done.  If the water level decreases, your refill valve is most likely defective, a simple replacement of this valve will probably solve the leak.

For other leaks you may need a plumber.  Not all leaky toilet tank problems can be solved by the simple procedures discussed here.  If you find that you need help with a toilet tank leak or any other plumbing problem, contact a local, licensed, experienced plumber to solve the problem.  Don’t leave that leak until you’re water bill increases or other damage occurs. 

Blog Post provided by: Marietta GA Toilet Repair Plumbers

Flushing cosmetics and medications down the toilet result in numerous consequences.  Some of the more harmful consequences include the poisoning of aquatic environments, and worsening the issue of bacteria resistant pharmaceuticals.  Cosmetics should be disposed of in the garbage so as to eliminate their harm to the environment. Landfills are the best place for these to be disposed of as the plastic barriers that most landfills are now equipped with prevent chemicals from contaminating the water and soil tables.

Flushing cleaning supplies down the toilet is even worse for the environment than cosmetics and medications. Cleaning supplies with their harsh and poisonous ingredients damage fragile aquatic environments and seep into water and soil, affecting wildlife, aquatic organisms, and plants.  In addition, some of these cleaning supplies have the potential to corrode your pipes, creating the expense of  repair or replacement.

Instead of disposing of cosmetics, mediations, and cleaning supplies by flushing try the following.
· Contact your pharmacy about disposal of medication.  They may have a program or bin set up for easy disposal.
· Seal medication with tape before placing it into the trash.
· Mix your cosmetics and medications with your throw-away coffee grounds when putting them in the trash to discourage pets and children from pilfering in it.
· Put kitty litter in an empty milk container and pour liquid cleaners or liquid medications into the container to be absorbed before discarding them.

1. By taking just a few simple steps to dispose of cosmetics, medication, and cleaning supplies instead of flushing them, you will contribute to the preservation of the environment and save on plumbing repair as well.  However, should you find yourself with a clogged line as a result of flushing these items, contact a local qualified plumber to help with the problem.

Blog post provided by:  Marietta GA clogged toilet plumbing specialists

No matter what area of your home you start with begin your water conservation campaign, always repair leaky faucets, both indoors and out.  If you live in an older home, consider replacing old toilets, dishwashers and clothes washers with newer, more water and energy efficient alternatives.

Kitchen Conservation Tips
Fill your sink or basin when washing and rinsing dishes to save on running water.  When cooking, peel and clean your vegetables in a large bowl instead of under running water.  Only run your dishwasher when it is full. Try not to use your garbage disposal unless absolutely necessary.  Install faucet aerators to cut down on water usage.

Bathroom Conservation Tips
Take showers instead of baths, and turn off the water to brush your teeth and shave.  Repair leaky toilets and install a toilet dam, low-flow showerheads, and faucet aerators.

Laundry Conservation Tips
Purchase a water saving model of clothes washer.  Chose one where you can adjust the load size to use only the amount of water you need.  Try to let delay washing a load of clothes until you have a full one.

Outdoor Conservation Tips
Only water your lawn when necessary, once per week should be sufficient even when there is no rainfall.  Avoid watering on windy and hot days.  Try to water your lawn in the late evening or morning to minimize evaporation of water.  Soaker hoses get the water down where you need it; sprinklers are sometimes wasteful because they water buildings as well as vegetation.  Mulch applied around flower beds and shrubs will also reduce evaporation (an added bonus is that mulch promotes plant growth and controls weeds).  Compost or organic matter added to your soil will improve soil conditions as well as aid in water retention.   When you mow, set your mower blades to two to three inches high since longer grass will shade your soil and improve its moisture retention capabilities.  Planting plants native to your area will reduce the need for watering as these plants have adapted to the weather of your location.  Besides lawn care conservation methods, you can also conserve outdoor usage by collecting rainfall for irrigation, wash your car sparingly and quickly, and use a broom to clean walkways, decks and porches instead of hosing them off.

Taking these simple steps to conserve water at your own home will go a long way towards not only helping the environment, but may save you a little money as well.

Post provided by: Marietta GA Licensed Plumbers

Pipe Wrench
Buy yourself a sturdy pipe wrench for when you need a wrench that is the appropriate size and with the appropriate grip to loosen pipes.  A medium-size, adjustable pipe wrench will suffice to tighten and loosen pipes and other plumbing connections.  Your local hardware or plumbing-supply store will have these in stock in a variety of styles and prices.

A basin wrench is a specialized tool that will enable you to reach tight spots under sinks and basins.  The jaws of a basin wrench are adjustable and accommodate nuts of different sizes.  In addition, a basin wrench, when flipped over, allows you to keep turning the wrench without removing it from the nut.

A socket wrench set is another useful plumbing tool to have around.  It is used for removing recessed packing nuts and on tub and shower fixtures.  You’ll also find it handy to have around to complete other do-it-yourself household repairs.

If you need to change a toilet seat, a deep socket wrench will do the trick.  And to remove a toilet for replacement or repair, you’ll most likely need a spud wrench.  Older toilets sometimes have a large pipe (called a spud) which connects the tank to the bowl.  An extra-large hexagonal slip nut holds the bowl to the tank.  Consequently, a spud wrench is required to remove these slip nuts. Purchase an adjustable type of spud wrench as it will be more versatile than the nonadjustable type, which has a fixed opening at each end.

Other Plumbing Tools to Have Around
Augers, plungers, and snakes are tools designed specifically for plumbing. You’ll find these useful in almost any home repair project as well as most plumbing repair tasks.  Plumbers’ snakes (or drain-and-trap augers) vary in length.  For general use, a short snake is all you’ll need for most plumbing repairs. Look for a closet auger, a version of the plumbers’ snake designed specifically for clearing clogs in toilets.  It will be a bit shorter than a regular snake, and comes encased in a plastic or metal housing with an easy-to-use crank.

Having some plumbing repair tools available to solve simple plumbing issues is paramount to being a responsible homeowner.  Investing in these tools is ultimately an investment in the longevity of your home.

Post provided by: Bathroom Repair Plumber Alpharetta GA

Thankfully, there are several ways to prevent septic problems from happening. The following tips will help you avoid a problematic septic system:
 
• Make sure you keep the water runoff from your gutters and your home away from the septic drain field. A septic tank can’t function properly in a soggy drain field.

• Get in a habit of disposing your garbage in the garbage disposal the proper way. A disposal can multiply the amount of solids entering a septic tank.

• Avoid flushing diapers (including baby wipes), plastic wrappers, paper towels, sanitary napkins and facial tissues.

• Only select a quality garbage disposal that grinds food waste into tiny fragments. This makes it a lot easier for a septic system to digest.

• Never pour cooking grease down your sink. This will clog up and even damage a septic drain field.  Grease can hinder a system from absorbing liquids properly.

Last but not least, make sure your septic tank is pumped by a qualified sewer septic service company at least every 3 to 5 years, especially if you have a family of five or more people.

Post provided by Sewer Septic Service Alpharetta GA