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Many homes have one or two problem drains and several that never need any attention at all. Grease buildup serves as a likely source of kitchen drain clogs. You can counteract this by doing things to reduce the buildup. Avoid pouring greasy substances into the sink. Take care when using cleaning products that may eat away at the pipework.
Hair is another common factor in many plumbing problems. In most cases, hair collects in the screen or shower drain cover. Next time you schedule a plumbing consult, ask about ways to prevent the hair from getting in the drain. It’s much easier to gather it off the screen periodically than it is to deal with a clogged pipe.
Make sure that all your pipes are in heated spaces. If any are not, add extra insulation for them. Each fall, when the weather turns colder: disconnect and drain your garden hoses turn off the indoor cut-off valve located near the faucet open the outdoor faucet If there is no cut-off valve, consider installing one.
Even pipes located inside the home can pose a threat if they sit in unheated areas. A popular and effective way to save money on plumbing calls is to buy your own fixtures. Traditionally, plumbers sell you the toilets, sinks, and faucets that they install. Typically, they’ll get the items at a discount and charge you full price.
In recent years, however, some of the home center stores now charge you prices that are even lower than the contractor prices that plumbers pay their suppliers. As a result, you may do better buying your own fixtures, providing you have the time to invest in shopping around. While this approach can save you big bucks, there are three caveats to keep in mind: Many fixtures that appear to be great buys are poorly made or are missing adapters, installing kits or other components that normally come with similar products.
If you supply the fixture and something goes wrong during installation, there is likely to be some confusion as to whose responsibility it is. One way to get around this is to check with the plumber up front about recommended brands or lines, and then buy those brands. Every product line has its own installation quirks.
If you choose an unfamiliar brand, expect to pay for some on-the-job learning mistakes. Wasted time means higher costs on these projects. If you do what you can to make starting the job quick and easy, you might save a lot. Before you call a plumber, go through your home and check every faucet and fixture.
Then, when you bring the plumber out, arrange to take care of all the problems at once. You’ll avoid additional trip charges, set-up time and the hassle of scheduling multiple visits. You might even get a discount. Anything you can do to save the plumber time will also save you money: Be organized and ready to present your list of specific items to address If you’re not sure what the problem is, be ready to describe the symptoms Clear the work area Handle some of the clean-up yourself Water and sewage treatment cost money, and the amount you pay is partially based on your usage.
If you have an older water-guzzling toilet that needs assistance, give serious thought to replacing it entirely. Instead of spending money on what will probably be a continuous string of repairs, invest wisely and get a reliable fixture that will save you money over the long run. This is also true for faucets and showerheads.
If you are planning more substantial remodeling work, make sure you get three quotes. More than likely, each plumber will have different suggestions. Listen to their suggestions and reasons, and decide which ideas make the most sense to you. Always get a fixed price for the job and make sure that model numbers are present in the contracts you sign.
In most cases, homeowners should not have to pay any money before the job begins. For very complex projects, they may ask for a “good-faith deposit” in advance, often 10% or less. Most will call for the full payment after completing the job. Complicated work that takes weeks could mean you make several payments over the course of the project.
You will want to confirm that the estimate is accurate. Don’t trust a guess based on your initial phone call, or prices given only verbally. As with any kind of service you pay for, there’s an important distinction between competitive pricing and cheap work. Plumbers who underbid others by a long shot may cut corners in a variety of ways.
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