You’ll encounter different plumbing problems at home. There are those that you can fix easily and those that only professionals can handle.  You don’t always have to spend a fortune on repairs. Learn how to fix some of the common home plumbing problems and you won’t be throwing money down the pipe.

Sink that Drains Slowly

This is the most common problems in households. Often times, the pop up in the sink gets filled with rubbish, and hair. Many households would instantly call a plumber to get rid of this problem without even trying to fix it. Stop draining money for this simple problem. For the drain to flow smoothly again, take out the particles trapped in the drain. You can use handy plumbing tools such as Zip-it, or other similar implements.  If it’s difficult to get rid of the rubbish, you can take out the pop-up and clean it.  Check under the sink for the nut that holds the pop-up in place. You can unscrew the pop up by hand or with a pair of pliers.

Tub that Drains Slowly

Like the sink that drains slowly, this is another common plumbing problem at home. Hair and other materials can clog the drain. To fix this problem, you can clear out the drain with Zip-it or a pair of needle nose pliers. You may have to remove the tub stopper first before you can get rid of the clog. Cleaning the drain regularly can help you avoid this problem. If the hair ball is left too long in the drain, it could block the whole pip completely.

Low Water Pressure

Most of the time, the culprit for this problem is the sink faucet. Before doing anything, check if the problem is affecting your cold and hot water. If both has low pressure, your main problem is the aerator. Calcium deposits may have built up in the aerator and affected the pressure. To solve this, detach the faucet aerator, get rid of wastes, and put it back on.

Blocked Garbage Disposal

Most garbage disposals come with keys that are very handy in this situation. However, not everyone knows that the key is for unjamming it. Unfortunately, some aren’t careful enough to keep the keys. If you’ve lost the key, you can unjam the garbage disposal using an Allen wrench. At the bottom of the disposal, you’ll find a key opening. Insert a ¼ inch Allen wrench through the key slot. Free the motor by turning the wrench in both directions.

Running Toilet

Many things can lead to a running toilet. The first step to fixing this problem is to find out what’s causing it. The fill valve may not be shutting off completely. If this is the case, you simply need to replace the valve. If the valve is working completely, check the flapper chain. It shouldn’t be too short or too long.  If it is too short, it won’t seal the opening of the tank completely. If the chain is too long, it could, the flapper could catch it, which could hold it up and prevent a perfect seal.

Don’t waste money on simple plumbing problems. Trying fixing it yourself before calling a tradesman.