So what’s the problem?
If you find that your sink is slow to empty, there is probably a build up of grease in the trap and waste pipe. Or possibly a tassel of accumulated hairs or cloth fibers may be clinging below the grid on the plug hole. If the water will not run away at all, accumulated grease has built up to a complete blockage or something such as a bone or hair grip is obstructing the waste pipe. So what do you do?

It is always handy to keep the following tools and materials close at hand to help you to unclog this blockage. Caustic soda; petroleum jelly; a length of wire; sink waste plunger; adjustable spanner; sink auger or expanding curtain wire; bucket and length of wood.

Sink slow to empty
If the sink is slow to empty, smear petroleum jelly around the rim of the plug hole to protect it, then apply caustic soda according to the instructions on the packet. If necessary, clear hairs from the grid with a hook of wire, working from above.

Sink is completely blocked
If the water will not run away at all, place the sink plunger cup squarely over the plug hole. Stuff a damp cloth firmly into the overflow opening and hold it there. This will stop the air escaping through the hole and dissipating the force you build up by plunging.

Pump the plunger sharply up and down. If the blockage does not clear, continue for a few minutes. If plunging fails, put a bucket under the sink and open the trap. To undo the access nut of an old bend trap with a spanner, steady the joint with a piece of wood held in the bend. If the obstruction is not in the trap, use a sink auger to probe the waste pipe and dislodge the blockage.

Obviously prevention is better than the cure, so here are a few tips to stop your drain from clogging:
1) Buy a plug trapper. They are only a couple of dollars from your hardware shop and this will stop and food or large objects from going down your drain.

2) Never pour grease or fat down your drain. This is just asking for trouble. Always leave the grease/fat to solidify and dispose of via your kitchen bin

3) Regularly use baking crystal soda to clean your plug holes and drains. Simply pour the crystals down your plug hole followed by boiling hot water. Do this every 2-3 weeks and not only will you not have blocked sinks but it will also keep it fresh.

If you follow the handy tips for keeping your plug holes fresh and clear then you should have no need to unblock the sink, however, if you do have a blocked sink and the above unclogging methods do not work, you will need to call in a professional plumber.

For more articles by Catherine Lear go to Helium.

New faucets are easy to take apart, and replacement parts are readily available at most hardware stores, home centers and plumbing supply stores. Of course, there are still many different brands and styles, so it’s best to shut the water off, disassemble the faucet, and take the parts along to assure a perfect match.

If your faucet leaks from the spout, replace the seats and springs. If it continues to drip from the spout after replacing the seats and springs, replace the cartridge, too. If your faucet leaks around the handles, the O-rings on the cartridge are bad. Buy a new kit that includes a new cartridge and O-rings.

Kits containing faucet repair parts are readily available at hardware stores and home centers. We spent $3 for a set of seats and springs that fit both Delta and Peerless faucets. You’ll also need a small tube of plumber’s grease. Leaks usually develop on the hot side, but replace the seats on both hot and cold sides while you’re at it.

Shut off the water to the sink. Remove the faucet handles. Most are held on by retaining screws under the caps on the top of the handles. Our handles were held on with small Allen screws located under the handle. Then unscrew the large nut that holds the cartridge in.

Pull straight up on the cartridge to remove it. Use a pliers if you have to, but be sure to protect the cartridge with tape or a rag. Note the orientation of the cartridge to the notches in the faucet so you can reinstall it the same way. Remove the old seat and spring with a small screwdriver.

Drop the new spring into the recess and push the new seat in with your finger. Spread a thin layer of plumber’s grease around the cartridge. Push the cartridge into the faucet, aligning it with the notches. Then tighten the large retaining nut with the wrench and replace the handles.

As posted by The Family Handyman online at Reader’s Digest.

If you encounter frozen pipes, take the following steps immediately to thaw them out before they burst.
1. Open the faucet to allow the water to flow (no matter how slow). This will help the ice to melt on the pipes and inside.

2. Apply heat from a hair dryer or electric heat pad. Fan the hair dryer back and forth until the ice starts to melt or wrap the heating pad around the pipes and wait. Make sure that you do not use an open flame (butane torch) or too hot of heat to melt the ice as this may cause the water to boil and break the pipes.

3. If you cannot locate where the pipes are frozen, then call a licensed plumber for help.

Prevention is the best way to avoid frozen pipes, so before you leave, try one of two things, or both:
Turn the water faucet on to a slow stream which will allow water to pass through the pipes and prevent freezing. Or the more environmental way is to wrap the pipes with a foam sleeve, especially those pipes located along the exterior walls or outside.

Finding out which repairs will help you sell your home helps you create a good, solid fix-it list to work on. A study produced by HomeGain aimed to take the guess-work out of where to spend your repair dollars. According to the study, the top four areas to focus on are: clean and de-clutter, lighten and brighten, stage the home for sale, and landscape the front/back yards.

The Return on Investment (ROI) depends on the repair and, in some cases, which part of the country you live in. “In some areas of the country things cost more and some people don’t care about some things as much as others do in other areas,” says Jessica Gopalakrishnan, Sr. Marketing Manager for HomeGain.

Here’s how HomeGain breaks down the ROI for the top four repairs. Cleaning and decluttering can create a 578 percent ROI (the highest return was 837 percent in the West). The ROI for staging a home was 340 percent (this category ranked second in the South and Mid-West). Landscaping the front and back yards, brought in a 415 percent ROI. According to the survey, each of these repairs range in cost from a few to several hundred dollars but can return thousands in profit.

Rounding out the study’s top-ten list of repairs are: Repair electrical or plumbing problems, replace or shampoo carpeting, paint interior walls, paint exterior walls, repair damaged flooring, update kitchen and bathrooms. Gopalakrishnan says routine maintenance can help too.

“Not washing the windows is something so simple but a big mistake that homesellers make,” says Gopalakrishnan. Another top mistake is covering up or neglecting care of the floors. “If they leave a dirty carpet on the floor that would be a mistake,” says Gopalakrishnan. She adds that a key strategy for staging a home is to, “lift up the carpets and show off those nice floors — give them a quick shine and clean them up first.”

When you make the above repairs costing approximately $5,000 – $8,000, HomeGain, says that prices, for example, on a three bedroom, two bathroom home can result in price increases: in the West, as high as $22,762; in the East, as high as $23,532; in the South, $21,470; in the Mid-West, $20,279.

“With homes sitting on the market longer, homeowners should do everything they can to sell it quickly and at a price they expect,” says, Louis Cammarosano, General Manager at HomeGain.

The survey collected information from 2,000 real estate agents across the U.S.

The online resource also has a “What If” tool that allows users to hypothetically add a room, bathroom, or even square footage to a home to calculate value estimates on residential properties.

Written by Phoebe Chongchua as found in Craig Lilly’s newsletter at http://www.lillyteam.com

Plumbing Tips

Q: How can I have safe drinking water at home?

A: One solution is reverse osmosis. You can install a pump/filter to your sink and have safe, clean, sodium-free, refreshing drinking water at your disposal.

Q: What should I do before I leave our summer house for the season?

A: You should turn off the main water source and repair or replace any leaky faucets. Also, you may want to consider installing a “snifter valve” which will allow you blow out the waterlines by using an air compressor. By blowing out the excess water, you will prevent any water from getting trapped in the lines and possibly freezing.

Q: Should I use a water softener?

A: You do not NEED to but, to help eliminate soap scum from your dishes and appliances, you should. A water softener will remove the calcium from your water which can be the cause of pipe erosion. By preventing pipe erosion and eliminating calcium buildup, you are also giving your skin a break (allowing it to stay soft).

Q: Is there a way to manually increase the pressure in my showerhead?

A: Yes, by removing the water saving flow restrictor that is installed in the showerhead. No need to call a plumber.

Q: What do I do if I want to increase the water pressure in my entire house?

A: For the entire house, use a booster pump which can be installed on the main waterline. You can gauge this device and build the water pressure up to your desired strength. By using a booster pump, you will also eliminate the loss of pressure to other fixtures when they are used simultaneously.

Q: How can I inspect my drains for clogs?

A: There is a special device that a plumber uses called a “see snake” that can fit down your pipes and see any potential blockage problems or pipe repair issues. It is better to see the potential problems before the drains become completely clogged and will need to be taken apart to fix.

Q: I want to change my toilet, but which one do I choose to replace it?

A: There are several brands and models out there, but remember that the new high efficiency toilets will help save money and future plunging. Choose a brand name toilet like American Standard for superior flushing power and reliability.

Q: Should I worry about my washing machine hoses?

A: Yes, the standard for replacing a washing machine or dishwashing machine hose is about once every four years. Do not try to fix a leaky hose with duct tape, rather go buy a new hose and replace it. This will save time and money, not to mention potential flooding later.

Installing toilets

Some tips to know while you or your plumber is installing a new toilet.

1. Make sure the water supply is turn off. You may think this is common sense, but so many get into the moment of changing the toilet, they forget minor things. I say this, only because I have seen it happen with Professionals.

2. Make sure the drain pipe is plugged up with an old rag or other material, so the gas fumes from the sewer to do not seep into your bathroom.

3. Make sure a new wax ring is used. This will ensure the best seal.

4. Make sure the floor flange and bolts are not damaged. If so, have them changed to ensure the toilet is properly secured to the floor.

5. Make sure the the nuts on the bolts protruding from the toilet are only hand-tighten. If too tight, the toilet may crack from the pressure.

6. Make sure that if a two-piece toilet is being installed, that the rubber washer is placed in between the two pieces. This prevents leaks.

7. And don’t forget the toilet seat. Most toilets do not come with the seat, so it has to be purchased separately.