For those who are new to plumbing, there are some things they should know. Some of the best plumbing tips are the ones that not everyone may be willing to share but are worth knowing. To begin, thoroughly understanding piping material before a plumbing job is started is imperative.
Every type of pipe has its own particular use. The most common types of piping material used are rigid copper, flexible copper, rigid plastic PVC, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), crosslink polyethylene (PEX), and galvanized steel. The type most commonly used for main water lines is rigid copper. Rigid copper is incapable of being bent and therefore tees and joints must be soldered onto it.
Soldering is a task that many people new to plumbing struggle with. It is not uncommon for soldering to fail to get the pipe exterior and the fitting interior as clean and as shiny as possible. To accomplish this, the plumber should polish the surfaces of both very carefully using a fine emery clot. He should keep polishing until there is a bright shiny look to the fitting and the pipe. When soldering is being done, it is the fitting that should be heated as opposed to the pipe.
Another one of the best plumbing tips involves a common food found in the kitchen. While soldering, if a water line exhibits a tiny drip, the plumber can take a piece of white bread, peel off the crust, and roll it carefully into a tight ball. The ball of bread can then be placed inside the pipe where the drip is coming from, blocking it and absorbing the water. Once the work has been completed and the water turned on, the bread will wash down the drain.
Good plumbing tips also extend to working with a leaky inline faucet. Before assuming the job will be a difficult one, the plumber should tighten the nut underneath the hand wheel and see if it brings an end to the leak. When it is being tightened, it should never be turned any more than one quarter of a turn in order to avoid causing any damage to the valve.
It never hurts to seek advice from an individual who is more proficient in plumbing matters, and and who can teach a new plumber some of the tricks of the trade. It is also important that new plumbers learn from their mistakes — and the mistakes of other plumbers. To be the best plumber possible, it is vital that these plumbing tips are not just understood but also put to good use. The more often plumbing is done, the easier it will become.