A correctly designed and installed home plumbing system is practically trouble-free. Should problems occur, there are standard methods for dealing with them for the do-it-yourselfer. And there are good reasons as well – a neglected leak inside a wall, on the floor, or in the ceiling may cause serious damage.

Most plumbing systems provide numerous shutoff valves for controlling water flow in the supply system. Sinks and lavatories have individual shutoffs for hot and cold water; toilets have just one. The first thing to do in an emergency at a fixture is to close the shutoff valve.

Whether or not the home has individual fixture controls for the water supply, you will always find a main shutoff near the water meter or at the wall where the main water line enters the house. Leaks and overflows can be stopped quickly at the main shutoff, eliminating a search for individual shutoffs. Become familiar with all shutoffs so you can get to them quickly in an emergency.

What to do in an emergency:

Pipe leaks – Joints that have corroded or frozen (and burst) will leak. Tightening a threaded joint or re-soldering (or re-gluing) it may cure the leak. Burst pipes can sometimes be mended with a clamp-on pipe patch. If not, they must be replaced.

Leak in a wall – Most often caused by a faulty riser pipe to a shower or to fixtures on a higher floor. With this situation it is best to get professional help. A reputable plumber should be able to tell you whether he has to cut into the wall to make the repair.

Overflowing toilet tank – A toilet tank overflowing into the toilet bowl will be heard long after flushing. Close the tank shutoff valve. Access the water closet where the flapper valve is located. Lift the float by hand. If the water stops, bend the float arm slightly to lower the float. Flush and test again. Adjust as needed. If the flowing persists I suggest replacing all the components in the water closet. It fairly cheap and easy to do this.

Stopped up sink drain – First try a rubber plunger. If this doesn’t break the clog then try a chemical drain-opener following the directions on the container. If this fails put a bucket under the trap (the U-shaped pipe), loosen it and remove it. Most home improvement stores sale a clog removal device made just for this problem. Remove the clog, usually hair and soap. Replace the trap and run hot water for a few minutes to flush everything.

There are a few of the common plumbing emergencies you may encounter. Most can be corrected by the homeowner without resorting to a plumber. If you encounter a problem you feel is more than you can handle then call a professional immediately. The longer you wait the more costly damage that may occur.

Chuck Lunsford is a successful Webmaster and publisher of JustGoDoItYourself.com He provides more tips and advice on do it yourself plumbing repairs.

When you own your own home it is key to know when it’s time to let a professional step in and take care of your repairs for you. This doesn’t mean that you can’t hack it alone, it just means that you might need a little more expertise than you have time to learn about. Don’t try to kill yourself over a broken pipe or a leaky toilet. Call a plumber to get help for your plumbing needs. Since many times plumbers can be very expensive, make sure you only call one if you are 100% sure that you need one. You should also make sure that you follow these money-saving tips when hiring a plumber.

A lot of people call the cheapest plumber first, which could seem like the best thing to do. This is not always the best choice, because it can be difficult to truly compare people’s hourly rates. Different plumbers have different skill levels and also charge differently. For instance some plumbers may charge you for the time it takes them to drive to your house. Others may charge you by the minute and others by the whole hour. Some can bill you by quarter of an hour or even by half an hour.

You should pick a plumber based on their reputation and level of service. See if you can check their references if you can’t get a recommendation from a friend. You should ask your family and friends first and foremost if they know of a good plumber to recommend to you. You want to make sure you will get someone competent who will fix your pipes right the first time.

To save money on hiring a plumber, than make sure that you never need one to begin with. This means that you should try to avoid common household mistakes that cause you to need a plumber. This usually means avoiding drain issues.

One of the most common problems that plumbers deal with are grease clogs. You can try lots of different ways to try to keep your drains clean. Usually putting some hot water and vinegar down your drain every day can keep them clean. You can also pour it down and let it set for 20 minutes or so and then add some boiling water on top of it to clear up your drain. Make sure you pour the vinegar and water solution slowly to give it a more powerful effect.

Hair clogs is another problem that many plumbers deal with. You can purchase a mesh piece that will sit over your drain to keep it from getting clogged. You can usually get this in a hardware store or even in your local grocery store.

Buying your own fixtures at a local store can be cheaper than purchasing them from the plumber. Plumber’s usually mark up their prices and you can save a lot by finding it yourself. You can also go online to find cheap fixtures that are still a good quality for your home. Asking your plumber what brands he recommends is still good idea.

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Hiring a plumber is not as easy as just picking up a phone book and picking one. You need to make sure that you get a qualified plumbing contractor and not some hack. To increase your odds of choosing a good plumber there are some questions that you should ask. Keep reading this article to learn what those questions are.

The first question that you should ask is, “How long have you been a plumber?” This is an important question because if a plumber has been in business for a long time they are more likely to be good. Every plumber has to get started at some time though so If they haven’t been in business long you shouldn’t automatically rule them out. Just take it into consideration.

The next question you should ask is, “Are you insured?” If they are insured this means that you and your home is protected in the case of an unfortunate incident. If they are not insured then they are just not very professional and you should pass on using them.

A third question to ask is, “Do you offer a written guarantee?” A qualified cleaner will have no problem backing up their work with a written estimate. If they will not offer you a guarantee you should be immediately concerned about their quality.

One last question you should ask is, “Do you have any references?” Id you are doing a large extensive plumbing job you should ask for references. IF they can not provide you at least a few good references it is a bad sign. Once you get the list of references be sure to actually call them. You might be surprised how many companies give out bogus references or give out names of people who weren’t even happy with the work.

Hiring a plumber does not have to be a stressful experience if you simply do your research and take a little time. It is not a decision you should rush into. Good luck.

Learn how to find plumbers at the authors website on plumbing and plumbers.