It’s almost inevitable that you’ll encounter a plumbing problem at some point in your life. However, the problems you face in an apartment are different from those in a house. It’s important to understand what issues you may face and how to deal with them. This will help to ensure you’re well prepared and can handle anything your plumbing throws at you.
- Clogged Toilets
This is probably the most common issue in any apartment. It’s usually a result of paper and other materials, which probably shouldn’t have gone down the toilet, clogging the pipes.
You’re going to need to remove the clog to get the toilet flowing again.
As the toilet has a ‘U’ shaped bend in it you can’t just glove up and put your hand down it. A plunger is a good starting point but make sure you use one specifically designed for the toilet.
If this doesn’t work you’re going to need to try a drain auger. The aim is to dislodge the blockage and be more careful about what goes down there in the future.
Don’t forget to flush several times to ensure it moves right through the pipes and doesn’t simply clog further down them.
- Blocked Drains
Alongside the toilet getting clogged you can experience clogged sink, shower, and bath drains. If more than one is blocked it would suggest that the problem is with the communal drains as opposed to your part of the drainage system.
The best thing to do at this stage is to find a sewer camera for sale and run it through the pipes to locate the blockage.
Once you know where it is you can decide whether you need to sort it out or it’s something for the building maintenance crew.
Liquid drain cleaning or a mixture of baking powder and vinegar can unclog the drains for you.
- Frozen Pipes
Any pipe that is exposed to the elements should be wrapped in insulation to protect it against the cold. If it isn’t and the temperature plummets the water inside the pipes may freeze.
When water freezes it becomes ice and expands in the process. This places stress on the pipes and can cause them to rupture. You’ll find out when the water defrosts and starts coming out.
The best approach to frozen pipes is to soak rags in hot water and wrap the pipes in them. You can also use a hairdryer to slowly warm the pipes. Turn the faucet on slightly to see if water starts to drip out, that will tell you it’s working.
- Dripping Faucets
This is probably the most common plumbing issue in any house or apartment. Faucets have small washers in them. Over time these washers get damaged from the constant turning on and off of the tap. At this point they will start to drip, potentially costing you a lot of money.
Turn off the water supply and unscrew the top of your faucet, you’ll be able to replace the washer, put the faucet back together, and solve the issue for pennies.
- Leaking Joints
The most commonplace for leaking joints are under the sink, simply because this is where the majority of the joints usually are.
This is again a result of age, it’s not something you can easily prevent. Turn the water off and try some sealant on the leaking pipe or joint. If this works great, if not you’ll have to get a plumber to remove the bad section and replace it.