It’s impossible not to have trouble with your home plumbing once in a while. When it happens, which is almost a matter of certainty, your best bet is usually to call an expert to take a look at the fault especially if it is a major one.

However, for minor ones, most people prefer to try to get it fixed themselves, while this isn’t a bad idea, you have to be careful when fiddling with your home plumbing so as not to complicate it more. but knowing home plumbing and how annoying and frustrating they can be, Your top West Hollywood plumbers have little DIY tricks you can try out to at least temporarily get rid of the problem and possibly give you more time before you call in a professional to have it checked.

Here are 4 DIY tricks you can try out with your home plumbing from your top West Hollywood plumbers.

Fixing a clog in your kitchen sink

A clogged sink is an almost inevitable problem in every home plumbing. There are a number of tips to prevent your sink from getting clogged up. Watching what you dump in your sink is the best way to prevent clogging.

You should never dump greasy or oily food into your sink, this is one of the top causes of clogs. Coffee grounds, starchy food, and meat are among the top culprits that have also been named as possible causes of clogs.

But when clogs happen, which they eventually do, there are a number of simple DIY tricks you can try out. These tricks work most of the time and you might not even need to call in a plumber unless the problem persists.

Pouring boiling water into the clogged drain after getting rid of as much standing water as possible is one of the most recommended solutions. You can try this a couple of times to see how it works before trying out something else. You can also add salt to the boiling water before pouring it into the clogged drain

You can also try a combination of baking soda and vinegar, or baking soda and salt poured in succession into the clogged drain after getting rid of the excess water. This is a cheaper and equally effective alternative to using chemicals to clear up the clogs.

If this doesn’t work, then it’s time to roll out the big guns. You can start with a regular household plunger and try to suck out the clog. You will have to plug other outlets before you begin and ensure that your plunger covers the hole completely before proceeding. Other alternatives if all these doesn’t work is to get a plumber’s snake or auger, or simply repurpose a regular hanger to form a hook which you can run through the drain to get rid of the clog.

Fixing leaking pipe and joints

This is another common household plumbing issue. Pipe leaks can be major or minor. How you respond to a leak is largely dependent on the type of leak you are dealing with. If the leak is at the joint of two pipes, for example, you simply need to tighten the erring joint and the leak should stop. But if the leak is in the pipe itself, you might need to have the section of the pipe replaced completely in which case calling an expert might be your best bet.

If you are looking for a quick fix for a minor leak, your best bet will be to wrap a waterproof tape over the leaking spot. Before you begin, wipe the dripping portion of the pipe thoroughly until it is dry. Start wrapping the tape around the hold some 2 to 3 inches away from it and extend to about the same distance on the other hand as well.

Another alternative is to rub the hole with a special compound stick. You should get this on sale from your local hardware store. Simply rub it over the hole and the leak should stop. You might not even have to shut off your water to do this.

The final alternative is to get yourself some epoxy paste and apply it to the leaking point after you have completely dried it off.  However, you should note that a pipe with a leak will most likely develop a leak elsewhere also or even end up bursting. Thus replacing the whole section of the pipe is still your best bet with stopping a leak.

Fixing a phantom flush

A phantom flush is a term used to describe a leaking toilet tank. Phantom flushing is a vicious cycle of toilet flushing that isn’t triggered by anyone and can lead to wastage of water. While this can be caused by a number of things, the most likely cause of phantom flushing is a damaged flapper. This is the rubber or plastic ball covering the flush valve at the bottom of the tank.

When you notice that your toilet flushes by itself, the very first thing you want to check is the flapper. Locate your flapper and confirm if it is really the problem.

once you have ascertained this you can go ahead and replace the flapper. Always ensure that you buy one specifically designed for your toilet and not a universal flapper which is not always a perfect fit.

However, if the flapper is not a problem then you should check the chain. A short chain can cause a flapper to seat partially on the flush valve leading to phantom flush. The problem can also be caused when the chain is too long and it gets caught beneath the flapper.

Clearing a jammed garbage disposal

Sometimes your garbage disposal can get clogged when a fruit pit, a piece of bone or any other get caught up between the impeller blade of the garbage disposal and its drain hole. When this happens, you will hear the motor him but the disposal will not grind. Sometime it might run for a while then stop all by itself. A jammed garbage disposal is something you can attempt to fix yourself.

To clear up the jam, start by unplugging the unit. Look under the sink at the bottom of the disposal unit, you should find and hex-shaped hole. Most disposal units comes with a ¼ inch wrench that fit the hole. If yours doesn’t you will have to get one. Force the wrench back and forth after fitting it into the hole. Try this for both directions for a few minutes. This should free up the impellers.

However, if you are unable to find a wrench or your disposal doesn’t have the hole at all, you can make use of a short broom and try to use it to rotate the impeller back and forth. Just remember to keep the unit disconnected while you do this.

Always keep in mind that the best way to handle a fault in your home plumbing system is by calling an expert, don’t attempt a DIY plumbing unless you are sure that it is simple enough for you to handle by yourself. You might end up incurring more cost than you were trying to avoid in the first place.