| Faucets in your house will not cease to | | | | to wrap it tightly around the damaged |
| function properly at a very frequent | | | | portions. Once this is done, replace the |
| pace, but when a faucet packs it in it | | | | joints and turn the water back on. If |
| can cause quite a mess in your home. The | | | | there is still a leak, you might have to |
| most important part of preventing a | | | | repeat the process and check other |
| really bad faucet accident that can | | | | areas, such as the fittings. |
| cause considerable damage to a house is | | | | Another common problem area, especially |
| proper faucet maintenance. In other | | | | in colder climates, is that pipes may |
| words, make sure that you take care of | | | | freeze. This problem can be pretty |
| the problem as soon as you see kitchen | | | | annoying, as home owners will not always |
| faucets start to drip, instead of | | | | know which pipe it is that is frozen and |
| waiting to see how much water damage | | | | is causing the problem. First, turn on |
| your kitchen cabinet can take! Most | | | | all the faucets in your house. The ones |
| indoor plumbing problems are easy to | | | | that are not putting out water are the |
| remedy, even for the novice handyperson. | | | | ones where the frozen pipe is attached. |
| There are some common leak problems | | | | Shut off the faucets that are producing |
| within homes, and this article will help | | | | water and leave the other valves open. |
| you decide how to deal with them. | | | | Now you will have to turn off the valve |
| The first common problem is leaky pipe | | | | that brings water into the house. |
| joints within the kitchen. In the | | | | There are several ways to thaw a pipe |
| average house, the kitchen sees as much | | | | once you have located the frozen one. |
| water flowing through it in a given day | | | | Determine the material the pipes are |
| than any of the bathrooms. It is not | | | | made of; a blow dryer or a heat gun can |
| surprising, then, that joints will | | | | be used to thaw them out, but too much |
| spring leaks as time passes. In order to | | | | heat on a plastic line might melt it. If |
| repair leaks, first locate the valve | | | | the ice plug formed due to a hole or |
| that controls the water output in the | | | | crack in the pipe, you will want to |
| sink. Once you have located it, shut the | | | | repair it before your job is complete. |
| water off. Next, remove the joint that | | | | In order to prevent more frozen pipes in |
| is leaking and hold it up to the light. | | | | the future you should consider wrapping |
| You should see light filtering through | | | | them with insulation or heat tape, or |
| any holes or cracks in the line, and | | | | building a heated space for the pipes to |
| these need to be replaced. This can be | | | | run through. |
| done with plumber's tape, but make sure | | | | |