• By Hanover Plumbing
• In Plumbing, Tips
• Tags DIY Plumbing, NZ Homes

DIY Plumbing Jobs Around Your Home

Even though our business is plumbing, we do believe there are some jobs that our customers can DIY when they need to. We know that some of you have the skills to manage these – and in some cases, you need to learn the skills quickly to prevent damage! So we wanted to share some tips for a few jobs that you can do if the situation arises. Some of them are preventative and others are a little more reactive.

Welcome to DIY Plumbing 101.

1). How to Replace a Water Tap Washer

More often than not, the culprit behind a leaky tap is a worn washer. It is the mechanism in the tap that controls the flow of water so if it’s not returning to its seat properly, water will leak through. So if you have a leaking tap, try a little DIY plumbing and replace the washer to see if that resolves the leak. Here are the steps and you can see them in action in this video.

1. Turn off the water to your house and the water coming from the hot water cylinder.
2. Put the plug in your sink so you don’t drop anything down it!
3. Pop off the tap cover to expose a screw. Unscrew and lift off the top piece of the tap.
4. Using a spanner or wrench, unscrew the valve and lift it out. The washer should be at the bottom of this segment. It may be secured by a nut, or you may be able to pull it right off.
5. Take off the old washer and replace it with a new one. Secure the nut, if there was one.
6. Put the valve back in and tighten it with the wrench – don’t overdo this!
7. Return the top piece of the tap back into the tap and refasten the screw. Pop the cap back on and turn your water on to test. If the leak is still there, take it apart and reassemble it to ensure everything is properly set. If not, it might be time to call a plumber.

If you live in New Zealand – this is most likely what your water toby will look like. It is often found near the front of your house or driveway.

2) How To Turn Off Your Water

If there is a major leak inside your house or from your exterior taps, you’ll want to turn off the water quickly. In other cases, you might just be making a small repair or alteration where you need to turn the water to your house off. Even if you aren’t considering DIY plumbing, it’s important to know what to do in emergency situations.

1. Find the toby, which is often located near the boundary of the property in front of your house. It might be in the ground and have a plastic cover over it (usually blue or black) or it might be in a box.
2. Lift off the cover. Sometimes you need a flat-head screwdriver to pop it off.
3. Turn the valve clockwise (to the right) to shut off the water. When you want the water back on, slowly turn the tap to the left to open it back up. (Before you do this, make sure you didn’t leave any taps on inside that you don’t want to be running!)

3) How To Clean Your Gutters

Having clean gutters makes them work best. If the gutters are full of debris, your drainage will be less effective. So, to prevent a bigger issue down the track, it’s best to clean them out twice a year. Or more often if they are near trees.

1. Make sure your ladder is in good nick and is safe. If your house is more than a story high, you might consider hiring the experts to do this job.
2. Set your ladder in a stable position.
3. Put on some heavy work gloves. Grab a bucket and a small shovel (plastic or metal).
4. Start at one end, scooping out all debris into the bucket. Be sure not to lean too far from your ladder.
5. Once you have cleared the debris, spray it out with the hose to ensure that there are no blockages in the downpipes. Wipe off any stubborn dirt then you can keep this off your to-do list for another six months.

Gutters that don’t drain properly can cause rotting of your fascia boards or flooding into the roof. Neither of those is an easier task to face than simply keeping the gutters clear. You might also find water pooling in different parts of your yard if the downpipes aren’t able to direct the water where it should go.

4) How to Unblock a Drain

Yes, from time to time, drains simply can’t handle all that we put down them. If you notice a sink is taking longer to drain than normal, that’s the time to take action. Otherwise, you may find yourself with a fully-clogged drain to deal with. There are a few steps you can take to clear a blocked drain.

1. Try using a plunger to clear the blockage. This is a cheap and often effective option.
2. Use hot water, baking soda and vinegar, or a drain-clearing chemical to try to clear the blockage.
3. Detach the drain trap and clean it out (that’s the u-shaped piece under the sink). You’ll want a keep a bucket under it as you take it apart to catch any water. If the blockage is not located in the trap, this might not solve the issue.
4. Use a plumber’s snake to clear what’s stopping the water from flowing. You can buy a manual one from the hardware store and if the drain is not completely blocked, this might be a good option.

For more details on each course of action, refer to this article.

So now that you’re armed with a little bit of DIY plumbing knowledge, you can feel more equipped to resolve the minor issues that arise in your home. Again, if none of these work then give us a call and we can help!