RoxanneJust follow these quick tips, and you can fix them for free.
Why do many “experts” suggest you build an emergency fund? So you don’t whip out your credit card and go into deep debt when emergencies appear. While medical issues pop into our heads when thinking of building such a “rainy day” fund, here’s a costly unexpected problem that often gets overlooked: Plumbing issues.
Before you laugh, know that the average plumbing fix costs $450. And even if you have nothing more than a clogged toilet, that can hit your pockets hard just to have the plumber come out there, especially if it’s after hours or on the weekends.
Unless you have a plumber in the household, common issues can mess up your monthly budget. But here are some easy fixes you can do on your own that will barely cost you a thing in terms of time or money:
1. How to Unclog a Toilet
Other than a burst pipe, perhaps the worst plumbing problem you can have is a clogged toilet. Not only is a usable toilet a necessity, but having it clogged can be so gross that you want it fixed immediately.
Well, before you call the plumber or even grab a plunger or snake tool, grab this instead: Dish soap. Why? Because it acts like a lubricant that can unclog a toilet with ease.
The next time your toilet gets clogged, squirt ½ cup of dish soap into it. Then slowly dump a bucket of hot water and let the toilet sit untouched for 20 minutes. After the water level drops, add another bucket of hot water. Then flush it to finish off the problem.
2. How to Fix a Stinky Garbage Disposal
When it smells like something died in your garbage disposal, don’t automatically believe that it’s broken. It probably just has some food stuck in there, which you can clear out to eliminate the smell by doing this: Putting a handful of ice cubes in there.
With the ice cubes in the disposal, turn it on. The ice will get crushed and act as a brush to clean up the disposal and make it odor-free.
3. How to Increase Your Showerhead’s Water Pressure
If water is slowly trickling out of your showerhead, it may be clogged with minerals. To unclog it, fill a Zip-loc bag with white vinegar. Tie the bag around the showerhead with some rubber bands, making sure that it’s soaked in the vinegar. Let it sit overnight, and your showerhead should get unclogged so water can flow freely.
4. How to Unclog Your Kitchen Pipes
Your kitchen sink may have collected grease and fat from when you wash the dishes, causing a clog. You can unclog it by pouring hot (not boiling) water down the sink to melt all of that gunk. Do this once a week as preventative maintenance.
5. How to Unclog Your Bathtub
This tip may be the most fun of all, as it creates a small volcano in your bathtub from the chemical reaction. When your bathtub is clogged, pour a mixture of ½ cup baking soda and warm water from a bowl into the drain. Let it sit for five minutes, then add one cup of white vinegar down the drain. You should see a lot of fizzing, and after 10 minutes, you can run water to watch it magically go down the unclogged drain with ease.
