An electric

tank should be shut off at the electrical panel. If you have a hot water

heating system, you will also need to check that the furnace has a sufficient

supply of water so it does not run dry.

During your

tour, you also should note the locations of shut-off valves for other

plumbing fixtures. Below your kitchen sink you will most likely find shut-off

valves for both hot and cold water. In the bathroom, there are three primary

valves operating the faucet, toilet and bathtub/shower. These valves are

typically located below the fixtures for easy access, though the tub valve(s)

may be in the basement (or behind the bathroom wall in a bedroom closet,

for example).

Continue the

tour in every room that has a plumbing-related appliance. Be sure to locate,

test and tag valves to your washing machine, dishwasher, hot water heating

system, water heater, refrigerator ice maker, water softener every place

in the house where water is used.

Check the

condition of your valves. It is important to check all valves often

since they may become "frozen" from lack of use. A wrench or

some WD-40 carefully applied will probably loosen any stuck valves.

Leaks, clogs

and other problems. For more serious matters it is usually best to

call a plumber, but there are some things you can do yourself to take

care of small problems.

Clogged drain:

To clear a clogged drain, first try a plunger. If that does not remove

the problem, use a hand auger, which is a flexible steel cable that can

be pushed into the drain to break up the obstruction. Your next step of

defense is to use a blow bag that hooks to a garden hose and uses water

pressure to clear the clog. Use caustic, acid-based chemical drain cleaners

only as a last resort since they may damage pipes.

Continuously

running toilet: If water continuously runs in your toilet, it may be a

problem with the float rising too high, causing water to trickle down

the overflow tube. To fix this, bend the rod slightly downward so the

float ball is lowered. If fixing that doesn't help, see if the trip lever

chain is tangled or has fallen off. Next check the tank flapper at the

base of the tank and the ballcock, which is located near the top of the

tank. These items may have to be cleaned, adjusted or replaced if they

have worn out.

Toilet won't

flush: If a toilet won't flush, it is likely that the chain has slipped

off or a new flush-handle assembly is needed. Start by examining the inside

of the tank. Is one end of the chain attached to the flush handle and

the other to a rubber seal at the bottom? If the chain has slipped off,

reattach it. If the handle itself is broken, you will need to replace

it with a new assembly.

Leaky faucet:

If you have a cartridge-type faucet, a leak usually indicates that the

O-rings need to be replaced. This is a simple repair that even the novice

do-it-yourselfer can perform. If the faucet leaks from the handle, the

upper O-ring probably needs replacement, while a drip from the spout will

indicate a problem with the O-ring at the base of the spout assembly.

O-rings also form a seal between the hot and cold supply lines, so be

sure to examine these once you have the faucet disassembled.

When replacing

O-rings, give them a light coating of heatproof lubricant. If replacing

O-rings doesn't solve your problems, you may need to replace the cartridge

itself. A ceramic disk faucet that leaks at the base of the handle means

that one or more of the inlet seals on the cartridge may need replacing.

These seals can be easily replaced.

You may also

want to clean the inlet ports on this type of faucet since they can become

clogged with mineral deposits. A complete cartridge replacement may be

needed if leaking problems persist.

A rotating

ball faucet is difficult to repair because of its many parts. You should

first disassemble the cam, ball and spout to see if there are any problems

there - many leaks result from a worn out ball or gasket. If those seem

fine, remove seals and springs to check for blockages. Leaks also can

spring from around the handle or from under the base of the spout.

Handle leaks

indicate that the adjusting ring has loosened or the seal above the ball

is worn. Leaks from under the spout result from O-ring failure. Examine

all O-rings encircling the body of the faucet to see if they look worn.

Hard-to-move

faucet handles: If you are having trouble turning your faucet on and off,

you probably have a problem with mineral deposits. To solve this problem,

simply clean the cartridge and apply a thin film of FSA-approved silicon

grease never use petroleum jelly.

Basic maintenance of plumbing

fixtures

Faucets: One

of the easiest plumbing fixtures to care for is a faucet the only things

needed for cleaning are some water and a little elbow grease. "Many

people think you need to use a commercial cleansing product to clean a

faucet, but the best thing is a soft, damp cloth and warm water,"

says Pickett. "To keep your faucet looking beautiful for years, you

will want to stay away from abrasives and harsh cleaning materials. Occasionally

applying a high-quality wax polish will further ensure the beauty of your

faucet."

If water pressure

seems low or the flow pattern is inconsistent, it is recommended that

you clean the aerator (the round attachment at the end of the spout).

This can be done by unscrewing the part, then using a toothbrush dipped

in vinegar to remove dirt or trapped particles.

Composite

sinks: For minor stains on a composite sink, use warm water and mild dish

soap. For more serious stains use a cleanser with bleach, though this

type of product should not be used on a daily basis. Hard water stains

are best treated with white vinegar followed by a thorough rinsing, while

yellowing due to calcium and lime deposits requires a de-liming solution.

Polish your sink only with those products suitable for acrylic surfaces.

Never use abrasive cleansers or even abrasive scrub pads.

Stainless

steel sinks: If maintained properly, quality stainless steel sinks will

not chip, peel, rust or discolor. For routine cleaning, use soap, ammonia

or detergents with a soft sponge or cloth. Hard water spots can be removed

with white vinegar and water, while persistent spots and stains may require

a stainless steel cleaner or household cleanser. Never use steel wool

pads for cleaning these sinks.

Homeowners

should not use rubber mats with stainless steel sinks since residual water

deposits and food particles trapped underneath these mats can cause sink

discoloration. In addition, wet sponges, cloths and cleaning pads should

not be left on the sink's surface. Many liquid hand soaps contain chemical

additives that will affect the original shine of the finish if left to

dry in your sink.

Showers: To

clean a showerhead that seems to have lower water pressure, unscrew the

swivel ball nut using a wrench (put electrical or duct tape on the flange

to protect the fixture). Unscrew the collar nut from the showerhead and

then clean the outlet and inlet holes with a thin wire. Anti-lime and

calcium cleaners can also be used simply dip your showerhead in these

products for easy cleaning. Like faucets, shower fixture exteriors should

be cleaned with warm water and a soft cloth to remove water spots.

Drains: Regular

maintenance of drains will help reduce the risk of clogging. Flush drains

bi-weekly with hot tap water, especially those drains that are not used

often such as in a guest bathroom. Once every six months, use a non-caustic

drain cleaner on all household drains.

To prevent

lint from building up and eventually clogging drainpipes near the washing

machine, put an old nylon stocking over the end of the rubber drain hose.

This will trap all of the lint from your washing machine water before

it reaches your drain, and should be changed as necessary.

Pipe maintenance

There are a

couple tricks of the trade that you can use for pipes in your home.

Prevent pipes

from freezing: The best thing you can do to prevent frozen pipes is insulate

them. Pipe jackets in standard lengths can be purchased at local home

centers. For a less expensive alternative, you can cut regular insulation

into strips and bundle it around pipes.

If you use

fiberglass insulation, however, be sure to wear gloves, long sleeves and

long pants to avoid contact with the irritating particles that come off

of this kind of insulation. These techniques will also stop noisy pipes

from banging against wall studs or joists in your home.

Thawing a

frozen pipe: If you do have a frozen pipe, you will need to thaw it using

a heat gun or hair dryer. But keep these items on a low setting so the

pipe doesn't overheat.

Find a 24-Hour plumbing

contractor now

And finally,

all homeowners know that if anything goes wrong in their home, it will

pick the most inconvenient time to do so usually in the middle of the

night or during a holiday. This makes it important to have the name of

a reliable plumbing contractor offering 24-hour service for major emergencies.

Although you

can find names of plumbers in your local telephone directory, recommendations

from friends or neighbors are generally better. A phone call (ahead of

time) to ensure that the plumber is still in business and can provide

24-hour service is a good idea, and you may also check if a pager number

is available for after-hour calls.

For more information

about plumbing needs, contact Moen Incorporated, 25300 Al Moen Drive,

North Olmsted, Ohio 44070, call (800) 553-6636, or visit the Web site

at www.moen.com .

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