Nothing can be more annoying in a place of living than plumbing issues. Though plumbing issues are rare, they can strike anytime and mostly when you least expect them. Irrespective of whether you are in a new home or an old log home, you can still run into some log home plumbing problems. It is always best to resolve the problem as soon as it arises. Fortunately, for the most part you can fix the problems yourself without the costs and hassles of hiring a professional plumber.
Here we list some of the most common log home plumbing issues together with tips on how they can be resolved.
Clogged toilets: Possibly the most common and probably the most serious plumbing problem a homeowner can run into is a clogged toilet, especially if you only have one toilet in your log home. Clogged toilets can easily make you alarmed, leaving you tempted to seek professional help. The majority of clogged toilets are quite simple to fix; you can do it yourself using a plunger. Firstly, ensure that there is sufficient water in the bowl to fully submerge the suction cup portion of the plunger. Ensure you do not flush as this could easily result in the toilet overflowing and making a completely new set of issues to deal with. If your regular plunger is not proving to be of great help, then maybe you need to buy a bellows plunger. They are readily available on the market and offer a stronger down force to assist in clearing out tougher blockages that a regular plunger fails to provide.
Sink draining problems: Don’t be scared if your sink drains slowly, this is a common and easily fixable issue. Generally, the pop-up of the valve gets filled up with waste, and gradually this will slow down the draining of the sink. A huge variety of plumbing tools are available to deal with this problem. However, the problem can be resolved manually as well. Take the pop-up apart and clean it thoroughly to wash out the collected debris. In the case of not having a pop-up, cleaning the draining is simple. Take out the drain cover and you will have easy access to clean the pipes.
Running toilet: Another very irritating and common plumbing problem that a lot of homeowners face is a running toilet. A lot of things can go wrong with a toilet, thus specifying the correct problem can be difficult sometimes. However, it all comes down to either changing the toilet fill valve, the flush or the flapper valve. You need to check all three to find where exactly the problem is. And when you find it the best way is to simply change the part. These working parts of the toilet break down through wear and tear, thus the best option is to replace them. Always ensure that everything is attached and connected as it should be.
Low water pressure: Low water pressure in showers or taps is generally caused by a build-up of water waste such as limescale. This collection of debris can affect the water pressure in drains and pipes. You can easily clean it yourself, though it may take some time and effort. The most probable place for limescale build-up is the aerator ‒ the top part of the shower head or taps. Remove the part to clean it; this can be achieved very easily with the help of a few tools.
Jammed garbage disposal: The garbage clearing is also a very common problem that a number of homeowners face. Before doing any work, turn off and unplug your garbage disposal. You can easily unclog and clean your little sink problem with the help of simple household items.
Dripping tap: Another common plumbing problem is a dripping tap. You can easily resolve this problem on your own. If a tap is left dripping, it could lead to a huge amount of water loss which will have to be paid for. You can find the reason for the dripping by looking at the elements inside the tap. There is a seal inside the tap that is responsible for holding back the water when the handle is in the off position. The seal is held by a washer pressed firmly over it. When the seal and the washer are not in order, it causes dripping. The washer or the seal or both, may have to be changed.
Broken pipes: This is another common plumbing problem. While some pipes will wear out gradually and may crack with age at the joints; this is not an issue that you can resolve yourself. This problem usually happens during winters. Freezing temperature causes water to freeze in the pipes, and as a result the pipes break. There are some easy ways to prevent this, first keep the cabinet doors open a little way; this will allow the warm air from the log house to get to the pipes. Also, keep the water flowing through the pipes, especially during the night. It doesn’t have to be a huge amount of water rushing through the pipes, just a steady drip or small stream will assist in preventing water from freezing. Running water is more difficult to freeze than standing water. You can also consider insulating the outside of the pipes.
Hot water heater issues: Another common plumbing issue that log home owners have to deal with is when the water heater goes out and the shower doesn’t have hot water. There can be two reasons, first running too many water based appliances or showering too much or secondly it can be due to a fault in the water heating unit itself. Sometimes the problem is due to the internal mixer valve which allows too much cold water to pass through. You need to replace the valve to fix the problem. You will have to call a plumber to fix this issue, as hot water heater problems are too difficult for the log home owner to resolve.
