Going to college is one of the most exciting periods in life, but it doesn’t come without its setbacks. If you’re living on your own for the first time, you might feel overwhelmed with the number of new responsibilities and potential homeownership issues you’ll have to deal with on your own. Unexpected plumbing problems are among the main aspects you likely aren’t prepared to handle. To equip you with the right knowledge and simplify this process, here are some main plumbing tips and skills every college student should know:
Assembling a basic toolkit
Plumbing issues tend to arise quite frequently, which means that having at least a basic toolkit on hand can be quite helpful for resolving them during your school years. This toolkit should include a plunger for dislodging clogs, a wrench for loosening or tightening nuts, a pair of pliers for manipulating small pieces of hardware, a bucket for catching water, as well as a pair of gloves for protection. These basic tools will be quite efficient at solving a wide array of plumbing issues, whether you’re dealing with blocked drains or fixing a leaky faucet.
Solving smaller plumbing issues
Smaller problems such as clogs and blockages tend to be the most common plumbing issues. Fortunately, they are also the easiest to resolve, even for college students with no previous DIY experience. For example, a toilet can be unclogged by firmly pushing a plunger in and out the hole at the bottom of the bowl, while drains can be unblocked with boiling water or a simple baking soda and white vinegar mix. Learning how to fix these plumbing problems is an incredibly useful skill, helping you to save some time and frustration, as well as money on costly repairs.
Contacting the professionals
Having basic plumbing skills isn’t always enough – you need to know when to enlist the help of professionals as well. Problems such as burst pipes and dysfunctional garbage disposals might be dangerous to fix if you don’t know what you’re doing, so call an expert to help. This is especially important in countries such as Australia, where many DIY plumbing jobs are actually illegal, not only complex. Here, the best solution would be to hire a reliable plumber from Sydney with years of experience in the field. From leak detection to pipe relining, they will be able to perform all plumbing jobs safely and effectively.
Practising different skills
If you live in a country where do-it-yourself plumbing work is legal, however, there are a number of more advanced skills you could develop as well. For instance, you can learn to resolve low water pressure issues by soaking your showerhead in a hot water, vinegar, and baking soda solution to get rid of the limescale buildup. Or, you could practice getting rid of standing water in sinks by using a plunger or bent wire hanger to dislodge blockages. Although these problems tend to appear less frequently, it’s still beneficial to know how to solve them.
Acting in an emergency
Emergency situations such as floods and major weather events may happen occasionally as well. In those instances, it’s important to know exactly what to do, especially as a college student living on your own. In case of a burst pipe or similar flooding situation, you will need to find the main water shutoff valve in your home and stop the influx of water. They are usually located in basements, garages, near water heaters, and near the front of properties. Once the water has been shut off, it’s best to call a professional plumber to resolve the problem.
Being a college student means improving your skills and learning how to navigate life on your own. Developing some basic plumbing competencies is an important part of this process, and the tips mentioned above will hopefully allow you to do just that.