Roto-Rooter- Assists with Saving Money with DIY Fixes Around the House

Disclaimer: I am a Roto-Rooter Brand Ambassador.  I have received both product and compensation as part of this program. All opinions are my own.

During the past few months, I have been doing a lot of remodeling in my home. I have spent my fair share of money on things to fix around the house. Whether we are fixing a broken pipe in the kitchen or having the air conditioner repaired. The amount of work seems to continue, and it never stops. Being a homeowner means that you have to work on all of these and those costs can add up. My blog is about saving time, money and energy, that is why I am here to provide you with some DIY fixes that you can do at home.

Roto-Rooter is the #1 plumbing and water restoration company.  To make things easier and save you a big bill from a plumber’s visit, the company offers a Gel Clog Remover that you can use at home.  The three main things that clog a drain pipe are soap, grease, and hair.  Roto-Rooter’s Gel Clog Remover attacks the source of the clog with a formula of up to 25% more clog-busting active ingredients than any other national brand.

The first thing you need to do is assemble a DIY Plumbing Kit:

1. Basin Wrench: An invaluable tool ($10-$20) for tightening and loosening nuts that hold sink faucets in place. The tool’s long shaft and swiveling jaw can reach up and into the deep, narrow space behind a sink and lock onto the nuts. There’s no other tool that can do what this one does.

2. Hand Auger: Sometimes called a plumber’s snake, this hand-cranked drain-clearing tool ($20-$30) has a 25-ft.-long flexible steel cable that’s effective at clearing obstructions from tubs, showers, sinks, toilets and drain lines. Use it when the plunger fails to clear the clog.

3. Plunger: This indispensable tool ($5-$10) isn’t called the plumber’s best friend for nothing. It’s the first tool to grab when you need to dislodge clogs from sinks, tubs, toilets, showers and floor drains. When using it in a toilet, press down, create a firm seal around the drain, and pull upward. The idea is to vacuum the clog out, not push it deeper.

4. Fire-Resistant Cloth: A thick, specially treated cloth ($15) that are used to protect nearby combustible surfaces when soldering with an open-flame propane torch. It’s always smart to keep a fire extinguisher nearby, too.

5. Pipe Wrench: These large, heavy wrenches are used to tighten and loosen threaded pipes, fittings, and nuts. You’ll need two–one for turning and one for gripping and holding. The serrated teeth help the wrench hold its grip but can damage a fixture’s finish–when you need protection, wrap the wrench’s jaws in a cloth. Buy a 10-in. ($10-15) and a 14-in. ($20-$25) model.

6. Tongue-and-Groove Pliers: Commonly called by the brand name Channellocks, these pliers are the first tool plumbers reach for when they need to grab, pull, twist, hold, tighten or loosen something. Be sure to get two sizes: 10-in. ($10-$15) and 12-in. ($20-$25).

Repair a Leaky Faucet

You can fix almost any drippy single-lever kitchen faucet in about an hour. The repair is a lot easier than you might think, even for a plumbing novice. So stop putting up with the annoying drip and let’s fix that thing.

Before you start, examine the faucet closely to determine where the water is coming from. Leaks around the base of the spout require a different repair than a drip from the end of the spout.Then turn off the water supply to the faucet. You’ll probably find shutoff valves under the sink. If those valves don’t work or if you don’t have any, you’ll have to close the main water valve to your entire home. After you turn off the water, open the faucet in the center position to relieve water pressure and make sure the water is shut off. Finally, cover the sink drain holes with strainer baskets or rags to avoid losing small parts down the drain.Pay close attention to the order and orientation of parts as you remove them. A digital camera or video camera is handy for recording each step in case you forget. For easier reassembly, set the parts aside in the order they were removed. When all the parts are out, inspect the interior of the valve for bits of deteriorated gaskets or mineral deposits. Use a cloth or fine nylon abrasive pad to clean the surface. Loosen mineral deposits by soaking them in vinegar.Slow water flow can be caused by plugged holes in the faucet body. Use a small screwdriver or penknife to clean them out. Before you replace worn parts and reassemble the faucet, hold a rag over the dripping faucet and open the water shutoff valve slightly to flush out debris that may have been loosened during the cleaning and inspection.After the faucet is reassembled, open the faucet to the middle position and gradually open the shutoff valves to turn on the water. Leave the faucet open until water flows freely and all the air is out of the pipes. If the water flow through the faucet is slow, the aerator may be plugged. Unscrew the aerator and clean it out.Unclog a drainClogged drains are the most common plumbing issue. There are a few things that may be the what is causing the issues like putting grease or food particles down kitchen drains or hair in the bathroom drain. My favorite product for drain cleaning is Roto-Rooter Gel Clog Remover. This product is a professional gel formula with 25% more active ingredients than the leading national brand and delivers precise viscosity to power through standing water to remove stubborn clogs and soap scum from bathroom sinks, tubs and shower drains. If you have a hair clog, you have to love the Roto-Rooter Hair Clog remover with 25% more hair dissolving ingredients to remove stubborn hair clogs and clear blocked drains.  Independent lab tests have proven that Roto-Rooter Hair Clog Remover clears tough clogs up to 50% faster than other national brands. There are a variety of products in this line to help clear drains and to take care of your septic system. Be sure to check out Roto-Rooter 101 to learn more.

Garbage Disposal Fix

Many people are cautious of the garbage disposal because of the hidden blades and bad noises.  However, it’s actually fairly easy to clear up a clog.  You’ll need to cut the power to the unit to prevent any accidents.  Some units are plugged into an outlet in your cabinet, but others may be wired directly to the wall.  Once the disposal is turned off, you can use an allen wrench to adjust the flywheel inside the disposal.  Simply do this by placing the allen wrench in the hole in the center of the bottom of the unit.  You won’t actually see the flywheel, but rotating it can help loosen any jammed food inside.

Stop a Running Toilet

Usually, this means that there is a faulty stop valve or floater switch. This is the large bulb in the back of the toilet that stops the flow of water into the toilet when the tank is full. Sometimes this can go bad and you will find that jiggling the handle may fix the problem temporarily. You can fix this permanently by replacing the entire assembly.

The Gel Clog Remover worked wonders and truly saved my sink, my sanity, and my wallet! In no time at all the clog was gone  I was so happy that I didn’t have to wait around for a plumber and my sink was useable again.