All homes are going to experience some extent of plumbing issues at one point or another. And while you can always contact a local plumbing expert to take care of everything for you, before you make this call, there are a few things you might want to know how to do or check on first.

To help you in doing this, here are three tips for handling basic plumbing issues at home. 

Learn How To Identify What The Problem Really Is

The first thing that you’ll want to know how to do when attempting to make a small plumbing repair is to know how to identify what the plumbing problem really is. Sometimes, what you think is going wrong may not actually be the root of the issue. And if you try to fix something that isn’t actually at the root of what’s going wrong, you won’t really be making any progress. 

To find the root of your plumbing problems, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the basic parts of the plumbing system you’re working with. This way, you’ll be able to tell what parts are having the issues. And, if you fix those parts but still have problems with the plumbing, you’ll be able to know that the problem goes deeper and that you might need some help making the fix. 

Know How To Get The Water Shut Off

In some cases, you may be able to make the plumbing repairs that you need without having to turn off the water. But if you’re going to be unscrewing anything or there’s a chance that water could start spraying out at you, it’s a good idea to just shut the water off so that you don’t have to worry about this.

For most plumbing fixtures, there’s going to be a water shutoff valve close to where the fixture is. But if you can’t find this or you can’t get it to turn off, you can always locate your main water shutoff valve and turn off the water to your whole house while you’re making the repair. 

Use The Right Plumbing Tools

When you’re fixing things with the plumbing in your home, there are a few plumbing tools that you may want to have on-hand in addition to the basic tools that you’ll likely already have as a homeowner. 

Along with a wrench and pliers, it’s also a good idea to have a drain auger to help you with some of your plumbing mishaps. This way, you won’t have to put anything else down the drain to hopefully get things moving again. 

If you want to be able to handle some of your own plumbing issues at home, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you learn how this can best be done.