Plumbing-Anything From A Crack In A Pipe To A Clogged Toilet To The Tee-Shirt? [VIDEO]

Just to break the ice on the photo, there is a Plumbing Company in Germany that wear the shirts on the job.  I give the idea good marks for originality and two the pictures are that of actual women.

I have a lot of respect for plumbers and have honestly learned a lot from them but when you need one do they kind of make you nervous when you hear a lot of banging on pipes? I think the key to saving yourself  a lot of money if you need to call one, is how to talk to a plumber.

Plumbing is a tricky game and if you're not handy on DIY (do it yourself) type repairs, Don"t Do It! It's a pretty good idea to go over any possible option by that I mean having to buy new fixtures versus fixing. The problem is with older and highly used parts/fixtures they might not be worth fixing, saving you money.

The use of a plunger may be all you need at times, but if the problem persists it's time to call the plumber. Food particles and certain cooking oils or a wide array of debris will start to restrict the flow of your water.

Toilets seem to be an alternative to waste baskets, especially if little kids are present. Thought I'd throw in a video to help unclog the beast.

So here we go, my experience is to always ask about cost like hourly rate or maybe whats the minimum charge. Ask questions while the plumber is there, school yourself. Tell him/her what you usually run down your drain and even ask, "what can I do different?" to prevent this from happening again.

Water pressure can be a finicky thing no matter how tight you apply the fittings, things do give out like O-Rings in your faucet. Fairly easy to change, because for one when you remove the spout you can usually see them.

Pipe leaks can be a problem especially when they are in remote places, (always seem to be in my house). A good idea is to get a pressure test. Advise the plumber if you notice low water pressure and where all the places you notice are leaking, it's the path of least resistance and can aid the plumber to a faster solution, again saving you money.

Water heaters usually last about a good ten years, and generally come with a sticker to monitor when it's time to think about replacing yours. Always ask about warranty information if you have to replace one.

You may also encounter different odors, certain drains in your floor like a basement (where you're laundry room might be) or even your modern day toilet have built in traps to prevent odors from surfacing in your house but like anything else they will eventually give out. This might be one problem you can fix, if coming from a drain and that's by pouring water down the drain. A simple replacement of a cap or seal might do the trick.

I have had to do my share of plumbing in the past and you'd be surprised at what you can do to save yourself money, I hope this helped some.  In closing, I've just got to get me one of those shirts.