Many basic plumbing problems, such as a running toilet or dripping sink, can be repaired by the homeowner.
The best way to decide if you can tackle the job is to use Google to search for the specific problem you have. You will find Google will produce countless articles and directions on how to fix most minor plumbing issues. If any of them seem out of your league then you can always contact a licensed professional as a backup plan.
It may be a good idea to have a few tools on hand in case you need to do some emergency plumbing work. You may think you will never do this, but remember that plumbers are not always going to be able to come the exact moment that a situation arises. You should at least have a pair of pliers (preferably plumbing pliers) and a few different sized wrenches. These can be used to tighten and adjust leaky plumbing for a temporary fix.
At a minimum, make sure you know how to turn off the water supply to each of your fixtures and to your main house. That way if you have an emergency leak you can shut off the water supply until a plumber can come and save the day. You will find the shut off valve for the toilet and sinks coming directly out of the wall under these fixtures. Simply turn this valve to the "off" position to stop water from coming to each fixture.
The main shutoff valve to your house is most likely outside by your front curb. Often times it is in a visible metal box in the ground. You will need a pair of pliers to switch this valve to the off opposition. In some cases you may be able to shut off the main valve to your house in your basement or crawl space. If you are confused as to which valve is the main water supply you should make sure that you have someone show you where your home water shutoff valve is located. This knowlege can save you thousands of dollars in water damage repair should you have a water leak.
How to become a Plumber
Are you interested in training to be a Plumber? To start to train as a Plumber you will need some initial basic qualifications such as a GCSE in an area such as Maths or Science.
The main steps whilst training to be a Plumber are:
City & Guilds Basic Certificate in Plumbing Studies (6129) NVQ Level 2 in Plumbing City and Guilds Level 3 Plumbing Studies.
The City & Guilds Basic Certificate can be taken over the course of a year and covers the following.
* Sanitation Systems
* Central Heating Systems
* Safety in Plumbing Activities
* Effective Working Relationships
* Electrical Supply & Earth Continuity
* Environmental Awareness
* Sheet Lead Working
* Cold Water Systems
* Common Plumbing Processes
* Domestic Hot Water Systems
* Plumbing Principles
There are various training companies that offer City and Guilds Plumbing training. Some of these training companies are listed below and their courses vary from 1 to 4 weeks.
* The Guild of Master Plumbers (Training) Limited
* ReactFast
* Able Skills
* The Plumbing and Drainage Academy
* VIY Training Services
Training to become a plumber is not an overnight process, it can take two to three years. You will need to obtain an NVQ/SNVQ to lever 2 or 3. These plumbing courses are usually run by Colleges. It is highly recommended that you achieve level 3 during your plumbing training.
Training to be a plumber can be a very worthwhile career move. There is currently a shortage of plumbers and you should expect plenty of demand for your newly acquired plumbing skills.
As a fully trained plumber you will be involved in the following types of work.
* Water supply pipe work.
* Pipe work for fire fighting.
* Pipe work for space heating.
* Pipe work sanitary appliances.
* Discharge pipe work.
* Drainage pipe work.
The main steps whilst training to be a Plumber are:
City & Guilds Basic Certificate in Plumbing Studies (6129) NVQ Level 2 in Plumbing City and Guilds Level 3 Plumbing Studies.
The City & Guilds Basic Certificate can be taken over the course of a year and covers the following.
* Sanitation Systems
* Central Heating Systems
* Safety in Plumbing Activities
* Effective Working Relationships
* Electrical Supply & Earth Continuity
* Environmental Awareness
* Sheet Lead Working
* Cold Water Systems
* Common Plumbing Processes
* Domestic Hot Water Systems
* Plumbing Principles
There are various training companies that offer City and Guilds Plumbing training. Some of these training companies are listed below and their courses vary from 1 to 4 weeks.
* The Guild of Master Plumbers (Training) Limited
* ReactFast
* Able Skills
* The Plumbing and Drainage Academy
* VIY Training Services
Training to become a plumber is not an overnight process, it can take two to three years. You will need to obtain an NVQ/SNVQ to lever 2 or 3. These plumbing courses are usually run by Colleges. It is highly recommended that you achieve level 3 during your plumbing training.
Training to be a plumber can be a very worthwhile career move. There is currently a shortage of plumbers and you should expect plenty of demand for your newly acquired plumbing skills.
As a fully trained plumber you will be involved in the following types of work.
* Water supply pipe work.
* Pipe work for fire fighting.
* Pipe work for space heating.
* Pipe work sanitary appliances.
* Discharge pipe work.
* Drainage pipe work.
DIY Bathroom Plumbing - Installing a New Showerhead
Of all the home plumbing repairs you could tackle, the replacement of an old showerhead with a new one is probably the easiest. A shower plumbing project is a good starter project for a number of reasons. No special tools are required, the necessary parts are pretty close to one size fits all, and if you do make a mistake and have a leak, the only thing that gets wet is your shower/bathtub. This is the perfect project for the novice home repair handyman to start with and can usually be completed in well under an hour.
The first step is to decide what type of shower head you want to replace. While most shower fixtures connect to a standard size pipe thread, you must make sure you have enough clearance for your new showerhead. If the stem (the portion of the pipe from the wall to the existing shower head) is short or close to the ceiling you will want to check before purchasing a large fixture.
The Tools You Need - For this project, you will need a wrench or pliers and some teflon tape. Depending upon the age of your existing fixture, you may also need to have a pipe wrench on hand as well. You may also want to have something available protect your fixture from the jaws of the wrench or pliers (a folded rag or piece of rubber from an inner tube work well)
Remove the Old Showerhead - If you have an older unit you probably have some rust, oxidation, or lime buildup that may make removal difficult. If the fixture does not readily unscrew, use two sets of pliers/wrenches (with the jaws of each protected as indicated above), one set on the stem and the other on the fixture. Apply equal pressure to both sides to until the showerhead starts to move. Be careful not to apply too much force as you do not want to break either the stem or existing showerhead. Once the shower head starts to turn you should be able to remove it by hand.
Clean and prepare the stem pipe - A little preparation here could save you quite a bit of time later if you decide to replace the showerhead again. Clean the threads of the stem of any rust or lime and apply teflon tape to the threads. This will help the new showerhead install easily, provide a good seal, and make it easier in the future if you ever have to replace the shower head again.
Install the New Shower - If you selected a simple replacement showerhead all that remains to be done is to screw the new fixture onto the prepared pipe stem. Make sure not to over-tighten when you are installing this - hand tight plus a quarter or half turn is probably all you need. If you have purchased a more sophisticated fixture like a shower massage wand you may have a few pieces to install. Make sure that you apply teflon tape to all threaded connections (unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer) to ensure a good seal.
Test It - Before putting your tools away and jumping in the shower take a few minutes to make sure the job is done. Turn on the water and check each of the connections for leaks. If you find any, usually they will be fixed by tightening the connection another quarter or half turn. If this does not address the problem you may need to check for a missing or worn washer.
Ray Breitenbach writes for Simple Home Repairs. Please visit for more information on how to perform you own basic home repairs.
The first step is to decide what type of shower head you want to replace. While most shower fixtures connect to a standard size pipe thread, you must make sure you have enough clearance for your new showerhead. If the stem (the portion of the pipe from the wall to the existing shower head) is short or close to the ceiling you will want to check before purchasing a large fixture.
The Tools You Need - For this project, you will need a wrench or pliers and some teflon tape. Depending upon the age of your existing fixture, you may also need to have a pipe wrench on hand as well. You may also want to have something available protect your fixture from the jaws of the wrench or pliers (a folded rag or piece of rubber from an inner tube work well)
Remove the Old Showerhead - If you have an older unit you probably have some rust, oxidation, or lime buildup that may make removal difficult. If the fixture does not readily unscrew, use two sets of pliers/wrenches (with the jaws of each protected as indicated above), one set on the stem and the other on the fixture. Apply equal pressure to both sides to until the showerhead starts to move. Be careful not to apply too much force as you do not want to break either the stem or existing showerhead. Once the shower head starts to turn you should be able to remove it by hand.
Clean and prepare the stem pipe - A little preparation here could save you quite a bit of time later if you decide to replace the showerhead again. Clean the threads of the stem of any rust or lime and apply teflon tape to the threads. This will help the new showerhead install easily, provide a good seal, and make it easier in the future if you ever have to replace the shower head again.
Install the New Shower - If you selected a simple replacement showerhead all that remains to be done is to screw the new fixture onto the prepared pipe stem. Make sure not to over-tighten when you are installing this - hand tight plus a quarter or half turn is probably all you need. If you have purchased a more sophisticated fixture like a shower massage wand you may have a few pieces to install. Make sure that you apply teflon tape to all threaded connections (unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer) to ensure a good seal.
Test It - Before putting your tools away and jumping in the shower take a few minutes to make sure the job is done. Turn on the water and check each of the connections for leaks. If you find any, usually they will be fixed by tightening the connection another quarter or half turn. If this does not address the problem you may need to check for a missing or worn washer.
Ray Breitenbach writes for Simple Home Repairs. Please visit for more information on how to perform you own basic home repairs.
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