Listen to experienced plumbers in Charlotte (serving the metro area since 1997)!

You’ll save money while dealing with common plumbing issues such as creaking pipes, loud sinks, sprayer hoses that get stuck under the kitchen sink, finding hidden pipes and flushing the toilet when the water is off.

Plumbing Trick #1: Quiet creaking pipes.

Wondering why your pipes creak when you run hot water? Chances are they are copper pipes and are expanding every time they get hot. You can alleviate this problem by wrapping copper pipes in felt (with adhesive backing).

Find adhesive-backed felt at hardware stores or online. Cut it into strips and apply the strips to the pipes in the areas where the pipes are attached to hangers. Pull the pipe out of the hanger, apply the strip of felt, and then slide the pipe back into the hanger. Done!

Cost: $5-$10

Plumbing Trick #2: Deaden sounds from loud sinks.

Perplexed as to why your sink vibrates or sounds like a gong when running water, cleaning things up in it or just plain using the sink? Chances are your two-basin stainless steel sink has an empty space between the two basins.

Purchase a can of expanding foam from a local hardware store and spray the foam into the space between the two sink basins. The foam will expand into the space, deadening sounds. Trim extra foam (after it dries) with a knife. Problem solved!

Cost $5-$8

Plumbing Trick #3: Unsnarl sprayer hoses that get stuck under the kitchen sink.

Does your kitchen sprayer hose get stuck whenever you pull it up to use it? It’s probably getting caught on your shut off valves.

Clean out the cabinet under your sink to ensure the problem isn’t that you’ve crammed too much stuff in there (and the hose is actually getting stuck on items you’ve put there.) Then purchase foam pipe insulation tubes (1/2 inch should be perfect). Slip pipe insulation tubes over the shut off valve handles under the sink; your hose will no longer get stuck!

Cost: $3-$5

Plumbing Trick #4: Find hidden pipes.

Need to find pipes in the floor before you perform a construction project? Purchase a rare earth (neodymium) magnet, electrical fish tape, and a compass (you can find all three of these items online).

Attach the magnet to the electrical fish tape and feed it into your pipe lines via the cleanout plug. Run the compass across the floor and watch for it to turn like crazy – it will respond when it locates the magnet in the floor. Pull the magnet out of the pipeline and mark the line on the floor with a pencil.

Cost: $10

Plumbing Trick #5: Use the bucket flush when the water is off.

Have to turn off the water for the day while doing a plumbing project? Need to use the toilet? Don’t bother the neighbors; try this trick instead.

Before you turn off the water, fill a bucket with water. Then turn off the water to the house for your plumbing project. After you use the toilet, dump a bucket of water into the bowl. It won’t refill the toilet (of course), but it works just as well as a regular flush. (Hint: fill as many buckets as you anticipate needing to flush during the course of your project. Each two-gallon bucket will get you a solid flush.)

Cost: $0

Plumbing Trick #6: Prevent splashing issues.

Have to clean out a drain trap? Worried about nasty water splashing up from the trap?

Wear safety goggles (especially if someone dumped chemical drain cleaners in there) and rubber gloves. Plunge the trap to remove as much of the water as possible before you have to get in there and remove the trap. If you are dealing with a two-basin sink trap, plug up the drain of the second sink basin so you don’t get splashed by water coming up the second drain.

Cost: $20 for goggles, gloves and a plunger, assuming you don’t already have them.

Need Experienced Plumbers in Charlotte with Decades of Experience?

E.R. Services has been in business since 1997; we have hundreds of positive reviews. We’re open 24/7, 365 days a year, and we employ only highly skilled, courteous plumbing technicians. Our company is big enough to handle tough jobs but small enough that we ensure a personal touch and involvement from our company owner (Dave – just ask for him if you have any questions or issues).

Click here to read reviews about our individual plumbing technicians (we believe you should know who will be servicing your home, so we ask customers to review our techs) and our company. You’ll see that we are committed to customer service above all else. Our motto is “Serviced Once, Client for Life.” We want your experience to be so good that we build a long-term relationship with you.

We serve a 30-mile radius of Charlotte, and we’ve got fully stocked trucks and a warehouse full of supplies. Let us know what you need done and we’ll take care of it for you, quickly, efficiently and affordably. Call us at 704-269-1066 or use our online contact form for plumbing service today. We look forward to meeting you!

Article Summary

Quick question & answer: What are the best plumbing tricks to save me money?

Here are plumbing tricks to save you money. Alleviate creaking pipes by wrapping copper pipes in felt. Deaden sounds from loud sinks by spraying foam into the space between two sink basins. Clean out the cabinet under your sink and put foam pipe insulation tubes over shut off valve handles to unsnarl sprayers hoses that get stuck under the sink.