Top 8 Plumbing Tips - Repairs And Solutions

Though your pipes and hoses may not be something that you see every day, your plumbing is one of the most vital parts of your home. Without proper plumbing, you won’t be able to take a shower, use the bathroom, wash your clothes, or even keep your hands clean before making dinner. You may not realize it, but these are all great resources that weren’t even available just a half-century ago. In order to make sure that your pipes and plumbing is in great shape, here are the top 8 plumbing tips that you should keep in mind.

1. Don’t Pour Grease Down Your Sink

If you’ve been cooking on the stove and have a lot of grease, it might be easier for you to make your way to the sink and pour it down the drain. However, this is something that you should avoid by all means necessary. The grease may be in liquid form when you pour it, but it won’t make its way all the way down the pipes before it starts to harden. As it starts to harden, it’ll then causes blockages that will damage your pipes.

Instead of putting grease down the pipes, keep a tub handy where you can easily get rid of the excess that you have while cooking.

2. Avoid Flushing Anything Down The Toilet Except Waste

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Many people think that their toilet is a great way to throw away little things that they have in the bathroom. For example, some people may throw their cotton swabs, Q-tips, or even feminine hygiene products down the toilet, especially if they don’t have anywhere else to put them. However, your toilets are not made for this type of trash. Instead, it’s only made for human feces and toilet paper waste.

If you feel too tempted to throw things down the toilet, consider having a small trash bin near by. This will allow for you to quickly dispose of garbage, without having to worry about blocking up your pipes.

3. Prepare Your Pipes For Each Season

Your pipes will drastically change during each season. During the warmer months they will expand, but then they will condense and even possible freeze during the colder months. To prepare for this, make sure that you completely drain your pipes before winter hits. Also, keep your home heated to a temperature that will be warm enough to prevent freezing.

4. Reconsider Using Drain Cleaner

Drain cleaner is advertised as something that will help to clear your drains out. However, the reason that this works is because these cleaners include ingredients that break away buildup in your pipes; which also happens to include the pipes themselves. By using drain cleaner on a regular basis, you run the risk of causing long-term damage to your piping system, so you should avoid it by all means necessary.

5. Be Aware Of Gas

If you smell gas in your home, then you could have a problem with your water heater or other piping throughout your home. In the event that you smell gas, it’s best to fix the issue immediately.

6. Look Out For Low Water Pressure

Low water pressure could be a sign of bigger issues with your homes plumbing. This could because of an aerator, which will need to be fixed if you want to have properly flowing water again.

7. Fix Issues As Quickly As Possible

Small issues with your plumbing may not seem like a big deal, such as a running toilet, but they can cause big problems in the future. Not only will a running toilet cost you hundreds of dollars each year, but it could be a sign that you have an issue with the plumbing in your home.

8. When In Doubt, Get Help

Api Plumbing / Via apiplumbing.com

Above all else, if you can’t seem to figure out the problems with your home’s plumbing, then consider getting help from a trusted plumber. It may cost a bit more money, but it’ll be worth the investment in the event that they need to do some serious fixes to your home.