Hello World! Welcome Friends! For many homeowners, plumbing repairs can be costly, especially if severe issues arise. With proper care and maintenance, you can manage common problems such as leaks and drain blockage. Most of the plumbing tasks are simple to tackle yourself.
Plumbing Maintenance 101
When you perform regular plumbing maintenance, it can minimize potential problems from developing in your home, enabling you to save on expensive repairs. Remember, preventing problems and taking immediate action is the key.
If your priority is to keep the plumbing system in your home efficient and functional, here are several tips you need to do:
1. Avoid Putting Objects Down The Drain
Only water and soap should go down the drain. Sadly, even soap can contribute to blockage over time. In some instances, debris can move down as well. It’s best to place a drain cover to prevent hair and others from flowing into the drain.
Additionally, avoid flushing anything down other than toilet paper as the debris might result in an overflow. If you end up with a clogged toilet, it’d require a professional to restore it. In serious cases, you might end up with a backflow of sewer in your drains. When this occurs, hiring the services of a professional such as Melbourne Jetter Centre and others can help with the problem.
2. Inspect For Leaks
Leaks are responsible for a large amount of wasted water yearly. With this in mind, finding leaks in your home is crucial to avoid high water bills.
Try inspecting any visible plumbing parts for leaks such as faucets and exposed pipes, especially those beneath the sink and in unfinished areas such as the crawl spaces and the basement. Check for signs of water under the lines such as puddles or the formation of mold.
You can’t easily spot leaks in finished areas until you notice water stains on the ceilings or walls. Additionally, you’ll also see or detect the scent of mildew or mold due to the excess moisture.
Assess leaks in and around appliances that utilize water such as washing machines, dishwashers, and refrigerators equipped with water dispensers and ice makers. A leaking hose or connection issue may require replacement.
3. Test The Water Pressure
Once there’s an abrupt drop in the water pressure, it’s due to a significant demand from faucets or a plumbing issue. In most houses, there’s a pressure regulating valve that might malfunction or contain debris. This controls the water from the main supply and lowers the pressure to a safe level.
Sadly, the water pressure can steadily drop over time due to blockage in the pipes from corrosion or buildup in the faucet heads. Test your system if you notice an abrupt change in the water flow.
4. Check The Water Heater
The water heater is an essential plumbing fixture that should work optimally at all times. If you want to keep it functional all year round, you should inspect it regularly.
Examine the floor around the water heater for leaks or puddles along with the pipes and unit itself for moisture. When there are unusual noises and rust formation, it might be a sign of a problem.
5. Insulate Plumbing Components
Any exposed parts of the plumbing system require insulation for protection. The proper insulation of exposed pipes, especially in cold areas or close to the exterior walls, can prevent the water from freezing. When you provide insulation on your hot water pipes, it keeps the water warm by preventing heat loss, which can help lower your utility bills.
6. Clean The Drains
In older homes, replacing cast iron pipes with PVC is an effective way to be maintenance-free. Comparing cast iron pipes – PVC pipes are more lightweight, cost-efficient, flexible, leak less often, cracks less often, durable and more cleaner. So you can get more relief from plumbing maintenance.
Over time, the drains can end up with blockage due to soap scum, shampoo, grease, and other items that make their way down the pipes. With this in mind, cleaning the drains before they become entirely clogged can prevent serious issues in the future.
When the drains are almost clogged up, you can utilize a plunger to loosen the gunk blocking the pipes. An alternative is using a drain snake to remove the minor blockage.
Baking soda and vinegar is the ideal alternative to chemical drain cleaners when cleaning. All you have to do is place baking soda down the drain and pour vinegar to produce a chemical reaction. Continue pouring vinegar until the baking soda dissolves and the reaction stops.
Unlike traditional plumbing techniques that required plumbers to become construction workers and excavate pipes to fix them, trenchless sewer repair requires no digging. We use a wide variety of techniques to identify problems and fix pipes without the need to tear up your lawn.
Conclusion
The plumbing system in your home should function efficiently. If you want to avoid any problems when you least expect it or you’re eager to prevent unwanted costs on repairs, it’s crucial to carry out regular maintenance on your system. With these helpful maintenance tips, you can start keeping your plumbing in good shape for years to come.
Click the links below for any posts you have missed:
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Should I Sell My House For Cash
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