Hello World! Welcome Friends! Taking care of your home’s plumbing system is essential in both keeping clean water flowing in through your taps and ensuring that waste is efficiently flushed out. Many people neglect thinking about home plumbing until problems arise, which eventually leads to exorbitant plumbing bills and unnecessary headache for all involved. In today’s article, we look at how you can go about maintaining your plumbing throughout the year. Prevention is key, so read on to find out more about how you can avoid plumbing disasters simply by paying a little care and attention to your plumbing all year round.
1. Prevent Nasty Buildups
One of the most important things you can do as a homeowner is to take a little bit of effort to ensure that you are playing your part in avoiding nasty buildup. According to an expert plumber, one of the most common buildups that occurs is in the kitchen sink. To avoid your drains from clogging, it is important that you don’t wash fats and oils down them. If you have been cooking or baking and have a lot of fat left over, we highly recommend pouring it into a bottle and throwing it in the bin instead of pouring it down your sink. This is because many fats tend to solidify as they cool, thus causing a buildup in your kitchen pipes which can lead to clogged drains. You should also avoid shoving any food remnants down the sink and instead throw them into the garbage. A little effort each day will save you thousands in plumbing bills!
2. Prepare Your Pipes for Winter
When the cold weather hits, it’s time to prepare your pipes for winter. Freezing temperatures are the culprit for wreaking havoc on pipes and plumbing which can in turn affect your supply of hot water. We can’t think of anything worse than a cold shower in winter, which is why ensuring that your pipes are well insulated in the colder months is so important. Some easy ways in which you can do this are to disconnect and drain your outdoor hoses during winter, wrap exposed pipes in insulation tape and allow heat to reach your pipes as much as possible. It is also highly recommended that you eliminate any drafts in your home and allow water to run from your valves at regular intervals to prevent freezing.
3. Under Pressure
Let’s face it – there is nothing better than standing in the shower and being treated to some delightful hot water that comes out at ultimate water pressure. While this is indeed one of the divine perks of life, high water pressure may actually be causing issues with your plumbing. It is advised that domestic water pressure be set to 50-75psi as any higher can cause leaks in both pipes and appliances. Overly high water pressure is a detriment to your plumbing system, so checking that you are within range is key. You can do this by purchasing a water pressure gauge and attaching it to an outside tap. If the meter reads a water pressure over 75psi, it is important that you call your local plumber so that he can fit a pressure regulator which will stop excess water pressure from harming your pipes.
4. Avoid Using Chemicals
While it is tempting to purchase chemical based drain solutions when you encounter a clogged sink, you may be causing more harm to your pipes than you realize. When drains clog and you pour chemicals down plughole to shift the blockage, you are also exposing your pipes to corrosive chemicals that will over time eat through pipework and cause leaks. Chemical based drain cleaners also often only remove part of the blockage, thus proving to be an inefficient way of truly clearing a buildup. A better option when dealing with clogs is to treat your pipes to a baking soda and vinegar solution followed by a flow of hot water. You can also purchase an inexpensive snake which will assist you in clearing any blockages. Used together, a snake and baking soda/vinegar provides you a much more natural and safe way of cleaning your pipes out.
5. Pay Attention to The Toilet
Last but not least, some tips about maintaining good plumbing in the toilet. The toilet is often the one room in the home that people encounter the most plumbing issues. With a little TLC you can help prevent any disasters from occurring in the bathroom. First up, ensuring that you have a quality toilet plunger is essential. If your toilet is clogged, using a funnel cup plunger is your best bet to get rid of any blockages. To get the best plunge, you should run your plunger under some hot water before using it to soften the rubber and create a better seal over the hole. It is also important that you don’t only rely on toilet cleaning tablets to keep your toilet spotless. Using a toilet brush at least once a week and giving the toilet a deep clean is a fantastic way to prevent any nasty disasters in the long run.
By taking just a handful of preventative measures and ensuring that you always keep on top of your home plumbing, you will be able to prevent any unforeseen disasters from occurring in your home. We hope that this article has given you some insight into some of the tips you can take on board to maintain your plumbing throughout the year.
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