Unless you’re a plumber, you probably rarely think about your home’s plumbing. It’s one of the many things we take for granted. It’s just there, and we only notice it if something is wrong. And we’ll all know if something’s wrong with the plumbing. It could be as simple as a leaky faucet or as dangerous as backed-up sewage.
You can hire a plumber for cheap sewer line repair or other plumbing problems, but there are things you can do to keep them from happening in the first place. Here are a few strategies for keeping your plumbing in top condition:
1. Don’t turn the tap too tightly
Many people tend to turn the tap shut too tightly, thinking that more pressure will keep it from dripping throughout the night. But too much pressure can make the problem worse. The more pressure you exert to turn the tap off, the more the seal will wear out.
The right thing to do is to turn the tap until you can sense the stopping point and the water stops flowing. Again, just apply the right amount of pressure.
2. Don’t pour viscous liquids down the drain
Especially if it’s grease, oil, or something you don’t know. Layers of grease can form within the pipes as you pour more and more of the liquid down the drain. It won’t make a difference at first. After all, we pour many other liquids down the sink. But slowly, the layer of grease and oil will grow thicker and thicker until nothing can get through.
There are other methods for safely disposing of oil and grease. For instance, you can wait for grease to solidify, and you can throw it in the trash or your compost pile.
3. Cover your drains with a strainer
Clogging is one of the most common reasons why people hire a plumber. Your bathroom drain is probably full of solidified gunks of hair and soap. To keep your bathroom pipes clear, cover it with a basket strainer. This will keep you from having to clean out the ducts in the future.
4. Don’t flush hard objects down the toilet
The only thing you should wash down is your bodily waste, and depending on your toilet, maybe tissue paper. Nothing else. If you need to dispose of your dead fish or hygiene products, use the trash can.
By flushing hard objects down the toilet, you’re introducing obstructions to the pipes that will eventually lead to a clog. And once your toilet is clogged, you have no choice but to call a plumber. Again, do not flush stuff down the toilet.
5. Find the main valve
Even if you know nothing about plumbing, knowing where the main water valve is can go a long way in reducing water damage in your home.
Let’s say you have a few broken pipes and water is gushing everywhere. You called a plumber, and it would take them at least an hour to arrive. If you know where the main valve is, you can just shut the water off at the source and minimize water damage.
These simple guidelines will help you keep your plumbing in good condition. Like anything else in the world, however, your plumbing will eventually fail. But following these pointers will help you do the right thing once a problem starts.
