7 Tips To Maintain Your Plumbing System
We may not think of our plumbing system too often. That is until there is a leak or a clog. But it is better to maintain and prevent such things instead of attending to them when the problems happen since it can be very expensive to, for instance, fix a burst pipe. So, this article will provide some tips to maintain your plumbing system.
To maintain your plumbing system, do the following seven tips:
1. Checking for leaks
Check for leaks around your house regularly. Faucets, toilets, a garbage disposal, refrigerator, dishwasher, water heater, washing machine, shower heads, leaks in pipes coming from the street to your house, are some sources of leaks in homes. Doing so will save you on your water bill and checking these leaks early may be the signs of some other problems in your plumbing system which you could catch early. Low water pressure or a spike in water usage are signs of leaks. On average, 14% of households’ daily water usage is wasted due to leaks according to mass.gov.
Some leaks you will be able to hear or see them, others you will not, for those leaks turn off all water needing appliances, and faucets. Then, go to your water meter and if it is still spinning, you may have a hidden leak.
2. Inspecting exposed pipes
Also inspect your pipes regularly. As time goes on, it is expected for them to fail eventually. However, by checking your pipes for rust, corrosion, warping, and drops of water on the outside of the pipe you can know about a plumbing leak at its beginning before any major damages occur.
3. Clear Drains
Clear your drains to avoid them getting clogged. Hair, and soap scum are the main reason for slow drainage, so clean off the stopper which could be the solution or use an enzyme cleaner, or a mixture of vinegar, hot water, and baking soda.
If these do not work call a plumber.
You might say, “A plumber, laaaamme, I have a drain cleaner in the garage and it works wonders!” Avoid chemical drain cleaners, they may work but the chemicals that these cleaners have are dangerous to people and eat away at pipes. So, it is best to stay away from that chemical drain cleaner in the garage.
4. Garbage disposal and your drains
Just because it is a garbage disposal does not mean anything can go in there. It is designed for small food chunks that are left on the plate. Do not let fibrous foods, uncooked rice and pasta, coffee grounds, potato peels, eggshells, fruits pits, bones, and other hard items go down into the disposal. Similar do not let grease down your drains, when it cools in the pipes it turns solid and cause clogs. Put grease in a container and throw it in the trash.
5. Do not flush whatever in the bathroom
The only things to flush down the bathroom are your waste and toilet paper. Other items like grease, wipes and other small or innocent things that may have accidentally fell into the bowl, may cause clogs and we do not want that. No one, I repeat, no one, wants a clogged bathroom.
6. Check your water pressure
When your water pressure is too high it can cause Leaks or burst pipes, if it is too low then that may mean that there are leaks. So, get into the habit of checking your water pressure. According to McMahon Plumbing and Heating, your psi should be 50-70. 80 is the maximum pressure for your home before risking damage.
You can check with a pressure gauge outside on an outside hose bib.
7. Know where the water shut off valves are
When you find a leak you should know where the shut off valves are, so that if the toilet is clogged and the water is rising knowing where the valve is would be crucial to avoid wasting gallons of water.
Conclusion
Follow these and learn more on how to maintain your plumbing system. It is better to prevent and maintain than to fix things when they go wrong. Hire a plumber once a year to do a thorough maintenance inspection of your home and to take care repairs.
Image from unsplash @wesleycaribe
