If you have a home, you have plumbing. Plumbing is used extensively every day in the kitchen, in the toilet, in the laundry room and in your outdoor space. So what happens when that plumbing stops working properly? Pipe and drain repairs can be annoying, so it’s better to learn to prevent them as best as you can with these plumbing tips for all homeowners:
Proper Grease Disposal
When cooking, it can be tempting to dump all the excess grease down the drain, but that’s a very bad decision. Over time, the oil and grease will build up and start clogging your drains. Grease clogs can be solved with chemical cleaners and boiling water, but it’s best to opt for safe disposal options. For instance, it’s best to let grease solidify before composting and oil cool before placing it in a metal tin and throwing it in the garbage.
Protect Your Tap
Are you terrified of hearing that ominous ‘drip, drip, drip’ of the tap? If yes, you might use all your strength to turn off the faucet as tight as you can. This is actually a very bad practice that can shorten the life of your taps. The more pressure you put on the fixture and its elements, the more worn down they get, causing drips. It’s best to reach the natural stopping point of the tap and don’t force it any further.
Prevent Clogs With Strainers
The most common plumbing problem around the world is clogging of the drains. No matter if we’re talking about sink drains or shower drains, different particles can fall in the drain and cause clogs. To keep food particles, soap residue and hair out of the drain, use a strainer that places over the drain. During your next renovation, opt for built in basket strainers that look good and do the job even better.
Learn How to Use a Plunger
Plungers are great tools for removing clogs in your toilet or sink without too much trouble or any chemicals. For sinks, use a cup plunger and for toilets, use a flange plunger. Cover the entire drain creating a seal and plunge up and down in order to suction out the clog. Some clogs can go away quickly, but some are so deep that you can’t handle them alone.
In that case, call professionals. In some countries, like Australia, it’s illegal to mess with plumbing alone, so any job beyond plunging should be performed by professionals. Thanks to Chiswick Plumbing services, you can easily forget about all blocked drains, toilet issues, leaks and burst pipes. Pros can solve any plumbing issue and leave your drains and pipes clean and airy.
Learn About Your Main Water Valve
Most people don’t try very hard to learn about plumbing, but all homeowners need to know about the location of their main water valve. In case you have a burst pipe, you’ll need to turn off the main water valve as quickly as possible to minimize the damage.
Protect Plumbing From Freezing
People living in Australia or anywhere else that’s hot all year round might not worry about this issue, but those with harsh winters can benefit from this tip. Once the temperatures get low enough, your plumbing will be at risk of freezing. To prevent freezing and bursting of the pipes, you can add some insulation to the outdoor pipes. You can also leave the tap dripping slightly to provide constant circulation of water and air, but it’s better to drain all outside pipes of water before winter. In case your pipes freeze, it clean lead to bursts which can be very expensive to solve. Plus, you’ll risk your access to water.
Plumbing issues are boring to think about and expensive to solve, but with proper maintenance and prevention, you can eliminate most of the issues and save yourself a lot of money, time and nerve.