Plumbing Advice To Prevent Costly Repairs
When you own a home, you want to make sure you understand how to prevent problems with your plumbing so you don't incur avoidable repair bills. By putting forth a little extra effort, you can keep your plumbing in good shape so it is free of clogs, burst pipes, and other issues. Follow the simple advice here to know you are doing what you can to properly maintain your plumbing system.
Use your garbage disposal correctly
The garbage disposal is a great help in the kitchen. It allows you to grind up small leftovers on your plates, so you don't have to worry about them being rinsed down into the pipes where they can lead to clogs. However, there are a lot of things you don't want to put down the garbage disposal so you don't cause it to break or experience a malfunction. Oil, grease, bones, pits, pasta, egg shells and fibrous foods are some of the things you want to make sure not to put into the disposal. You should put ice cubes down the disposal once in a while to help remove any debris from the blades that may be stuck on them.
Protect your pipes from freezing
If you live where the temperature gets below freezing, you want to prevent your pipes from freezing. If they do freeze, they can burst and this can lead to a whole lot of other problems. Don't leave outside pipes exposed to the elements, drain and put away your garden hoses before freezing temps, make sure your house temperature is warmer when it is freezing and open the cabinets where plumbing pipes are so the heat can reach them.
Spot the signs of plumbing problems right away
Calling a plumber out at the first sign of trouble can be very important when it comes to fending off serious issues. Since most of your plumbing is behind the walls where it's out of sight, it's not always easy to recognize a problem. Pay attention to the sounds your plumbing is making, so you can catch new sounds right away. They may indicate a leak that needs to be fixed. Also, if you notice your sink or bathtub drains are taking longer to drain, then there may be a clog forming down in the lines and drain cleaning may be in order. If you are ever concerned you may have a problem, you should err on the side of caution.