It doesn’t matter if you live in a rental or a home you own, maintaining your place is important. It is not easy to maintain a working home. There are steps you need to take in order for everything to be in top shape.
It’s simple to call the cable company if your TV isn’t working, or for a professional to fix your roof shingles. These are often problems you can’t fix. There are steps you can take, especially to protect your plumbing. These are five things that your plumber will want you to know.
Take Care of your Garbage Disposal
Garbage disposals are really useful. Disposals are a better option than just throwing something away. They break down the material and not leave it there. But, many people abuse this feature which can cause plumbing blockages and costly repairs.
You should only put food scraps down your disposal. Anything else could back up your drain or cause damage to your plumbing system. These are the items that you should not throw away at your disposal.
- Fibrous foods include lettuce, carrots and onion skins.
- Greasy food or grease from cleaning.
- Water increases the size of food, such as pasta, rice, and other grains.
- Bones.
- Non-food items.
Protect Your Pipes
Frozen pipes are the most serious problem in plumbing. The water in your fixtures can freeze, causing a halt to flow. The first sign that this happens is when you try to turn on the faucet and nothing comes out. It doesn’t end there.
The frozen water can become liquid again over time and cause a lot of strain on your pipes. This could lead to them burst. This can lead to a costly and extensive mess in your home. There are ways to avoid this.
First, make sure you go to your local hardware store when it gets colder. This is the pink material that’s found in unfinished basements or attics.
Make sure to wrap the material around any exposed pipes in your house. This will act as a jacket around your fixtures. However, this is only the beginning of your prevention. If your home is cold, insulation won’t do any good.
Make sure your heating systems are working properly so that the air can warm up enough to maintain safe temperatures. Also, ensure that no furniture is blocking your vents. This will allow air to circulate freely around your home.
Check that your air vents don’t get blocked by furniture.
Let your fixtures drip every day, even though it might sound counterproductive. Ice can be prevented by taking the time to run your showers and faucets each day. This issue is unlikely to occur with most appliances in your house because they are used daily.
Sometimes, however, a basement sink or laundry room doesn’t get used very often. You should always have someone watch over your plumbing while you are away so that you don’t return to a mess.
Make Sure To Protect Your Drains
As we’ve mentioned, the wrong materials can block your garbage disposal. The same applies to the rest of the drains. Your faucets, showers, and baths can be clogged with the wrong types of waste. Hair can easily clog pipes, for example. Did you ever notice that your shower water is only a few inches deep?
There’s a good chance that there is something supporting your plumbing fixtures. To prevent blockage, make sure you place a hair catcher over your drain. You can use a declogging agent to clear the obstruction or call a professional.
Do Not Ignore the Problem
People believe that problems will resolve themselves. Waiting for a problem solve itself can cause more damage over the long-term. A leaky faucet, for example, seems harmless. The constant moisture can cause mold growth, even though a leaky faucet may seem harmless. It can also cause your water bill skyrocket as you pay for water that you haven’t used.