People may need water to live, but water can just seem like a hassle if it’s flooding your basement. There are not many things more devastating to a home’s structure than a major plumbing problem. Fortunately, homeowners can take a lot of steps to prevent plumbing nightmares and to minimize the effects when they occur.
If your pipes make squeaking and hammering noises, it may be very simple to fix. You must anchor any type of exposed pipe. If these pipes are located in the floors, ceiling or walls, you are probably best calling a profession plumber to take over the project.
You should clean your septic tank every five years! This stop sedimentary particles from accumulating in the tank, and in the worst cases, flooding your home or making the entire system to fail. The cost to have your tank pumped might be a little steep, but it sure beats the alternative of dealing with sewage in your home or on your property.
Knowing all your different tools and how they are used will be a great help when you work on a plumbing job. Read every manual, and use the Internet and library to research the projects that you plan on doing. Make sure you plan before you try any kind of repair, as it can be costly to fix a mistake.
Put the strainer on top of drains to catch any food that would go down and cause a clog. The strainer in the kitchen sink should be cleaned each time you have large particles trapped in it. You should also clean your bathtub strainer any time it is slow to drain.
Don’t pour oils, grease or fat down the drain. When they cool, they will harden and create clogs in your drains. As an owner of a garbage disposal, this is important because the blades will stop working if they have fat on them. To keep your kitchen pipes clear, never dispose of grease down your sink drain.
Be sure that the overflow holes don’t clog up. Overflow holes exist to act as a double check in case of an overfilling sink. That may seem unimportant – but it will become a problem if they are clogged. When you’re periodically checking your sink for possible problems, take the time to clean out the overflow holes.
Run lots of cold water whenever you use your garbage disposal. Using cold water not only preserves the sharpness of the blades, but also makes the disposal process itself smoother. Hot water can liquify grease and cause it to collect in the drain, and that can clog the pipes.
One easy way to save on energy and water is to install efficiency-oriented shower heads. Showers and baths are responsible for the bulk of your hot water usage. By installing an energy-efficient shower head that might cost a few dollars, you could save at least $100 a year per person who showers in your house.
Water that drains back into your dishwasher is likely due to an improper sink hook up. The hose from your sink to your dishwasher needs to go upward before going back down so that there is no mixing between fixtures.
Always remember to keep your dryer’s lint trap clean. This is preventative maintenance that will prevent many problems, including fires. Regularly check your dryer’s lint trap to see if it has any tears or holes that could potentially damage your dryer, and clog up your plumbing.
Preparation and plumbing education are what is needed to avoid plumbing mishaps. Just a little information can make a big difference when it comes to preventing plumbing problems. Also, homeowners who dig up information about a problem beforehand are much more likely to solve the problem faster and easier.