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A well-maintained home is not an accident, it takes constant work and constant maintenance. You need to be conscious of the different systems within your home, and you must make sure you keep everything working correctly. One of the major systems of your home is your plumbing system. If it isn’t in working order you run the risk of a huge flood and a large amount of water damage or the loss of your hot water. These are just a few of the most common issues, there are dozens of other horrible situations you may find yourself dealing with.
However, you don’t have to worry about anything if you keep your plumbing system in good shape with proactive maintenance and servicing. Here are five things that every plumber wished their customers knew. Scheduling routine plumbing checks and following these basic plumbing rules can help keep your system working for decades.
Practice Good Garbage Disposal Habits
Garbage disposals can be a great addition to a kitchen. They are an easy way to grind up soft food items, but they also are one of the number one causes of plumbing issues in Brandon, FL. People tend to think that they can use their garbage disposal for anything, and that leads to extensive plumbing blockages and very expensive repairs.
If you have a garbage disposal you need to make sure that you only place small scraps of food down the drain. While it can be tempting, any other materials will block your drain and lead to problems with your overall kitchen sink plumbing system. In addition, you cannot put all food items down the drain. Common offenders that can cause plumbing issues include lettuce, onion skins, carrots, greasy foods, leftover grease from cooking, pasta, grains, bones, or any items that are not food.
Sometimes a food that seems harmless can cause a lot of issues down the road. For example, rice and pasta expand when water is absorbed, so what seems like a few pieces of rice or pasta can quickly become a blockage down the road. The same is true of things like potato peels or carrot peels. Non-food items and bones won’t properly grind up, causing jams or large pieces to break and fracture down your pipes.
Always Protect Your Drains
The same way the wrong item can end clogging or ruining your garbage disposal, all it takes is the one item to mess up your drains. A lot of unsuitable materials end up in drains because pipes connect to faucets, showers, and baths. Plumbers often get called because of shower drains that are clogged by hair and other debris. There is a good chance that you have had to call a plumber after noticing that the water is starting to build up around your feet while you shower. You can easily prevent this from happening again if you protect your drains. A hair catcher is all it takes to prevent a plumbing blockage. If the hair catcher is not enough, then you may need to call a plumbing company to troubleshoot the issue.
Protect The Pipes In Your Home
At the same time, you need to protect your pipes as well. In Brandon, FL the temperatures stay above freezing, for the most part, so you don’t have to worry about frozen pipes. However, any plumber will tell you that it is a good idea to regularly inspect your plumbing for leaks. This includes walking around your home looking at any exposed piping for signs of aging or decay.
Random water pooling on the ground can be a sign of a leak, as can a wet fixture or signs of water damage. For example, you may not see the leak when you inspect your pipes, but you can see peeling paint, warping wood pieces, or soggy ceiling tiles. These are all indications that a pipe may be leaking somewhere and you need to call a plumber. The sooner you fix a leak the less it will cost you, and it will prevent a rusty or old pipe from bursting which can result in a high emergency plumbing bill as well as large amounts of costly water damage.
Never Ignore Plumbing Issues
If there is one thing that every plumber wishes they could tell their plumbing base, it would be to never ignore home plumbing issues. Many people put off calling a plumber because they are unsure of the price or they don’t think it’s really a big deal. Unfortunately, when you ignore an issue it becomes a big deal because it is allowed the chance to develop. What starts out as a small quick fix can turn into a massive issue that requires a plumber and possibly other home technicians as well.
Similar to a leaky pipe that turns into a burst pipe spraying gallons of water everywhere, there are a lot of plumbing disasters that can occur inside of your home. Prompt attention to your plumbing is the only thing standing between a small repair and a plumbing emergency.
Even small issues can turn costly if you don’t deal with them, even if they don’t turn into an emergency. For example, a small leak may never cause a pipe to burst, but the small occasional dripping can prompt mold to grow. Mold can be harmful to breathe and require the services of a plumber and mediation specialist to remove. At the very least, the small leak can cause your water bill to jump stupendously.
Be Proactive By Scheduling Routine Maintenance
You don’t have to wait for an issue to arise to troubleshoot it, you can go one step further and keep ahead of any potential plumbing issues by simply scheduling a yearly maintenance call. During this call, the technician will inspect your plumbing system to see if any aging or broken components need to be repaired. Regular maintenance can help keep your plumbing system in tip-top shape. Drain Flo Plumbing has offered 24/7 plumbing services to the greater Brandon area since 2008, and we would be glad to help you with your plumbing system. Whether you have an issue or need to have your plumbing system examined, give us a call today and we can set up a house call.
