Preventative Care For Your Home's Plumbing
Did you know that the overwhelming majority of plumbing issues could have been easily prevented with a little TLC and attention to detail? Most people figure that plumbing simply isn't built to last, but that's wrong. When cared for, plumbing can literally last for hundreds of years. Just look at some of the older homes around that have never needed to be re-plumbed. So if you're willing to put in the time for preventative maintenance, you can avoid a lot of issues.
When you're cutting off the water after washing your hands or bathing, make sure that the water is firmly shut off. Unless it's completely cut off, the water pressure is going to slowly gouge out a pathway through the inside of the faucet. Although we're only talking about millimeters here, this is enough to ruin your faucet by creating a drip that can't be fixed without replacement.
Drains can be easily clogged by dozens of everyday items. One of the worst culprits here is hair. Hair in your drain will knot and build up over time and wreak havoc on you. So, to prevent this annoyance, look into purchasing screens and traps for your drains. This will prevent any objects other than water from flowing into the drain and through the pipes.
Hard water is water with a heavy mineral content, like sulfur and other minerals. At first, this is going to create that greenish look around your metal drains. But over time it's going to ruin the inside of your faucets. For the first few years, you'll just be annoyed at having to constantly clean the drains. But once that first drip starts, it's too late. The faucet is only going to get progressively worse. So look into purchasing a water softener.
Pipes may freeze and thaw a few times without any noticeable damage. Whether copper or PVC, pipes are tough and can handle a lot. However, the connections of your pipes become weaker every time they expand and contract. Eventually, you're going to get leaks or even suffer a busted pipe. Prevent this by ensuring your pipes are insulated or at the least have a heat source during the winter.
Shut-off valves are very important plumbing pieces. If these fail, you're going to have a hard time replacing the actual fixtures, like toilets and sinks. So you should periodically check these valves to make sure they're not corroded and that they can still be easily turned. At the first sign of real wear, you should switch your valves out with something stronger.
There is a lot to consider in terms of plumbing issues that goes well beyond the surface. For instance, your faucet may appear to be in working order, but how about the pipes running through the basement and up to your sink? If they're in bad shape, you're in a lot of trouble. So make sure that you think beyond surface appearances and check out what's really going on.
Following along with the simple info in the above article, you will learn how to inspect and protect your plumbing. With a little routine maintenance, you should have no issue whatsoever in preventing bigger issues.
