Steps To Take To Prevent Serious Plumbing Issues
One of the best things you could ever do for your health is to eat right and exercise; it's all about preventative care. Well, the same also holds true for something like your home's plumbing. The best way to avoid having issues with your pipes, drains and faucets is to exercise preventative care and to treat your plumbing correctly. Here are some preventative steps you can take to avoid larger issues.
Pipes that are clogged are sometimes easily fixed, but there's always the risk of having serious clogs which require professional help. This can be time-consuming and expensive, and it's just better to work to prevent these issues. Purchase some drain screens and traps that will catch larger items before they go down the drain. And run some drain cleaner through your pipes about every six months to get rid of the buildup.
You might not realize it, but there are all types of items that can clog up your pipes. Body hair is the main culprit here. Over time, that hair that falls out of your head becomes a jumbled, knotted mess that can block your pipes. But toothpaste caps, soap slivers, razor covers, and other small items can also fall in and cause clogs. This is why screens/traps are important.
One of the best ways to ensure that your pipes last a long time is to keep them protected from the elements. You're not only concerned about the pipe itself, of course, but also the connections. Make sure you have some type of insulating material to protect your pipes against the harsh weather and also against any damage if they're exposed (like pipes in the basement).
Water is something that's in large supply throughout most of the nation, but that doesn't mean it's cheap. It also doesn't mean that you want to run water constantly. Fixing leaking pipes is a great way to conserve water. You might not think so, but that small drip may be putting out around a gallon of water per hour. That's a shower's worth of water you're losing every day.
Your drains not only need to be protected from clogs, but also from leaks. On the underside of your sinks, you'll find a large connection at the base and then another connection at the P-trap. Every few months, go through and make sure that everything is tight and that nothing is leaking. You may need to reapply compound to the drain connection, or you may just need to ensure that it's tight and doesn't have any play.
Weather changes can plague your pipes, especially if your home has old pipes. Freezing is very bad, but even the everyday expanding and contracting can cause leaks at connection points. To protect against the weather, make sure your pipes are insulated and make sure that you have a heating source in your home in areas with exposed pipes.
If you're willing to pay attention to your plumbing, preventative maintenance is something that's very easy. A little time and effort now will ensure that your plumbing lasts a lot longer and gives you far fewer problems.
