Are you struggling with a dripping faucet, low water pressure, or a clogged pipe? Then it's a better idea to call a professional plumber earlier to save your money. Keeping your home's plumbing in the best condition is not a big task, much easier than you think if you follow a few steps.
Here are our few essential plumbing tips that you should do as a homeowner.
Learn where your main water shutoff valve is located for your home
During a water emergency, turn off the water supply because the flowing water can cause even more damage very quickly. You must know where the shutoff valve is located in your home. If you have a basement or crawl space, then it may be located on the outer wall, near the water heater, etc. You can shut off the valve by hand too.
Give your water heater a yearly checkup
If you fail to check the water heater regularly, sediments can form in the bottom of the heater. Suppose if the water comes from the well, the sediments can be in the form of sand and other debris that builds up through the waterlines.
Sediments will corrode the water heater thus making it work less efficiently. This may shorten the life span of the water tank.
If your water heater is over 12-15 years old, then change it. Rust may form around or over the heater so call a plumber and make a change.
Check your wash machine hoses for signs of wear and tear
Check the washing machine hoses regularly because they may be old and worn, most of us will fail to check them. If not detected, there may be split and leaking. A small leak if not noticed for a long time can slowly ruin your drywall or your floor. While checking the hoses on your wash machine, pay attention to the cutoff valve.
Use drain covers in your shower and kitchen sink
This will prevent unwanted objects from entering your plumbing. In the kitchen sink, you can see a lot of food waste, put a drain cover and prevent large pieces of food from going down the drain and causing clogs or foul smells.
Keep grease and cooking oils out of your drains
Once you pour grease or cooking oils down the drain, it may affect the home's plumbing system. If this continues, it will lead to a clog deep down where a plunger can’t dislodge it.
Run hot water down your kitchen drain after washing dishes
To prevent the grease from building up in your drains, run hot water down the drain for 15-20 seconds after you wash the dishes.
Switch from bar soap to body wash
The body wash is good for your home's plumbing! The soap produces a lot of soap scum that covers all around the walls of drainage pipes which may result in clogs. The body wash is a liquid so it may travel down the drain quicker.
Follow the above guidelines and make your plumbing system work better!