Owning a home is a big responsibility – one that may prevent its share of challenges from time to time. Being informed and knowledgeable about how things work in your home is the key to dealing with problems and finding solutions. One realm that is extremely important is plumbing. Plumbing affects so many areas of your home, from the bathroom to the kitchen, and taking preventative measures can help you prevent major problems from arising, saving you a lot of time and money in the future. Here, we touch on the steps you can take today to keep these plumbing emergencies from happening.
Avoid Plumbing Emergencies With These Steps
Prevention is the key word when it comes to plumbing. You can save yourself a lot of trouble by following these simple steps.
1. Clean Drains Regularly
Debris naturally build-up in drains over time with use. From food particles to hair, a drain that is badly clogged can be the source of a serious problem and could be the cause of a plumbing emergency if the water flow completely stops or a sink refuses to drain. Avoid this by making sure you clean your drain regularly.
You can do by employing a store-bought drain cleaner to your pipes or pouring boiling water down the drain to clear away buildup from time to time.
Using drain screens or filters in your kitchen can keep large particles from going down and potentially clogging the system.
Make sure that when you do use your disposal that you use it gradually versus dumping in waste all at one time, and never pour grease down the drain, as it hardens.
2. Locate Your Valves
This seems like an obvious thing to know, but making sure you know how to turn off the water in your home is crucial in the case of a busted pipe. In the moment, you don’t want to be scrambling around looking for a way to turn it off when water damage can occur.
Once you located your shut-off valves, turn them on and off a few times to make sure they move properly and work correctly. Making sure these function in the way they are supposed to is important, should a time come when you have to use them.
Something to look for around these valves is corrosion – if you see this, consider having them checked by a plumber to see if they need to be replaced to avoid leaks.
3. Put Less Stress On Your Pipes
Pipe become weaker and more stressed out as they age. They can cause problems in the form of leaks or, in emergency cases, floods. While aging cannot be prevented, there are several ways that you can avoid putting unnecessary stress on your pipes. Water softeners are a great addition to your plumbing systems for several reasons.
They can make showers more pleasant by taking away the harsh feeling that hard water has, and take away films and spots left on dishes.
Water softeners also extend the life of your pipes, because hard water causes build-up of minerals and chemicals that can cause blockages and pressure.
Another measure that you can take that has several benefits would be conserving water. Not only does the environment profit, but your pipes have reduced stress because less water is being used.
4. Schedule Regular Maintenance
There is a lot you can do for your pipes that will reduce the chances of plumbing emergencies, and one of the biggest preventative measures is to consult the experts. Having professional plumbers come out for regularly scheduled maintenance and checks is one of the biggest ways to catch potential problems and prevent future ones. Plumbers can come in everything from the pipes to hardware to help you feel at ease and assured that everything is running smoothly. It’s also a good idea to have your plumbing lines snaked every few years to clear out blockages and catch unseen problems.
Stay On Top Of you Plumbing With Deer Valley Plumbing
Now you can consider yourself a well-informed homeowner when it comes to plumbing issues. Knowing what to do to prevent emergencies is a great way to save yourself time and potentially costly repairs later on down the road. Regularly scheduled maintenance is the main key to success to always ensuring that your pipes are in good conditions and things are running smoothly. Deer Valley Plumbing is always available for these consultations and will help you take preventative actions if necessary. Of course, not all plumbing emergencies may be avoided – things do occasionally break or wear out. Our team at Deer Valley Plumbing is ready to handle any emergency that may occur, so do not hesitate to contact us on a moment’s notice.